Thursday 22 May 2014

A message for all Scottish Actors followers

Dear Scottish Actors fans

Summer is almost upon us, which can only mean two things: spring is almost over, and my promise to resume regular updates has not been fulfilled.

I apologise for this. Life has not slowed down at all during the last six months, and the gaps in my schedule that I'd expected to crop up by now have not materialised.  
However, I'm determined that this blog will continue and I will be publishing monthly updates from 1 July.
  • If you've been in touch with me about contributing, I'll be emailing you in the next week or so.
  • If you wish to contribute and haven't already contacted me, please do so a.s.a.p.


In the meantime, I think it's time we had a new banner for the Scottish Actors blog and Twitter account, don't you?
  • Would you like to design one?
  • If not, do you have any ideas for what should be included?

Please reply on the blog, on Facebook, or on Twitter
 
Thanks
Scottish Actors admin

Sunday 20 October 2013

Tìoraidh an-dràsta!

Tìoraidh an-dràsta! (Bye for now)

I'm sorry to announce that the Scottish Actors blog, Facebook page and Twitter account will be going into semi-hibernation until Spring 2014.

Due to ever-increasing family, work, study and personal commitments, I'm unable to update the blog on a regular basis.

Other than occasional 'big' announcements, there will be no further updates until the end of March 2014.

We're still looking for regular contributors to join the team from March 2014. If you'd like to collate a report on your favourite Scottish actor(s) for inclusion in our monthly updates from next Spring, please email scottishactors at gmail dot com.

Thank you for your support

helygen
20 October 2013

Sunday 29 September 2013

Scottish Actors: September news round-up

Here you'll find the latest news about all your favourite Scottish actors: what they've been doing, what they're doing now, and what they've got in the pipeline!

Actors are listed alphabetically.

    2013 Scottish Fashion Icon nominees
The 2013 Scottish Fashion Icon nominees include Gerard Butler, Karen Gillan, Louise Linton, and James McAvoy.
Details here

    BAFTA Breakthrough Brits 2013
Paul Brannigan, Chloe Pirrie, and Sharon Rooney among those selected in the British Academy’s new scheme to recognise young British talent.
Details here

    John Barrowman
Dragon Con 2013: Hilarious Torchwood Panel Hijinks, Part 1 - details here

    Billy Boyd
Armageddon expo - details here

    Paul Brannigan
Under The Skin official trailer here    
It's crying time for Paul Brannigan on River City (Glasgow Evening Times interview); details here

    Paul Brannigan, Kevin Guthrie, Peter Mullan
Sunshine on Leith
Details here
Official trailer here
Review - The Guardian
Visit Scotland article here

    Ewen Bremner
New Snowpiercer international trailer here

    Gerard Butler
DVD Review: Olympus Has Fallen - Get Hampshire
Gerard Butler joins Gods of Egypt - details here

    Peter Capaldi
The Fifth Estate, Toronto Film Festival, review - The Telegraph

    Robert Carlyle
Robert Carlyle: My dream role would be to play legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly
Details here

    Sean Connery
Sir Sean Connery is to play St John in a new film about Spanish art, which will be completed next year. Details here

    Sean Connery, Alan Cumming
Sir Billi (DVD) reviews
Big Gay Picture Show
Hey U Guys
The Guardian
The Guardian Film Blog

    Billy Connolly
Latest news here

    James Cosmo, John Hannah, Sylvester McCoy
The Christmas Candle is to open in theaters Nov. 22
Details here

    Brian Cox
Brian Cox to star in BBC One spy drama The Game - details here

    Alan Cumming
Michelle Williams to star opposite Alan Cumming in Cabaret, opening April 24 at Studio 54
Details here
Alan Cumming interview: 'I think I look ridiculous as a drag queen' - The Guardian
Any Day Now review - The List
Interview - Hey U Guys
Alan Cumming: 25 Things You Don't Know About Me - details here

    Tony Curran
Lots of news, links, photos, videos (provided by one of our contributors) here

    Henry Ian Cusick
Hawaii Five-0's Lost reunions - details here

    Iain De Caestecker
S.H.I.E.L.D. Details here
Interview - Buddy TV

    Blythe Duff
Celebrate 30 Years of Taggart on TV with Blythe Duff - details here

    Emun Elliott
NTA nomination - Drama Performance - The Paradise, John Moray. Details here

    Emun Elliott, Joanna Vanderham
Trailer: The Paradise Season Two - here

    Tommy Flanagan
Sons of Anarchy at J&P Cycles 2014 Rally - details here

    Laura Fraser
Breaking Bad Q&A - details here
Interview - The Scotsman

    Niall Greig Fulton, Bryan Larkin, Pollyanna McIntosh, James McCreadie, Douglas Russell, Hanna Stanbridge, Brian Vernel, Jonathan Watson
Let Us Prey completes filming - details here

    Karen Gillan
Oculus review - Dread Central
Oculus distribution and release details here
Oculus review - Hitfix
Karen Gillan in A Touch Of Cloth III - details here
Not Another Happy Ending review - Female First
Not Another Happy Ending trailer here
Karen Gillan wraps as Nebula for Guardians of the Galaxy - details here

    John Hannah
John Hannah to host Never Mind the Buzzcocks 27th series opener - details here

    David Hayman, Alex Norton, Elaine C smith
Scotland's Real Heroes - details here

    Douglas Henshall
Douglas Henshall is nominated for TV Detective of the Year (Shetland) in the National Television Awards - details here

    Ashley Jensen
Interview - IOL

    Richard Madden
A Promise: Venice Review - Hollywood Reporter
Filming begins for Disney's live-action Cinderella - details here

    James McAvoy
Two new red band clips from Filth here
Filth review - The List
Interview - Herald Scotland
Frankenstein movie - details here 
TIFF Review: The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him & Her - Indie Wire

    Brian McCardie
Filth’s Brian McCardie makes Begbie look like a Disney Character - Edinburgh Reporter interview

    Kelly McDonald
Boardwalk Empire season 5: HBO series renewed for new season to air in 2014 - details here.
Travis rocker Dougie Payne has written a moving song about his actress wife Kelly Macdonald for the band's new album - details here

    Ewan McGregor
Mortdecai multi-movie, multi-year deal - details here.
Ant-Man rumour - details here.
Osage County - Toronto Film Festival, review - Telegraph
More on the unnamed 'Submarine' film: details here

    Siobhan Redmond
Dunsinane review - Journal Online

    Dougray Scott
Exclusive Strike Back season 3 episode 4 preview scene here.
Last Passenger trailer released: watch the terrifyingly startling teaser clip here

    David Tennant
David Tennant and Greg Doran to guest on Front Row on 1st October - details here
Richard II cinema screenings, rehearsals updates, production diary - full info here
Richard II trailer - here
Young Shakespeare Nation animated video here
Best Actor at the TV Choice Awards - details here
NTA awards nomination - details here
The Escape Artist promos here
The CD audiobook of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car read by David Tennant is now available to buy - details here
Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Poster And Print released - details here
BFI Doctor Who screening Sunday 29 Sept - details here and on Twitter!
David Tennant to play Plastic Man? Speculation here
Fish Hooks - details here
Sunshine On Leith Gala Screening - details here
Dolphins: Spy in the Pod - details here
All the latest David Tennant news (much more than what's included here!) can be found at DavidTennantOnTwitter
For immediate news updates, follow them on Twitter

    Joanna Vanderham
NTA nomination - Drama Performance - The Paradise, Denise Lovett. Details here





Sunday 1 September 2013

Scottish Actors: August news round-up


  • Rab Affleck
From @PJK86 on Twitter: 

Hey, please check out 'Rab Affleck' (Big man, layer cake etc) starring in a music video by @Culann
Video source: YouTube 
 
  • Gerard Butler
Feature: Gerard Butler - Action Hero
 
  • Gianni Capaldi
Facebook page for all the latest news

  • Peter Capaldi
Big Issue interview

  • Sean Connery
Encore to feature Bond season. More info here 

  • Sean Connery et al: all-Scottish film production 'Sir Billi'
From Tess at Hartmann Media: 

We thought you maybe interested in this story given the amount of amazing Scottish talent we have attached - apart from Sir Sean and Alan Cumming we have Alex Norton, Barbara Rafferty, Ford Kiernan, Greg Hempill, Larry Sullivan, Kieron Elliott and award winning Scottish composer Patrick Doyle who wrote the score. The entire project was created and produced in Scotland!


 
KALEIDOSCOPE ENTERTAINMENT
IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE RELEASE OF

SIR BILLI

STARRING SIR SEAN CONNERY, MIRIAM MARGOLYES & ALAN CUMMING
TITLE TRACK PERFORMED BY DAME SHIRLEY BASSEY
DIRECTED BY SASCHA HARTMANN
 
RELEASED IN CINEMAS: 13 SEPTEMBER

Synopsis

An ageing, skateboarding veterinarian Sir Billi goes above and beyond the call of duty fighting villainous policemen and powerful lairds in a battle to save an illegal fugitive - Bessie Boo the beaver!

A heart-warming and action packed family movie where thrilling car chases, heroic skydiving and daring stunts from this octogenarian, fuelled with encounters with a hostile submarine, will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Voiced by Sir Sean Connery, everyone wants a grandpa like Sir Billi, the Guardian of the Highlands! With a star-studded cast including Alan Cumming (Spy Kids, The Smurfs 2, X-Men 2) Miriam Margolyes (Harry Potter, Mulan), Kieron Elliot (How to Train Your Dragon) and title track performed by Dame Shirley Bassey. Original score by Oscar nominee Patrick Doyle.

SIR BILLI will be released in UK cinemas on 13 September.

OFFICIAL TRAILER

Source: YouTube
 
Official site: (Hear exclusive play of title track performed by Dame Shirley Bassey) www.sirbilli.com
Twitter: @Sirbilli
Facebook: SirSeanConnerysSirBilli
Video source: YouTube
The film is also being released in South Korea, Australia / New Zealand, Middle East and Turkey - more territories announced soon.
  • James Cosmo

Hammer of the Gods Review and trailer
 
  • Alan Cumming
Any Day Now interview

  • Tony Curran
What to Expect in Defiance Season 2
The Syfy series Defiance returns in June 2014 for season 2. According to Huffington Post, there will be many changes concerning the characters.
 
At Comic-Con, a panel including executive producer Kevin Murphy and stars Grant Bowler (Joshua Nolan), Julie Benz (Amanda Rosewater), Stephanie Leonidas (Irisa), Tony Curran (Datak Tarr), Jaime Murray (Stahma Tarr), Jesse Rath (Alak Tarr) and Trion Worlds’ senior game producer Rob Hill was held for the fans. The audience was clued into the fact that when the second season returns, many of the characters will be in different places and leading different lives.
 
“The goal at the end the end of Season 1 was to take the chess board and flip it up and knock all the pieces all over the place. Every single character has a reset,” Murphy told the audience.
 
Huffington Post reports the changes to expect in Defiance season 2. One change will be seen as Datak will be away from his family for the first part of the season. What happened to him was unclear after he murdered the Earth Republic official but it “will be explored in first part of the season,” Murphy said.
 
“As for Stahma, she will be experimenting with the increased power and status that her new role in the business gives her. Stahma has taken over the family with Alak as the figurehead,” Murphy said. During her time in Defiance, Stahma has been around “other women who are far more liberated,” Murray said. “Castithan men put their women in cages. She was trying to control from within the cage, but maybe this season she’ll get a taste of what it’s like in the outside world.”
Read more here
 
"Defiance" Season 1 DVD/Blu-ray Set
Info here 
 
Jamie Murray, Tony Curran, Julie Benz, Grant Bowler, Stephanie Leonidas, and Jesse Rath, Defiance - photos

Photos

COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO -- "Defiance Press Room and Panel" -- Pictured: Tony Curran in San Diego, CA on Friday, July 19, 2013
 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO -- Defiance Press Room and Panel -- Pictured: Tony Curran in San Diego, CA on Friday, July 19, 2013 -- (Photo by: Evans Vestal Ward/Syfy) Airdate: Friday, July 19, 2013 from San Diego, CA © NBC Universal, Inc.
From Twitter:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
‘Defiance’ Season One Comes Home
 Article here
 
Defiance - The Syfy Series is Scheduled for Universal DVD and Blu-ray Releases this Fall
Article here
 
‘Defiance’ Season 2 Panel [Comic-Con 2013]
Article here 
 
Defiance - Gag Reel - Season 1
A few outtakes but other than that it's pretty much the same as on the Defiance website. View the gag reel here (YouTube).
 
Datak's Nose - Comic-Con 2013 Exclusive
Tony Curran's mother doesn't approve of her own son's nose. Highlight from this year's Defiance panel at Comic-Con 2013 (here).
 
Defiance -Comic-Con 2013
5 Clips available here

Defiance Comic-Con Panel Live Blog
With a successful game, a second season order and an obsessive fanbase, SyFy’s Defiance accomplished quite a bit in its only season. Fortunately or unfortunately, however, the show would seem to be in quite a bit of flux. Major, republic-altering things happened during the past few episodes, and nothing about the town of Defiance will ever quite be the same.
 
Ideally, we’ll at least get a sneak peek at where the offering will go moving forward during today’s panel, but until the cast sits down and starts chatting, there’s no way to know forsure.
 
10:20 AM: We're just minutes away from starting. The house is completely packed, and there are at least two women dressed up as Stahma Tarr and several more as Irisa.
 
10:29 AM: The crowd was just informed Defiance will give away free autographed swag to anyone who tweets their favorite panel moment using "#DefianceSDCC". Not surprisingly, this announcement played very well.
 
10:32 AM: Here is who is here: Kevin Murphy (showrunner), Grant Bowler (Nolan), Julie Benz (Amanda Rosewater), Stephanie Leonidas (Irisa), Tony Curran (Datak), Jaime Murray (Stahma), Jesse Rath (Alac), Rob Hill (producer of the game).
 
10:35 AM: Kevin Murphy says the goal of the season finale was to "reset every single character". He wanted to mix up the chess pieces and let fans see how characters would do in with different responsibilities. Amanda is a new line of work. Stahma is now the head of the Tarr family, and Irisa's fate will be "front and center of the Season 2 premiere", which will bring up "many, many more questions."
 
10:37 AM: Grant Bowler has a thick accent. He sounds nothing like Nolan. Credit to his voice work.
 
10:38 AM: Jaime Murray says she's hoping her character Stahma has gotten a taste of freedom in Defiance. She's seen how women in other culture behave, and she has no interest in being put back inside a cage.
 
10:40 AM: Is Kenya dead? "Just because you kill someone doesn't mean you never loved them"-- Jaime Murray. They certainly seem to be implying the mayor's sister is dead.
 
10:42 AM: Lots of talk about the awkward bath scenes featuring Stahma and Alac Tarr. They tried to make them as awkward as possible, take after take pushing the incestuous undertones a little further. As anyone who has seen the show knows, that awkwardness definitely came through.
 
10: 44 AM: Season 2 will feature at least Los Angeles and perhaps a few other towns. Nolan will be on the road, and we'll get a much better sense of the world outside Defiance's borders.
 
10: 46 AM: Tony Curran has a very thick Scottish accent and sounds in no way like Datak. Curran is unwilling to talk in depth about what his character will go through during Season 2, but he's "unable to bathe with his wife". His time away from Defiance will "hopefully change the way he thinks".
 
10: 50 AM: Everyone is talking about what a female-driven show Defiance is.
 
10: 51 AM: There will be two new characters from the Earth Republic on the show in the upcoming season: a viceroy who is a "grand old man of the republic", and a temporary mayor who, together, have some terrible plans for the town of Defiance.
 
10: 54 AM: Most of the characters (who are aliens) are in make-up for about two hours before shooting, but unfortunately for Trenna Keating (Doc Yewill), it takes her about four hours. Even worse, she can't eat or drink anything once the make-up is on.
 
10: 58 AM: Sukar was originally supposed to die during Season 1. His character arc was destined to end, but actor Noah Danby was so well liked by producers and so well-liked by his fellow castmembers that they re-wrote the overarching outline to keep him around. He will officially be back with the show in Season 2 in June of 2014.
 
10:59 AM: The video game will feature a new major character from the TV show that will debut. Also, the storyline from the show will continue over the next year and lead directly into the season premiere.
 
11:02 AM: Doc Yewill will be featured more prominently in Season 2. Judging by fan reaction, she's VERY popular.
 
11:06 AM: Tony Curran's mother called him after the first episode asking why the producers made Datak wear a fake nose. He had to tell her, sheepishly, that he didn't wear a fake nose--just the one she gave him.
Read more at Cinema Blend
 
Defiance cast teases the shtako that's coming in Season 2
Now that she is no longer the mayor and the Earth Republic is occupying Defiance, where does Amanda Rosewater fit in? These and many questions will be answered in the second season of Defiance. Showrunner Kevin Murphy came to Comic-Con International with Julie Benz, Grant Bowler, Tony Curran, Jaime Murray, Jesse Rath and Stephanie Leonidas to preview what to expect for the new year when the show returns....
 
...But it sounds like the Tarr Family will be the major source of drama for Season Two. Murphy expressed that they are what he's looking forward to the most, having left them in a precarious position at the end of season one after Datak was arrested after winning the election, leaving the Tarrs broken. He will be missing in the beginning of the season (as will be Irisa).
 
"The family is constantly changing because the balance of power keeps changing." Curran explained. "As the second season starts and progresses, if Datak is to survive, wherever he is, he has to learn not to be such a hot head. He has to be more pliable instead of brittle. Like steel when it's brittle, it snaps. He needs to be more manipulative in his approach. His attack, kill and ask questions later obviously isn't working for him. You can't demand respect, you have to earn it. Unfortunately his way is very demanding and the future is going to get him in trouble again."
 
Curran has read a few scripts from the second season and shared his excitement for the interesting stuff within the Tarr family that he found to be especially compelling. "It's a sci-fi show set within this immigrant drama, and a lot of it puts the mirror up to society in many ways for immigrants around the world. I have a wife who's Vietnamese, she was an immigrant from French-Bosnia-Serbia. So many ways there's a lot of similarities in a lot of those aspects that I find compelling in the sci fi world as it pertains to our society. I think we're going to touch on that with a lot of back story."
 
One of the harder things to embrace in season one was the relationship between Datak and his son Alak, who is punch drunk with love for his new wife, Christie McCawley. The separation will do nothing to repair that bridge and will lead to great significance in season two. "It's huge. Jesse Rath is a wonderful young actor and the dynamic between father and son is unfortunately very similar to many father and son relationships where there's no fluidity to it. Datak loves his son, but he doesn't want him to become what he is. But he has a bad approach at showing it. He has to let his son be what he wants to be, but there's a difference in loving your son and telling your son what to do. Datak's not letting the flower grow."
 
"Alak has to step up and be the man of the family, with more responsibilities. Rath said. "We'll have to see Stahma's role." Asked if Alak would be as easily manipulated as his father and replied, "He's going to be more aware of his parents manipulations; it's going to be more evident in his life. Growing up he always got anything he's ever wanted. He's going to see the grimier side of things and what 'getting whatever you want' entails. He's a husband now and has more responsibilities, we'll see how he handles it."
 
Does Jaime Murray think Stahma being able to handle her son by herself. "Oh definitely. Alak's a pushover isn't he? He's putty in her hands and maybe his journey will be him asserting his sense of self, the poor thing. Could you imagine having parents like Stahma and Datak? I'm surprised he's as adjusted as much as he is. I don't think she has any fear that she can't contain or control Datak or Alak. Now that we've established that, maybe we'll turn it on its head and she'll run into problems along the way."
 
"Also with no Datak or Kenya, she'll feel her freedom in other ways. There's a whole new exciting world to embrace now that things have been turned truly upon their heads. Datak is not the head of the household so maybe she'll assume herself in that respect. Alak's not going to like that so she'll have to manipulate her own son which is pretty dastardly but needs must."
 
Of course, we the Tarrs cannot be discussed without fishing for information about the McCawley Mines, a thread that will stretch out over all 13 episodes of season two. "It's tied into a lot of Votan history," Murphy said. "We're going to go in the past, and dealing with who put the Kaziri there, why the Kaziri's there, what it's all about and how it ties into things in season one but you don't realize are a part of the bigger story, like what happened to Sukar is an example of this. It should be a pretty cool ride."
Read more at Blastr
 
'Defiance' Season 2 Intel: Everything Has Changed
Be prepared for quite a shakeup in "Defiance's" second season.
 
When the show returns in June 2014, many of the characters will be in new places and leading lives markedly different from their old ones. Change was the big topic at the show's panel at San Diego Comic-Con Friday.
 
I had the pleasure of moderating the panel, which included executive producer Kevin Murphy and stars Grant Bowler (Joshua Nolan), Julie Benz (Amanda Rosewater), Stephanie Leonidas (Irisa), Tony Curran (Datak Tarr), Jaime Murray (Stahma Tarr), Jesse Rath (Alak Tarr) and Trion Worlds senior game producer Rob Hill.
 
"The goal at the end the end of Season 1 was to take the chess board and flip it up and knock all the pieces all over the place. Every single character has a reset," Murphy told the audience (which included at least two Stahma cosplayers and a guy with a Hellbug on his head).
 
Here's a list of things to expect from Season 2, and a few of the panel's many amusing moments:

  • It sounds as though Datak will be away from his family for the first part of the season. "What happened to him" -- which was unclear after he murdered the Earth Republic official -- will be explored in first part of the season, Murphy said. Curran sounded mournful about being away from home: "I won't be bathing with my gal at all," he said.

  • As for Stahma, she'll be experimenting with the increased power and status that her new role in the business gives her. "Stahma has taken over the family with Alak as the figurehead," Murphy said. During her time in Defiance, Stahma has been around "other women who are far more liberated," Murray said. "Castithan men put their women in cages. She was trying to control from within the cage, but maybe this season she'll get a taste of what it's like in the outside world."

  • Did Stahma actually love Kenya, and did she kill her? "I think [Stahma] enjoyed the experience, and just because you kill somebody does not mean that you didn't love them." Murray said to big laughs. "I can truly say no one will ever love Kenya as much as I did ever again."

  • As for Kenya's fate, that was left very much up in the air. No news there, I'm afraid!

  • Amanda is in a dark place; her sister is missing and she lost the mayoral race. She's also "in a new line of work -- you can make of that what you will, but it's a very interesting line of work," Murphy said.

  • Bear McCreary, the show's composer, showed up to ask a question at the audience microphone: "Why do you make me write music for bugs?" The general consensus: Because he's good at it.

  • Fans are also wondering what happened to Irisa and her story "will be front and center of the season premiere," Murphy noted. "We will learn something about it that will raise many, many more questions."

  • Before Season 2 arrives, fans can play the Defiance game to get clues about what a couple of the characters are doing (two characters from the show will be in the game between seasons -- Nolan, and one other character that Hill didn't name). The game will serve as something of a narrative bridge between seasons, and elements from the game will be a bigger part of the storytelling in Season 2, Murphy and Hill said.

  • In Season 2, the show's world will expand to include New Los Angeles.

  • Sukar was scheduled to die in the razor rain episode, but actor Noah Danby "was so magnetic and wonderful and fit the top hat so well," Murphy said, that they couldn't resist bringing him back to the show after that, and he'll be back in Season 2 as well.

  • Murphy didn't say, but perhaps Sukar will be back in a flashback? We'll be seeing a lot more of those in the new season.

  • New Earth Republic characters include Niles Pottinger, the new provisional mayor, and Viceroy Mercado, "a grand old man of E-Rep," Murphy said. "They have some nasty, nasty plans for Defiance," and they are very interested in what's down in the mines (which no longer belong to Rafe McCawley).

  • I asked that we get more Doc Yewll scenes in Season 2, and Murphy answered, "Request granted." That said, the cast described the four-hour makeup process Trenna Keating goes through to become Doc Yewll and it sounds grueling.

  • When Season 2 begins, Nolan is no longer lawkeeper and is out looking for Irisa. What was it like being resurrected? Old hat, really, Bowler joked -- he played Jesus in a movie earlier in his career, so what occurred in the Defiance Season 1 finale was technically his second resurrection.

  • One of the funniest stories from the panel is in the video below (there are a few more videos here)
Read more at Huffington Post 

 
From Universal Studios Home Entertainment: Defiance" Season One
FROM THE PRODUCERS OF BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, CAPRICA AND FARSCAPE AVAILABLE OCTOBER 15, 2013 ON BLU-RAY(TM) AND DVD EACH WITH DIGITAL INCLUDING ULTRAVIOLET(TM) WITH NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN BONUS CONTENT FROM UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAINMENT "A SMART, WELL-CRAFTED TV SHOW" - MO RYAN, HUFFINGTON POST UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., July 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Combining epic scope with the intrigue of a small-town drama comes "Defiance": Season One, the critically acclaimed action-packed tale of courage and survival. "Defiance": Season One will be available to own on Blu-ray(TM) and DVD, each with Digital including Ultraviolet(TM) with collectible lenticular packaging for a limited time only on October 15, 2013 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
 
"Defiance": Season One is the first-ever convergence of television and a multi-platform video game, featuring an interconnected world between the two mediums as they evolve together into one overall story. It's 2046 and over 30 years have passed since aliens arrived, changing life on Earth forever. In the frontier town of Defiance, a drifter-turned-lawkeeper, Nolan (Grant Bowler, "True Blood") and Mayor Rosewater (Julie Benz, "Dexter") attempt to lead the human and alien residents through the prejudices and politics that threaten the fragile peace they've fought for. Watch every riveting episode back to back and uninterrupted, with exclusive bonus content including deleted scenes and exclusive featurettes that delve inside this incredible new world.
 
Also starring Stephanie Leonidas (MirrorMask), Tony Curran (Gladiator), Jaime Murray ("Warehouse 13"), Graham Greene (Dances with Wolves), and Mia Kirshner ("The L Word"), "Defiance": Season One will introduce you to "a vibrant new world" (Meredith Woerner, iO9.com).
 
"Defiance": Season One is executive produced by Kevin Murphy ("Desperate Housewives," "Caprica," "Hellcats"), who also serves as showrunner, Michael Taylor ("Battlestar Galactica") and Rockne O'Bannon ("Farscape"). Scott Stewart ("Legion," "Priest") directed the pilot; Michael Nankin ("Battlestar Galactica") will serve as supervising producer/director on the series. "Defiance": Season One is produced by Universal Cable Productions.
Read more here
Defiance - Syfy Video: Comic-Con 2013 Reel
 
D
efiance - Comic-Con Reel
Defiance season two premieres June 2014 on Syfy.
Defiance cast includes Tony Curran, Jaime Murray, Julie Benz, Grant Bowler, Stephanie Leonidas, Graham Greene, Dewshane Williams, Jesse Rath, Justin Rain and Nicole Muñoz.
Article here
 
 
Defiance - Comic-Con Reel

Source: YouTube 
 
Syfy: Here are some highlights from our #Defiance panel at Comic-con 2013
Video 1
Video 2
 
Comic-Con 2013: 'Defiance' Cast Talks Evolving Characters and Cool New Changes
Defiance is easily one of the coolest cross platform TV shows out there. It takes fans into their world via television and interactive gaming. In some ways, Defiance‘s plot engrosses you so much that it feels like you’re reading a novel. The cast made an appearance at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con and shared some details about the new season and what direction their characters are headed....
 
Tony Curran discusses the misunderstood Datak and how he’ll fare next season:
 
I’m looking forward to Datak wisening up a little bit and not attacking and asking questions later. Instead of him being so spontaneous with his rage, I think he has to try and keep a lid on it a little bit more, his wrathful nature because it obviously hasn’t done him too well so far.
 
When I was growing up, I always liked James Cagney films. He seems like some sort of gangster, Datak, that sort of persona. He’s a victimizer but in many way’s he’s a victim of society. I’m not blaming society’s problem on him, but that’s what attracted me to Datak. He’s a survivor, and I’m not saying what he does is right, but in his world, in his head, it is the only way he can behave because it’s the only way he can survive. Anyways, Stahma (Jaime Murray) is trying to help him, but obviously at the end of last season she didn’t help him enough. He let his nature get the best of him. There’s many times that you can be attacking people or behaving in a very sort of rough matter, but he gets his ass kicked as well, ad I find that fun to play. You can have this hard, tough exterior, but inside… I’m not going to say that he wants a cuddle, but I think he wants a little compassion as well. It’s probably something he didn’t get when he was young, and I think it’s something they may touch on in the future.
 
Read more at Screencrave
 
Watch the cast of Defiance tease S2 in 5 Comic-Con panel clips
The first season of Defiance might’ve just finished airing, but the cast and crew were out in force yesterday at San Diego Comic-Con teasing what’s to come next year. Want to see some highlights?
 
Pretty much the whole cast and some producers came out for the con, and talked about everything from some of those alien costumes to how the world will be expanded when the show returns in 2014.
 
Check out some video highlights from the panel in the gallery below courtesy of Syfy, where the cast and crew reveal details on some of the videogame/TV crossovers in the works for next season. Plus, you also get to see the cast fielding quirky questions — which is always fun.
Read more here 

SDCC 2013 - Tony Curran of Syfy's 'Defiance'
Video (YouTube)

Comic Con #DefianceSDCC @EW (Entertainment Weekly) we all love taking a dip in this show
Twitter photo
 
A bite-size tour of Comic-Con
(CNN) -- The annual San Diego Comic-Con, North America's biggest popular arts convention, is a gathering of fans and celebrities from all over the world.
 
Micro-video apps like Vine and Instagram were everywhere this year at the convention, and CNN iReporters took on the challenge of doing 15-second interviews with interesting people -- both famous and not-so-famous -- that they ran into during the long weekend.
 
The results, though not always exactly 15 seconds, were a snapshot of the many varying events and people who populate the Con each year....
Article here  
 
Acquisitions Roundup: Syfy UK Picks Up Rights To ‘Defiance’ Season 2, ‘Haven’ Season 4 & ‘Warehouse 13′ Season 5
Defiance. Developed for television by Rockne S. O’Bannon, Kevin Murphy & Michael Taylor, Defiance is set in the near future and introduces a world where humans and aliens must learn to live together on an exotic new Earth that has been transformed by alien terra-forming machines. The series follows the residents of town called Defiance as they go about their daily lives in this new world. The drama series is produced by Universal Cable Productions and stars Grant Bowler, Tony Curran, Julie Benz, Jaime Murray, Mia Kirshner and Graham Greene. Defiance is not merely a TV series but a multi-platform project encompassing both an MMO game and Syfy’s weekly TV series, in which events in one world can and will directly affect the other. Sources that the project cost Syfy and Trion somewhere in the realm of $100 million, with Syfy having been locked in for two seasons from day one (just as they were for Stargate: Universe).
 
Defiance was a series that Syfy UK had long had its eye on, dating back to the early days of development, and following the 2012 LA Screenings the Universal Networks International owned channel entered negotiations with corporate sibling NBCUniversal International Television Distribution. And while sources refused to elaborate on who the other bidders were, I’m told that the channel did face competition from at least one other UK broadcaster. But Syfy UK, intent on having the series on their schedule as part of their strategy to mirror the scripted output of the US Syfy channel (something which is not always possible), managed to secure the series in an exclusive deal with NBCUITD in January 2013. At the time of the acquisition Syfy UK announced plans to air the series with 24 hours of its US broadcast, partly to capitalize on the buzz from the United States and partly to cut down on piracy. It immediately became clear that Defiance was a key priority for Syfy UK who utilised an extensive advertising and marketing campaign for the series, which, as Syfy UK promised, launched on Monday April 16th, a mere 24 hours behind the premiere state-side. Just as it did for the US Syfy channel, the series premiere of Defiance debuted strongly, with almost 0.5 million viewers tuning in, making it the channel’s highest rated launch in the better part of 3 years, since the premiere of V in 2010. Across the remaining episodes of the show’s first season the series saw a fairly steep drop in the ratings (which is not unusual for a new series), but went on to average an audience of 0.31 million viewers, well above the slot average and outstripping Lost Girl, Continuum, Warehouse 13 and Haven to become the channel’s highest rated series. Sources tell me that under their existing deal with NBCUniversal International Television Distribution Syfy UK holds the rights to the show’s 13 episode second season. I’m also told that they will again be airing the series very closely behind its US premiere, which is currently being eyed for Summer 2014.
Read more at TVwise
 
Defiance SDCC 2013 Press Room Roundtable Q&A with Tony Curran ("Datak Tarr")
Video here (YouTube)
 
Comic Con News: Defiance’s Tony Curran Talks Season 2 & New Alliances
Tony Curran has a sense of humor! Even though he plays a really bad guy on Defiance, Tony is very different from the character. Datak left us at the end of season 1 with everything he had worked for falling apart in his hands. Even though he was still very upset with Stahma, she was the one solid thing in his life that still stood up for him. Just where will his character be going in season 2? Find out in our interview below when Tony sat down with the press at Comic Con.
Article here
Video here (YouTube) 
Syfy's Defiance panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2013
Video here (YouTube)
 
Comic-Con International: San Diego - Defiance Pictures
Photos here 


Locarno 2013. Mary Queen of Scots: “A queen who lost three kingdoms, a wife who lost three husbands and a woman who lost her head”
Article here 
Quick Report from Fan Expo Toronto
Defiance panel: Grant Bowler, Julie Benz, Jaimie Murray, Stephanie Leonidas, Graham Greene and Dewshane Williams took to the stage and Jesse Rath was lurking in the audience. The major spoilers are that the second season will be much darker and will turn a lot of season one on its head. I was disappointed that Tony Curran did not attend, and it was mentioned that Datak won’t be around Defiance much. Irisa will be back and more badass than ever – Leonidas was sporting a huge bruise that she was immensely proud of! Nolan search for Irisa finds him far from Defiance ... in Los Angeles! Amanda will have largely crawled into a bottle of Scotch and Rafe will be pissed about having been shot.
Article here
 

Defiance - Official Press Release for 'Season 1' on DVD, Blu-ray Disc
Article here
Defiance - NBCUNIENT Video: Defiance Season 1 DVD & Blu-Ray Oct 8 '13
DEFIANCE - NBCUNIENT VIDEO: DEFIANCE SEASON ONE DVD & BLU-RAY - AVAILABLE OCTOBER 8, 2013
Aug 22, 2013
Defiance: Season One -- Available on Blu-ray and DVD October 8, 2013
From the producers of Battlestar Galactica, Caprica, and Farscape comes Defiance, the critically acclaimed action-packed tale of courage, and survival. It's 2046 and over 30 years have passed since aliens arrived, changing life on Earth forever. In the frontier town of Defiance, a drifter-turned-lawkeeper (Grant Bowler, True Blood) and the newly-appointed mayor (Julie Benz, Dexter) attempt to lead the human and alien residents through the prejudices and politics that threaten the fragile peace they've fought for. Combining epic scope with the intrigue of a small-town drama, Defiance is science fiction at its best. Watch every riveting episode back to back and uninterrupted, with exclusive bonus content including deleted scenes and featurettes that go inside this incredible new world.
Defiance cast includes Tony Curran, Jaime Murray, Julie Benz, Grant Bowler, Stephanie Leonidas, Graham Greene, Mia Kirschner, Dewshane Williams, Jesse Rath, Justin Rain and Nicole Muñoz.
Defiance season two premieres June 2014 on Syfy.
Article here
 
Defiance - Entertainment Weekly Video: Cast Interview at Comic-Con 2013
DEFIANCE - ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY VIDEO: CAST INTERVIEW AT COMIC-CON 2013
Aug 19, 2013
EW interviews Julie Benz, Grant Bowler, Tony Curran, Jesse Rath, Jaime Murray, and others from the cast of 'Defiance' at 2013 San Diego Comic-Con.
Season two of Defiance is set to premiere on Syfy in June 2014.
Article here 

'Defiance' Cast and Crew Interview - Comic-Con 2013
EW interviews Julie Benz, Grant Bowler, Tony Curran, Jesse Rath, Jaime Murray, and others from the cast of 'Defiance' at 2013 San Diego Comic-Con. For more Comic-Con coverage, go to EW.com
Video here

 
Syfy@ Comic-Con 2013 | Defiance | Tony Curran
 
Doctor Who complete reviews: Vincent and The Doctor
"In the end, it's Tony Curran who deserves all the awards for his sensitive, well-observed turn as Vincent...one of the best guest performances in the whole series"
Article here 

Defiance Season 1 Review
"I have to say that the duo of villains in Defiance is making a remarkable job. Both Tony Curran and Jaime Murray have a substantial experience portraying nasty characters. In defiance each found himself completing the other forming one of the most deadly duo's on TV today. While Tony's character Datak Tarr is rush, explosive, predictable and at times out of control. Jamie's character Stahma Tarr completes Datak (Curran) by being calm, rational and very creative with her cruelty." See more at: Cool Reviews Rule
 
Photoset on Tumblr
Geek Nation - Tweet Out (Ep 63/64) with Tony Curran and Julie Benz (part 1, part 2)
There is also a podcast they did: Geek Nation - Five by Five
 
Production for Second Season of Defiance Commences on August 12th
Article here
 
First Info on DEFIANCE Season 2 Revealed
Article here 
 
AG Macdonell - England, Their England
Martin Jarvis directs a galaxy of stars in a Classic Serial one-off episode - a Radio 4 Special for Christmas. The cast is led by outstanding Scots actor Tony Curran as Donald.
Info here 
 
SyFy’s Defiance Starts Production for Second Season
Article here
 
Defiance - Syfy: Season 2 Production Begins
Article here
 
SDCC 2013: The "Defiance" Cast Talks Season 2! (Part 2)
In this video from SDCC, stars Jaime Murray (Stahma) and Tony Curran (Datak) talk about what drew them to the their characters and what to expect from the upcoming season for his character.
Article here
Video here (YouTube)
 
Comic Con Recap: Defiance!
Article here
 
San Diego Comic-Con 2013 - Defiance Cast Interview
Article here
 
  • Iain De Caestecker
In Fear release - November 2013.
Article here
  
  • Karen Gillan / Henry Ian Cusick / Kate Dickie
Not Another Happy Ending release - October 2013.
Article here

  • John Hannah
Guardian interview here

  • Douglas Henshall
Douglas Henshall began working on Shetland series 2 on June 23rd. This time there will be six episodes based on another three novels by Ann Cleeves Raven Black, Blue Lightning and Dead Water. Most of the filming has taken place in Glasgow and Shetland.

The BBC has announced that Julie Graham and Brian Cox will be starring in the first Shetland drama Raven Black.
Article here

During his stay in Shetland Dougie visited the Frankie's fish and chip shop and is pictured here. Source

After filming block one of Shetland in August, Dougie went to Brijuni where his wife Tena Stivicic was the dramaturg for a new play written by her father Ivo Stivicic Shakespeare in the Kremlin, at the Ulysses Theatre. Tena works in Brijuni most summers. Previously On April 16th Dougie and Tena attended a fashion event together in Croatia at Zaposlena magazine. Tena writes a monthly column for the magazine. Source

 

Dougie is currently filming block two of Shetland in Glasgow. Filming will take place in Shetland for most of September.

  • Denis Lawson
Film-making workshop - details here
Teaser trailer, poster and hi-res stills for The Machine, a sci-fi thriller starring Toby Stephens (Die Another Day), Caity Lotz (The Pact, Mad Men) and Denis Lawson (Star Wars, Local Hero.)
Full details here
 
  • James McAvoy
First still - X-Men Days of Future Past (here)
 
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby – His and Hers - producers seeking distributors.
Article here
 
  • Joy McAvoy
Joy McAvoy joins cast of River City
Articles here and here 
  
  • Ewan McGregor
Casting rumour: untitled movie about the deepest underwater rescue in history.
Article here
 
  • Siobhan Redmond
Interview here
 
  • Paul Riley
New play - interview here
 
  • David Tennant
Forthcoming appearance at BFI screening
Richard II rehearsals
Doctor Who 50 Anniversary episode
David Tennant Doctor Who day at the Prince Charles cinema
The Escape Artist – autumn drama trailer on BBC
Much, much more!
Read all the latest news at DavidTennantOnTwitter.com
 
  • Richard Wilson
New play - article here




Many thanks to our new contributors for the articles on Tony Curran and Douglas Henshall.





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