Catherine Sanson Speaks to Hollywood Weekly in Exclusive Feature

David Guetta The Undividing Movement In Music LA EATS MEDITERRANEAN DELIGHTS

Special Edition

EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE OF THE

HOLLYWOOD HIGHLIGHTS NEWEST SERIES TO BINGE + MORE

Featuring Author, Registered Nurse, Fitness Enthusiast Catherine Sanson

BEDSIDE READING

ÂŽ

Placing Bestsellers by the Bedside in Luxury Hotels

B

As seen in the Hamptons at The Baker House, Baron’s Cove, Hotel Indigo, The Maidstone, The Mill House Inn, Southampton Inn, Topping Rose House, and White Fences

Authors may apply to participate at bedsidereading.com/apply

BEDSIDE READING

ÂŽ

Placing Bestsellers by the Bedside in Luxury Hotels

Bedside Reading Global

B

As seen in Luxury Hotels such as the Acqualina Resort & Spa, Dream Inn, Hotel Casa del Mar, Mandarin Oriental New York, Mandarin Oriental Washington DC, Shutters on the Beach, Simpson House Inn, and Waldorf Astoria Beverley Hills.

Enter to win select books at bedsidereading.com/hollywood

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Readers,

Fall is here and we’ve got all of the details on the shows and events coming up this season! Anyone who watched this year’s Emmy Awards won’t be surprised to see so many winning productions and first-time recipients. For those who didn’t tune in: we’ve got you covered! Read on for more exclusive photos and interviews with up-and-coming hopefuls.

Looking for a good read this issue we feature Catherine Sanson Author of “The ABC’S Of Living A Healthy Life From Day One”. Her book is a practical manual on how to adjust your lifestyle to becoming a more healthy individual.

What separates her book from the rest of the competition is her effective N.O.W.E.S system which you will learn a little about in our article. Catherine is a cool woman who resides right here in Calabasas, California, neighboring Kanye West, The Kardashian’s & Drake just to name a few. She’s traveled all over the world & has attained her status through teaching others how to be healthy. This article & book of her’s is definitely worth a read.

Tommie “Tomel” Griggs, Jr. wants all of you parents to wake up on what is potentially happening “Behind Locked Doors: How Well Do You Know Your Child?” He shares the synopsis for his stage play, television show and film, which he declares are all part of a campaign to raise awareness. Author and novelist, Natalie Banks gives our readers a few hints as to what North Carolina elements helped inspire her latest novel, “The Canary’s Song” — a romantic, cautionary tale with a message. William Taylor Burton shares some meaningful advice for marketing yourself in Hollywood and makes a statement: he’s back without missing a beat!

NOW: News of the World and Hollywood Weekly Magazine are partnering to bring you Hollywood Weekly TV on Spectrum Cable LA and beyond! Stay tuned for all of this amazing entertainment coming soon... Follow us online to keep up with the latest news!

Cheers,

Fal Adams KEEP UP WITH HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY AT hollywoodweeklymagazine. com

FOLLOW US Twitter @hollywoodweekly Instagram @hollywoodweekly

CALL US AT (424) 371 9900 EMAIL HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY@GMAIL .COM

Publisher/Editor IN CHIEF Prather Jackson VICE PRESIDENT Bernice Harris Michael D. Coxson CONTROLLER Mark S. Freeman, CPA DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE SERVICES & ASST TO THE PUBLISHER Fal Adams TRAVEL EDITOR Jenny Werth MARKETING & SALES Launy Rhem SALES DEPARTMENT Hector Richardson LIFE & STYLE DIRECTOR Niki Shadrow-Snyder FEATURED WRITER Adrienne Papp

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alex A. Kecskes Fal Adams ART DIRECTOR Christian P Lopez GRAPHIC DESIGNER Damian Aragon AFRICA OPERATIONS Egor Efiok Award Winning Filmmaker & Director General Of Callywood Studios +447932399204 / +2348063167990 ASIA OPERATION Joyce Penas Pilarsky HWM Asia Ambassador Email: info@joycepilarsky.com Bench Bello HWM Asia Operations hollywoodmagazineusa@gmail.com Mobile +639273895559 DISTRIBUTORS MADER NEWS GOLD KEY MEDIA NEWS INFLIGHT, INC

We Got You Media O C T O B E R

-

2 0 1 8

Catherine Sanson The ABC'S Of Living A Healthy Lifestyle

David Guetta

30

The Biz

Annie Q

14

70th Emmys

28

Talking Hip-Hop Culture & Lucky Number 7

6

Her Riveting Performance On The Crime Drama MDMA

On The Frontline of Entertainment

THE BIZ

Highlighting International Talent On The Rise

35

Inside Eats

An Inside Look On The 2018 Emmys

18

Hollywood Spotlight Must See T.V

24

The Ambiance Of Kalua Mykonos

44 Hollywood Icons Audrey Hepburn

46

THE ABC'S OF LIVING HEALTHY L An Inside Look At Catherine Sanson's New Book Story/Interview By Barbara Burke

6 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

S A LIFESTYLE Nutrients. Oxygenation. Water. Exercise. Sleep.

NOWES

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 7

“Good health depends largely on awareness, choices and intention ... You have one body in this lifetime and you need to start making it a priority today.”~Catherine Sanson A bubbly bundle of engaging energy, intent on sharing her knowledge and insights about fitness, health, nutrition and focus with others - and armed with the will power, work ethic and discipline of an award-winning bodybuilder and figure competitor. Catherine Sanson, a registered nurse who has travelled worldwide giving health-focused corporate and individual training sessions, just authored "The ABC’s of Living a Healthy Life From Day One – Back to the Basics of Living Using the N.O.W.E.S. System".

The work is an excellent, worthwhile read that provides a common-sense, resourceful guide to transforming how one views food and exercise, meditation, mindfulness, aesthetic & self-improvement with treatments.

Food is fuel. When whole food rich in micronutrients (as opposed to processed food) is ingested consistently and in tandem with proper exercise and sleep, the human body can most optimally perform and the likelihood of longevity is increased.

Nutrients. Oxygenation. Water. Exercise. Sleep.

NOWES. Now is the time for a reader to implement Sanson’s simple, but effective, approach to achieving better health.

The book walks one through exactly how to achieve optimal health and provides a useful daily checklist to keep on target. Sanson first says that “it is absolutely crucial” for a person to know her baseline health numbers such as total cholesterol numbers, high density lipids (HDL’s or good cholesterols) versus low density (LDL’s or bad cholesterols), blood sugar levels, vitamin levels, including analyzing one’s levels of vitamins D, B12 and iron. Ingesting proper nutrients are the bedrock of vitality.

“Perhaps the most important piece of advice I could give you regarding lean body nutrition is that your body craves micronutrients” Sanson writes.

Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the 8 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Cat with Spear standing, Masaai Mara HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 9

day because your first repast of everyday is a time when the body is primed for nutrient absorption. The other most important meal is a person’s post-workout meal, best ingested within 90 minutes after working out.

Carbohydrates are . . . not bad. Rather, complex carbs, including foods like whole wheat breads, cereals and grains, are a human’s primary energy source and, when ingested at reasonable levels, sustain one throughout the day.

Flourless breads are an excellent source of both energy and fiber.

“Now is the time to implement your action plan” Sanson admonishes. “You always need to stay positive and motivated”.

Sanson – like many Americans

– grew up with white rice and white bread.

Her family was not fitness-oriented. Her world changed when she walked into a Gold’s Gym one day when she was 18 years old. Soon, she was working out with the likes of body building legends Dennis Newman and Nasser El Sonbaty.

“They and others inspired me to compete in bodybuilding”.

Sanson told Hollywood Weekly Magazine. “That started with the basics that ultimately became N.O.W.E.S. – I had to live a life of healthy eating and consistent exercise. Later, I added another “S” for spirituality – a sense of self-awareness and piece – and being centered”.

Not everyone is meant to be a body builder or to participate

"Don’t forget to breathe – ofte in the figure competitions that Sanson ably won.

However, everyone can – and should immediately – engage in a lifestyle that involves eating a diet with proper nutrition. In that regard, it turns out that Mom did know best. One should eat plant-based proteins when possible, plenty of green, leafy vegetables and fruits full of minerals and vitamins.

One should delete entirely – or limit greatly – one’s ingestion of sugars and alcohol. One should count one’s calories, but need not do so obsessively.

10 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Catherine Sanson In Africa

Achieving pure fat loss – as opposed to transiently losing weight, only to regain the pounds lost and yet more – can only be achieved if a person raises her resting metabolic rate long enough throughout each day, Sanson emphasizes Eating smart.

Exercising smart. Living smart.

Those are the key to success.

“Achieving ultimate fitness and weight level cannot be accomplished by following 99% of the fad diets.” Sanson told Hollywood Weekly Magazine. “Nor can it be accomplished by eating the wrong things or too much of the good foods”.

Sanson’s book is not preachy.

Rather, it is practical.

It is not simply a data-based tone replete with statistics.

en – and deeply" Rather, it provides a handy guide to proper exercise, diet and lifestyle, including a sample food plan involving eating five to six smaller meals, as opposed to gorging on huge meals.

Sanson also includes a few practical and easy recipes to get a reader launched on her new lifestyle. Finally, she provides a guide to smart supplements, even including an elixir recipe.

Simple concepts explained simply. That is the success of this book. Don’t forget to breathe – often – and deeply, Sanson gently reminds readers.

UTAH NPC April 16, 2005

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 11

Catherine Sanson & Her Son Luke in Krabi Thailand

Catherine Sanson On Her African Safari Adventure

Catherine Sanson Ms Philippines delegate 2015 12 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

“The simple process of deep breathing saturates our cells with oxygen that gives us life and can help rejuvenate the cells of the body by giving it one of the most important ingredients of life, OXYGEN”. She writes.

Don’t forget (indeed, never forget) to drink water often, and in great amounts – up to 12 to 18 eight-ounce glasses. Cold water is best because, when water is ingested cold, one’s body burns off calories. Yaaaay!

Exercise daily. Exercise wisely.

“Include the four components of exercise”, Sanson advises.

“Cardiorespiratory (cycling, bicycling, aerobics and dancing), muscular-strength training (weight-bearing exercises, including weight lifting), flexibility training (including Pilates and yoga), and mediation, which reduces stress and increases self-awareness”.

The book sets forth a basic gym work out, as well as a workout for which one need not go to a gym.Sleep enough and do so on a good, sound mattress.

Sage advice indeed.

Sanson’s book is also a fun read because, interspersed with guidelines regarding how to live better – and longer – there are remarkable pictures of her travels to remote places in Africa and Asia, sites such as the Cambodian temples that she visited ancillary to her trips for speaking engagements. There are

also shots of her on a photo shoot with a Maasai spear in Kenya, Africa – impressive and intriguing.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”, Hippocrates once said. Sanson’s book helps readers stick to the basics, grounded in ancient principles, but it does so with the practicality necessary for readers to be able to consistently follow the N.O.W.E.S. principles. Get going now!

Finally, in the “as technology improves, I will too”, department, Sanson walks readers through the alphabet soup, and nuances of, non-invasive procedures such as Radio Frequen-

cy (RF), Botox, facials, dermal fillers, and hyaluronic acids such as Restylane and Juvederm to address lip augmentation, deep smile lines and “tired eyes”.

She also addresses developments in body contouring technologies which can target – and eliminate – fat cells.

Follow Sanson’s advice and one can live longer and better.

Follow Sanson’s aesthetics work @CatherineAestheticsNow. You can also purchase "The ABC'S Of Living A Healthy Life From Day One" as an E-book on Amazon Kindle or soft cover on Amazon November 1, 2018. Just in time for the holidays. Give the gift of health.

Catherine Sanson © Photographer Vincet Chavez 2018 HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 13

Television

FEATURED

ARTIST

Annie Q in the club "MDMA" Courtesy of Shout! Studios

Annie Q On her riveting performance in the crime drama “MDMA” By: Alex A. Kecskes 14 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

K

Television

nown as a series regular on HBO's “The Leftovers,” actress/ producer Annie Q. has appeared on the comedy/drama “Alex Strangelove,” the horror/mystery/ thriller “10,” the comedy/drama “Trouble,” and the romance/comedy “Rewrite.” She has also appeared on “Girls,” “Elementary,” “Blue Bloods,” and “Law and Order: SVU.” On stage, Annie starred in the Signature Theatre revival of David Henry Hwang’s “Golden Child.” Born and raised in NYC, Annie studied drama at the LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts. She currently studies finance and film at NYU’s Stern-Tisch School of the Arts. In the semi-autobiographical 80s crime drama written and directed by Angie Wang, Annie is Angie, a drug queen at a private college whose life quickly spirals out of control.

Hollywood Weekly: When did you first realize you wanted to pursue an acting career?

Annie Q: I watched Alfonso Cuarón’s “A Little Princess” when I was a kid. I was really shy but that movie is everything I love about storytelling and I knew that was what I wanted to do. I auditioned for LaGuardia High School Performing Arts when I was 13 but I didn’t get in. I didn’t know anything about acting at that point. I didn’t know that words like soliloquy and monologue were actually synonyms. So I tried again the following year and I got in. I’ve been fortunate enough to work in film, TV, and theater ever since.

Lou Simon Photo Credit: Enrique Tubio

HW: What drew you to the role of Angie in “MDMA”?

Annie: I’m always interested in following characters whose experience is different from my own. I felt the role of Angie pushed boundaries in a way that was unlike any other characters I’d played over the years. So I think it was the prospect of challenging myself as an actor.

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 15

HW: Did you audition for the role? If so, what was that like?

Annie: I was wrapping up season one of HBO’s “Leftovers” in New York. And I was heading into a film called “Fan Girl” right after. So I read the script for “MDMA,” which was very different from the other work I was doing at that time. I sent in a tape but I was afraid my commitments at the time would get in the way of my interest in the film.

So I decided to send the director an email, which started a correspondence that led to the journey that brought the character of Angie to life.

HW: Many actors have a love-hate relationship with auditions.

Annie: I love them. I think they’re a great way to get a feel for the character. Every character is kind of new so it’s nice to try one on for yourself and see if there’s a fit and what you can bring to the character.

HW: What did you draw from to create such a convincing real-life portrait of a college drug queen?

Annie: I got to meet Angie (Wang) before

we started shooting. Obviously, the role incorporates aspects of who she actually was in the 1980s. I did a lot of research on the ‘80s in general. I was also influenced by other actresses—like Angelina Jolie in “Girl Interrupted.” So there’s some truth but there’s also some fiction. People just have to see the film to decide for themselves.

HW: Angie’s character is impossibly complex, morphing from sweet, caring college freshman to over-sexed drug dealer. Was it difficult to keep these two characters separate?

Annie: I think there are layers within the same character. It was challenging because the film went to dark places. And that can be emotionally and physically draining.

HW: How are you like Angie and how are you different?

Annie: This character succumbs to her demons throughout the film. She fails time and again to fight them off. And I don’t think it’s ‘till the end of the film that she comes

Annie Q in the club MDMA (courtesy Shout! Studios)

Annie Q in the club "MDMA" Courtesy of Shout! Studios 16 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

to terms with the fact that she’s gone too far. But she actually still wants better for herself. I think we’ve all dealt with self-destructive thoughts, insecurities, and doubts of our own. But what counts at the end of the day are the actions you take despite those feelings. I would choose differently, but then again, I’m just the actor.

HW: What scene did you enjoy the most?

Annie: My personal favorite scene was exchanging Christmas gifts with the very funny and gifted Scotty (Scott Keiji Takeda) who played Tommy in the film. The scene was shot on the very first day of filming. More importantly, it was the first holiday gift my character had ever gotten in her life. It was a lovely bit of warmth in a film that goes really dark.

Television

Annie: Good question. I would say: Don’t give up.

HW: The chemistry between you and Francesca was amazing to watch. Had you worked with her before?

Annie: I’d never worked with Francesca. But we worked with each other to make our characters authentic. I find that that friendship is one of the more layered pieces in the film. It has to represent this kind of sisterhood but also a relationship that’s really toxic and unhealthy at times. On the surface, they’re both in on a joke that no one else understands.

But beyond that, they’re both deeply troubled and I think it’s their vices and their painful memories that draw them together. They’re both very self-destructive but in very different ways. In each other’s presence, they kind of turn a blind eye to that mutual self-destruction and that’s the underbelly and hidden layer of their friendship. But it’s not until the end of the film that they finally come to terms that they’re both too far gone. They need to get their lives back on track and they want better for each other. And that’s when they support each other. So Francesca and I worked really hard to capture the truthfulness in all those things.

“I think we’ve all dealt with self-destructive thoughts, insecurities, and doubts. But what counts are the actions you take despite those feelings.”

HW: What scene did you find most challenging?

Annie: I actually found the entire film to be challenging. But one of the funnier challenges was putting in hair extensions every morning because I had such short hair at the time. I’d just finished doing a film and “Leftovers,” and my hair was short for both of those. I was always worried about pulling out my hairpiece.

It was kind of a first-hand experience in ’80s problems—things I’d never experienced.

HW: There are a number of messages in “MDMA.” What do you see as the film’s core message?

HW: What’s next for you?

Annie: You can catch me as Sophie Hicks in a film called “Alex Strangelove” currently on Netflix. It’s kind of “Love Simon” meets “Superbad.” It’s a strange, lovely story with some bite and some heart. I’m also guesting on Season 4 of NBC’s “Blindspot.”

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 17

Coverage

FEATURED

ARTIST

You wonder why I don’t like to call you my girlfriend?

Because I want to call you my wife

2018 Prime Time Emmys Coverage By: Adrienne Papp

President of Atlantic Publicity and Atlantic Publisher and Spotlight Media Productions President of the Youthful and Ageless™ Digital Branding Platform; Master of Science in Economics and Logistics Publicist/Journalist / MBA / Marketing and Advertising Executive / NYU / UCLA; Guest Professor at Oxford University; Director and Producer of TV and Airline On Camera Editorials; Managing Editorial Director of The Beverly Hills Times Magazine; She was knighted and became a Dame in 2010.

Her official name is Lady Adrienne Papp and Dame Adrienne Papp.

Voting Member of The International Press Academy and The Oscars: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

18 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY Tel: 310.451.7403 Cell: 917.678.4017

A

s a Hollywood journalist, I’ve attended a lot of awards ceremonies and seen a lot of amazing things in the celebrity world, but I’ve never seen an awards show that served as the showcase for a marriage proposal, like the 70th annual Emmy Awards broadcast at the Microsoft Theater did on Monday night.

But there it was. In one of the shining moments of the NBC broadcast. The director of the Oscars live show, Glen Weiss, while accepting his award for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special, addressed his partner in his speech.

He started by paying tribute to his mother, who, he said, had passed away two weeks ago. “Mom always believed in finding the sunshine in things, and she adored my girlfriend, Jan,” Weiss said.

He was referring to Jan Svendsen and added “You wonder why I don’t like to call you my girlfriend? Because I want to call you my wife.”

Svendsen’s jaw dropped, as did the jaws of most of the audience, and she said yes before Weiss had even popped the question. Once she arrived onstage, to full audience standing ovation, Weisstold her, “This is the ring that my dad put on my mom’s finger 67 years ago.”

Glenn Weiss proposes to his girlfriend Jan Svendsen whilst accepting an Emmy for Outstanding Directing For A Variety Special "The Oscars" 2018 19th Academy Awards

Coverage

He knelt and said, “Will you marry me?” She, of course, said yes a second time, and the couple walked offstage with his Emmy and the hearts of all those in attendance.

As for the actual awards ceremonies themselves, things kicked off with somewhat topical musical number, addressing the issue of diversity in television with a song called “We Solved It. Considering the nominee list for 2018 was “the most diverse in history,” the performers, including Kate McKinnon, Kenan Thompson, Sterling K. Brown, and Kristen Bell, felt that enough progress had been made on the diversity issue to have some playful fun with the topic.

With Netflix the heavily nominated elephant in the room there were also references to its ascension in the TV medium. “Netflix will spend $8 billion on programming. They now have 700 original series, which makes me realize that the show I pitched them must have really sucked,” cohost Colin Jost said. “It’s like being turned down for a CVS rewards card.”

The Emmy Awards are often criticized for being predictable, and with this year’s ceremony, there were some expected winners and also a good number of unexpected winners to keep things interesting and show the changes that are constantly occurring in the television industry.

L-R Emmy Presenters Kate Mckinnon & Kenan Thompson HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 19

This wasn't suppose to happen Claire Foy Accepts Emmy For Lead Actress In A Drama Series For "The Crown"

Bill Hader Accepts Emmy For Lead Actor In A Comedy Series For "Barry"

20 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” said Claire Foy, lead actress in a drama winner for “The Crown,” during her speech, commenting on one of the evening’s surprise wins. With Foy winning, and not Elisabeth Moss (for “The Handmaid’s Tale”) or Sandra Oh (for “Killing Eve”) the Emmys show that the presumptive favorite isn’t always a sure thing with voters.

One show that ended having a very disappointing night was “Atlanta.” Nominated for 16 Emmys, the most of any comedy series, the second-year FX program came away empty-handed Monday night, losing early and then often to Amazon Studios’ “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”

Early handicappers predicted that “Atlanta” would win the award for best comedy series prize, but Amy Sherman-Palladino’s “Mrs. Maisel,” took the top prize for comedy, and also took home seven other Emmys this year, including prizes for lead actress Rachel Brosnahan, supporting actress Alex Borstein, and writing and directing honors for Sherman-Palladino. Many Hollywood prognosticators also had Donald Glover repeating for best lead actor in a comedy, but it’s hard to argue with Bill Hader winning that Emmy for “Barry,” deftly playing “Barry’s” morally conflicted hit man and aspiring actor. Hader’s cast mate Henry Winkler, finally earned his first Emmy, for supporting actor, and was the awards’

Henry Winkler Accepts Emmy For Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series For "Barry"

least surprising win and, guessing from the standing ovation he received, one of the night’s crowd favorites. Winkler was probably the most excited winner on Monday night. More than 40 years after his first Emmy nomination, he finally got the winning call and the statuette.

“Oh, my god. Oh, my god. Oh, my god!” said the elated Winkler, now 72, leaping onto the stage to accept his award for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series, bringing the audience to its feet. He played Gene Cousineau on HBO’s dark comedy “Barry.”

“I wrote this 43 years ago,” he said of his acceptance speech. Winkler was first nominated in 1976 for his role as Arthur Fonzarelli, who personified teen cool in a black leather jacket on “Happy Days.”

“I can’t stop yet,” Winkler said as his time wound down. “My wife, Stacey, oh, my god. My cast and crew, and the kids! Kids! Jed, Zoe and Max, you can go to bed now! Daddy won!”

As far as dramas were concerned, “Game of Thrones” had piled up the most nominations this year, so its series victory, on the heels of so many other Emmy wins over the series run, was one of the more predictable wins of the night. Some television enthu-

Peter Dinklage Accepts Emmy For Best Supporting Actor In A Drama Series For "Game Of Thrones S8"

Coverage

siasts saw this as a lost opportunity to send out “The Americans” at the top of its game, in addition to the Emmys won by the show’s star Matthew Rhys and writers Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg. Other prognosticators had “The Handmaid’s Tale” in the running for the top drama award, after for a solid second season that explored the moral decay of its near-future dystopia.

There have now been 70 Emmy Awards ceremonies. As they celebrated those decades throughout this year’s telecast, with jokes like, “Things were very different back in 1949, when the awards launched, gas was 17 cents a gallon, and a new home cost $7,000.”

Certainly over the course of those 70 years, the Academy has had some high and low points, celebrating the best that television has to offer in an era when the smaller screen now is just as prestigious an entertainment medium as the Big Screen. Over all this time we’re reminded that “The Wire” never won an Emmy, for example, nor did “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Breezy lightweight sitcoms like “Two and a Half Men” won nine of them. As we’ve learned over time, you can’t account for voter’s tastes sometimes.

Through the entire 3-hour broadcast hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che bantered about Emmys trivia and Hollywood’s racial disparities, some of which were on

Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg Accept Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for "The Americans"

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 21

Our network NBC has the most nominations of any broadcast network....

Which is kind of like being the sexiest person on life support.

2018 70th Emmy Host Colin Jost & Michael Che

Alex Borstein Accepts Emmy For Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story - Season 2 Wins Outstanding Limited Series Accepted By Ryan Murphy

Regina King Accepts Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie For Seven Seconds

22 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

the money, and some of which fell awkwardly flat.

Even a short video in which Che gave “Reparations Emmys” to black performers snubbed in decades past, didn’t work as effectively as it could have. “Our network NBC has the most nominations of any broadcast network,” Mr. Che said at one point. “Which is kind of like being the sexiest person on life support.”

Right now, Hollywood is struggling with new technologies, with Netflix now becoming a dominant force, and dealing with social issues, diversity and the #MeToo movement. But no matter how many jokes you write making fun of the industry, its important to remember that this is still a medium that serves up entertainment, and many of the very high quality shows are now being produced by networks elevate the quality of entertainment we’re getting in what is maybe the best era ever for television programming.

No longer the unattractive stepchild to feature films, television can hold its own with the best big screen programming and major actors no longer consider it s step down in taking a leading TV acting role.

List of Emmy Nominees and Winners

Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series Louie Anderson," Baskets" Alec Baldwin, "Saturday Night Live" Tituss Burgess, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" Brian Tyree Henry, "Atlanta" Tony Shalhoub, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" Kenan Thompson, "Saturday Night Live" Henry Winkler, "Barry" *WINNER Outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series Zazie Beetz, "Atlanta" Alex Borstein, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" *WINNER Aidy Bryant, "Saturday Night Live" Betty Gilpin, "GLOW" Leslie Jones, "Saturday Night Live" Kate McKinnon, "Saturday Night Live" Laurie Metcalf, "Roseanne" Megan Mullally, "Will & Grace" Outstanding lead actor in a limited series or TV movie Antonio Banderas, "Genius: Picasso" Darren Criss, "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story" *WINNER Benedict Cumberbatch, "Patrick Melrose"

Coverage

Jeff Daniels, "The Looming Tower" John Legend, "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert" Jesse Plemons, "USS Callister (Black Mirror)" Outstanding lead actress in a limited series or TV movie Jessica Biel, "The Sinner" Laura Dern, "The Tale" Michelle Dockery, "Godless" Edie Falco, "Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders" Regina King, "Seven Seconds" *WINNER Sarah Paulson, "American Horror Story: Cult" Outstanding lead actor in a comedy series Anthony Anderson, "Black-ish" Ted Danson, "The Good Place" Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm" Donald Glover, "Atlanta" Bill Hader, "Barry" *WINNER William H. Macy, "Shameless" Outstanding lead actress in a comedy series Pamela Adlon, "Better Things" Rachel Brosnahan, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" *WINNER Allison Janney, "Mom" Issa Rae, "Insecure" Tracee Ellis Ross, "Black-ish" Lily Tomlin, "Grace and Frankie" Outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or movie Sara Bareilles, "Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert" Penelope Cruz, "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story" Judith Light, "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story" Adina Porter, "American Horror Story: Cult" Merritt Wever, "Godless" *WINNER Letitia Wright," Black Mirror (Black Museum)" For A Full List Visit WWW.EMMYS.COM Brandon Victor Dixon," Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert" John Leguizamo, "Waco" Ricky Martin, "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story" HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 23

t h g i otl

r you f o des ay's o s i t ep on tod s e t e la ramas h t d h t Catc rite TV potligh o S fav

Sp

TV | Madam Secretary

"Night Watch" -- Elizabeth (Téa Leoni) and cabinet members brace for the fallout “Uncanny Valley of the Dolls” -- Holmes and Watson discover that the murder of a robotat home and abroad as President Dalton (Keith Carradine) prepares for a retaliaics engineer may be connected to his groundbreaking secret research in the area of real-life tory nuclear attack on a country that has reportedly just launched missiles bound teleportation. Also, when Detective Bell is shut out of a required class he needs in order to for the U.S on MADAM SECRETARY, Sunday, May 20 (10:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) on complete his master’s degree and join the U.S. Marshal Service, he is shocked to discover the the CBS Television Network. Pictured (L-R) Tim Daly as Henry, Evan Roe as Jason course instructor has personal reasons for denying him access, on ELEMENTARY, Monday, McCord and Wallis Currie-Wood as Stephanie "Stevie" McCord, Photo: Jeff NeuAugust 13 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured Jon Michael mann/CBS ©2018 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved Hill as Detective Marcus Bell JEFF NEIRA/CBS ©2018 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved

24 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Spotlight

TV | MacGyver

TV | NCIS

"Destiny's Child" - One month after Director Vance was kidnapped, Gibbs is assigned the role of Acting Director in his absence while the team searches worldwide for his whereabouts, on the 16th season premiere of NCIS, Tuesday, Sept. 25 (8:00-9:00, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured: Lauren September, Wilmer Valderrama, Sean Murray Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2018 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved TV |Seal Team

Fracture" -- Jason and Bravo Team head to the Gulf of Guinea to rescue American hostages after an oil platform is overtaken by armed militants, on the second season premiere of SEAL TEAM, Wednesday, Oct. 3 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Pictured: Max Thieriot as Clay Spenser. Photo: Cliff Lipson/ CBS ©2018 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 25

Spotlight

TV |Swat

TV | Criminal MInds

"300" -- When Reid and Garcia are abducted by Benjamin Merva (Michael Hogan), it's up to the rest of the team to find them. The BAU finds surprising clues in their own history to solve why the two heroes have been targeted by a mass murderer. It's a race to save them before a "Believers" prophecy is fulfilled, on the 14th season premiere of CRIMINAL MINDS, Wednesday, Oct. 3 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured: Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss) Photo: Cliff Lipson/CBS ©2018 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved

26 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

"Shaky Town" -- The SWAT team engages in a standoff with human traffickers holding child hostages when a major earthquake hits Los Angeles during their operation and compromises the takedown. Also, while Hondo forms an unexpected personal connection with Deputy District Attorney Nia Wells (Nikiva Dionne), Jim Street has trouble adjusting to his new life as a patrol officer, on the second season premiere of S.W.A.T., Thursday, Sept. 27 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured: Shemar Moore as Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson. Photo: Bill Inoshita/CBS ©2018 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved TV | Blue Bloods

"Playing with Fire" - Danny takes on a personal case involving a drug cartel member, Louis Delgado (Lou Diamond Phillips), who Danny believes is responsible for torching his house, and Erin (Bridget Moynahan, left) is given a promotion in the DA's office but finds herself in a challenging situation when both Danny and Jamie ask her for help with their investigations. The ninth season premiere of BLUE BLOODS, Friday, Sept.

28 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Aasif Mandvi (right) guest stars as Samar "Sam" Chatwal, Erin's co-worker who has his eye on the open DA seat. Credit: Jojo Whilden/CBS Copyright 2018 The CBS Television Network.

Spotlight

TV | Hawaii Five-0

"Ka ʻōwiliʻōkaʻi (Cocoon)" After Steve's CIA agent friend is killed, McGarrett lets himself be captured by the group he thinks is responsible and endures a torturous sensory deprivation tank to find the killer. Also, Tani wrestles with whether or not she will tell McGarrett about the murder weapon she found at Adam's house, on the ninth season premiere of HAWAII FIVE-0, Friday, Sept. 28 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured: Alex O'Loughlin as Steve McGarrett. Photo: Screengrab/CBS (Ka ʻōwiliʻōkaʻiÓ is Hawaiian for Cocoon) TV | Mom

"Pre-Washed Lettuce and a Mime" - Christy has second thoughts about law school after a tough first day, and Bonnie is plagued by an upsetting dream, on the sixth season premiere of MOM, Thursday, Sept. 27 (9:019:30 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured L to R: Allison Janney as Bonnie, Anna faris as Christy, and William Fichtner as Adam. Photo: Robert Voets/CBS©2018 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 27

We Got You Media: On The Frontline of Entertainment

By Prather Jackson

If you haven’t heard of We Got You Media, you have now. Based out of Los Angeles, California and with locations in China and Germany, this up and coming media-focused company has been making a big splash. When We Got You media first formed, it started as a non-profit organization with the mission of helping those who have been injured with traumatic concequences. We Got You Media aimed to provide rehab, support, and funding for patients who could not afford the health care being provided. Since then, many doors have opened for the motivated company and which has created its own a unique path. They currently produce content in ten foreign languages, broadcast on all major social media networks and have also partnered up with “Now News of the World”, a satellite channel distributing content to all ma28 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

jor lying areas aross the world. More recently, We Got You Media has been favored by a new artificial intelligence broadcast media platform called 0-5Media as well as having worked with companies such as National Geographic, entered the Guinness Book of World Records with ITAP, Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Make-a-Wish foundation, "The Voice" producing company CMPR, and many more.

We Got You Media was founded by CEO/ Producer, Marina Kufa. A SAG-AFTRA actress and international media Journalist, Marina is described as an abundantly warming and charismatic human. With her devoted 15 years of experience in the media/entertainment industry, Marina has helped broaden the horizon of being the voice and drive of global humanitarianism through her talent. Marina’s belt is

starting to get some shine. She has produced several documentaries accompanied by National Geographic, as well as hosted a handful of major red carpet events for multiple occasions including celebrity all-star games, boxing matches, the Make A Wish foundation, the George Lopez Foundation, and more. Recently, Marina and her team has been in works with Sony Pictures Entertainment and was invited to interview and be apart of the dvd release for the movie "Sicario 2: Day of the Soldado." Furthermore, Marina is currently working on multiple projects a film titled “The Mansfield Killing”, directed by Mariya Pyter. Publicist Scott Lund, originally approached Marina with his own feature film documentary "The Mona Lisa Code" which presents entirely new and unprecedented discoveries about Leonardo Da Vinci.

In addition to working with We Got You Media with project development, Lund will be a content provider with his own historical series for the launch of the We Got You Media broadcast app through developer 0-5Media.

Photos courtesy:Bob Delgadillo

Leading We Got You Media’s international team and Red Carpet Host is Victor Migalchan. Victor has graduated Diplomatic Academy and is a very succesfull businessman who openned up a bridge between Hollywood and China launching his new company Ling Ying in Shanghai in cooperation with We Got You Media in September 2018. Victor starred in action films, worked as a fight choreographer, produced several international US-China projects, worked with TV Channels in China, hosted red carpet events for multiple occasions including Harold and Carole Pump Foundation Gala, and more. “It is truly a great pleasure to not only be able to accomplish our own dreams, goals and plans, but to be able to help others and create opportunities for them. We have 3 main pillars of our business model, Marina is a super strong professional in Hollywood, Jane Sun is great specialist and leader in China and I, myself, am the bridge between the East and the West.” says Migalchan. Victor, a European native who at the age of four was really intrigued by the Chinese language and culture, is the leader of all business done overseas as well as participates and oversees any interaction done by We Got You Media in America.

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 29

Music Talking Hip Hop Culture & Lucky Number 7

David Guetta

By Allison Kugel 30 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

"I think that kids who would have in the past been into rock or alternative music, those same kids today are into hip hop."

D

avid Guetta has become a music impresario, churning out beat banging, genre busting pop songs that have been topping the charts for nearly a decade with mega hits like Titanium featuring Sia; Where Them Girls At featuring Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj; Club Can’t Handle Me featuring Flo Rida; Who’s That Chick featuring Rihanna and I Gotta Feeling featuring The Black Eyed Peas. Guetta is the King of Collabs. His creative input on a song almost assures chart topping status and his fans have dubbed his music, “Guetta-blasters,” an homage to his bold immersion into hip hop culture, and his constant and effortless ability to blend hip hop and pop music with an addictive beat.

Born in France to liberal intellectuals who shunned materialism, Guetta says he yearned for a more glamourous life, which he soon discovered in Europe’s underground club scene where he began deejaying as a teenager. He also fell in love with all things American, as he described to me, delving into American books, movies and music, and yearning

to conquer the stateside music scene.

During our conversation we discussed his seventh, yes seventh, studio album, simply titled, “7.” It’s an eclectic, genre-fluid collection of emotionally charged lyrics and hypnotic melodies.

Of course, the album is full of Guetta’s famous collaborations with the likes of Sia, Jason Derulo and Justin Bieber.

Allison Kugel: Was your creative vision, of merging electronic dance music with urban music, there from the start, or did it evolve into that because of the opportunities that came your way?

David Guetta: This may sound crazy, but when I was a kid and I began deejaying, there was no electronic music (laughs).

When I was a teenager I was playing funk, and then I went to hip hop and then house music. That’s why for me, it’s kind of natural, because I come from this culture. Then I just moved to a different style, and one day I was able to merge them together. I love music, in general.

I like to create emotions with my music, and I like to make people dance.

Allison Kugel: You’re the first deejay I’ve seen that has been able to transcend, not just across various musical genres, but you have been able to get to the point where you’re considered a mainstream recording artist in your own right. How did you create this space for yourself that really didn’t exist before?

David Guetta: Exactly! That’s what is so interesting to me. The world is a certain way, the music industry is a certain way, and if you want to be part of a certain “family,” you’re told, “This is the way things are done.” To me, you don’t have to follow those rules. I created my own rules. At that time, I was extremely criticized for this. And then everybody did the same. I want to create my own rules, HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 31

basically. That’s how I have always been doing it, and that’s how I’m doing it now.

I just finished my album (7, out September 14th), and it’s very eclectic.

Allison Kugel: Yes, it certainly is. Every song on your new album has a completely different sound and emotional tone to it. From your perspective, is there any one theme that ties the album together?

David Guetta: This album is called 7. It is my seventh album, but the number seven also represents the end of a cycle; a week is seven days, the creation of the world in the bible is seven days and my birthday is on [November 7th]. That number is kind of magic to me. What I did with this album, we were talking about how I merged different styles in the past and created a new style of pop music.

I wanted to go back to my roots and do a full pop album in different styles. I’m going to do a full electronic album that is 12 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

completely going back to my roots and being completely underground. So basically, instead of compromising, I’m going to create those magic moments with an album that I could play in the festivals, in the clubs, and be able to have played on the radio. It came down to either being very pop or hip hop for the radio or being underground again in the clubs. I wanted this album to be real. There is this one record that I really love, which was released in Europe, that is called Don’t Leave Me Alone. It’s one of my favorite albums. It’s pop, but it’s electronic and forward thinking, and it doesn’t sound like anything else out there. I also have Latin records and a huge record with Jason Derulo and Nicki Minaj.

Allison Kugel: Is there a difference for you, when it comes to collaborating with male artists versus female artists?

Do you take a different approach?

David Guetta: Not really. Sometimes I will

write with a male artist and we will have a female artist sing it. This happens a lot; or even the other way around. If you want to go higher in the notes, of course you would do that with a female artist. Also, you’re not going to necessarily tell the same story in the music with a male artist versus female, even though things are changing, and I love this (laughs)! I think that things are a little bit less stereotyped right now.

Allison Kugel: Tell me about this special creative synergy that you and Sia share?

David Guetta: It’s incredible, because first, we have a lengthy history together.

Sia, when we started to work together, was not the big artist she is now. We created [the song] Titanium (from Guetta’s 2011 5th studio album, Nothing but the Beat) together, which was, for both of us, a life changing record. Sia deserves every success she has. She is my favorite artist. She can sing, she can write like no one else, and any time I need her she is always there for me. We have kept working together, and I love the combination.

I think what is interesting in music is to combine opposite feelings together into one song. For example, if you play happy chords and have a happy melody, and you use bright sounds, it sounds kind of cheesy. And if it’s too dark, it’s like, “Oh My God. I want to shoot myself.” You know (laughs)? What is interesting to me is to have a dark instrumental with a happy melody, or the other way around. I’m a happy person, so I like to make emotional records that put you in a good mood.

Like, I produced I Gotta Feeling (the 2009 hit single from The Black Eyed Peas’ 5th studio album, The E.N.D.). Those are the kinds of records I make. And Sia, she is a moody, melancholy, survival kind of artist. The combination between the two is the magic. That is why me and Sia work so well together.

Allison Kugel: You like the contrast of blending dark and light feelings into your musical collaborations.

David Guetta: Exactly, and it’s just like that with movies I like to watch. If you see an action movie, and all they’re doing is shoot, shoot, shoot; bang, bang, bang, it’s stupid and boring. If you have an action movie, but there is also a love story in there, it works better. With music, it is the same.

When you study music theory and different types of melody and core percussion, they teach you that people want to have seventy-five percent of an experience of hearing something that is familiar to them, and twenty-five percent maximum of feeling excited by hearing something new. This is really a precise number. It’s interesting, when you listen to a certain core percussion you need the last chord to feel good, and it’s the same when you go back to the first chord. In between the first and the last chords, you can afford to be more experimental. But if you were to add one chord after the other in a sequence that no one ever heard before, it’s very rare that it would work.

People need a little bit of excitement and they need their familiarity.

Allison Kugel: What spiritual philosophy do you subscribe to? And how does it impact your work?

David Guetta: I’m a very happy person, and I’m trying to share this with the world. I’m trying to share my passion for music with the world, and I’m trying to bring people together. I think there are two things that bring people together, and that is sports and music. At a Football match you may have the president of the country, and you have working people; people from all walks of life. That is what I am trying to do with music. That’s what has been my mission my entire life.

I’m coming from an underground scene, but I always wanted my music to cross HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 33

over, because I’m not a guy who’s trying to keep it for myself. I like sharing.

When I was trying to bring urban music and electronic music together, people’s feeling was that if you’re black you’re going to be into urban music, and if you’re white you’re going to be into electronic music. But why? To me, we are all the same, so we can also create music that speaks to everyone.

Allison Kugel: I read that your father was a Sociologist. Did his studies and his work have any impact on your life philosophy, or anything about how you choose to live your life?

David Guetta: It’s funny, because my parents were very, very left. And because it was the 1960s, they were hippies. Of course, being a hippy at that time was very common. I was raised like this. So, for me, being rebellious was saying, “I want to be an entrepreneur and I want to make money. I don’t want to be like you guys.” (Laughs) I was also super pro-America, and I was only watching American movies and listening to American music.

Allison Kugel: What about things like picking up your father’s philosophies on any social causes, or on human behavior; things like that?

David Guetta: You know, I really hadn’t thought about it. Now that you mention it, I would say a lot of the advice I was given stuck with me. Things like believing and treating everyone as equal, and just a certain way of navigating the world, without me even realizing it.

Allison Kugel: What is the difference, culturally, between how your music is received in Europe versus in the states?

David Guetta: It’s extremely different.

There was this magic moment in my career where I brought people together and

opened doors for this kind of music in the U.S., with songs like I Gotta Feeling (with the Black Eyed Peas), Club Can’t Handle Me (with Flo Rida) and music like that. It was a special moment of pop music that transcended genre, around 2009, 2010 and 2011. Now, in the U.S., it’s mainly hip hop. Among the biggest deejays in Europe, I am probably the one that is in the middle, culture-wise. The bigger deejays in Europe could probably not be as successful in the U.S. Hip hop has absorbed every culture there was, in the United States. Hip hop stars are the new rock stars in the U.S. They act like it and they dress like it. They don’t use the old hip hop codes; they use the rock n’ roll codes. I think that kids who would have in the past been into rock or alternative music, those same kids today are into hip hop. They relate to that rebellious, provocative culture. I think it’s very interesting how they absorbed this. In Europe, if you want to be cool and different, you would likely be into underground dance music.

Photo Credits: Joseph Abound (album cover), Guerin Blask, Ellen von Unwerth David Guetta’s seventh studio album, 7, is out September 14th. Pre-order at iTunes and at https://davidguetta.lnk.to/ Album7?ref=https%3A//t.co/B2tsQPCnog. Follow on Twitter @davidguetta.

Allison Kugel is a syndicated entertainment columnist and author of the book, Journaling Fame: a memoir of a life unhinged and on the record. Follow her on Instagram @theallisonkugel and at AllisonKugel.com.

THE BIZ

Tina Sokolovska

We Got You Media Tina Sokolovska is an international celebrity photographer from Ukraine. Her photos have been published in notorious magazines and countless pages across the couture spectrum. She travels the world and her photos are always on the top charts of several different European media outlets. It was in 6th grade that she exhibited her first solo show. When she was just 14, her father gave her the first semi-professional camera she ever owned.

Considered a creative and versatile person since childhood, she says, "photography attracted me quite swiftly, and, necessary to say, successfully. I shot everything I saw around - my dog, nature. A bit later, I began to create art and shoot my school friends."

She then realized that photography is exactly what excited her mind, and recalls the day when she came home with a friend from one of these photo shoots: "I told my mother that I want to learn it seriously and do it for the rest of my life." That moment was in 2008 and now, ten years later she has stuck by her craft and paved the way for other Ukrainian artisans like herself.

One of Tina's most influential books to date, she claims is Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret." Another would be Dale Carnegie's book, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" which she asserts had an important influence in her youth. "It built my perception of the world, and helped me to succeed in my career. Because I think the key of success always lies in communication and giving the right vibes into life."

With an outlook like that, she is sure to keep on shining her light onto the subjects within her lens. She is currently getting ready to run her first exhibition in the USA, which will take place in NYC. This year will be 10 years of her impressive career and to make an exhibition in New York, the capital of photography – Tina recognizes this as her biggest dream. With humble birthrights reaching back to Donbass – the region with civil war in Ukraine, there are a lot of people who need help. "I want to help my country, and the best way to do it – my art."

Her show is set to take place on September 29th, 4 – 10 pm.

349 W Broadway (Soho), New York, NY 10013 Follow online: @tinasokolovskaya

35 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Sajad Omidi We Got You Media

Sajad Omidi, a former Iranian soccer player who has experienced over 500 games in different age groups in Asia and Europe, has been in the United States for some years now. We had an opportunity to learn about the experiences and plans of this young coach...

He credits talent and targeted planning as the great elements needed to excel in the sport of soccer. Sajad also believes curriculum for adolescents is key. Weightlifting is also an important fitness regimen to have as a part of one's workout. "In my opinion," he says, "Mrs. Ursula Garza, the head of the Weightlifting Federation, is the genius of sport management." He was invited by Ursula to participate in the Fair Cup in Iran, even traveled to Iran with the American team at this year's tournament which resulted in the experience of managing the teamĘźs travel and building strong relationship with other countries. He stated has mentioned that he is "sure Ursula Garza can also provide management and planning methods to help football in the U.S." How does he see the future of American sports, especially soccer? Mr. Omidi believes that America's Soccer can easily be ranked in the top four teams of the world, because the talent is there. With a bachelor's degree in physical education and a fitness coaching degree, aside from coaching soccer, he is currently a Physical Fitness Coach. He retired from soccer after obtaining a knee injury in an accident at a shopping mall in Orange County, California. Now he lends his voice and knowledge to improving the sport overall.

His final words of advice: "I want to tell all coaches the best way to teach is first to get the players' confidence up. Then I want to thank the United States. Everyone helped me. The homeland is not where you are born. Your homeland is here where people respect you. Culture is different, but soccer (football) culture is the same everywhere in the world. Practice hard and live hard for fifteen years then take Fifty years of holidays or do not work fifteen years and live hard for fifty years. The choice is with yours."

Follow at instagram.com/sajadomidi/ 36 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Jillisa Lynn

By Launy Rhem

Jillisa Lynn has done it all! Acting, modeling, and even landed the title of Playboy Miss June 2017! However, it’s her catchy latest tune, “Control Freak”, that has truly placed her on the map. With major pop-centric melodies paired with R&B undertones this song has proven to be major vibes!

Originally from Rochester, NY the beauty decided to take the plunge to the West Coast in 2009 with only $500.00 in her pocket. In all fairness, if you find yourself at a few of Hollywood’s most prestige insider parties and connecting with the true movers and shakers within your first week - you may as well call LA your new home! Safe to say a dream is what brought her to LA but it’s her sheer determination that has kept her in the ‘city of stars’!

‘Control Freak,’ has quickly donned the title as a sexy-women’s anthem, Lynn confesses the message spread with her first album, 6/6, wasn’t entirely what she had hoped for, “it was a sexy women empowerment song, but it was too commercial.” Now she is back in the studio gearing up for her second album which displays remarkable growth as an artist. “I found that my first album didn’t speak to anyone,” explains Lynn. “With my latest album listeners will be able to see another side of me. It’s a rollercoaster! There are many levels that are being discussed in this album that is a bit more vulnerable.”

Pop stars alike have taken the average 4-minute music video and turned it into a

short, visual album in order to connect with the audience on a deeper level. In this generation, Beyoncé was one of the most notables to have done this with Lemonade, and Janelle Monae to follow the path with Dirty Computer. The end results? Pure beauty that transcends a powerful message that may otherwise be misconstrued or incomprehensible through sound alone. “The album is a bit of heartbreak, but full of confidence. It’s about letting the world see you can come out on top,” states Lynn. “I feel like this album fully explains me!”

As you can imagine the music industry is over saturated and remaining relevant and on top can be quite tricky. With constant “affirmation” and spreading “positivity” has been her way to stay motivated. Lynn says the sentiment for this stems from many years of engaging in spirituality and affirmation books all with a daily reminder that she is brave and always being kind to herself. “I continuously keep re-inventing myself and do not divulge in the culture of drama. I’m not consumed by trends and pop culture,” explains Lynn.

“Rejection is Gods protection,” she continues.

“This industry will quickly get you discouraged, however it is about your overall brand.”

The album title has yet to be released yet, but if it is anything resembling her original album, we are in for a treat. https://www.jillisalynn.com/ For Booking: Launy@ueminc.net HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 37

Linda Li

By We Got You Media

It is our pleasure to introduce you the story of Linda Li, well known soft toy designer from Yangzhou City, China. She now lives and creates in Los Angeles. We Got You Media asked Linda to share with us exactly when and how she became interested in design and specifically soft toys...

Linda Li: My Mother worked in a toy factory for her entire life. I was surrounded by toys since I was a little kid. I was always dreaming and drawing different toys I loved or which I would like to have. This way, I believe, I developed my creativity and designing passion. I wanted to create something new, unique especially for kids who had no toys. From my parents I got to understand the whole process of plush soft toys since when I was a little kid. I understood how it was designed, made, what safety rules to follow and why it is important to follow these rules. I understood the materials used and later on I also learned about the trend of the design etc.

WGYM: Who or what influenced your development as a designer of toys?

LL: First of all, I am dreamer. I wanted to create new toys, something more beautiful. I even had dreams of plush toys land, I call it Plushland. This land had the most beautiful toys, had only kind feelings, happiness. No anger, no betrayals, no stress. I just followed my dreams and tried to put my imagination on paper. Then I learned from my mother how to actually create the toy I draw. I went to hundreds of exhibitions, met many famous designers in this field, as well as in other gift markets. I talk to people, buyers, customers, kids, students, men and women. Everything and everyone gives me ideas and influenced me.

WGYM: How did you come up with the idea of eco-friendly toys?

LL: We live in a world that is changing. We have challenges of global warming, wild animals distinguishing, raw materials decreasing and unrecoverable...I see the waste in people’s life style, and passed from generation to generation. I think that as an entrepreneur, as a responsible company, it is my share to do something to pass the message to our kids. Toys are things they play with. If they get the message, it will be passed on.

38 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Tommie "Tomel" Griggs, Jr. Behind Locked Doors: How Well Do You Know Your Child?

By Fal Adams Thank you so much for sitting down with Hollywood Weekly today. Who is Tommie Griggs and who is Tomel?

TG: Tommie Griggs is a family man, born in St. Louis Missouri, I came out to California with my siblings, mother and father. Raised close knit with my family. Always spending time with my family, close-knit still. My parents are still together after 54 years, so I'm a strong believer in the connection with parent and child. That's me pretty much; easy going, love to laugh, love life, very giving. Very passionate about the film industry and the struggle to inspire, encourage and giving back.

HW: When did you start Sunny Lou Productions?

TG: Back in 2013, I decided that after researching and networking in the industry, I wanted to do it independent. Just work hard, learn the business filming, producing, buy the equipment and do everything on my own. Not having to worry about the bad energy in the industry.

HW: Can you give our readers and audience some insight on the message of Behind Locked Doors?

TG: Behind Locked Doors: How Well Do You Know Your Child? is a campaign awareness project for those naive parents who think that they have this child that they put on a pedestal. Giving their child privacy, not knowing that their child is doing things behind locked doors that a parent could never imagine.

A lot of parents these days, they feel that their child needs to have privacy and they've totally stopped going into their rooms. I let my cousin read the script and she has an 8 year old son, 14 year old daughter. She called me the next day and thanked me for letting her read it. She went into her daughter's bedroom and found out she had met an older man on the Internet and was going to go out and meet him. At this point, I knew it was bigger than the series, the show. It is a campaign. It saved her life, anything could have happened. The goal is to do a national tour for the play to get the series on television and the movie on the big screen.

HW: Where can we find you online and this story?

TG: The play website is www.BehindLockedDoorsPlay.com and it will give all the details, synopsis and explain what the campaign is about. I'd also like to thank my team: Erica Brown, Chaz, Robert Moore, Bill Kellman, everyone for believing in me and the project. My family for supporting me. Thank you.

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 39

William Taylor Burton

By Fal Adams

HW: Please introduce yourself in your own words, Mr. Burton.

WTB: I am a family guy, I have six children whom I love and adore. I grew up in a large family of seven and My dad was an engineer and I wanted nothing to do with that. If you've ever taken any of those personality tests with the colors, I was Yellow for creative...lots of things interested me.

One of those things, in college, was singing and that kind of started my interest in musical theater and opera which took me to upstate New York where I did a lot of theater work. When you’re on stage and you're carrying a show, you start to understand what it is to entertain. I love the theater...when I left upstate New York, the last show I did was 'The Music Man.' I left to go to Chicago for a corporate career with my family. I am now reintroducing myself to the industry and I think it’s my turn.

HW: The Music Man is your most recent project, how did you land that role?

WTB: What is interesting about theater is that very few people try out for the lead and most people are casual in their approach to do the chorus. The company that I did a number of musicals with is 1 of 9 old Vaudeville theaters seating 1500 - 2800 people. It became successful in the early part of the 20th century because of the engineers from the General Electric corporation. At that point, this company was about 70 years old and they wanted Robert Preston to do the role. They contacted his agent and his agent said he just didn’t want to do the musical again. I was able to have the role that would have been his; most of the musicals I did were Rogers and Hammerstein. One thing that was funny about 'The Music Man' is the director put a live horse on stage. A gamble, but a lot of fun. After I left update New York to go to Chicago, because of my background, I ended up being the MC on camera reporter for 36 episodes of my company's video series that went out across the country. I gained the experience to go to a number of places including Hawaii and South Carolina right after hurricane Hugo. Finally, for some reason or another they thought I was an incredible marketer and I got the #1 marketing award at Sears. Your abilities or talents often come into play for opportunities that you otherwise wouldn't have.

HW: You have done many classical productions.

Was this deliberate?

WTB: Well, my wife loved the theater. We had 5 children in 7.5 years...it was like, you give something up that you love for family and that’s admirable. After being married for about 7 years, she started doing some 40 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

theater and directing. Then I realized I would never see her again unless I got involved. The first show that she directed was 'Fiddler on the Roof' which I tried out for.

The people around her asked why she wasn't casting her husband, and it worked out. The experiences were great and I loved it.

HW: For voice over work, what elements from acting do you tap into?

WTB: On voiceover, I think that there’s a couple of factors that come into play. One is that you’re still playing a character even though you’re playing yourself, so you need to put yourself into the product or experience you're trying to play. If you've done a lot of theater or stood in front of people like I have, you have to be comfortable in your own skin. Even though you're not on stage or on camera, you have to visualize who is the other person that is listening on the other end and draw, like in acting, from all your experiences. You also have to let go and have a little fun. You want to have your personality come through as well. Many prominent actors and actresses like to do this. It opens up a lot of doors and opportunities whether you are on camera or not.

HW: You have so much experience outside of entertainment. How did your corporate career evolve into acting?

WTB: It was really kind of the other way around. I would invite friends and family to my plays and when we finally did 'The Music Man' I had invited 300 friends from work and what happened was I was promoted twice in my corporate career because somebody saw something different in me than just the work I was doing; they came to the show. Pretty soon I was promoted.

So I think it had as much of an impact on my corporate career as the other way around. I got very involved in the audiovisual department, public relations and it gave me a number of opportunities to be on camera and on stage.

HW: "Ride The Horses, Feed The Lions" is a book you wrote yourself based on your corporate career.

What made you want to write a book?

WTB: When you achieve something, when you get the point where you want to give back, you kind of wake up one morning and go 'I've had all of these experiences.

If I don't write this down then how does it help anybody else?' I interviewed 15 executives on LinkedIn and put their experiences, which coincided with the subject matter, into the chapters. The purpose of the book is really to reveal that the most important thing in relationships is not the script, if you know what I mean. It is when you

get on stage, really a one-on-one relationship with the audience. If there is no connection there, if they don't see you as an authentic person, they won't trust you.

I didn't even think I could sell, but what I found was I could be myself. Selling is really not a science; it is really interpersonal relationships. Be authentic. Everything else can be learned.

HW: What are your thoughts on marketing as it stands today? Do you think that packaging is important?

WTB: Marketing today is very interesting because of the instant response we can get. The media that we have today is so different from even ten years ago.

What happens in any industry is those who have come before face the challenge of who is the audience now?

And what does the project now need to be? Packaging is an interesting term. I visualize that you're opening up a package and what's outside is as important as what is inside. So the packaging really has to send as much of a message as what its trying to deliver. Wow, don't we do a lot of packaging in Hollywood? In order to try and send a message that will entice the audience to show up, is packaging important?? Yes, maybe almost more than the product inside.

thanked us for creating this publication that inspired their own. There was a little bit of a mission for me and I'm very proud to have been a part of it.

HW: How do we bridge the gaps across multi-ethnic lines?

WTB: When I was at Sears I was in charge of multicultural marketing. We were probably in the early stages of excellence as far as reaching all of those groups. When we erase ethnicity and we erase color we are basic human beings with the same basic needs and we should be reaching out to each other and accepting each other on that basis. The differences should be embraced on a basis of culture; we are not that different. I think what is happening in Hollywood is a very positive thing from the standpoint that you see more and more entertainment products reaching out to portray the humanity in individuals of all kinds of different backgrounds. One of the terms in the 60's we talked about was prejudice. I think that is the missing element, because we all have busy lives. If we got to know each other we would not see the differences as being so profound. We just need to do a better job at appreciating one another.

HW: What are you looking to do more of in Hollywood?

WTB: Right now I've got a couple of agencies that I've HW: Does it frustrate you when artists or business- signed with. I am returning to the industry and what I'm es cut corners with their advertising? looking forward to it in addition to completing a very WTB: What we do quite often in the entertainment long screenplay a very long screenplay I created with industry is we sometimes take the short cut because we my coauthor. I've been asked to write another screensee what is working, somebody else does something, play. My book comes out in November and I'm looking so we copy that. I think the most exciting thing about forward to that as well. I believe that I can entertain. entertainment for me is character development and One of the greatest joys is standing on stage, in front of the relationships between people. You don't need a car the camera portraying something that connects with ancrash or explosions and special effects to capture the other person. I'm looking forward to doing more movies audience. The only thing that frustrates me is that even and television. though it is harder to do great work, it is much more rewarding than copying someone else who was more HW: Where can our readers find more of you and successful. We know we have talents and abilities, so your book? let's use them to generate the greatest product that we WTB: Just put www.WilliamDHatch.com in your browscan so that the audience can enjoy them later. er and the website will come up. If you don't write a book, no one will know that you existed. What I found HW: You produced a magazine called "Nuestra Gen- was, you don't write a book about yourself. You write te" which translates to "Our People" and you are about things you're full of emotionally, that you just have also bilingual. How does the current state of Latin to write about; things you feel strongly about. Your life America and issues affecting the population come ends up in the book, your stories, experiences. What into play? ended up in my book was all of the experiences I had WTB: I learned this people, the Latin People. I learned with thousands of strangers. "Ride The Horses, Feed the language as we say "en la calle" which means "in The Lions" is full of interpersonal stories that I have. the streets." I learned to love the Latin people. The Perhaps not one man's crusade but to humanize living. thing that we forget about in today's politics is on all No man or woman is their last book, the last show they levels: the people. The people is what is important and were in or their accomplishments in the business world. they are a phenomenal group of people. It is disappointEvery person is the sum ing to have them be categorized or stereotyped. What total of the people they really drove me, when I put together "Nuestra Gente" associate with and the horses is the fact that 8 million spanish-speaking households lives they affect. I believe lions weren't receiving advertising. So we created a magayou never retire...the show zine that ran from 1993 to 2005. I was in New York City must go on. at a press conference with "People en Espanol", which The Life of “The Stylistic Salesperson”

Excerpts From: The One Minute Manager, Blanchard & Johnson; The Upside of Fear, Weldon Long; 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Maxwell; The Challenger Sale, Adamson, Dixon; Talent Unleashed, co-authored Shawn Moon; Resolutions to Reality, Bellas, Collard; Situational Leadership Theory, Hersey, Blanchard; The Art of Selling-Tom Hopkins 21 Secrets of Million Dollar Sellers, Harvill; The Power of Persuasion: by Mehrabian

FOR SALES EXECUTIVES AND MANAGERS WHO WANT TO...

ride

t he

feed

t he

The Life of the Stylistic Salesperson: One man’s crusade to humanize selling W I L L I A M

WILLIAM D. HATCH

Made in Charleston, SC www.PalmettoPublishingGroup.com

ride the horses, feed the lions

Comments, Interviews, Reviews and Quotes from: Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, N.Y. Times Best Seller, Dartmouth Professor; C.A. Peter Strohkorb, Smarketing™ author, The Team Method®; Sydney, Australia Shawn Moon, Franklin-Covey Exec. VP, Sales co-author of Talent Unleashed Weldon Long, NY Times Best Seller, author, The Power of Consistency; Colorado Matthew Kelly, VP Sales Fairway Architectural R.S. book review; Cincinnati Mark Skovron, PhD., CEO MaxGroup™ Bus. Solutions, author, Phoenix Michael S. Wooten, CEO Landmark Results Group, entrepreneur, Atlanta Tim Wackel, Director of Sales, Docent, keynote speaker, trainer-coach, Dallas Tony J. Hughes, AMI; Best Selling author, keynote speaker, NSW, Australia Jim Schleckser, CEO, Best Selling author: Great CEO’s are Lazy; the DC area Chad B. Rawlins, Creator of Success Sales Engagement Acceleration, Salt Lake Clint Geog, Divisional VP., Terminix; Sears Home Services, Raliegh, N.C. Monica Pritchard, VP Sales, Mktg., Prod. Development, QE.; Michigan Oliviér Riviére, TBM & Grayling Marketing Founder-Europe, Paris, FR Don Straits, CEO Corporate Warriors, Executive placement; Denver, CO. Steve Booz, Sales, Marketing Executive, Royal Bldg Products; Philadelphia

D .

H A T C H

Natalie Banks

By Fal Adams

HW: Are there subjects that you stay away from when building a concept for a story?

NB: I'm really courteous of people's feelings and personal beliefs. I try to stay away from any subjects that could cause anyone to be upset or to be offended.

Hollywood Weekly: As a female author, what sort of adversity have you encountered in the field of writing?

Natalie Banks: I wouldn't say that I've encountered any adversity, really. Because since I write fiction, I guess I consider myself to be self-employed. I think any adversity that I face, any author that is independent would face at this point; just trying to get their work out there and get name recognition.

HW: It is more popular now for people to self-publish. Since you work for yourself, what is your writing process like from start to finish?

NB: The writing part is fun for me, energizing. I get on a high and it will take me anywhere from six to eight weeks to start and finish a novel, then the real work begins. Then, I have to get it out there and get it in front of people and start building excitement. Get it edited, get the cover designed. There's a lot of work that goes into it, but it's worth it because I'm doing what I love, what I'm passionate about.

HW: You're from Raleigh, North Carolina. How has the South influenced your writing?

NB: I think it's influenced my writing quite a bit. I set all three of my novels in North Carolina, two of which I've set in Wilmington (where I live at the present time.) The south has such an interesting culture about it, so it makes for fun writing. I think anyone who has been to the south can relate. Anyone who hasn't can get a kick out of it as well.

42 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

HW: You're a fiction writer and when you're envisioning the person you write for, is there anyone specific?

NB: When I write my books, I want my readers to be entertained but I also want them to walk away from my book enriched and feeling good. With "The Dark Room", which has some difficult subject matter in it, some people might consider it a little disturbing because maybe the violence, affairs and different things. In the end, they walk away feeling good and taking away something positive from the novel. I try to always weave something in there like that. I've done that with all three and I hope to continue doing that as I write.

HW: What is your writing process like?

NB: I actually have a lot of ideas kinda tumbling around in my head. Usually, I just write from the hip...I don't do a lot of planning. Sometimes, when I'm working on a novel I do know the ending. Like the one I'm currently working on, I know how it's going to end but I don't always know how it will work for me.

HW: How do you stay inspired?

NB: I think just by nature, I'm a positive person. I've been writing since I was twelve years old and it was something that just kinda came natural. When I'm writing, I get on a high! I love it so much and I love storytelling and developing my characters. Not only that, the feedback from my readers has been extremely positive. I mean, over-the-top positive. I know I'm touching lives and hearts. Combining all of that together, it's easy to stay inspired.

HW: Are there any unique moments involving fans of your work?

NB: My creative writing teacher in high school, Emma Richardson, really touched my life because she was so enthusiastic and she planted a lot of seeds and knowledge in me that has stuck with me my entire life. I'm still in touch with

her and every time I publish a book, I send her one.

HW: Do you think it is important to have good female protagonists, leaders?

NB: I think it's very important. I like for my characters to grow throughout the book.

Specifically in "The Canary's Song" the main character was struggling with a lot of emotional baggage, looking for someone to save her. In the end, she got to the point where she could recognize she had the power all along, she just didn't know it; an outright girl-power story. In "The Water Is Wide", my character was a little weaker, she was not someone that a lot of people would really strive to be like but I think they could empathize with her. She developed throughout the story as she became aware that she could stand on her own. Yes, I do think it is important to write about women whom a lot of other women can look up to and learn from.

HW: When you envision someone reading your novels, what do you see?

NB: I guess I would want them to just go along with the characters and experience the emotions as the character is experiencing it. The laughter and the tears and the sadness...I want them to feel everything that the characters are feeling as they're reading it. I try to keep them involved in the story. I've been told that my novels are hard to put down and usually, once people open them, they can't stop reading. I hope maybe I've met my goal.

HW: Let's say you actually had to stop writing, what would you do?

NB: Gosh, besides cry? Hm. I like to paint a little, I dabble in that. My true call is writing, so I'm not really sure. I have so much of my identity wrapped up in writing, I'm not sure where I would go with that.

HW: You've had some acclaim and you won the Governor's Writing Award in North Carolina. What was it like to receive an award from your local community?

NB: I submitted a piece to the contest, they hold it every year. I really didn't think much about it so I was extremely honored when the letter came in the mail that I had been selected as one of the winners. A true honor.

HW: Are there any other ways you

like to give back to your community?

NB: I have a big heart for people, so I try to be generous with my time and my money to do whatever I can. I'm involved with the Book Fairies, they leave books for people like a treasure hunt.

I've donated quite a few of my novels to their cause. As far as specific organizations, I just look for opportunities if there's someone in need and I feel led. I do what I can.

HW: Do you participate in Little Free Libraries?

NB: Yes, I love those so much! It is very similar to the Book Fairies concept; it's about sharing books. Yes, I've donated several of my books to the Little Free Library.

HW: Do you think it is important to have more empathy and emotional intelligence in the world?

NB: Yes, very much. I think it is so important. I think all of us are guilty at some point, you know. We get so caught up in our lives that we don't always think about what other people are going through. Yes, it is extremely important to me.

HW: As a businesswoman, how do you engage with other aspects of the writing and publishing world? Is there a distinction between the writing and the business?

NB: It is kinda like flipping a switch, I do try to stay true to myself. I wear my heart on my sleeve and I'm very authentic and honest, which doesn't always mix well with business. That is who I am and where I'm coming from, so I'm going to stick to it. It can be difficult, it's trying.

The business aspect isn't as enjoyable however I definitely enjoy Instagram and interacting with my fans and readers on there. Technically it's a business ploy, to gain readers but it is enjoyable to me because I enjoy getting to know people and seeing parts of their lives. The advertising and the marketing can be trying and weary but it's worth it.

HW: When did you officially identify yourself as a writer?

NB: I started writing when I was twelve.

I was on an airplane flying to Colorado and I was reading a popular novel at the time. When I finished the book it had an anti-climatic ending and I was devastated. I had no idea where to go with my emotions. I was just so upset; I was so upset for the characters and upset for me. I did the only thing I could think to do which was pull a notebook out of my

backpack and I wrote a new ending to the book. After I finished, I read the original ending of the book and then read mine. When I closed my book, I knew I was a writer. I guess I had the bug and it bit me, it took me over. As far as currently knowing what I want to do with my life, I just kind of dabbled in some stories and whatnot over several years and I knew that it was calling to me. I finally said, "Okay, there's only one way to do it and that's sitting down and writing an entire novel." After I wrote that first chapter with that determination, I knew that this was what I was going to do with the rest of my life.

HW: Have you ever had any writing binges where someone had to pull you away?

NB: I'm pretty much like that every time I write a novel. I'll write for ten, twelve hours at a time. I don't want to go to the bathroom, I don't want to eat...I just want to write. I get so immersed in the world of my characters. I'd gone to the chiropractor and it was early Spring. In my story, it was Fall. When I pulled into her parking lot, I saw pink balloons on the bushes.

For a split second, I thought, "Why are there flowers blooming in the Fall? Wait, I'm in my own world!" It's easy to get lost in a story especially when you're dedicating that many hours to writing.

HW: Let's go into your most recent project. Can you tell HW readers about it and what inspired the story?

NB: The latest book that I released is called "The Canary's Song" and it was inspired by my own loss. My sister passed away in 2005 and I was wanting to write a story about surviving a loss. I think all of us women experience losses, maybe not the actual death of a child or sibling but we lose grandparents and we lose friends. It's a difficult thing to go through, so I coupled that with the strain that it can put on a relationship when you go through something traumatic. I had been reading about the Linville Gorge in North Carolina and this almost treacherous, unsurvivable wilderness. I thought that would make an interesting story being there in the wilderness and the main character trying to survive the loss of her child and the wilderness. The story is about a woman who loses one of her children in a tragic accident. She pulls away from her core and is so overridden with guilt and her husband tries to reconnect with her and she won't have it. Slowly, he withdraws and his love begins to wither away. She decides she is going to start coming

back to living life again. As she realizes she's losing her husband, she tries to reconnect with him. So she books this vacation in a cabin because she feels that if she can get him alone, then his eyes will be on her (away from the world and distractions.) They get up there and they're working on their relationship... some events happen that cause them to become trapped in the cabin. These are suburbanites, not used to living off the land by any means. They have to figure out how to survive and get themselves out. It is set in an area that is almost impossible for experienced hikers. Her husband leaves to go get help and he never returns. She's alone in this cabin and the story is about how she survives.

HW: How has North Carolina influenced your work and what was it like growing up out there?

NB: It has it's own culture, a nurturing culture. Everybody wants to take care of each other. I feel privileged to have grown up surrounded by so many wonderful people. It definitely influenced me and my stories. I get a little nostalgic and I think that people who aren't from the area get a little taste of the south in what I write.

HW: As far as self care goes in general, any tips?

NB: I think it's important to get out in nature and get away from all the noise and distractions. It is rejuvenating for me to sit by the ocean, go out to a field, take in nature and give my brain a chance to disengage. I am also an avid meditator and I think that it is important to connect to our true selves. Starting the day right, drinking green drinks, exercise and yoga. When I'm in a writing frenzy I'm not the best.

HW: Any other messages? Where can our readers find you?

NB: If they want to learn more about me and my books they can go to my website: www.NatalieBanks.net My books are available on Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com and iBooks.com!

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 43

Images courtesy of Kalua.gr

The Ambiance of Kalua, Mykonos

By Fal Adams

M

editerranean cuisine is an intricate delicacy. For all of you Americans traveling abroad...don't forget to stop by the beaches of Mykonos and catch a wave of the bliss awaiting you there. More than a yummy dish is sure to fill your belly as you escape into the sand and drift away. One of the hottest features you'll find at this restaurant, besides the food, is bound to be the local entertainment you can catch daily. With resident performers and lively hosts to make their mark on your soul, you are sure to have an incredible dining experience. You may even meet a friend or two!

Many of us know the Greek isles by way of Hollywood films such as Mamma Mia and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. As it goes, there is a whole lot that can get lost in translation. It is no surprise that this rich country has so much to offer. From raging nightlife to flavorsome foodie heaven, there is something for everyone. With crisp waters surrounding you for miles, it is easy to feel secluded as if you're in a world of your own. The service at Kalua is immensely catered to your vibe and experience. Whether you are visiting with friends, family or flying solo, you will be treated with regal care. One of our readers, Fati Brown, was gracious enough to share a few words from the experience: "The atmosphere, the music, the food...everything was just unbelievable. I have never experienced such a wonderful service.

It was like the waiters could read your mind."

Located on the stunning Paraga beach, Kalua Mykonos has been known for more than fifteen years as a must-visit summer destination. Yet, you don't hear about it as much as Santorini or Crete. Here, you can enjoy an exceptional meal or a relaxing cocktail by the sea with guests. Truly experiencing the genuine culture of a place outside of our own comfort zone ultimately puts us back in our place. As you grow more in tune with the world, you are able to see it as an oyster where you seek out your pearls. You will find all of these treasures and more at KALUA. The lovely beach of Paraga on the south coast of Mykonos encapsulates the essence of Greek summer in its truest sense. Fully organized with sun beds and umbrellas, it’s the perfect place to revitalize yourself with a swim in the dazzling crystal clear waters, enjoy a cocktail with your toes in the warm sand or simply close your eyes and soak up the sun. The menu offers a wide variety of mouth-watering delicious combinations and the freshest ingredients

from daily fresh catch fish, sushi, Greek salad, mussels, pasta, risotto, fresh cut fruit platters to luscious and delightful desserts. The cocktails and the wine they have to offer is out of ordinary. Everyone can find something to make their stay unforgettable. The waiters will bring whatever your heart desires.

44 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Fruit Platter, Photo Courtesy of Fatima Brown

Founder, Manolis Diamantoulis, and Sebastian Diamantoulis

Images courtesy of Kalua.gr

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 45

Hollywood

ICONS Audrey Hepburn "After working all morning she wanted to take a lunch break and I went with her. When we were going down the street (she was cycling and I was walking) I saw her little car back there -- one of the early Thunderbirds, which was very popular -- and her little dog called Famous, and I asked her to stop to snap this photo. Even though her clothes were so casual, she looked so stylish and was so far ahead of most of the ladies in showbusiness, as far as fashion was concerned. She was one of the nicest people that I've ever worked with, from inside or outside [the industry.] A great lady at all times, she possessed class and great beauty and was always compassionate to the dispossessed and needy later in life, with a heart of gold. She was so giving that everybody that I knew loved her. I don't know anybody who didn't love Audrey Hepburn." *This excerpt is taken from pages 256-257 of "Sid Avery: Art of the Hollywood Snapshot" (Reel Art Press 2012) by Ron Avery and Tony Nourmand.

46 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

LA THEATRE BEAT November 2018 Showings

1.

"Bliss" (or Emily Post is Dead)" In this farcical, domestic tragicomedy, the classical Greek heroines, Clytemnestra and Medea, have been recast as pill-popping housewives, and Antigone is the lovelorn, teenage girl next door. Their "blissful" lives are upended when Cassandra, a colored girl new to town and cursed with the gift of prophecy, arrives with a mind to free them from their dark destinies. Written by Jami Brandli, and directed by Darin Anthony, it runs November 3 through December 2 at the Atwater Village Theatre in Atwater. For tickets call 323-472-5646 or visit www.movingarts.org.

2.

"Blacktop Highway" Renowned performer John Fleck reinvents the gothic horror genre in this horrifyingly hysterical tale of taxidermy, transformation and caged creatures. Fleck continues to break new ground playing all the parts (both human and animal) in this brilliantly staged screenplay. Written by John Fleck, and directed by Randee Trabitz, it runs November 9 through December 15 at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 310-477-2055 Ext. 2 or visit www.

OdysseyTheatre.com.

3.

2.

"Curtains" Boston’s Colonial Theatre is hosting the opening-night performance of a new musical.

When the leading lady mysteriously dies on stage,

4.

the entire cast and crew are suspects. Enter a local detective, who just happens to be a musical-theatre fan!

Written by Rupert Holmes, with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and directed by Tony Cason, it runs November 9 through November 17 at the Smothers Theatre Pepperdine University in Malibu. For tickets call 310-506-4522 or www.arts.pepperdine.edu.

4.

"Death and Cockroaches" Meet Eric. He’s an aspiring playwright who’s trying to break into TV writing when his Dad interrupts his plans by suddenly getting sick with a terminal illness. Instead of stepping up to his familial duties, Eric runs away from his sadness straight into a ‘Wall of Dicks’. Fortunately, there’s a hot, imaginary Cockroach who’s there to help him to confront his grief and his family’s disappointment. Written

by Eric Reyes Loo, and directed by Jennifer Chang, it runs November 9 through December 1 at the Atwater Village Theatre in Atwater. For tickets call 323-379-9583 or visit www.chalkrep.com.

5.

"In a Booth at Chasen’s" Chronicles the marriage of Ron and Nancy Reagan which continues to be written about, talked about, analyzed and scrutinized. To some, Ron’s unyielding devotion to his wife is to be admired and Nancy’s fierce protection of

5.

her husband is applauded. To others, their relationship seemed odd, old-fashioned and even corny. Written by Sam Bennett, with music by Al Kasha and Phil Swann, and directed by Kay Cole, it runs November 9 through November 25 at the El Portal Theatre Debbie Reynolds Mainstage in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-5084200 or visit www.elportal.com.

"…meantime at HoJo’s" Friday night June 16th, 1972. Across the street from the Watergate Complex, eight men sit inside a Howard Johnson’s motel room and wait. What happens over the next five hours will set in action a series of events that will end the Presidency of Richard Nixon. Written and directed by Christian Levatino, it runs through November 18 at the Complex Hollywood the Flight Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets visit www. thebigeventlive.com.

6.

7.

"Desert Rats" Brothers Frank and Jesse reunite to plan a kidnapping in a squalid motel room on a hellish day in Barstow. When day turns into night and their hostage is brought out of the trunk, the siblings find their troubles have just begun. Written by Nate Rufus Edelman, and directed by Angie Scott, it runs through November 18 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Los Angeles. For tickets call 866-811-4111 or visit www.thelatc.org.

8.

"Hamlet" as we’ve never seen it before: Five actors of different races, genders, ages and sexual orientations will all play Hamlet for one act each in this new production that explores the universal nature of this singular character that still haunts and resonates within us all. Written by William Shakespeare, and directed

by Matthew Leavitt, it runs through November 18 at the Theatre 68 in North Hollywood. For tickets visit www. the6thact.com.

8.

12.

9.

"King Dick" Christmastime, 1970. The King just spent 100G’s on gifts, and he’s on the run from Graceland. High on Demerol and liquid Ritalin, and with the help of his dead twin brother Jesse, Elvis concocts a scheme to offer the leader of the free world his influential voice in exchange for a new symbol of power. Written and directed by Christian Levatino, it runs through November 18 at the Complex Hollywood the Flight Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets visit www.thebigeventlive.com.

10. "Mark Twain and Friends: A River Journey" is

a wonderful, family-friendly piece that goes deep into very topical subjects such as prejudice, religion, and education, with Twain’s signature humor and pathos. Mark Twain returns from The Beyond to introduce some of the characters he met in his travels. Written by Greg White, and directed by Gary Lamb, it runs through November 18 at the Parson’s Nose Theater in Pasadena. For tickets call 626-403-7667 or visit www.parsonsnose.com.

11.

"Members Only" Two decades have taken their toll on Pedro Quinn, a gay Latino prizefighter still fighting well into his 40s, ducking his living-legend status and mourning a man he killed in the ring years ago. Meanwhile, a new generation continues to push the cultural and sexual envelope in and out of the ring. Written

by Oliver Mayer, and directed by José Luis Valenzuela, it runs through November 18 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Los Angeles. For tickets call 866-811-4111 or visit www.thelatc.org.

12. "Radiant Vermin" A wickedly funny satire flecked with horror. In this outrageous comedy with a killer heart, Ollie and Jill want to tell you about their dream home — but some of the things they did to get it… well, you

16.

"Bliss" (or Emily Post is Dead)" In this farcical, domestic tragicomedy, the classical Greek heroines, Clytemnestra and Medea, have been recast as pill-popping housewives, and Antigone is the lovelorn, teenage girl next door. Their "blissful" lives are upended when Cassandra, a colored girl new to town and cursed with the gift of prophecy, arrives with a mind to free them from their dark destinies. Written by Jami Brandli, and directed by Darin Anthony, it runs November 3 through December 2 at the Atwater Village Theatre in Atwater. For tickets call 323-472-5646 or visit www.movingarts.org.

13.

"Blacktop Highway" Renowned performer John Fleck reinvents the gothic horror genre in this horrifyingly hysterical tale of taxidermy, transformation and caged creatures. Fleck continues to break new ground playing all the parts (both human and animal) in this brilliantly staged screenplay. Written by John Fleck, and directed by Randee Trabitz, it runs November 9 through December 15 at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 310-477-2055 Ext. 2 or visit www.

OdysseyTheatre.com.

14.

confront his grief and his family’s disappointment. Written

by Eric Reyes Loo, and directed by Jennifer Chang, it runs November 9 through December 1 at the Atwater Village Theatre in Atwater. For tickets call 323-379-9583 or visit www.chalkrep.com.

"In a Booth at Chasen’s" Chronicles the marriage of Ron and Nancy Reagan which continues to be written about, talked about, analyzed and scrutinized. To some, Ron’s unyielding devotion to his wife is to be admired and Nancy’s fierce protection of her husband is applauded. To others, their relationship seemed odd, old-fashioned and even corny. Written by Sam Bennett, with music by Al Kasha and Phil Swann, and directed by Kay Cole, it runs November 9 through November 25 at the El Portal Theatre Debbie Reynolds Mainstage in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-508-4200 or visit www. elportal.com.

"…meantime at HoJo’s" Friday night June 16th, 1972.

Across the street from the Watergate Complex, eight men sit inside a Howard Johnson’s motel room and wait. What happens over the next five hours will set in action a series of events that will end the Presidency of Richard Nixon. Written and directed

by Christian Levatino, it runs through November 18 at the Complex Hollywood the Flight Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets visit www.thebigeventlive.com.

17.

18.

"Curtains" Boston’s Colonial Theatre is hosting the opening-night performance of a new musical. When the leading lady mysteriously dies on stage, the entire cast and crew are suspects. Enter a local detective, who just happens to be a musical-theatre fan! Written by Rupert Holmes, with music by John Kander, lyrics

by Fred Ebb, and directed by Tony Cason, it runs November 9 through November 17 at the Smothers Theatre Pepperdine University in Malibu. For tickets call 310-506-4522 or www.arts.pepperdine.edu.

19.

"Death and Cockroaches" Meet Eric. He’s an aspiring playwright who’s trying to break into TV writing when his Dad interrupts his plans by suddenly getting sick with a terminal illness. Instead of stepping up to his familial duties, Eric runs away from his sadness straight into a ‘Wall of Dicks’. Fortunately, there’s a hot, imaginary Cockroach who’s there to help him to

"Hamlet" as we’ve never seen it before: Five actors of different races, genders, ages and sexual orientations will

15.

16.

17.

18.

"Desert Rats" Brothers Frank and Jesse reunite to plan a kidnapping in a squalid motel room on a hellish day in Barstow. When day turns into night and their hostage is brought out of the trunk, the siblings find their troubles have just begun. Written by Nate Rufus Edelman, and directed by Angie Scott, it runs through November 18 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Los Angeles. For tickets call 866-811-4111 or visit www. thelatc.org.

19.

Books That Make You… Imagine

By Bree Swider

As autumn nears its end, ample reading time is on its way! At this time of year, the books we choose to revel in may make us feel grateful for our own lives – or they encourage us to imagine new heights.

As much as we enjoy feasting on Thanksgiving, how many of us would be grateful to be thrown back to the dawn of the United States – a world without modern conveniences and seemingly infinite dangers? But then there are books that help us grow personally and professionally. Others show us a history only our DNA was aware of, and we reflect on how far our species has come.

Whether full of suspense or wonder, this November grab a heart-warming cup of coffee and your new favorite book. It’s time to be thankful for the books that make us imagine.

IGHT SPOTLOK BO

Defining a New You Raye Mitchell, Esq. helps us to imagine a stronger, healthier self-image through personal branding and negotiation in this installment of her The Winning Edge career series. In this easyto-read but mind-blowing professional guide, you will learn not only how to manage your online reputation, but also how to leverage your marketing strategy.

This book isn’t just a fantastic read for those on the job hunt - it’s a chance to review if your online presence is reflecting who you really are.

Mitchell says, “Building a healthy brand is the key to increasing leverage and impact at the negotiation table. It is a game changer.” And she knows her stuff. How Women Negotiate condenses years of research, experience, and lessons learned from leaders like Michelle Obama and other high-profile influencers.

And the author walks the walk. Mitchell graduated with a J.D. from Harvard Law, obtained an MBA from the Southern California School of Business, runs the New Reality Foundation, a non-profit that supports young women, and has won the Jefferson Award for Public Service, among other notable achievements.

Want to dive in and boost your brand? Then How Women Negotiate is the book for you!

“Building a healthy brand is the key to increasing leverage and impact at the negotiation table. It is a game changer.”

Raye Mitchell, Esq.

Imagine a Real Thanksgiving: Matt Miller in the Colonies

Want a real Colonial experience? Then your best bet is to follow the saga of Matt Miller in Journeyman and Prophet

by Mark J. Rose. In this fascinating twist of fate, scientist Matt Miller is thrown back to pre-Independence America.

Matt must survive new cultural norms in a society that is still in its infancy. And his modern knowledge and sensibilities aren’t as useful as he first hoped.

Throughout this invigorating series, author Mark J. Rose explores the intersections of humanity and advancing technology. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and is a director of research and development at a major biotech company.

Reflecting on the Strength Within

Laurie Finkelstein takes us on an emotional but hilarious journey in her novel Next Therapist Please.

Picture yourself in Janie Weiss’ shoes: A widow navigates her new life while dealing with anxiety, depression, and OCD. To cope, she expresses herself through art. But now, that isn’t enough.

Through Finkelstein’s sense of humor, you will follow Janie as she remembers each therapist, for better or for worse. This heartwarming journey for happiness and health will help you imagine the complexities, joys, and losses of someone coping with mental illness.

Too Good to Be True

There are some places you don’t want your imagination to go. These seeds of doubt spring up when you hear a deal too good to be true.

In Oubliette, Veronica’s attempt to start fresh with a new job in France sounds like a dream come true, especially for a woman facing bankruptcy. But she couldn’t have imagined the truth behind castle - or that the menacing shadows she grew up with would return.

Vanta M. Black has penned a thriller mystery à la Steven King.

And once you start, there’s no going back.

Visualizing a Breakthrough

In the 1970s, the scientists set on examining DNA could not have imagined how these molecules would change the course of science and our knowledge of history. The Tangled Tree

by David Quammen explores and explains how our genes have developed - and how they affect human health and history.

In this non-fiction bestseller, you can conceptualize the recent discoveries and figures of molecular biology, and what their findings mean for the history of life itself. Rediscover humanity’s core in this astonishing chronicle. The Tangled Tree was shortlisted for the National Book Award for Non-Fiction.

A Different History

Fantasizing about an East Asian getaway this fall? Why not imagine a 1850s steampunk China instead?

A Wild Ride

If you love to imagine an alternate universe, where steampunk is a reality, you’re in luck.

In Laurel Anne Hill’s dark fantasy The Engine Woman’s Light, Juanita receives a vision of a mystical airship.

The mission? To prevent California’s unwanted people from being transported to an asylum via train. With the help of ancestor Billy, Juanita sets out to sabotage the railroad and learns she must thwart a murderous plot.

This thrilling dystopian novel will have you at the edge of your seat.

In Gunpowder Alchemy by Jeannie Lin, the young Jin Soling has fought to keep her family together after her father’s death. Facing financial ruin, her mother’s opium addiction and her brother’s potential bleak fate at a factory, Soling decides to sell a relic of her father’s. This simple act alerts the imperial court - the same court that betrayed her father.

Join Soling on a quest to clear her family’s name, with her only ally being an engineer she was once engaged to.

Jeannie Lin does not disappoint in this thrilling installment of her Gunpowder Chronicles series. And by the end, you’ll be itching to read the sequel Clockwork Samurai.

Love books? Want to win books?

Want to join us on a totally bookish adventure?

Visit www.BooksThatMakeYou.com to discover more.

Scan to visit Books That Make You

BONNIE B'S SMOKIN' BBQ HEAVEN Address: 1280 N. Lake Ave. Pasadena, CA 91104 Phone: (626) 794-0132 Hours: 11:30 AM - 9:00 PM, Mon - Sun