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Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales {Activity Sheets & Special Announcement}

Lolli — Fri, 05 May 2017 17:23:21 +0000

I’m heading to the Red Carpet!

I’m thrilled to officially announce that I’ll be heading to Los Angeles for the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales red carpet premiere May 17-20! This trip is courtesy of Disney and all travel and activities during my stay are covered. All thoughts and excitement are my own.

I can’t wait to see the 5th installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, plus meet and interview some of the talent involved in the film (WOW!). I’ll be updating this post as soon as I learn who is on the interview docket! I’m sure you can imagine who I’m crossing my fingers we’ll get to interview!

While in LA, we will also stop by the Disney Archives to learn about the history of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” attraction (which is my childhood favorite ride at Disneyland!) and then we’ll get to experience the ride first hand with a trip to Disneyland!

We also get to cover the newest Walt Disney Signature Collection release – Bambi. Not only will we get to celebrate this Disney Classic’s 75th anniversary, but we’ll have the opportunity to speak with with two members of the original voice cast – Donnie Dunagan, the voice of young Bambi and Peter Behn, the voice of young Thumper. How cool is that??

Be sure to follow along with the official event hashtags: #PiratesLifeEvent and #BambiBluRay

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Activity Packet

To print this free Pirates-themed activity packet, simply click HERE (or on the image below) and download the full sized PDF booklet. Print as many as you’d like and enjoy!

About Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Johnny Depp returns to the big screen as the iconic, swashbuckling anti-hero Jack Sparrow in the all-new “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.” The rip-roaring adventure finds down-on-his-luck Captain Jack feeling the winds of ill-fortune blowing strongly his way when deadly ghost sailors, led by the terrifying Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devil’s Triangle bent on killing every pirate at sea—notably Jack.

Jack’s only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it he must forge an uneasy alliance with Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), a brilliant and beautiful astronomer, and Henry (Brenton Thwaites), a headstrong young sailor in the Royal Navy. At the helm of the Dying Gull, his pitifully small and shabby ship, Captain Jack seeks not only to reverse his recent spate of ill fortune, but to save his very life from the most formidable and malicious foe he has ever faced.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” also stars Kevin R. McNally as Joshamee Gibbs, Golshifteh Farahani as the sea-witch Shansa, David Wenham as Scarfield, Stephen Graham as Scrum, and Geoffrey Rush as Captain Hector Barbossa.

Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg are directing “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” with Jerry Bruckheimer producing. The executive producers are Mike Stenson, Chad Oman, Joe Caracciolo, Jr., Terry Rossio and Brigham Taylor. The story is by Jeff Nathanson and Terry Rossio, and Jeff Nathanson wrote the screenplay. “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” drops anchor in U.S. theaters on May 26, 2017.

Connect with Pirates of the Caribbean:

Follow PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DisneyPirates

Like PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PiratesOfTheCaribbean

Follow PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disneypirates/

Visit the official PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES website here: https://pirates.disney.com/

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES opens in theaters everywhere May 26th!

2015 Mazda3 i 4-Door Touring

Lolli — Sat, 06 Jun 2015 16:00:17 +0000

When I was in Los Angeles recently for a press trip, Mazda was gracious enough to send me a Mazda3 so that I could get from LA to San Diego. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Collage shots and car selfie were taken by me. All other photos of the Mazda3 are courtesy of Mazda.

My time with the Mazda3 i 4-door Touring was short (from Saturday evening to Monday morning), but I clocked a lot of hours driving the Southern California freeway and around town in San Diego while I had it, and it was easy to fall in love.

The Mazda3 is a slick-looking, smooth-driving, get-you-where-you-need-to-go kind of vehicle. My first impression of the car, when the hotel valet pulled it around to the front of the hotel for me, was that I loved the color (the car that I had a chance to drive was a gorgeous blue reflex mica with a black interior). The trunk had ample space for my luggage, and the driver’s seat had more than enough room for me. I was more than satisfied with my ride.

I got in the car, hooked my phone up to charge via USB cord, found a good radio station (take a look at the enormous touch screen infotainment system!), adjusted my mirrors, and was on my way south towards San Diego. It was easy to find the controls and features I needed to get on my way quickly. Maybe because I have driven a few Mazdas in the last few years, but this car just felt intuitive to me.

The Mazda3 handled well in the night-time slow and then fast, stop and go LA traffic. Possibly my favorite thing about the Mazda3? When I got to my destination, I was able to zip right into (and later, out of) an insane, tight, wall-on-one-side parking spot. I never would have dared it with a bigger car, but the Mazda3 tackled the parking job like a champ. Frankly, it made ME look good.

Perhaps one of the most appealing things about the Mazda3 is the sticker price. With an MSRP starting at $16,945, the 2015 Mazda3 is a very affordable car! The fuel efficiency adds to the affordability of the Mazda3; it has an EPA-estimated fuel efficiency rating of 29/41 mpg (city/highway), with an average of 34 miles per gallon.

The other stats that stood out to me were the government safety ratings – the Mazda3 got an overall vehicle score of 5 out of 5 stars for frontal, side, and rollover impacts. I feel so much better driving around in a car that has received top ratings for safety.

A few features of the 2015 Mazda3:

Below are available features for the Mazda3. Check MazdaUSA.com to see details on what is available on each model, and which features come standard versus optional >>

Moonroof with one-touch open
6-way power driver’s seat with manual lumbar adjustment
Variable heated front seats
Bluetooth® hands-free phone and audio capability
Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry & Start System
Rearview camera
Mazda navigation system
Bose® 9 speaker surround sound system with Centerpoint® 2 and AudioPilot®
SiriusXM satellite radio w/ 4 month subscription
Dual-zone automatic climate control system
18-inch alloy wheels
LED Daytime Running Lights
LED combination taillights
Active Driving Display for driving information
Paddle shifters
Bi-xenon headlights with auto leveling
Auto On/Off headlights
Auto-dimming interior mirror with Homelink
Perforated leather-trimmed seats
Adaptive Front-lighting System
Rain sensing windshield wipers
MAZDA CONNECT Infotainment system with: 7″ full-color touchscreen display, multi-function Commander control, Infotainment system voice command, HD radio, Aha internet radio integration, Pandora® internet radio integration, Stitcher internet radio integration, SMS text message audio delivery and reply

Mazda3 safety features include:

Advanced front air bags
Front side-impact air bags
Side-impact air curtains
Dynamic Stability Control with Traction Control System
4-wheel ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist
Available Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Traffic Alert
E911 automatic emergency notification
Adaptive Front-lighting System
Smart City Brake Support
Lane Departure Warning System
High Beam Control
Forward Obstruction Warning
Mazda Radar Cruise Control

My Mazda3 selfie

Every time I get behind the wheel of a Mazda, I fall a little more in love with the brand. I love what Mazda has done with their cars in the past few years. Mazda has become one of our front runners for the new car search.

Behind The Scenes: Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Set Tour #AgentsOfSHIELD

Lolli — Tue, 05 May 2015 15:11:08 +0000

I am totally engrossed in the world of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. So it goes without saying that I was ecstatic when I got to spend an afternoon on the set of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. during my recent press trip to Los Angeles as part of the #AvengersEvent | #AgentsOfSHIELD | #ABCTVevent. Travel and accommodations were covered, but all thoughts are my own.

Behind the scenes set visit on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

I remember when I was little, I would read books and watch TV shows or movies and imagine myself visiting the places described in the stories. I’ve always been one to become emotionally invested in the stories I read and watch.

It’s hard to describe how cool it was to walk through the set of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – one of my favorite TV series. The characters are alive for me. The places real. To be there, walking among the sets and the costumes, talking with the actors and the crew involved in putting it all together? Incredible!

Buckling up on the Quinjet? Done that.

In the Quinjet – MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. – Bloggers event (ABC/Adam Taylor)

Hanging out in the S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ? Totally.

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters – Bloggers event (ABC/Adam Taylor)

Walking down the halls of the old S.S.R. (Strategic Scientific Reserve) headquarters? Been there.

The old S.S.R. HQ – MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. – Bloggers event (ABC/Adam Taylor)

Walking up to Chloe Bennet (“Skye/Daisy Johnson”) in the hall while she was getting the finishing touches put on her costume for the season finale…and having her reach out and hold me hand while she talked to me? Yes, that happened, too. After chatting casually with Chloe and Luke Mitchell (“Lincoln”), we even got to see them film one of the scenes from the season finale. Mind blown!

ABC’s “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” stars Chloe Bennet as Skye. (ABC/Florian Schneider)

Now I can be the geek who watches each new episode and says, “Hey! I remember when I was there! I walked through that lab! I talked with her! Oh, look! Those couches are SO soft! Coulson’s office? Oh, yeah. I totally sat at his desk…”

This is the stuff that geeky dreams are made of.

After we had interviewed the cast and then toured the set, we had the chance to meet with Ann Foley, costume designer for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Meeting with Ann Foley, costume designer for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

She started us off in her main office, the walls of which were covered with vision boards. I could see the styles of each of the characters I had come to know so well through both seasons of the show reflected in her vision boards. Ann said that the vision boards were created before they began filming the first season to show the producers and the cast where she envisioned going with each of the characters. Her goal was to create six really strong, identifiable characters.

Ann mentioned, “I have a few things up there for Season Two, and as most of you guys know, there was a big progression in the cast from Season One, towards the end and the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D., we went a little darker and everybody grew up. So Season Two, it was a little darker. It was a little edgier. And, it was actually fun, it was kind of a nice change.”

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. – Bloggers event (ABC/Adam Taylor)
ANN FOLEY (COSTUME DESIGNER)

Ahead of us there were racks and racks full of clothes, sectioned off according to characters: the regulars and the day players. Ann told us that the Working Closet is where she pulls clothes for each episode. There is also a Permanent Closet, which houses the clothes from last season and some items from the current season that have already been shot. We saw Bobbi/Mockingbird’s custom-made jacket from the first time we met her on the show as well as Hunter’s fabulous leather jackets and a host of other clothing items for every character, big or small.

Every actor comes through Costuming

The main cast members probably spend quite a bit of time in and out of costuming, especially when they go off the usual set. Ann mentioned one of her favorite episodes…. “was when we were in Russia and we did a little Russian bar. That was amazing.”

She obviously has measurements for each of the main actors, but even the day players must come in for a fitting. Ann said, “Every single person on the show pretty much, whether they have one line or they have a big arc, they come in and I dress them all.”

Ann then showed us her workshop, where a lot of the custom costumes are made. Ann told us, “This is where we build a lot of the costumes on the show… Raina, the girl in the flower dress, is probably one of my favorite characters. We actually print (her) fabric and then we make each one of our dresses. What I did with her is I really worked with the writers and we sort of went into her head, and depending on where her head was in that episode. We tried to choose that color wisely. So, they’re all 100 percent custom made and that’s special to our show.”

We wondered if any of the costumes presented an extra challenge for her team. Ann remarked, “There’s always gonna be a challenge, even if they’re in street clothes. But I never really look at it as a challenge. It’s always just another aspect of it. I love building costumes. I love shopping them as well. So I’ve been very lucky in my assistant designer career. I’ve worked on some amazing films that all we did was build. We were in completely different worlds. And so it’s just kind of second nature to me.”

Costuming – MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. – Bloggers event (ABC/Adam Taylor)

Why Agent May needed five custom-made silver dresses

Ann then pointed out Agent May’s silver sequin dress from earlier in Season Two. Ann explained, “We made that in-house, too, which was so much fun. It was so much fun putting her in that. We had about a week to make five of those dresses. Those tiny sequins that you see on there? We were finding those sequins all over studio. They were everywhere.”

We made five because May was fighting herself in the episode, so we had one beautiful one for May, then we had one that she could fight in, so we sewed stretch panels inside so she could fight and do all of her movement. She had two stunt doubles and then Agent 33 was in one as well.”

After seeing May’s custom-made silver dress and Mockingbird’s custom suit, we asked what percentage of the costumes are custom made. Ann said that it varies a lot by episode, but she guessed around 30% or less. “It does feel like we’re making a lot of stuff back here, and I love to do that. It just depends on the needs of the character, ’cause sometimes you just can’t find it at Bloomingdale’s.”

How does costuming accommodate for stunts and doubles?

Ann said that because there is a lot of action on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. that making sure that the costumes are stunt-friendly is a huge consideration. She said, “That’s one of the most important things to me for the show. I always take the actors considerations into account when we’re building. They have to be able to do their stunts. They have to be able to fight. They have to be able to move really freely, do high kicks. And I mean with the (silver) dress, the challenge was making sure Ming could punch, so she could move so that nothing would pull here, and she could flip over a table. You don’t ever want the costume to get in the way.

And even with Deathlok’s costume, the base of it is a four-way stretch, very similar to what Mockingbird’s is made out of. So it’s a four-way stretch, and I print on top of it. It’s an ink, so the costume still moves with the actor, and that’s super, super, super important.”

Professional shoppers

Ann talked briefly about her system for finding pieces for each character. She said, “I have some fabulous shoppers on the show. And also I am a big online shopper. I’m gonna give a big shout out to Shopbop and Net-A-Porter and Mr. Porter. It’s great, because, we know the characters now, and I think the bigger challenge was at the end of last season and starting, and this season when we started going darker and edgier was trying to find that idea of all of the characters, for example Elizabeth Simmons, to me is probably one of the more challenging characters to shop for on the show because she is eclectic.

So it will be one piece from this store, one piece from that store, and it’s just about styling her and bringing her together without any of them going over the top, ’cause the challenge for me, I guess, going back to your original question is keeping it believable, keeping it real, and not having it be over the top. And (you never want) people getting distracted by what the cast is wearing.”

ABC’s “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” stars B.J. Britt as Antoine Triplett, Chloe Bennet as Skye, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, Nick Blood as Lance Hunter, Henry Simmons as Alphonso ‘Mac’ Mackenzie, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons and Brett Dalton as Grant Ward. (ABC/Florian Schneider)

Who is the easiest cast member to dress?

Ann said that she has gotten to know the cast members so well at this point that none of them are very hard to dress. She said, “I guess the harder part is maybe finding those pieces that identify each character, because, if you ask my shoppers, I can be a little picky. They’d probably be able to answer that question better than me.”

Then, speaking about dressing Coulson, Ann said, “I mean, and that’s the fun part, because, you know, Coulson is always in a suit, so when I get to get him out of the suit, it’s funny because Twitter loves it. They love seeing Coulson undercover. I think that’s probably one of the most fun things for me, is when I get those episodes and everyone’s under cover.

And, sometimes it makes me laugh. Last season, when Coulson and May went undercover as Fitzsimmons, (that was) probably the best fittings I’ve ever had in my life because Elizabeth has a very specific way of standing in her fittings, and Ming did that in the fitting photos for the cast. And you could hear her laughing across the studio. It was wonderful. I was really fun.”

Now that I’ve spent time in costuming, I am much more aware of what the characters are wearing each episode. How would you like a job to shop all day and dress actors?? Pretty amazing, if you ask me!

**Tune in for the latest Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., “Scars!”**

NEW EPISODE: “Scars” – May 5

“Scars” – Skye is torn between her loyalty to S.H.I.E.L.D. and her connection to the Inhumans as tensions rise between the groups — and Coulson reveals a secret he’s been hiding from even those closest to him, on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” TUESDAY, MAY 5 on ABC (ABC/Kelsey McNeal)

WAR TEARS SKYE APART, ON “MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.” ON ABC

ABOUT THE EPISODE: “Scars” – Skye is torn between her loyalty to S.H.I.E.L.D. and her connection to the Inhumans as tensions rise between the groups — and Coulson reveals a secret he’s been hiding from even those closest to him, on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” TUESDAY, MAY 5 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” stars Clark Gregg as Director Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Agent Skye, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons, Nick Blood as Lance Hunter and Adrianne Palicki as Bobbi Morse.

Guest starring are Henry Simmons as Alphonso “Mack” Mackenzie, Ruth Negga as Raina, Patton Oswalt as Sam/Billy Koenig, Kyle Maclachlan as Cal, Edward James Olmos as Robert Gonzales, Jamie Harris as Gordon, Christine Adams as Agent Weaver, Mark Allan Stewart as Agent Oliver, Maya Stojan as Kara/Agent 33, Dichen Lachman as Jiaying, Luke Mitchell as Lincoln Campbell, Alicia Vela-Bailey as Alisha, David Douglas as Michael and Crystal Coney as scientist.

“Scars” was written by Rafe Judkins & Lauren LeFranc and directed by Bobby Roth.

Follow Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on: Facebook www.facebook.com/AgentsofSHIELD and Twitter @AgentsofSHIELD or @ABC_Publicity and Follow Ann Foley on twitter @AFoley24

Be sure to read my interview with Iain De Caestecker (“Leo Fitz”), Elizabeth Henstridge (“Jemma Simmons”), Brett Dalton (“Grant Ward”), Henry Simmons (“Alphonso ‘Mack’ Mackenzie”) and Adrianne Palicki (“Bobbi Morse”) and stay tuned next week (May 12) for my exclusive interview with Clark Gregg (“Phil Coulson”), Ming-Na Wen (“Melinda May”)!

Producer Kevin Feige Chats About Avengers: Age of Ultron #AvengersEvent

Lolli — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 12:30:08 +0000

Sometimes my job is pretty cool. Like when I get invited to Los Angeles to participate in the Avengers: Age of Ultron press event, get to see the movie early and interview the people involved in making it. Travel and accommodations were covered by Disney and Marvel, but all thoughts and experiences are my own.

It’s not everyday that you get to sit down with the president of Marvel Studios, but we got to do just that when we met with Kevin Feige during our recent #AvengersEvent trip. In his role as producer and President of Marvel Studios, Feige “oversees all creative aspects of the company’s feature film activities.” He is currently producing “Ant-Man,” which is scheduled for release this summer (July 31, 2015). His other films include the first Avengers movie, Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, all 3 Iron Man movies, Thor and Thor: The Dark World, The Incredible Hulk, among many others. This guy knows his super heros.

Want to hear what he had to say?

Why is there no end-credit scene?

FEIGE: “Well, there’s a mid-credit scene, as we call it, and we’ve always really said it’s not a fast and hard rule that there must be something after the credits. And Joss was a firm believer that we shouldn’t do something that seemed like we were aping the Shawarma scene at the end of [The Avengers] and, you know, his version of the story really culminates where it does at the end of the film and with the mid-credits. And everything we were thinking of just felt like an add-on that wasn’t worth doing. But that’s one of the reasons why he wanted to get it out there so people didn’t sit there for seven minutes and go, what?”

Kevin Feige: Photo Credit Jana Seitzer / https://whiskynsunshine.com

How does it feel to have a fan base that can’t wait for the next release from the studio?

FEIGE: “It feels great, obviously. At Marvel, their big story is about everyone that go back fifty years and through hundreds of comic issues. What’s really exciting is that the comic fan base was one thing – it’s the solid foundation of everything we do – but now it’s increased dramatically with the film base and with the film fans, it gives us a certain amount of pressure and sleepless nights to deliver on expectations, each time. But it’s also knowing that people are so excited for what’s next.

Age of Ultron is our eleventh Marvel Cinematic Universe film. And we want each of them to stand alone whether you’ve seen the other ten films or not. We believe each film works as a beginning, middle, end in and of itself. And we worked very hard to do that. All we’re interested in is making one singular great movie at a time.”

Photo credit: Marvel

Which character in the Marvel Universe would you like to see next?

FEIGE: “Well, I used to say Guardians of the Galaxy to that question. I used to say Vision to that question; I used to say Falcon; I used to say Doctor Strange a lot and obviously we’re deep into that with Benedict Cumberbatch now. We start Doctor Strange filming in November. So it’s really been amazing. Now, it does come down to very individual and specific characters, but if I say too many of them, it’ll give away exactly what we’re doing with Guardians 2 or with the future ones.

But it’s a testament to the Marvel comics, and how deep its bench is that there’s still hundreds of great characters that we haven’t even touched yet.”

Avengers: Age Of Ultron – Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) Photo credit: Marvel

What was it like to bring Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch into this movie?

FEIGE: “It was great. They’re key Avengers characters in the books. They have a great backstory that we really wanted to explore; and they have a great relationship, the two of them, that we really wanted to explore together, and it was one of Joss’s very first notions – probably second notion after Ultron – to bring them in, who have a very different viewpoint of the Avengers and who come into the team from a very different angle than any of the other characters.

The other characters were sort of assembled together by Nick Fury in the first movie and Thor obviously came into the mix because of the presence of Loki, and now having characters come in from a totally different side – which is also a very Marvel thing to do. There are a lot of Marvel characters who start on the other side of a disagreement, or the other side of an argument or the other side of the law that through a great Marvel redemptive arc, become heroes. And, and we wanted to do that in an Avengers movie.”

Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Photo credit: Marvel

Did you read a lot of Marvel comics as a kid, and did you have a favorite character?

KEIGE: “I was more into movies as a kid. I had a lot of favorite movies. I remember a story in particular when I was in the backyard with a bunch of friends of mine when we were, I don’t know, say eight years old- ten years old. And we were playing super heroes, and somebody had chosen Batman, somebody had chosen Superman, and somebody had chosen Spiderman and, I remember going, well, I’ll be Iron Man. I’ll play Iron Man because I’d seen him in the reruns of the old ’60s cartoon. And some kids didn’t even know who he was. I was like, he’s cool. He’s Iron Man. Trust me. So that was fun bringing him to life after some kids hadn’t heard of him when I chose him in the backyard thirty-two years ago.”

Kevin Feige and our group of bloggers in Los Angeles | Photo credit: Disney

Check out one of my favorite scenes from the movie:

Be sure to check out the rest of my Avengers posts and stay tuned as I add more exclusive coverage in the coming weeks!

Avengers: Age of Ultron Movie Review
Producer and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige Chats About Avengers: Age of Ultron
When Joss Whedon says cross your arms, you cross your arms (and other Avengers-speak!)
That Time I Was Sandwiched Between Thor and Captain America (Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans Interview)
Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch Join The Avengers: Exclusive Interview With Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen
Avengers: Age of Ultron Coloring Pages #Printables
Avengers Easter Eggs

Follow Avengers on Twitter: https://twitter.com/avengers
Visit the official website: https://marvel.com/avengers
Like The Avengers on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/avengers
….and then be sure to catch it in theaters this coming weekend (opens May 1!).

On the Set of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. {Cast Interview}

Lolli — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 13:27:39 +0000

I am totally engrossed in the world of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. So when I was told that part of my recent press trip to Los Angeles with Disney | Marvel | ABC TV was a visit to the set of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I might have screamed a little.

Or a lot.

ELIZABETH HENSTRIDGE, HENRY SIMMONS, ADRIANNE PALICKI, BRETT DALTON, IAIN DE CAESTECKER (plus a few of us bloggers! (ABC/Adam Taylor)

As much of a Marvel fan that I’ve become over the last few years with the incredible movies that have come out, I hadn’t delved into the world of Marvel on the small screen until just recently.
And once I had a taste, I was completely hooked. If you can’t tell, although my travel was free, ALL enthusiasm is my own.

I was beyond thrilled when we walked onto the set, but when I had the chance to sit down with some of the cast – well, let’s just say it doesn’t get much better than that.

When we met with Iain De Caestecker (“Leo Fitz”), Elizabeth Henstridge (“Jemma Simmons”), Brett Dalton (“Grant Ward”), Henry Simmons (“Alphonso ‘Mack’ Mackenzie”) and Adrianne Palicki (“Bobbi Morse”), I felt like I was sitting down with old friends (strange side note: I really did feel like I knew Elizabeth, and not just because she is on my TV so often).

HENRY SIMMONS, BRETT DALTON, ELIZABETH HENSTRIDGE, IAIN DE CAESTECKER (ABC/Adam Taylor)

Betrayal and Double Agents

One of the first questions that we asked the group was about their reaction to Ward’s betrayal last season.

Brett said, “I was very sad. And, no, I didn’t know before. They let me know the episode before and so there wasn’t a lot of heads up on that. I appreciate the Wikipedia entry where somebody said [that] they let me know in the beginning of the season, so I could subtly play it every scene. I don’t know who wrote that but I was like, oh, thank you for the credit in something I did not do. But, yeah, it was a big change but I think it really rounded out the character in a way. Because prior to that he had kind of a mask that he was showing to the rest of the team. And then after that you get this, all of the back story underneath it and all of the pain, danger in there. So it really fleshed him out. Made him really fun to play.”

Elizabeth piped in: “We were all mortified. We were shocked. And we could only speak to each other about it so we just had call up, be like, ‘How you doin’?’ ‘I don’t know, today’s hard.’ It was tricky.”

Iain admitted, “It’s still a pretty hard subject for me, so, I don’t want to bring back up [the] past.”

There seems to be a lot of betrayal and double-agent stuff going on since the end of the first season. I suppose that’s the nature of the job.

Henry joined in about his character’s involvement in the “other” S.H.I.E.L.D. While viewers might see Mack as on the “wrong side” he says, “I don’t see my guy as evil. I don’t. I think he’s doing what he thinks is best for S.H.I.E.L.D. The real S.H.I.E.L.D. But I guess evil people don’t see themselves evil.”

Henry Simmons as Alphonso ‘Mac’ Mackenzie (ABC/Florian Schneider)

Brett’s character, Ward, seems a lot more black and white. However, Brett sees Ward as a good guy who has made some misguided choices along the way. “I feel that he’s (Ward’s) also not an evil guy. He’s just made certain choices along the way. And some of those choices…some people might frown on. But, I really think that this guy’s had a really hard life and he’s doing the best that he can to move his life forward, even taking some other people under his wing as well. So it’s not just me twirling my moustache and petting a kitten. That will happen next season…no, I’m trying to move other people’s lives forward.”

Adrianne talked about her involvement with the other S.H.I.E.L.D. “She’s torn. You know, she’s been part of this other SHIELD since the beginning and she’s been with Gonzales, I mean, she saved his life. But at the same time she cares about these people. And she doesn’t think Coulson is a bad person, she just is concerned about where some of his loyalties stand and his alien blood and all that.”

“So she’s definitely conflicted and she’s trying to find her path through all that but at the end of the day she’s a soldier and she’s been thinking that she’s been doing the right thing the whole time, so now she’s starting to feel like maybe these people aren’t being treated the way that they should be treated. And she’s a little concerned. I think you’re going to see that girl a little bit more.”

The Ward Intervention Meeeting

When asked if he thought that his former S.H.I.E.L.D. team would let Ward back into the fold, Brett responded, “I don’t know. I don’t know what their policy is. I mean, it wasn’t just some nondescript agents that I took out, either. I did take out Hand. She was up there on the list.”

The four of them joked about this interview turning into a Ward-intervention meeting.

ELIZABETH HENSTRIDGE, IAIN DE CAESTECKER (ABC/Adam Taylor)

Iain said, “Yeah, the relationship with Ward is is irreparable. As much as Ward would like to be friends once again it’s just not gonna happen.”

Brett responded, “Oh great. In front of everybody?”

Iain changed his focus to Mack, “With Mack, it depends what’s gonna happen exactly with that story line, I suppose. I mean ‘cause for example with Ward, I think the reason that’s kind of irreparable is because he’s done some unforgivable things. I’m just being honest. This is actually an intervention, Brett, this is an intervention. We need to get everything out. (With) Mack, maybe he’s been misguided or misjudged. He’s not gone out and killed someone in cold blood like you (Ward) have. I don’t mean to keep on going on about it. You have.”

Brett: “A couple of times.”

Iain retorted, “The first step is admittance.”

Brett continued, “He seems to be on, uh, his own path this season. We’re not sure exactly where that path is headed. Or why he’s doing the things that he’s doing. He’s making some choices along the way that will lead somewhere. And hopefully at the end of the season there’ll be a kind of clarity about why he went down to see his brother again. That’s why he did the thing with Whitehall. That’s why he shaved his beard. Ah.”

Elizabeth asked a question this time, “Do you think he misses the team? Think he misses us?”

Brett answered, “Yes. I do. Because his weakness, as Agent Garrett has always said, is that he has compassion. He is sensitive as much as he pretends that he’s not.”

Elizabeth added, “He always wants to belong, doesn’t he? ‘Cause he didn’t as a child. Right?”

Brett agreed, “It’s true. It’s true. And I’m glad that we’re getting this out. I think this has been really good so far.”

Elizabeth, “For everyone.”

Favorite Scenes in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

I have several favorite scenes since season 1, but I have a hard time pinning down any favorites. I might have an easier time deciding which episode has been my favorite so far.

When asked about their favorite scene from either season, each actor had something different that had stood out to them. Brett had a favorite scene but couldn’t tell us about it because it hasn’t aired yet. I’m eager to see if I can tell which episode it is coming up.

Adrianne Palicki as Bobbi Morse. (ABC/Kelsey McNeal)

Adrianne was passionate about her favorite scene, “My favorite scene of the show? Oh, that’s easy. When Fitz confronts Ward. I honestly think that he should be nominated for an Emmy for that scene. I, I bawl every time I see it, I think that Iain is one of the best actors I’ve ever worked with and that scene is just beyond for me.”

Elizabeth said that her favorite scene was very early in Season 1. “I think it was episode 2 or episode…could have been the pilot. We were all sitting on the back of the bus and we were watching the first O84 go up and explode. And that was the first time that, as a character and an actor, I was like, oh my God I’m here. Oh, this is happening. Like we’re filming a TV show. And it’s still my favorite. Don’t know what that says about this season.”

Iain said, “Dropping downhill from there.”

Elizabeth turned to Iain and asked, “Yeah, Iain, what’s your favorite? Is it one with me?”

Iain responded, “I mean you’re probably – top five. You’d be top five. Whether or not you’re number one is…I can’t think. Usually just every episode, I have a new favorite scene so, I couldn’t name one. There’s too many to name.”

Henry piped in, “The one that stands out is the first scene I had with you (Iain), the very first, I really liked that scene. Just because the way it was written. Not when we met, but when we were in the lab and you were talking to me and…”

Iain took over, “Oh yeah, that’s one of my faves – yeah, that actually that might be my favorite. The one where I think I was imagining you (Simmonds) being there and we were talking and you and you kind of fancied him. In my imagination you fancied him.”

Elizabeth agreed, “Oh! That was fun. ‘Cause I could do anything…”

In the end Iain admitted what his TRUE favorite thing about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is… “Henry’s arms. His whole, in fact, his whole body. His arm is bigger than my head, right? It’s like a pillow, man.”

Brett tried to have the last word, “He used to talk about me this way until Henry came…”

BRETT DALTON, MAYA STOJAN, J. AUGUST RICHARDS, CLARK GREGG from “The Frenemy of My Enemy” on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” TUESDAY, APRIL 21 on ABC (ABC/Kelsey McNeal)

I loved seeing the easy and natural way that everyone interacted with each other. Did I mention how much fun these interviews were to do? Even those actors that came in to the established group in season 2, like Adrianne and Henry, said that the cast was like a family in just a short time. Adrianne said, “(Coming in to the show) was nerve wracking because (it’s like) you’re coming into high school second year and everybody is already friends and (you) don’t know people and it’s a huge cast, you’re like, I don’t know if people are going to be with me. And I honestly from day one it was the most giving loving cast. It was a table read (when) I met everyone and (there were) hugs everywhere, everybody was so genuine and sweet and happy to have me on the show. And I’d say probably it took me about an episode to feel like I had been there forever. And so now there’s so much trust here and friendships and I’m going to miss these guys for two months. You know. We’ll probably see each other anyway.”

I think I want to join the cast. These guys are so much fun!

“The Frenemy of My Enemy” – NEW Episode 18

Be sure to tune in TONIGHT for episode 18 entitled “The Frenemy of My Enemy.” We got to see the first 15 minutes of the episode on set and it looks like another amazing story. Yes, Ward is back….

CLARK GREGG, BRETT DALTON from “The Frenemy of My Enemy” “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” TUESDAY, APRIL 21 on ABC (ABC/Kelsey McNeal)

About Episode 18:

“The Frenemy of My Enemy” – A dangerous new alliance is formed as Coulson and Hunter turn to the last person anyone would expect – Grant Ward! As the war between S.H.I.E.L.D. factions continues, Skye and Lincoln will find themselves drawn into this conflict, on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” TUESDAY, APRIL 21 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” stars Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Skye, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons, Nick Blood as Lance Hunter, and Adrianne Palicki as Bobbi Morse.
Guest starring are Henry Simmons as Alphonso “Mack” Mackenzie, Henry Goodman as Dr. List, Kyle MacLachlan as Cal, Jamie Harris as Gordon, Maya Stojan as Kara, Dichen Lachman as Jiaying, Luke Mitchell as Lincoln Campbell, Kris Lemche as Ethan, Staci Roberts as Paula, and Trenton Rostedt as Hoodie Guy.

”The Frenemy of My Enemy” was written by Monica Owusu-Breen and directed by Karen Gaviola. Don’t miss it!

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC)

Celebrating Monkey Kingdom at the Los Angeles Zoo #MonkeyKingdom

Lolli — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 13:00:15 +0000

I visited the L.A. Zoo last week right after a screening of Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom while on a press trip with Disney and Marvel. All adventures, travel, and accommodations were courtesy of Disney/Marvel. All thoughts are my own.

When the kids were younger, I used to take them to the zoo near us every Spring Break, so it was appropriate that I spent part of my Spring Break this year at two zoos. My first zoo visit was to the Los Angeles Zoo with my fellow Monkey Kingdom | Avengers | Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. bloggers, and not only did we get to see lots and lots of monkeys and other primates, but we got to take our very own stuffed Maya macaque monkeys through the Zoo for some fun photo opps.

I think my only regret on this once-in-a-lifetime incredible trip was the fact that I didn’t bring my Canon with the monstrously big zoom lens. As much as I love having compact cameras for my back’s sake, there’s nothing like a good zoom lens for capturing amazing zoo shots. Luckily, I was able to see a ton of animals (even if my camera wasn’t quite up to the task like I would have preferred).

At each stop along our zoo journey last week, a zoo keeper met with us to talk about zoo care, animal characteristics and personalities, and other interesting pieces of information. The zoo staff really know their animals!

About Monkey Kingdom

Visiting the zoo right after seeing Monkey Kingdom on the Disney Studios lot was a perfect transition. Monkey Kingdom certainly lives up to the fantastic reputation of all of the previous Disneynature films! More thoughts coming in a movie review this Friday!

Life is an adventure for Maya, the clever and resourceful blonde-bobbed monkey in “Monkey Kingdom,” Disneynature’s new feature film set among ancient ruins in the storied jungles of South Asia. Maya’s world is forever changed when she welcomes her son, Kip, into her complicated extended family. Like all families, Maya’s has more than its share of colorful personalities—and she’s determined to give her son a leg up in the world. When their longtime home at Castle Rock is taken over by powerful neighboring monkeys, Maya’s whole family retreats, and she uses her street smarts and ingenuity to uncover untapped resources amidst strange new creatures and unsettling surroundings.

Ultimately, they will all have to work together to reclaim Castle Rock, where Maya can hopefully realize her dreams for her son’s future. Featuring a rich variety of characters, including a mischievous mongoose, simple-minded langur monkeys, predatory leopards and monitor lizards, “Monkey Kingdom” is narrated by Tina Fey (“30 Rock”), directed by Mark Linfield (“Chimpanzee,” “Earth”) and co-directed by Alastair Fothergill (“Chimpanzee,” “Bears”). With music from award-winning composer Harry Gregson-Williams (“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Shrek” movies), Disneynature’s eighth True Life Adventure—the follow-up to 2014’s “Bears”—swings into theaters April 17, 2015. For more information about the film and the conservation program, go to www.disney.com/monkeykingdom.

See Monkey Kingdom in theaters this weekend!

Monkey Kingdom will be opening in theaters this Friday, April 17, just in time for Earth Day! My movie review will be coming on Friday morning, but let me just say that Monkey Kingdom is a GREAT movie for the whole family. How often do you find a rated G movie that is entertaining for kids and adults alike?

If you’re planning on seeing Monkey Kingdom, I urge you to make plans to go to the theaters during opening week, when a portion of EVERY ticket purchased will go straight to Conservation International to help protect monkeys and other endangered species in their natural habitats.

Conservation International will support programs across Indonesia, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka, including:

Protect monkeys and other endangered species
Save and restore forest habitats
Partner with and support local communities

Further activities in Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Indonesia will include researching, rescuing and rehabilitating monkeys, patrolling protected areas which serve as important habitats for monkeys and other species, planting trees and supporting community education and forest-friendly jobs. See more details on how you can help below:

Past Disneynature films have had huge success in their Earth Day promotion, and funds from movies have gone to support National Parks, conservation efforts, education, and more. What a perfect way to celebrate Earth Day with the whole family! Learn more at https://nature.disney.com/monkey-kingdom.

Be sure to print off the free activity sheets and educator and parent guides that I posted here before my trip!

Like Disneynature on Facebook: Facebook.com/Disneynature

Follow Disneynature on Twitter: Twitter.com/Disneynature

Follow Disneynature on Tumbler: https://disneynature.tumblr.com/

Follow Disneynature on Instagram: https://instagram.com/disneynature

Visit the official MONKEY KINGDOM website: https://nature.disney.com/monkey-kingdom

MONKEY KINGDOM opens in theatres everywhere this Friday, April 17th!

My Jimmy Kimmel Live Experience {with Guests Julia Roberts and Sally Field} #ABCTVEvent

Lolli — Wed, 14 May 2014 19:17:13 +0000

When I opened up an email about a month ago inviting me on a press trip with Disney and ABC TV about a month ago, I happened to be sitting in the family room with most of my family. When I came to the part in the email about attending a live taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live…the family erupted.

We are all huge fans of his and have a ton of family jokes about several of his spots (like I Gave My Kids a Terrible Present…). Being on the set of Jimmy Kimmel – and actually having the chance to meet him – were the highlight of my trip (and definitely elicited a LOT of ooohs and aahhhs and “I’m SO jealous” from my friends and family at home). Although my expenses were paid for this press trip, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET/PT on ABC

Our Jimmy Kimmel Live experience began in the Green Room, where we had some VIP treatment and a nice spread of Cinco de Mayo-inspired foods. After we were done eating, we were able to chat with Molly McNearney, co-head writer (and Jimmy’s wife!) and Jill Leiderman, executive producer.

JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE – Molly & her fellow writers courtesy of @MollyMcNearney on Twitter – Used with permission

I was fascinated to learn that Jimmy Kimmel Live has 13 writers (along with Jimmy himself) that work each day before the daily show that tapes at 6:00 pm. They watch the news and read stories online to stay on top of what is happening in the world and what people are talking about. The fact that they start almost-from-scratch each day for that evening’s show fascinates me!

Jill Leiderman serves as executive producer of “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” (ABC/Randy Holmes)

The show was hilarious. So. Much. Fun. to see in real time. The evening’s guests were none other than Julia Roberts and Sally Field (and, no, I did not get to meet them…darn!). All I can say is that I view Sally Field in a whole new light after seeing her with Jimmy (did you catch the first ever celebrity curse off between Sally and Julia?? Just imagine hearing that live and unedited. Whew!).

JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE – guests for MONDAY, MAY 5 included actress Sally Field (“The Amazing Spider-Man 2”), actress Julia Roberts (“The Normal Heart”) and musical guest Future Islands. (Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty Images)
SALLY FIELD, JIMMY KIMMEL, JULIA ROBERTS

Sally Field was celebrating getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (we were all wondering how in the world she had not gotten one before now!). Here she is discussing it with Jimmy:

After the show was over…and after meeting Guillermo…the crowds left and we were escorted into the studio. The room where Jimmy Kimmel Live is taped is much smaller than I had ever imagined.

We were sitting around chatting when Jimmy Kimmel himself walked through the doors. He started asking us questions right away about blogging…and it was quickly determined that I was the person who had been blogging the longest out of the group. Who knew? Of course, I had to mention to Jimmy that I am also the blogger with the most kids from the group. Double awards!

Photo courtesy of Mary Jo of SavingGreenInTheBay.com

We talked with Jimmy for a few minutes before he suggested taking individual pictures with each of the bloggers. Considering we were a group of 25, that was quite a commitment on his part! He was a great sport and sat down with each of us….sitting at his famous desk where Julia Roberts and Sally Field had sat with him just minutes before. Unreal!

Our Jimmy Kimmel Live experience was a blast. I’d love to do it again someday!

Connect with Jimmy Kimmel Live:

Twitter: @JimmyKimmel and @JimmyKimmelLive
Instagram: JimmyKimmel and JimmyKimmelLive
Facebook: JimmyKimmelLive
Hashtag: #Kimmel

Nashville Season 2 Finale – Chatting with Eric Close and Executive Producers #Nashville #ABCTVEvent

Lolli — Tue, 13 May 2014 18:28:13 +0000

While I was on the Walt Disney Studios lot last Monday, I had the chance to sit down with Nashville’s Executive Producers, Dee Johnson and Callie Khouri (who also happened to create the series, too!), as well as actor Eric Close, who plays Teddy Conrad…after seeing the season finale over a week early (I know…how LUCKY am I?). My Nashville viewing and interview experience was part of the #MillionDollarArmEvent and #ABCTVEvent with Disney/ABC. Although my travel and accommodations were covered, all thoughts (and excitement) are my own.

NASHVILLE – ABC’s “Nashville” stars Chris Carmack as Will Lexington, Clare Bowen as Scarlett O’Connor, Jonathan Jackson as Avery Barkley, Sam Palladio as Gunnar Scott, Maisy Stella as Daphne Conrad, Eric Close as Teddy Conrad, Lennon Stella as Maddie Conrad, Connie Britton as Rayna Jaymes, Charles Esten as Deacon Claybourne and Hayden Panettiere as Juliette Barnes. (ABC/Bob D’Amico)

Are you a Nashville fan like I am??

I LOVE Nashville, and not just because I love country music (have you heard the soundtrack? I love all of the songs!). I was thrilled to find out that we would be able to see the season finale early (the finale airs on ABC Wednesday 5/14 at 10pm ET). And – WOW – what a finale!

When we were chatting with Executive Producers Dee Johnson and Callie Khouri, we asked for a quote or teaser about the finale that we could give our readers. This is what they had to say:

Last year we went out with an explosion. This year we wanted all of the explosions to be emotional.

Expect an emotional roller coaster for the Nashville finale! And, no…I’m not going to give any spoilers.

About the Nashville Season 2 Finale:

“On The Other Hand” — As Will Lexington’s album climbs the chart with the help of Jeff Fordham’s deep pockets, Rayna enlists Teddy’s help to plan a huge, free concert at LP Field to draw attention to her Highway 65 debut. She will perform with Luke Wheeler and duet with Juliette before thousands of fans. Zoey, Avery and Gunnar rock out at a benefit for Deacon’s favorite charity, Sober House, and Avery plans to serenade Juliette with a song he wrote for her. But when he attempts to sing it, he doesn’t understand why she is not present. And Scarlett makes a decision about her future in Music City, on “Nashville,” WEDNESDAY, MAY 14 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network.

We chatted with Dee and Callie for several minutes after the finale ended before they hit us with a surprise of epic proportions. See my instagram post when a special guest walked through the door, just behind my shoulder:

You think Teddy is attractive in Nashville? He’s ten times as good looking in person!

Eric Close on playing Teddy Conrad on Nashville:

Eric Close plays Mayor Teddy Conrad, Rayna Jaymes’ ex-husband (Rayna is played by the gorgeous and talented Connie Britton). We have seen Teddy’s character evolve quite a bit through the two seasons. At times he’s been the character everyone hates, but lately Teddy has been showing a softer side.

Eric Close commented, “It’s fun to play the tool. It’s very different in a movie, when you have your beginning, middle, and end right in front of you. I’ve been doing TV for 20 years. It’s like one giant movie that could run 8 years. I love that aspect of TV. You hope that every year something changes and your character is reinvented.”

Dee and Callie chimed in, “The actors don’t know what their characters are going to do until they get the script. You put charcters in one situation and they’ll be a total jerk. You put them in another situation and they’ll be the best person ever. You can evolve characters and take them on a journey over several years. Start a character in one place and take them to a different place entirely.”

(ABC/Mark Levine) MAISY STELLA, ERIC CLOSE, LENNON STELLA, CHARLES ESTEN

Speaking of characters evolving, we also talked about another Nashville star that has seen a ton of growth over the last few years. Juliette Barnes (portrayed fabulously by Hayden Panettiere) began Season 1 as the antagonist. She was the beautiful, talented, and deeply scarred girl everyone loved to hate. Lately, Juliette hasn’t felt like the “bad guy” anymore. No one thinks that Juliette is cured. She’s evolving.

Concerning Juliette, Callie and Dee said, “It’s important to keep the characters real. I don’t want to do a cartoon about Nashville. I wanted to keep the characters real. Juliette is 2 years older now. It’s natural that she is growing up. It’s important that these characters are evolving in a real way. Don’t worry – We’re not putting the “good witch Glenda” hat on her. She’s damaged.”

What’s in store for Nashville going forward?

Did you see the exciting news I shared on my Facebook wall this weekend?

Post by Better in Bulk.

I’m so excited to see what goes down in Season 3, especially after everything that happened in the Season 2 Finale. Callie and Dee explained that in Season 2, we saw the characters’ worlds cross over a bit and so we were more focused on our central cast. “I don’t think we want stories going all over the place. Core group, original cast.” That’s what we’ll have more of going forward.”

What if you’re not a country music fan?

We asked Callie and Dee if they were worried about attracting viewers who don’t like country music. I loved what they had to say (and I totally agree – Nashville is about so much more than country music…even though that music is so good! And with a cast that sings all of the songs on the show? That’s a crazy-talented group they’ve gathered!):

“So much of the music in our show is not really considered country music. There’s so much great music that’s “stuck” in Nashville (ie, the real Nashville). There are so many great, really heart-felt songs that would never make their way onto country radio. I love that our show is a platform to get that music out there. There are so many brilliant song-writers there.”

Tune in May 14 for the Season 2 Finale!

If you’re a Nashville fan, be sure to tune in Wednesday night, May 14 at 10:00pm Eastern Time on ABC to see the “emotionally explosive” season finale. If you’re not a fan YET, then start today! In fact, several of the ladies in our group who had never seen Nashville before last week commented that after seeing the last 2 episodes of season 2, they couldn’t wait to see more!

About Nashville’s Executive Producers:

TCA WINTER PRESS TOUR 2014 – Talent, executives and showrunners from ABC arrived at the Viennese Ballroom of The Langham Huntington in Pasadena at Disney | ABC Television Group’s All-Star Cocktail Reception on January 17, 2014. (ABC/Rick Rowell)
DEE JOHNSON (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, “NASHVILLE”), CALLIE KHOURI (CREATOR/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, “NASHVILLE”)

DEE JOHNSON, executive producer: Most recently Dee Johnson was executive producer and showrunner of the series “Boss.” She began her writing career on “I’ll Fly Away” and continued to rise in the ranks, writing for such acclaimed series as “Melrose Place,” “Homicide: Life on the Streets,” “The Profiler,” “Any Day Now” and “Southland.”

In addition to pursuing her own development slate, Johnson has also served as executive producer on “Commander in Chief,” the Emmy Award-winning series “ER” and “The Good Wife.”

CALLIE KHOURI, creator and executive producer: Callie Khouri galvanized women and sparked nationwide debate in 1991 with the hit movie “Thelma and Louise,” her screenwriting debut, which was nominated for six Academy Awards. She received the Oscar, the Golden Globe, the Writers Guild of America Award and a PEN Literary Award for Best Original Screenplay. “Thelma and Louise” took home the London Film Critics Circle Award for Film of the Year, and was nominated for Best Original Screenplay by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Her second picture, released in August 1995, was “Something to Talk About,” starring Julia Roberts, Dennis Quaid and Robert Duvall. Her directorial debut was “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood,” starring Sandra Bullock and Ashley Judd, which she also adapted for the screen. In 2006 Khouri collaborated with legendary television producer Steven Bochco and wrote and directed the television drama “Hollis and Rae.” She has directed her second feature film, entitled “Mad Money,” starring Diane Keaton, Katie Holmes and Queen Latifah.

My Million Dollar Arm Event Top 10 #MillionDollarArmEvent #ABCTVEvent

Lolli — Fri, 09 May 2014 02:32:40 +0000

I just got back super early this morning from my 4-day whirlwind trip to Los Angeles for the Million Dollar Arm event (along with so much more exciting things that I was able to experience). Although this was an expense-paid trip in exchange for coverage of the events, all thoughts and opinions are my own (plus this is just a bonus post for fun!).

Some of the highlights of my trip include:

• So many wonderful friends – old friendships renewed and new friendships formed. Love these bloggers!

• My first experience eating In-n-Out Burger (yes, I’m a California native and this was my first time!)

• Bragging rights! I’ve already showed off my picture with Jimmy Kimmel. But the whole week was filled with brag-worthy moments.

• The music of Million Dollar Arm – I was playing it on the CD player in the kitchen today and the whole family started dancing spontaneously! It’s so good, it’s worth an Amazon pre-order!

• A very comfortable bed, a hot shower, and peace & quiet in my room at the Hilton Garden Inn in Hollywood.

• Realizing that both Vanessa Marshall and Jes Macallan had read my blog. Did you see the picture of me and Vanessa?

• Not having to cook for 5 days. Or make peanut butter sandwiches in the morning.

• Hearing the Southwest announcer on the last leg of my flight home announce that the flight was very lightly booked and so everyone would have a seat in the middle free.

• Ghirardelli. Plain and simple.

• Receiving compliments on my shoes AND my hair. It’s not something that happens very often at home. Way to make an ordinary girl feel good!

What have you been up to this week?

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

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Star Wars Day Dinner with Vanessa Marshall #StarWarsDay #StarWarsRebelsEvent

Lolli — Thu, 08 May 2014 15:33:57 +0000

This post is part of my coverage of an expense-paid press trip with Disney and ABC TV but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

To kick off our amazing 4 days of Disney-ABCtv-Star Wars Rebels fun, our group of 25 bloggers attended a Star Wars Day “May the 4th Be With You” dinner at Preston’s Restaurant inside Loew’s Hotel with Vanessa Marshall (voice of Hera in the upcoming Disney XD series, STAR WARS REBELS), a few Storm Troopers, R2D2, and a brand new droid named Chopper.

After mingling and eating, we sat down with Vanessa Marshall to discuss the new animated series and watch a few top-secret, never-before-seen clips. Even though I can’t share those quite yet, I can certainly tell you that I am so excited for Star Wars Rebels to debut on Disney XD this fall!

About Star Wars Rebels

“Star Wars Rebels” continues the epic tradition of the legendary Star Wars saga with all-new exciting, action-packed adventures. It is a dark time in the galaxy, as the evil Galactic Empire tightens its grip of power from world to world. As the series begins, Imperial forces have occupied a remote planet, ruling with an iron fist and ruining the lives of its people. The clever and motley crew of the starship Ghost is amongst a select few who are brave enough to stand against the Empire. Together, this ragtag group will face threatening new villains, encounter colorful adversaries, embark on thrilling adventures and become heroes with the power to ignite a rebellion.

Star Wars Rebels – Back to the basics

Vanessa explained that Star Wars Rebels goes back to the basics and adopts the tone of the original Star Wars. It actually takes place 5 years before episode 1, when Luke and Leia are just pre-teens. Vanessa’s character, Hera, is a strong-minded, independent Twi’lek who is the owner and pilot of the starship Ghost. Hera is the kind of hero that boys and girls alike can identify with. When creating Hera, they didn’t set out to create a strong female character. They set out to create a strong character…and she happened to be a girl. Vanessa said that she loves portraying Hera, not only because she has such a strong personality, but because she is a great role model for boys and girls.

When asked how she felt about getting a part in this new Star Wars series, Vanessa confessed that she is a huge Star Wars nerd. In fact, when she was offered the job, she fell to her knees and started crying.

STAR WARS REBELS – Recording session. (DISNEY XD/Rick Rowell)
BEN DISKIN, TIYA SIRCAR, VANESSA MARSHALL, TAYLOR GRAY, FREDDIE PRINZE JR.

Star Wars Rebels is unique in the voice-over world in that the cast is recording each episode as a group rather than individually. They get into one big recording studio and record their dialog together. Vanessa says that it’s fun to see how each actor has begun to act a little like their characters within their little Rebels “family” – Vanessa is the “mom” of the group and keeps everyone fed. Freddie Prinze Jr. (who plays Kanan Jarrus, a Jedi Padawan) has taken on the role of mentor and teacher to Taylor Gray (who plays a human teen who is mentored by Jarrus).

STAR WARS REBELS – Recording session. (DISNEY XD/Rick Rowell)
STEVE BLUM, VANESSA MARSHALL, DAVE FILONI (DIRECTOR), TIYA SIRCAR, FREDDIE PRINZE JR., TAYLOR GRAY

To get viewers up to speed on the new characters in Star Wars Rebels, Disney XD will start rolling out character shorts in August before the series starts in the fall. I might just be sharing them here as well!

Follow @DisneyChannelPR and @StarWars for the latest news on #StarWarsRebels. Check out the just-released trailer on my post HERE.