VENTS Magazine 148th Issue

Reave Bowman

We’re super-excited to be speaking today with acclaimed beauty creator Reave Bowman; greetings and salutations, Reave! Before we meander down the proverbial beauty pathway, how is the 2023 holiday season treating you and yours?

The holiday season was great! With being super involved in my school and also a full-time content creator, it was nice to have a break!

Major congratulations on all of your amazing and muchdeserved success! Starting at the very tip-top, can you explain to our ever-inquisitive readers how you first landed on the beauty journey which you’re currently on?

I began posting consistently when the pandemic hit in 2020. I had a lot of extra time on my hands which allowed me time to create content and post. After posting consistently for five months, I started to see growth in my followers and views. Brands started to reach out and repost my content. This really pushed me to stay consistent and come up with new creative ideas.

Being so young when you first began posting on a consistent basis on social media regarding the beauty industry, were you worried about folks not taking you as seriously as they might if you were older?

This was something I definitely had in the back of my mind. Social media, especially more recently has been introduced to young teens. I was concerned about brands and other creators possibly not taking me seriously due to my age. Luckily, I have had a great experience as a young creator!

Would you talk with us a little bit about the importance of social media to you and how it has enabled you to really grow and nurture your brand?

Social media has played a big part in helping me find myself and express creativity. There are many negatives to the social media world, but there are so many positives and great opportunities! Overall, it has helped me grow and has provided me with a global stage to showcase my talents. I get to connect with such a wide and diverse audience while getting to create my own brand.

Kudos and accolades on your rightly lauded Get Ready With Me (GRWM) videos! For anyone not in the know, can you give us the origin story on how GRWM was created?

Well, GRWM is just a short form for “Get Ready With me”.

These types of videos started blowing up on the Internet as it was a fun and entertaining way to create short videos.

Have you been surprised by the tremendous response from the public at large to your Get Ready With Me videos?

It’s crazy to think that so many of my GRWM videos have over 1M views! The response from my online community has been incredible. It’s wild how much they have blown up, but I’m also not surprised that these videos tend to do better than my other content since GRWM is one of the most popular things currently.

How do your GRWM videos differ from anything else out there on the beauty industry scene? What sets it apart from the Distinguished Competition?

One thing that’s not publicly shown in the beauty industry is real skin. I’m not afraid to talk and show my acne prone skin on camera. My videos feature products that work for the skin type and also show what makeup actually looks like on textured skin.

In your humble opinion, what is the most important thing to keep in mind when it comes to how we see our own beauty, regardless of what anyone else may say?

The most important thing in my mind is to embrace your own beauty. It’s about self-acceptance and understanding that everybody is different. Focus on the things that make you confident and happy instead of dwelling on your insecurities.

Looking ahead into 2024, can you give fans a hint or three as to what exciting plans you have in store for the beauty community?

This year I’m going to be expanding to way more platforms as well as creating more than just beauty content. I can’t wait for my audience to get the opportunity to dive into more than just quick beauty videos!

You hail from the beautiful city of Toronto, Canada. How do those very specific roots inform how you see and feel about the beauty industry?

The beauty industry is different in Canada compared to other places around the world. We are exposed to a lot of different brands and have our own unique trends just within our community. It’s very cool to see the industry from a different point of view.

When not cultivating your inroads in the beauty industry, what do you enjoy doing just for yourself?

There’s so many different activities that I love to take time for. Over Covid, I became a huge reader, and I love taking time to just sit down with a good book. I’m also very involved at my high school. I am captain of both the dance and cheer team, which is super fun and helps me let out my creativity in a different way. Recently, I’ve been getting more into fashion, which I hope will be more involved in my account in 2024!

Mattea Kennedy

We’re very happy to have some time today with Intimacy Coordinator Mattea Kennedy. Before we dive in, how is the New Year treating you so far?

So far so good. It’s a little bit of a slow start for us in the Film & TV industry. Things are slowly gearing up, which is exciting!

First off, can you tell us exactly what an Intimacy Coordinator does?

An Intimacy Coordinator is a specialist, for scenes involving nudity, simulated sex and hyper-sensitive material. We help keep performers safer whilst furthering the creative goals of the artistic team. This role can include; communicating our performers’ scene boundaries to the relevant departments, providing modesty wear or barrier wear, choreographing intimate content as required, and ensuring that agreements and protocols are running smoothly on the shooting days, amongst other duties.

For those that grew up watching classic films such as Last Tango In Paris, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, Carnal Knowledge and Midnight Cowboy - films which featured various scenes of intimacy, could you explain to someone who may argue that such a position may not necessarily be needed, why an Intimacy Coordinator is essential on film and TV sets. ?

For some people, accepting this is a process. We have to understand that shooting film and tv is not democratic. The Director holds a lot of power. There is a clear hierarchy. It’s like being on a ship. There is a clear chain of command, with the Captain at the helm. We are evolving as an industry in our awareness of power dynamics, and better understanding how this kind of structure can create challenges. These ideas reflect progress in our greater culture. There will always be those resistant to change. Other option for an answer: There are a lot of factors that may prevent someone from advocating for themselves.

Emerging performers can feel that being hired again rests on compliance, and agree to actions that in retrospect they regret.

Time is extremely valuable on set: asking to consider other options may feel like timewasting. Even seasoned performers can feel pressure to please and therefore push aside their own concerns, even when they feel unsure. Because the IC (Intimacy Coordinator,) works to iron out issues in advance, we are skilled in helping to streamline the shooting process.

As a respected Intimacy Coordinator in the entertainment industry, is it critical for you to establish a safe and solid rapport with actors that may be uncomfortable or nervous about filming scenes which may be considered intimate?

The safe and solid rapport is fundamental. It starts at the first point of contact I have with an actor. This is often a private ‘intake phone call’. It gives them an opportunity to share any concerns they may have confidentially. We can unpack any nervousness or discomfort.

We resolve concerns. There is always another way to tell a story.

This process helps to form the basis for their intimacy rider: a document that expresses their boundaries and sets up the agreed upon shooting framework for scenes involving intimacy, (nudity, simulated sex or hyper-sensitive material.)

Tying into the last question, do you also work at making not only the actors involved in intimate scenes in front of the camera comfortable, but also the crew behind the camera who are on hand for the filming of these sometimes challenging scenes?

Absolutely. An IC is a support person. We are there for anyone whether cast or crew. We can’t always predict that content might be emotionally activating or triggering for ourselves or others.

One of the key benefits of hiring an IC is to have a trained support person available. It speaks to the ethos of production when this nuance is understood and accommodated.

Have you ever encountered a situation where an actor requests not having an Intimacy Coordinator on set?

I actually haven’t. I have had folks not actively require my direct input ‘on-the-day’ (the shooting day.) I’m still there for them ‘in the bleachers’ so to speak. To explain my analogy: I may not know how to swim, I’m not their coach or manager, I’m not poolside calling the race - but I’m there for them, if they need me. I’m their person. I’ve never met anyone that didn’t appreciate that kind of support.

The #MeToo movement was seismic and game-changing not only for the entertainment industry, but essentially for all walks of life.

Did #MeToo hasten the advent of Intimacy Coordinators and, going forward, do you feel that there will always be a need by Hollywood to have a Coordinator on hand for its many productions?

The #MeToo movement changed everything and as the saying goes, “necessity is the mother of invention.” The IC role strives to answer the call of this movement. We have to view this role as akin to a stunt coordinator. We never expect someone to perform a stunt without a dedicated support person, of course, there was a time when that would have seemed ‘normal’. As this role becomes more accepted in our industry I believe we will see the benefits holistically. We will need an IC on hand because it not only supports people, but it is a better way to make art.

What are some of the upcoming films and television productions which you’re involved in as an Intimacy Coordinator?

I’m really excited about Fitting In. This is a beautiful film written and directed by Molly McGlynn which will premiere nationwide in Canada February 2024. It’s a coming-of-age drama/comedy about a young woman diagnosed with a rare reproductive condition, and her journey to come to terms with it, and herself. It’s a story that really needs to be heard. The performances are wonderful. It stars: Maddie Ziegler, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Djouliet Amara, and Emily Hampshire. I had the pleasure to work with the Director, Jon S Baird on the upcoming feature: Everything is Going to be Great! This ensemble period piece centres around the trials and tribulations of a musical theatre family in the U.S. in the late 1980s. It’s funny, beautifully creative and very touching. Starring Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Allison Janney, Bryan Cranston, and Jack Champion.

Where we’re sitting at in 2024, how far do you feel Hollywood has come in regards to handling intimate moments on-set and how much further do they have yet to go?

The landscape has really changed. I feel that we have made huge amounts of progress. It’s a newer discipline. We’ve only formally acknowledged this role since 2016. The acceptance and implementation of IC’s by Hollywood has done so much to further both the understanding and acceptance of this role. However, at present there is no requirement to hire an IC. It is not mandatory.

There are only recommendations and guidelines. There’s always further to go!

What are some common misconceptions about your role as an Intimacy Coordinator both in and out of the industry?

There’s a misconception that we are the Sex Police, trying to stop or ban intimacy and sexual content from appearing on screen. In reality, it’s just the opposite! If anything, we are professional facilitators. The best person to help your steamy scenes look great is a dedicated expert. Sometimes people assume that we are busybodies - that we get on set and boss people around. Again, it’s the opposite.

Sometimes we are just quietly ‘in the bleachers’, (to quote my previous comment.)

Final personal opinion question: When you look back over the long history of intimacy in Hollywood movies, which are some of your favorite films?

Betty Blue Crimes of Passion Bound Call Me By Your Name

James Homan & CaLeigha Callahan

We’re super-excited to be speaking today with acclaimed content creators and power couple extraordinaire,James Homan and CaLeigha Callahan;greetings and salutations, you two!Before we meander down the proverbial Q&A content-strewn pathway,how is the freshly-minted 2023 holiday season treating you?

Thank you so much for having us!Yall are too kind!Wearesuperexcitedforthe2024 new year and can’t wait for all the blessings and lessons God has in store for us.

Major congratulations on what has turned out to be an amazing and creative 2023 for the two of you!James,starting at the tip-top,you and CaLeigha hit the ground running on the social media landscape over the last few years for your take on relationship goals, lifestyle content, entrepreneurial business ventures and fashion content. Can you give our ever-inquisitive readers a peek behind the secret origin curtain and talk about how the both of you landed on this pathway?

joys of growth as a couple and lighthearted moments, our podcast will provide authentic, organic value to our listeners while fostering a deeper connection with our audience.

CaLeigha, what makes a podcast the perfect venue for yourself and James to reach your audience?And will there be a chance of the podcast eventually segueing into a daily or weekly television show?

Podcasts are longer-form content where we can dive deeper into certain topics and allow our audience to grab a cup of coffee and just hang out with us. They can even listen to it when they’re driving to work,on a road trip, whenever.

CaLeigha,you and James both project a realness and substance which is such a breath of fresh air in the often impersonal online world. Can you talk a bit about why authenticity is more important now than ever and how you and James work together to always be your truest and most authentic selves?

We appreciate that, it’s been a long yet beautiful journey so far! It began with CaLeigha, out of boredom she started posting content on TikTok and dragged me into a trendy dance video. Next thing you know our video was going “viral,” totaling over 500,000 views in a short amount of days. At first, it definitely was not due to any exceptional skill on our part(looking back it was cringe-worthy to say the least).Although we were initially reluctant towards social media, witnessing the potential we had to make an impact by fostering a positive and uplifting community, and perhaps even brightening a stranger’s day, convinced us to give it a shot. Together, we decided to embrace social media, and the experience thus far has been undeniably rewarding.

We really appreciate that! Thank you so much! The industry is so concentrated, so to truly be different in this space you need to be able to connect with your audience more than ever. We think the best way to do so is through being organic and authentic. Many times, creators place a strong emphasis on views or likes, where it is much more important to focus on genuine connections .Although from the outside our followers may view our relationship one way, we always want our community to know that we have struggles and hardships that we go through. We believe that through sharing these experiences we can hopefully impact one person in a positive way, showing them that they are not alone.

CaLeigha, do you and James always see eye-to-eye on the very subjects which you speak on,or are there occasional differences of opinions?And,if so,how do the both of you tackle those differences in such a public arena?

James,having been there yourself,what advice would you give for all of the freshly-minted new start-ups out in the world today?What sorts of things should they focus on and what pitfalls should they attempt to avoid?

We don’t agree on everything, believe it or not we love that we have different opinions on a variety of subjects. It allows us to grow as individuals and learn more. Who wants a partner that agrees with every little thing they say/do. As humans we are flawed and having a partner who you can allow you to challenge the boundaries of your thinking is so fulfilling. We tackle these differences by bringing them to the surface and making light of them. We want our community to know that it is okay to have a difference of opinion, as long as you are respecting those around you.

Quality over quantity in everything you do. Quality control is the most important thing,it helps build a positive reputation.

Patience and grit are key,have patience and know your time will come, and don’t stop grinding. I was always told growing up “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”

James,word‘round industry campfire has it that you and CaLeigha are inching towards a lifestyle podcast - Congrats!

Can you give us an idea as to what some of the topics you’ll both be discussing?

Thank you so much! Put God first in everything you do. If you put Him at the center of your relationship, you will not fail. Also, you have to be okay with the fact that you both will change and evolve as individuals and together. Evolving as humans is one of the most beautiful aspects of life.

We are super excited to announce the launch of our upcoming podcast, “Beyond the Feed,” scheduled for February 1st. In a world where social media often showcases only the glamorous aspects of life,we recognized the need to dive deeper into various topics. That is why we are excited to introduce this podcast, where we aim to offer our community a genuine glimpse into who we are beyond our social media presence.

From everyday life challenges and personal struggles to the

CaLeigha,you and James project such a loving,real and substantive relationship. What’s the secret that any couple at any point in their relationship should know about maintaining a long-lasting and healthy relationship?

James,other than the impending podcast,can you give us a hint or three as to what else 2024 will hold in store for you and CaLeigha?

We are heavily focusing on growing our YouTube channel and have been working on other new business ventures that we are super excited about and will hopefully be able to share soon! Thank you so much for having us, this was a lot of fun!

Allison Winn

We’re very happy to be speaking today with acclaimed actress Allison Winn; greetings and salutations, Allison!

Before we meander down the proverbial Q&A celluloid pathway, how is the freshly-minted 2023 holiday season treating you?

It’s treating me very well, thank you—I celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas, so December is always doubly festive for me here in New York. So far I’ve loved the holiday markets, sampling hot chocolates, and seeing Bergdorf Goodman’s holiday windows on fifth avenue.

Major congratulations on your upcoming turn in the highly anticipated Paramount Pictures musical film, Mean Girls which is set to premiere this coming January 12, 2024! Starting at the tip-top, and for those two or three souls reading this that are out of the Mean Girls loop, can you explain what the film is about and how your character of Caroline Krafft figures into the proceedings?

Thank you so much! Mean Girls is the story of Cady Heron, who transfers to a new high school and is quickly taken in by the Plastics, aka the popular “mean girls.”

To continue climbing the social ladder, Cady sacrifices her individuality, intelligence, and kindness until she is almost unrecognizable. I play Caroline Krafft— a smart and confident girl who is not afraid of how others perceive her. Facing off against Caroline in the final math competition helps Cady realize that being a Plastic will never be as fulfilling as being true to herself.

How is the Mean Girls 2024 rendition similar to the 2004 classic? How is it different?

In 2024 we still aren’t immune to peer pressure, and we are definitely still trying to make “fetch” happen… *sigh* But, all of our favorite characters are back, and some of them have been hit with the refresh button (Caroline Krafft included!). And this time around it’s a musical, so Jingle Bell Rock won’t be the only song audiences can dance and sing along with!

Prior to being offered your role as Caroline in the new film, were you a card-carrying aficionado of the original Mean Girls?

You bet I was. I can probably quote 90% of the 2004 film, but my favorite line will always be “Get in loser, we’re going shopping.”

How did your own extensive musical background help you in preparing for 2024’s Mean Girls?

Ironically… it didn’t! Caroline Krafft will not be bursting into song with the rest of the gang this time. But she is definitely singing on the inside, I promise.

What was your collaboration process like on the set of Mean Girls with directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr.? Were they what some actors might refer to as “an actor’s director”?

Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. were fantastic. They always kept the energy high but were also very chill. And they gave me the support and freedom to experiment with every take, which is the actor’s dream!

You work with such an amazing ensemble in the upcoming Mean Girls! What was it like exercising your own considerable acting chops alongside that of such stalwarts as Angourie Rice, Renée Rapp, Auli’i Cravalho, Jenna Fischer, Busy Philipps, Jon Hamm and - of course!

- original Mean Girls cast and creatives Tina Fey and Tim Meadows?

They really are all so amazing. I especially adore Angourie.

She is so talented, kind, and a great scene partner. And it was so special to work with Tina Fey on this project. The 2004 film meant so much to me growing up, and I feel honored to get to be a part of Mean Girls’ evolving legacy.

Who inspires you, acting-wise?

Mads Mikkelson, Tilda Swinton, Matthew Macfadyen, David Straitharn, Michaela Cole, Sally Hawkins, Willem Defoe, Caleb Landry Jones, Louis Hofmann, Audrey Tautou, and Elizabeth Taylor.

Your first credited role as an actress came in the form of the 2014 short Track 3. Any special memories of that freshman production?

I loved working on Track 3! For my first on camera job I got very lucky. It was a great role, and a very talented cast and creative team. I just remember loving that first opportunity to test myself as an actor in a real dramatic role, and making discoveries in real time for each take.

When you’re not acting, what do you enjoy doing just for yourself?

I am a total cinephile, so I actually spend a lot of my free time watching movies! This awards season so far I love May December, and Fallen Leaves. Otherwise I love yoga, and spending time with my family and friends.

At the end of the day, what do you hope moviegoers walk away with after checking out the January 12, 2024 release of Mean Girls?

I hope everyone enjoys the nostalgia as well as the changes, and that everyone watches it with their best friends because it is about loving yourself and celebrating the people who get you!!!

Final - SILLY! - Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies - Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Living In Oblivion, or Hail Caesar?

Since Tilda Swinton is one of my heroes and I love the Coen brothers, I’m going to have to go with Hail Caesar!!! … but we should still totally just stab Caesar.

John Shevchenko

We’re very happy to have some time today with one of the most daring and creative figures residing in the hall of mirrors known as the live streaming universe John Shevchenko, who is perhaps best-known by his far-famed nom de plume Hyphonix; greetings and salutations, John! Before we dive down the live streaming Q&A rabbit hole, how is the 2023 holiday season treating you?

Hi! It is a pleasure. My Holiday season went great, it was very busy work wise, but I also got to spend time with family which is always nice.

Major kudos and accolades for an amazing 2023! Starting at the top, can you hit some of the highlights which you landed on in the wonky world of streaming in ‘23? What are you most proud of?

2023 has been the most rewarding year career wise so far.

I started live streaming back in 2015. But it was my 2023 resolution to expand my content creation beyond just livestreaming and content creation on Youtube. At the beginning of 2023 I started creating short form content with some of the ideas that I had already been working on in the past and it has proven to be very successful and brought me to where I am today. I am proudest of staying consistent throughout the year and staying creative while creating content in my niche.

Obviously, I am the proudest of the growth on my different platforms that I had in 2023.

Your following on your YouTube channel is nothing short of massive. In your humble opinion, what is it about your envelope-pushing of various and sundry boundaries that appeals to so many folks out there?

I think that comedy, and more specifically in my case jump scares, are something universal. No matter what language you speak you can understand and enjoy a jump scare and get a good laugh out of it. Also, I have been growing my community over the almost 9 years that I have been live streaming. My audience knows that I always prioritize being authentic and I think that is something that appeals to people. I also think that I was able to capitalize on the fact that, for some reason, being bald with a mustache is scary and jump-scare-worthy for many people.

With a real momentum which shows no signs of slowing down, could we potentially see your YouTube channel segue into a full-fledged television show? Would you be open to such a possibility?

That would be a huge goal and dream of mine. I would love to increase the production value of what I do and tap into a more professional-like series or show, while still retaining the authenticity and relatability that people enjoy. I think it would be a big possibility in the future, to translate and transform what I do into something bigger.

Your content oftentimes feels deliriously and wonderfully unpredictable and very freeform. Is that all just smoke and mirrors, though? Is there a lot more rhyme and reason to the proceedings than some may think?

All the content that I do, all the videos and short format content that you see across all my different social media platforms, comes directly from my live streams. Most of it is on the spot but I have clips for many different types of reactions. I go in with an idea of what kind of clips I want to try to get but you

never know. Of course, a lot of it is just practice, you do it so much that you are able to react or respond to things on the fly.

Of course, I get help in the background and a lot of help from my community that sends me specific clips to get reactions or even on camera to help me.

You’re counted as a pioneer in the realm of live stream jump scares. Can you explain to our ever-inquisitive readers how you hit upon this simple yet utterly brilliant conceit?

Back in the summer of 2020 I was trying different “skits” with Omegle. I like using Omegle because I enjoy the human interaction with random people while at home. One day I decided to try out a camera trick so that it would look like I was “hacking” Omegle calls. Nobody had ever done that or the “fake skip”, so people were not expecting it and truly believed somebody had hacked their Omegle or webcam. I tried it a good number of times until we got it working. From there I realized that my mere face was the jump scare, so I went from there and here we are today.

In your humble opinion, what differentiates what Hyphonix does versus what the Distinguished Competition in the world of live streaming is also doing? What sets you apart?

I think I’ve managed to create a whole concept that was never done before and make it a successful one. Even though more people now also create content with the same or similar content I still maintain the originality of my own persona, my own character that is what gets people. I also think that my community building is strong and has helped me so much and sets me apart. Live streaming my content allows me to connect more with my viewers and my community.

What sort of challenges have you had to face in order to get to where you are now?

There are a lot of behind the scenes and a lot of factors that play into succeeding in social media and content creation. You must have an original idea, a niche, but also the editing and algorithm side of social media. I had to stay consistent, post daily, live-stream almost daily. Now that my content is more known, and even just the concept of the “fake skip and jump scares” is more popular, a lot of people are expecting it. It is now harder to find somebody online who doesn’t know what is going on. My streams are around 4 hours long, trying to get reactions, and most days I will go the full 4 hours without getting a clip-worthy reaction. People either recognize me or recognize the “fake skip”, so I must get more creative every time.

Looking around the bend, what do you feel the ultimate future of live-streaming is? Will it be around for many moons to come and, if so, will you continue to evolve along with it?

I think live-streaming is only going to get more popular. When I first started in 2015, it wasn’t that known, especially as a career.

Now so many more people are choosing to watch live-streams and internet content over traditional TV. I am always evolving with what my audience wants, and what I want to do online too.

Can you give us a hint or three as to what we can expect from Hyphonix in 2024?

Jump scares are not going away any time soon, but I do want to tap into new ideas. Hopefully new ideas that will involve a higher production value, more collaborations with other content creators, and hopefully you will see my face more often!

ICYDAY

We’re super-excited to be speaking today with acclaimed and multi-talented Pop/R&B band ICYDAY; greetings and salutations, gang! Before we dive into the proverbial Q&A mosh-pit, could you each say ‘hi’ and introduce yourselves to our ever-inquisitive readers?

Well, to start, there’s three of us.

Finally, there’s David. David has been a singer for over a decade and has been playing the drums since he was 13.

Like Sloane, David got started in acting. Actually, that’s how the two met. David is still pursuing his acting career, as well as his music with his two best friends. If Isaac produces, and Sloane is on lyrics, then David brings it all together with the melodies and percussion.

First off, there’s Isaac. Isaac has been playing the piano since the age of 7, and he’s been playing guitar and producing for 4 years. He’s nearing his bachelor’s degree in commercial music and is responsible for most of the production within the group.

Major congratulations on the upcoming January release of your rousing new single Open Up! Sloane, what’s the VH1-Behind the Music origin story on how ICYDAY came to record this gem of a ditty?

Next, there’s Sloane. Sloane has been playing guitar and writing music for 4 years. He started as an actor, but has always been a writer at heart. He’s responsible for most of the lyricism in our songs.

Thank you! All our songs each have their own unique origins.

David excitedly brought in a chord progression on the guitar, as well as a drum beat that was stuck in his head. I started singing a melody that came to mind with the first words being “Open Up”. It wasn’t until finishing the chorus that we knew

what the song was about. It ended up being a song about letting someone into your life, enjoying getting to know them, and letting them show you who they are.

David, in your humble opinion what differentiates Open Up from the distinguished competition on the 2024 music scene?

Open Up is a song that you can dance to, and it is lighthearted at its core. It’s rooted in R&B and blues, as well as neo-soul and pop. It’s a song that we feel represents our vibe, our sound, and how happy and grateful we are to be able to make music together.

Isaac, who was the producer on Open Up and what did the collaboration between the band look like in the studio while working on the new tune?

Well, we started with David bringing in the chords for the song, as well as the drum pattern. After that it was up to me to produce around it, and, slowly, the song came to life.

We would write a section, record temp vocals, write another section, and so on and so forth. Eventually we had our first version of Open Up. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves here, but ICYDAY has another tune - the upbeat dance jam One More Song - which is already slated to premiere this coming March; Kudos! This tune is of special note because we have it on good authority that it’s poised to get some pretty major exposure as a featured song in the upcoming film titled Rockbottom. Sloane, how did this extraordinary opportunity all come about?

Thank you! It was through the contact of our mixer and engineer, Wesley Poland, that we got in touch with the people responsible for putting the song in the film.

Everything just lined up perfectly, and we received an amazing opportunity. Funny story, however, it’s the Demo version that’s in the movie. The final version, coming out this March, is much more complete, so that’ll be fun for people to pick out the differences when they watch the film.

David, with the release of all of this amazing music and the incredible exposure which the band is set to receive via the upcoming film, can fans look forward to checking out ICYDAY on the touring/performing circuit in the coming weeks and months?

Not yet. As a group that’s still finding our footing and audience in this industry, we want to take our time and prepare properly for a good first show.

Isaac, ICYDAY is based out of the beautiful city of Los Angeles, California. How do those roots inform the sound and energy of the group?

Los Angeles is such a creative city. Everywhere you look there is art, music, fashion, film. It is a city that is always growing and evolving, and the art reflects that. Our songs span a wide range of genres, and the wide range of creativity

within Southern California has inspired us to explore many different sounds.

Sloane, word ‘round industry campfire has it that ICYDAY is set to release their debut album in the Spring of 2024Major congratulations! Can you give fans a hint or three as to what they can expect on this debut LP? Thank you again! Within our debut LP, you will experience many different genres, all tied together by our signature sound, and all of them with a hint of pop. I will say, the theme of the album is change, and every song has to do with either letting go or embracing that change. This album also dives into the theme of relationships in all stages, as well as the ones we have with ourselves. I hope people resonate with that as they listen all the way through.

David, both you and Sloane are also accomplished actors as well as being phenomenally talented musicians, joining a proud lineage of thespians such as River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves, Kevin Costner and many more who also had a profound love of music. How does one profession inform the other? Do you find that the acting fuels the music and vice-versa?

Absolutely! For me (David), it’s all part of the creative space.

A big part of my life, as I am slowly growing out of my early 20s, is embracing creativity and following the paths that make you truly happy. I love acting, I love making music with my best friends. The two just fuel each other with positivity, motivation and joy.

And for me (Sloane), I’ve found that acting actually led me to music. All my previous experiences have inspired me to this day, and I’ve taken a more permanent direction away from acting and towards music and writing. I find it to be a much more exciting way to express my life’s experiences and such a more collaborative way to make art. So personally, I like it much more. My previous experiences in acting have given me all I need to get started, and now I just look forward to a bright future.

A question for all of you: Who inspires you musically?

Some of our biggest inspirations include Lindsey Lomis, Knox, Eloise, Surfaces, Bruno Mars, and Jeremy Passion.

We’re all such big fans of music, and we all have such different tastes in music. That is just the surface for what inspires us as individuals and as a group.

Isaac, at the end of the day what do you hope listeners walk away with after they give Open Up, One More Song and the forthcoming LP many–a-spin on their respective turn-tables?

When we all listen to music, we feel a connection to it.

I hope they connect with our songs just as we connect with others’ songs. We are so grateful to be able to create our music together, and we hope others get the same experiences as we do listening to our favorite artists.

Jules East

We’re very excited to have some time today with acclaimed filmmaker Jules East; greetings and salutations, Jules! Before we dive down the cinematic Q&A rabbit hole, how is the freshly-minted New Year treating you thus far? I’m feeling great! How about you guys?!

Major kudos and accolades on your absolutely terrific and awardwinning debut feature motion picture River of Ghosts which can now be seen on Amazon Prime! Starting at the tip-top, can you explain to our ever-inquisitive readers what River of Ghosts is about and what inspired you to write it? River of Ghosts is about the story of Dr. Halton, a Stanford psychiatry student who returns to his small river hometown to practice as a hypnotherapist. As Dr. Halton dives deep into the town folks’ psyche and helps them solve their problems, he uncovers and solves a cold case (that appears like a real haunting) in the most unexpected way.

You work with an incredible cast in River of Ghosts, including the likes of Scot Cooper, Conner Floyd and Alena Savostikova! What was it like for you to direct this accomplished ensemble of thespians?

It’s not easy especially I was a first time director, however I find that as a director, my style is, I prefer to let my actors read and perceive the roles and lines on their own. I let them show me how they’d like certain characters to be, to my surprise, they add so much colors and characters to my original idea.

You also served as a producer on River of Ghosts. Was it challenging wearing so many different hats during the making of the film?

A lot of energy is needed to be a producer and then jump straight into directing. It’s like after gathering and putting 350 elements in place,

without taking any break, one needs to roll up his sleeves and cook 50 dishes out of the 350 elements.

River of Ghosts just walked away with the Best Horror Feature Film and Best Horror Film at this year’s Toronto International Women’s Film Festival - Congratulations! Can you talk a little about what this recognition and honor means to you?

Recognition is extremely important to me as a starter, someone new in the film industry, because I have so much more to offer.

Prior to directing River of Ghosts, did you watch and draw inspiration from other horror films?

Horror is my favorite genre. I have watched almost all horror films that are out there lol. But I can say River of Ghosts is an “accidental horror”. Because I didn’t mean to make it a horror at first, I was thinking for it to be more of a murder mystery/thriller. But on the first look of my trailer, my daughter’s high school friend couldn’t finish watching it because she was too afraid. I will definitely consider making a more serious, paranormal horror film seeing the audience’ reaction. I love and prefer the “in your face” type of horror like The Exorcist and some of James Wan’s numbers i.e. The Conjuring, rather than too long of a tease followed by an only 0.5 second blurry cause of fear.

feature of the film was, the script was written to include the flood in the city of Venice, therefore I have to organize the shooting in cold November, so we can get the last flooding of Venice before the Italian government’s billion dollars flood barrier is up for the first time. So I can say that in Alone in Venice, you get to see the last flooding of Venice city in our film.

Finally, I also have a chance to learn and compose music for Alone in Venice. I composed 90% of the music you will hear in Alone in Venice, using 8 different music instruments and you will hear a minor version of a very famous Italian classic love song, it was created this way on purpose to be an antipode to the romance glorifying culture in the city. I am glad that the music we made got nominated for best original film score in Burbank International Film Festival.

Who inspires you, directing–wise?

Clint Eastwood, I heard that he goes with the first take principle “cut, print, check the gate”. I like a quiet, focused set, where I don’t mind to do a lengthy explanation to the talents, a rehearsal (I would keep the camera rolling) and preferably get the picture on the first few takes. I believe that talented actors give their best performance on the first couple of takes.

In your humble opinion, what differentiates River of Ghosts from other horror films on the 2024 movie landscape?

At the end of the day, what do you hope moviegoers walk away with after checking out River of Ghosts?

Like I said River of Ghosts is an “accidental horror” because it mainly talks about how somatic symptoms can get so real that it appears like a real haunting. Let me explain “somatic symptoms” a little bit here, they manifest as very real hallucinations, and physical pain and distortion due to unresolved emotional traumas. One day I will try to portray, invoke great fear in a film without the appearance of ghost, demon, monster, vampire, psycho killer or any form of visible perpetrator, for the biggest fear I’ve ever experienced in life has no form.

To have a brief introspection of: is there any ghost lies beneath your river?

Your Director of Photography on River of Ghosts is the amazing Artak Parsian. What was your collaboration process like with Artak while shooting the film?

I am a Chinese and Artak is originated from the middle east. Our only similarity is both of us are US immigrants. He is a very technical person, cautious, meticulous, professional, and experienced, while I am the one would go all out with my crazy ideas. We are each other’s opposite lol. We’ve had some rough patches at first and now he’s so good that he even understands a few Chinese words that I say frequently on set, and he knows what I want so well that I don’t have to explain too much in detail.

Your next film is titled Alone in Venice and is set for a summer 2024 release - Congrats again! Can you give us a hint or three as to what this sophomore film from you is about?

Yes! Alone in Venice was at first not a film but a fun idea we conjured up during a trip to Venice, Italy. We talked about how things have changed so much and how some rich Chinese women actually have “kept men” (like a male version of mistress) in this beautiful town.

We all agreed that Death in Venice is still one of the greatest films ever made in Venice, Italy. Therefore we ended up creating a modern reversal of Death in Venice, when I said “reversal” I meant the budget as well.

Alone in Venice talks about a young, beautiful, blonde and blue eyed aspiring actor who is madly in love with his middle-aged married Chinese female director. It’s still somewhat a form of forbidden love, like Death in Venice, where the married senior Music director has fallen in love with a very young, blonde and blue eyed teenager in Venice, Italy, but only the other way around. The script was written to be made in a bare minimum budget, a reversal of Death in Venice, which I believe was expensive to make back then. Another important

Final - SILLY! - Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies - Living In Oblivion, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, The Player, Barton Fink or Swimming With Sharks?

This is definitely not a silly question, I can assure you. My favorite out of these five is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, it says a lot about Hollywood then and also some aspects that are still the same today.

How comforting it is to have a “double” and a good friend in the industry where sometimes wild and crazy things happened. Another movie about making of movies I like is 8 1/2 by Federico Fellini.

Although the main character is such a coward and a loser, but the struggle is too real even I can relate with.

Host e h t f o h t n o M

Sofia Sanchez

We’re very happy to be speaking today with acclaimed actress Sofia Sanchez who is wowing audiences with her stunning turn in the box-office smash hit The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes; greetings and salutations, Sofia! Before we meander down the proverbial Q&A celluloid pathway, how is 2024 treating you thus far?

They had me scream for them after I did my lines! We laughed that we would have to tell the neighbors that everything was fine at our house. Just an audition.

Nothing to be alarmed about. It was so funny. A week or so later Francis called and talked to my mom about a few things and I was offered the part. I was so excited. And so proud of myself.

I love 2024! I just got back from a trip to Disneyland where I ran my first 5k race for RunDisney. I ran and fundraiser for National Down Syndrome Society! It was a blast! Now I’m prepping for my first ever Ted Talk coming this spring in Reno, Nevada and we are doing preparation for the release of my third children’s book You Are Brave: A Book About Trying New Things coming out in April!

I’m also working with Scholastic Entertainment on a new cartoon staring me in cartoon form called Sofia & Friends!!!

How aware were you of the worldwide phenomenon of The Hunger Games prior to landing your role in the new film? Do you count yourself as a fan of the books and the films based off of the books?

Major congratulations on your star-turn in the crowdpleasing hit film The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes! For anyone not in the know, can you explain what the film is about, how it ties into the prior Hunger Games films and how your character of Wovey figures into the proceedings?

The new Hunger Games movie The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is a prequel movie that happens 65 years before the hunger games movies everyone remembers. Suzanne Collins wrote this prequel book and published it during Covid and Lionsgate quickly got to work on making it a movie. It’s a stand alone movie but it’s also for die hard fans. It’s Snow’s backstory and how he turns into a villian.

I play Wovey the tribute from District 8 who plays in the 10th annual Hunger Games. She’s very young and small but brave. She’s a fan favorite. I loved playing her. She’s a lot like me.

Did you know as soon as you were approached about the possibility of acting in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes that this was a production you wanted to be a part of?

When I go the audition my parents and big brothers went nuts! They are huge fans but I had never read the books or watched the movies so we all sat down as a family and watched together. I loved the movies and immediately started reading Suzanne Collins newest book TBOSAS when I heard the part I was playing was tribute Wovey. I had so much fun practicing for my audition for Wovey. I had to scream for the audition and I have never screamed out of fear before so me and my mom worked on my scream. I got really good at screaming. We also did my audition a few different ways and that was fun since it was a self tape audition due to Covid. I was so happy when I got the callback and got to do my audition live on a zoom call with Nina and Francis.

I’m now an official FAN of all the hungers games movies and books and I love the fans so much. I’m getting fan art and so many messages about Wovey and how everyone wanted to see even more of her character. It’s just the best thing in the whole world and I will cherish this time the rest of my life. It’s such a big deal to be a part of such a popular franchise.

What was your collaboration process like with The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes director Francis Lawrence? Is she what some actors might call “an actor’s director”?

Francis is the best director in the whole world. I love him.

He let me do Wovey my way and he was so kind when he directed me. He is easy going and relaxed which makes me relaxed. I loved getting high fives and hugs to everyone whenever we finished a scene. He’s my favorite director ever. He also let me do try different things on set and he also made sure I felt safe whenever it was a more scary scene. He always made sure I was ok! He’s the best.

You work with such a great cast of actors in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, including the likes of Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth and Viola Davis. What was it like to exercise your own considerable acting chops alongside this amazing ensemble?

I loved working with Rachel and Tom. They are so wonderful and kind. They give the best hugs and I loved seeing them every day on set in hair and makeup. They work so hard but always had time to talk to me. I learned so much by watching them. I also loved watching Peter Dinklage work. He’s got a daughter almost the same age as me so I loved talking to him. He was so supportive.

And the amazing and fabulous Viola! Wow! I didn’t have any scenes with her but the production team let me come on set the days she was working so I could watch her work. She is incredible. It was such an honor working with such amazing actors. A dream come true. Rachel is like a big sister to me and I love her and hope to work with her again some day soon. She even gave me her cell phone but my mom says not to text her too much!

You made your acting debut in 2015 with Switched at Birth. Any special memories of that freshman production?

I was so little when I did Switched at Birth but I loved it so much! It was such a fun role and a really important role for the Down syndrome community. My special memory was getting to meet the cast and especially Lucas Grabeel (I’m a high school musical fan!) I realized filming that tv show that I love acting and I’m good at it. I’m good at taking direction and I have a lot of patience and stamina!!!!

Who inspires your own acting?

I LOVE movies so I get a lot of inspiration from seeing all kinds of actors on film. I also LOVE Broadway musicals and get so pumped up whenever I see a show. I also learn so much from my peers with Down syndrome who are actors like Jamie Brewer and Zak Gottsagen. They helped pave the way for me!

What do you have planned for an acting encore after The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes?

I don’t know what’s next for me in acting. I’m so happy the strike it over so I can start auditioning again. I hope to make more movies and tv shows. I’m ready!!!

Barbie 2… I’m ready for you!!! I also love doing action movies. I’m super brave so I would love to do more movies with adventure in them.

Along with being a top-drawer actress, you’re also a celebrated author, having co-penned alongside Margaret O’Hair both You Are Enough and You Are Loved. Is writing something which we can expect more of from you in the future?

I’m so proud of my books that I worked on with Scholastic! They are so much fun and allow me to share my message and my story with children all over the world. I have so much more to say and hope to someday write my own life story! It’s a good one but I’m just getting started.

Any final thoughts which you might like to leave our ever-inquisitive readers with regarding The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes?

If you haven’t seen the movie or read the book you HAVE to. It’s so good. TBOSAS is also the most beautiful movie that shows diversity and inclusion in so many ways. I’m so honored they cast me in a role that wasn’t necessarily for someone with Down syndrome. But they cast me because I was the best person to play Wovey and I think I gave her a lot of heart and soul.

The Noble Front

Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

Things are great! We released our debut record 3 weeks ago and we are buzzing. We are just getting started out, but the feedback and support so far has been amazing.

Music really brings people together. Thanks for giving this some time yourselves!

What can you tell us about the title and meaning behind your most recent release?

The band name is The Noble Front . The name is inspired by the face we show to the world every day.

The façade we give to others. Everything is fine. No problems. No issues.

The music ties into this: the music is the true expression of our feelings, emotions and frustrations. And we feel that this record has really achieved that tone. It is raw, heavy and unfiltered.

How was the recording and writing process?

In two words: amazing and long! This project took roots during the lockdowns. We have been working and writing and recording since then. The process has been really enjoyable but delighted to get the record out into the world at the same time.

Where did you guys find the inspiration for the song and lyrics?

The frustrations of life, of the lockdowns, of the everyday ups and downs we all feel as human beings. The songs touch on a number of different feelings and themes lyrically, and musically there are a lot of dynamics to the tunes as well.

Will you be hitting the road this year?

We are finalising our band line-up, and we hope to begin playing some local shows in the coming months with the view to getting on the road later in 2024. Fingers crossed!

What else is happening next in your world?

Spread the word as much as is possible in this flooded market! Grow the band by touring and marketing.

Continue to write banging tunes and hopefully get an EP out later in the year also.

https://open.spotify.com/ artist/3oozmfdjoxVmgN2KgdqLep?si=hu7_vcWLR4O_p3qhDm_rjg https://www.instagram.com/thenoblefront/ https://m.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61554516614254

Angie Wells

We’re very excited to be speaking today with acclaimed twotime Emmy Award Nominated Makeup Artist and celebrated jazz singer, Angie Wells; greetings and salutations, Angie!

Before we dive down the proverbial Q&A rabbit hole, how did the 2023 holiday season treat you and yours?

It was very quiet. I was on a shoot through the holiday week, so I had a lazy Christmas and New Year’s day catching up on sleep. LOL!!

Major congratulations on a super-busy 2023! Starting at the tip-top, you dropped one of the best albums of the year in the form of Truth Be Told; kudos and accolades! Have you been surprised by the warm audience reaction to this brilliant gem of an LP? People really love this LP! I think whenever an artist releases a new project, there is always hope and expectation that it will be enjoyed. I am happy that people are enjoying the music. If I were to say I was surprised that would imply that I didn’t expect the music to be enjoyed. I would say I am grateful for the reaction.

We’re tremendous admirers of your rendition of Accentuate The Positive which is off of the Truth Be Told LP! What inspired you to record this beautiful ditty for the album?

The lyrics are so relevant in so many situations. It’s timeless to accentuate the positive in life. That’s not to say that you don’t acknowledge when things aren’t great, but it’s a way of trying to make the best of every situation.

Your producer on Truth Be Told is the legendary John Clayton. What was it like collaborating with John on your sophomore album?

It was incredible to work with John. He had been my mentor for a few years, and I knew that it would be great if John was producing.

John is a very special human being. He is very wise and calm.

He always sees the bright side and the best in any situation, and of course let’s not forget his talent.

I was so honored that he not only agreed to produce the album, but also to collaborate on the track “There’s Always Time For Lovin” as well as to do a duet version of “You Don’t Know What Love Is” with me.

It was great to be guided through our recording session by such a master.

Though Truth Be Told was released just this year, have you already begun thinking about what form your third LP might ultimately take?

Yes, I have. I have two themes I am thinking of. I haven’t decided which one I will go with yet, but both involve covers and original tunes.

I like to tell a story with my song choices. I love when an album is a journey. I like to think of where the journey starts and ultimately ends. The songs I choose are basically the road I take to get from the beginning location to the final destination.

What does your touring and performing dance card look like in the coming weeks and months? Is 2024 shaping up to be a busy year already?

Well, in the next few months, I will be working in the makeup side of my career as well as writing music. The six-month WGA/SAG strike left me needing to play a bit of catch up.

However, this summer I will be touring in Europe in June and July. I am looking forward to that since I haven’t toured there since before the pandemic.

I am also very interested in developing some themed shows this year. I like the idea of doing a tribute show as well as a show which fuses different music style together.

The year will be busy with performing, writing music and doing makeup.

Who inspires you musically?

I am inspired by many artists. I would say the first names that come to mind would be Nina Simone, Lorez Alexandria, Sarah Vaughan, Rene Marie, Jazzmeia Horn, Anita O’Day, Johnny Hartmann, Bonnie Raitt, Jon Batiste… I could go on and on, LOL! There is so much inspiring music out there.

You were born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

How do those roots inform you as both an artist and as a person?

Philly is a city with quite a musical history. From the soulful R&B sounds that Gamble and Huff produced to legendary jazz artists like Billie Holiday, Shirley Scott, McCoy Tyner, The Heath Brothers, John Coltrane and many other greats who are making music today like Christian McBride, Orrin Evans and the hip hop of The Roots, I think all of that influences me.

I feel that my style of singing and writing reflects influences of R&B, soul, jazz, blues and Gospel. I don’t think of my style as purely jazz, but at the same time jazz itself is a mélange of music, a mixture of many styles. I feel that is the way I approach the music.

As we noted at the top, when you’re not breaking hearts and making fans as a jazz chanteuse, you’re a highly respected makeup artist. What do you have coming up in that regard for 2024? Can we expect to see your handiwork on display at the upcoming Oscar ceremony?

I won’t have any films on display at the Oscars this year.

However, I was invited to become a member of The Academy this year, and this will be my first-year voting. I am very excited and honored to be a part of that process.

I am currently working on a film that is a very inspiring story about NCAA wrestling champion, Anthony Robles. I am not sure when it will be released just yet.

At the end of the day, what do you hope music aficionados will walk away with after?

I hope they walk away with a sense that I am singing with sincerity and with truth. I hope they appreciate my soulful, blues and gospel influenced voice and that it makes them feel. I hope they want to hear more from me!!!

Jacqueline Piñol We’re very happy to be speaking today with acclaimed actress, activist, and popular video game veteran Jacqueline Piñol; greetings and salutations, Jacqueline! Before we dive down the proverbial celluloid Q&A rabbit hole, how is the freshly-minted 2023 holiday season treating you?

The 2023 Holiday season was very good for me and my family. From Thanksgiving to New Year’s my brain is basically on holiday mode.

We took a 5 day trip to Hawaii right after Thanksgiving. It was the perfect way to start the decompression. Truth be told, when I booked the trip back in Feb 2023, I thought I was booking it for Thanksgiving weekend. I got the dates wrong and about a month before the trip I realized it. It was definitely too late to change the reservation. But hey, a trip to Hawaii is welcome any time of year.

Major congratulations on your bravura turn as the voice which gives the character of Rio Morales full-formed life in Marvel’s hit new video game Spider-Man 2! Starting at the top, can you explain to our everinquisitive readers what the story is behind Spider-Man 2 and how your character of Rio Morales figures into the proceedings?

Thank you! In this game, Peter Parker is back to take charge of the job of being our friendly neighborhood Spiderman. Through a sequence of events that led him to face trouble he can’t get out of on his own, he calls upon Miles Morales to join him. There is always a pursuit for justice. They need to get the bad guys and restore peace in the city.

Rio Morales is always the grounded voice of reason for Miles. And she extends a bit of her motherly advice to Peter. She has to make sure Miles is always safe and out of trouble. I think Rio represents the strength and emotional grounding that is not only necessary for Miles, but also as a guiding force of good, righteousness and confidence

that actually gives cohesion to the storylines of the game and gives the players themselves a sense of moral fortitude. She is a self-assured source of strength in the game.

This is your sophomore outing as Rio Morales, the first being, of course, in 2018’s Spider-Man. What about this character resounds for you?

Actually, it’s my “junior year “outing! :) I was introduced as Rio in Spiderman the first game. My character then came back with a more evolved storyline in the 2nd game Spiderman Miles Morales and now here we are in Spiderman 2. I love the strength and support that Rio brings to the life of superheroes, in this case with her son Miles and with Peter Parker. She is written in a way that makes us always want to go back and listen to mom. Mother knows best and because she loves her son so much, and already lost her husband in the first game, there is nothing she wouldn’t do to help or protect him.

Your director on Spider-Man 2 is the returning Ryan Smith alongside newcomer to the fight Bryan Intihar. What was your collaboration process like while working on Spidey 2 with Bryan and Ryan? Are they what some actors might refer to as “an actor’s director”?

Bryan and Ryan are awesome to work with. They know every nuance of the game and the story. I can tell the scenes jump off the script for them and they see them so clearly in their heads as they help us actors bring them to life when we film them. Lindsay Keys was actually the actor’s director in Spiderman 2. And it really was such a gift to have so many “hands-on” Directors helping us create this vision on a sound stage in our mo-cap suits, with lots of equipment and our imaginations.

Spider-Man 2 has been a stone cold smash hit with video game aficionados across the world! Have you been surprised by how wellreceived this new entry in the video game sage has been?

Just when I think Insomniac has knocked it out of the park, they come out with an even bigger, better hit. I am not surprised, but very excited to see the response from the fans. The game delivers. It is absolutely beautiful, engaging, challenging and every character leaves you wanting more.

In your humble opinion, what differentiates Spider-Man 2 from its 2018 predecessor?

Well, the 2018 predecessor was the door that opened up the Spiderman world to gamers. It was an intro to the characters we love. But then with Miles Morales in 2020, I feel like Rio Morales came in to represent a new layer to Miles’ character and his growth as a young man and as a superhero in the making. In the Miles Morales game, Miles gained the trust and respect of Peter Parker and passed the torch to him. In Spiderman 2, Peter is back and he reinvigorates his position as a role model to Miles but, without spoiling too much, Peter’s return also sets the stage for Miles’ greatest challenge yet. Gotta play to find out what I mean!

Who inspires you, acting-wise?

I am inspired by actors who morph in to their roles so well that I don’t see the actor anymore, but I see only the character in the story and I forget they are acting. Some examples of these actors are Helen Mirren, Jodie Foster and Tilda Swinton. There are honestly too many actors to name who have inspired me over the years. But really, I draw inspiration from “real life” people including, singers, scientists, politicians, athletes, etc; stories you hear or see or read about with everyday people are often what inspire me the most as an artist. Bringing stories of the human experience to life really starts with the real humans the stories are based upon.

Your first credit as an actress comes in the form of your turn in 1996’s video game Noir. Any special memories of that freshman production?

Oh my gosh that is a real throwback! I do remember it was like filming a movie. I loved the experience of not just doing the voice, but also filming the physical experience of the scene. I had a small role, but it opened that door to exploring this type of work. Then came Quantum

Break and the hybrid of live action with motion capture was just a mind-blowing experience for me as an actor. That game and the actors, filmmakers, artists and designers who worked on it were spectacular.

You were born in Queens and moved to Los Angeles at a young age with your family. How do those seemingly disparate roots inform you not only as an actress, but as a person?

I am of Latin American descent. Both my parents came to the United States and met in New York in the early 70s. I think New York, particularly Queens, offers so much culture and it gave my parents a sense of belonging and feeling at home while still pursuing the American Dream. By the time I was born, they were well versed in the New York Life but it’s always in our blood as Latin Americans to keep our diverse culture alive and thriving no matter where we live. Spanish was my first language and even though we moved to Los Angeles when I was a kid, my background and culture are always a part of me.

Word ‘round campfire has it that you share a similar passion as we do here at Vents - as an advocate for dogs! What inspires you to give a voice to the canine world?

Oh gosh I love my dogs so much I can’t even put it into words.

Because I adopted my 5 pittie mixes all as adult dogs, it was after adopting each one and finding out I was leaving behind so many others that don’t have homes, that I realized I had to do something. This led me to producing and filming my own documentary series called The Canine Condition, in which I traveled the country shedding light upon the crisis of dog overpopulation, abandonment and abuse while focusing on solutions. I interviewed and volunteered with some amazing humans who work tirelessly to improve the canine condition in the United States. In 2023, I started my own nonprofit organization called The Canine Condition Foundation. We focus on raising funds and paying for spay and neuter surgeries for family-owned dogs. My goal is to help keep more dogs from being abandoned or surrendered to city shelters.

I want to help families prevent accidental litters. We need to find homes for all the dogs that are already born and that don’t have families. I will forever advocate for dogs and educate humans on how to be kinder and more mindful of treating our canine companions with love and loyalty.

Looking ahead to 2024, can you give us a hint or three as to what you have coming up?

Because of the recent strike, I took time to focus on promoting my documentary series, which is making the rounds through the film festival circuit right now; we have already been recognized with a few awards from film festivals around the country! The next step will be to find a home to distribute the series. I am also focused on growing my foundation which is all volunteer based.

Starting a nonprofit is no small task, but I am up to the challenge, and it means a lot to me. I have already done a lot of good work with it, and I am seeing the potential. Aside from voiceover work, which I do regularly, I am seeing the film and tv business firing on all cylinders again, so 2024 will likely be a very busy year. I want to make sure I have The Canine Condition Foundation running smoothly before things get busy with work as an actor.

Final - SILLY! - Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies - Living In Oblivion, The Player, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, Ed Wood or Barton Fink?

Ohhh I like this question; not silly at all. Definitely, The Player.

That film was a classic and it pulled back the curtain on the inner workings of the film business in a way I think people had no idea about. It explored and exposed the “dark side” of the film business and how fragile egos, backstabbing and the thin veneer of power are what is really holding Hollywood together! This film is still so very relevant.

Sanity

Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

Hi, thanks for asking. We have been good. These are exciting times for us as a band. We have really enjoyed spreading the news about our new EP “Revelation” throughout the world and it worked out well.

There is radio play in south America, interviews in the US, magazine coverage in Italy, Denmark and Germany and reviews in France and UK. And we are very happy about the latest music videos we released in 2023. The footage on both of these videos is so intense and apocalyptic, it perfectly captures my vision for the Revelation project. Have a look at them, yourself!

Sanity - Throne (Official Music Video) https://youtu.be/5x4RdpaD9Ho?si=Ef-AdqBEUSLkL9R6 Sanity - Seals (Official Music Video) https://youtu.be/9adVATPq-yA?si=hpVCQPAv_dBcGvUr What can you tell us about the title and meaning behind your most recent release?

Revelation is based on the biblical Book of Revelation that lays out the apocalypse. It’s about the end of the world! And not by any random or man-made natural disaster, no, it is about God judging the world. This judgment is carried out by mighty angels and at the end of it all, a third of mankind is dead. This is grim business.

In the first song “Throne” you will be greeted by a majestic choir, depicting the scores of angels singing in the antechamber of God’s throne room. God will be handed a parchment or document roll that contains all the coming plagues, this is described in the second song “Scroll”. The scroll is sealed by seven seals, six of which will be opened in the next song “Seals”. The fourth song “Silence” is a calm orchestral intermezzo and describes the utter silence in heaven after a quarter of the people have died in epoch-making catastrophes. We found it fitting to arrange this song in a purely orchestral way to express the atmosphere in God’s throne room. The last song of the EP is “Trumpets” in which angels bring death and havoc in unprecedented magnitude upon the whole earth.

How was the recording and writing process?

My brother and I are old hands in the heavy metal business and have been living it actively with Sanity for almost 30 years now. Since the early 90ies we have been part of the heavy metal culture in Berlin and had played venues with various local bands.

We released a demo and three albums until 2001, mainly in the symphonic black metal genre. The band went on hiatus between 2002 and 2014. When we got back together we added Bernd Schweda (ex Orth / ex Dawn Berlin) to the line up, a local death metal guitar legend that we had become friends with in those early years of the band. My brother Florian is the mastermind behind many of the killer black metal guitars in our songs and also for some of the most notable Arcturus-style passages that combine heroic soaring vocals and outright guitar madness. Schweda on the other hand would richly influence the compositions with groovy and neck breaking death metal passages: a symbiosis of black and death metal the result. It was incredibly refreshing and rewarding to work cross-genre and incorporate both guitar styles, black metal shredding and death metal riffing.

The symphonic elements have their roots in my musical education. I had learned about artists like Ludwig van Beethoven, Arcangelo Corelli, Johann Sebastian Bach and Georg Friedrich Händel, had studied Beethoven’s fifth symphony, and attended numerous classical concerts of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra lead by Herbert von Karajan. Experimenting with orchestration for the songs on our second and third album I had learned how to respect the realm of each of the instruments. Yes, I want rich guitars and a fat bass guitar, and I want to add a female choir and a male choir and trombones and string bass and celli, and of course timpani. The challenge now is to compose it in a way that each instrument has room to breathe and is not covered by another instrument. I listen to a passage of drums, guitars and bass and often immediately hear it in my head how an oboe, a violin or a choir should play/sing along to enrich the composition.

All in all, there is so much reward in blending black and death metal with symphonic elements as I am able to express so much more through additional melodies, instruments and layers. Oboes are great choices for mourning passages, celli bring passion and drama, choirs are majestic and timpani and bells are best for heroic parts. I love how the songs are enriched with additional harmonics and how the sound spectrum is filled above and below the guitars.

“Revelation” was recorded at the Soundforge Studio and produced

by Sanity and Andreas Hilbert, who also recorded, mixed and mastered the album. Funny story, I met Andreas during my studies, both attending the same lectures and having an interest in death and black metal. The Berlin based death metal band Golem was founded by him. Andreas owns the Soundforge Studio and he had produced our third album “Schattensymphonie” with a killer sound. I knew right then that I would want to produce “Revelation” with him, as well. And so we did. We kicked of the recordings in 2016 with a week in the studio to lay the groundwork and then decided to have a studio day once per month, since we were all full-time working and had families. We ended up with over a hundred audio tracks total, quadruple tracked rhythm guitars for maximum heavyness, countless lead guitars, up to twenty vocal tracks, thirty or more orchestra tracks per song. It’s massive.

And we took our time, seven years to be exact, that includes songs for the upcoming EPs of the “Revelation” project as well.

But no regrets, frankly speaking, I already miss the Saturdays in the studio, man did we have a good time. It was once a month a vacation from the life I am living now, like being back in university, no obligations, single-minded and focused on music, hanging out with my band as if there was no tomorrow.

Where did you guys find the inspiration for the song and lyrics?

Some songs on Revelation originated in 2001 already, we were massively creative back then, but needed to take a break from the band because my brother and I, we both got scholarships to study abroad. Then things happened which nobody could have foreseen, each of us came in contact with evangelical Christians, independent from each other, even in different countries! Their bible-based message about a living God that offers forgiveness and a place in heaven for free was so radically different from what religion all over the place teaches you. I was hooked and a couple of months later started a life following Jesus and trusting in him as my savior.

The question at hand for me, then: How could I combine my new found faith with my passion for extreme metal? There is really only one topic in the bible grim enough to be shouted on top of death or black metal music: The judgment of God as told in the last book of the bible, the book of “Revelation”. Basically, what drives me is the knowledge that the events of the apocalypse as described in the Book of Revelation will be happening, eventually.

This will be such a turning point in human history and people will freak out about this. I feel compelled to offer direction in those (future) times through our music – even though this may be long after I am gone. The message is: Turn to the God of the bible, honor Him with your life and make sure that you have peace with God before all hell breaks loose.

What probably sets us apart from other artists is that we actually use the original verses from the bible, so there is no interpretation in our lyrics, no re-telling of the events in our own words. Just plain scripture. And the message is brutal, excruciating, devastating, and scary, but also mighty, breathtaking, awe-inspiring and incredible. And so is our music (smiling). So, given all that, the music of the Revelation project could become a precious heritage to future generations. In the end, when the last days truly begin our music may help people to understand the events that are happening around them. It may allow people to hear about what God’s word reveals about the future and how this God provides a way out.

Will you be hitting the road this year?

We have already recorded the songs for the second and third EP to complete the “Revelation” project and plan to release those in 2024 and 2025, respectively. This trilogy will then have a total of 14 songs. The record release concert for the second EP “The Beast” is on 2 March 2024, see our website www.sanity.berlin for details. There will be concerts in summer and autumn for sure, but we are still in the planning phase, nothing concrete, yet.

What else is happening next in your world?

My brother and I are working on a rerelease of our second album “Nocturnal Poems” from 1999. Florian is actually composing completely new rhythm and lead guitars and I will be recording new drums for it. With regard to shows and concerts it would be pretty awesome to get in contact with metal bands from the UK or US and become their support on one of their tours. Let’s see what the future holds in store for us. We are planning to film a new music video in April, it will be our first single release from the upcoming EP “The Beast”, this is going to be a lot of fun. You see, we got our hands full with exciting subjects!

Dr. Nina Cash We’re very happy to have some time today with freshly-minted 2024 Sports Illustrated Rookie Model winner/finalist Dr. Nina Cash; greetings and salutations, Nina! Before we meander down the proverbial Q&A pathway, how did the 2023 holiday season treat you and yours?

So great to meet you and thank you! I had a lovely holiday season. I spent quality time with my family, which I always cherish because my daughters are all grown now. I also, took a fun girls’ trip to Brussels and Germany with four of my friends who I have known since we were 12 years old; over 45 years! We had such a blast!

Major congratulations on the honor and distinction of being selected to be featured in the 60th Anniversary issue of Sports

Illustrated which is set to premiere this coming May! Starting at the tip-top, can you talk about how your journey intersected with that of Sports Illustrated?

Thank you so much!! I am very excited about this huge opportunity with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. My journey with SI Swimsuit started in Australia at the end of 2022. My husband is Australian, and we had not been back to Australia in a few years, due to the pandemic. So, we decided to spend the holidays there.

While there, I realized I did not have a bathing suit, so I needed to purchase one, as my husband and I enjoyed early morning sunrise walks on the beach. -- Let me add that I grew up in a Filipino, Catholic, and military family. My choice of bathing suit is definitely a modest one piece. -- Since it was December and Australia’s summertime, the only bathing suit I could find at the

local mall in my size, was a two-piece leopard print bikini! So, I bought it, knowing that only my husband (and perhaps a couple of random early morning walkers) would see me in it. During our New Year’s Day 2023 walk, my husband took candid photos of me. Later that evening, we were scrolling through the photos, and I jokingly said to my husband, “Hey, not too shabby for a 56-year-old gray hair retiree!” At that moment, I recalled seeing press about a 57-year-old woman, beautiful Kathy Jacobs, who won the SI Swimsuit Search a few years back. It was then that I was encouraged to apply. Although, I thought since it was already the end of the year and beginning of a new year, the application period must have ended! However, when I looked up the information online, to my utter shock and surprise, the application period was extended to January 1, 2023, in the USA! This was HUGE because … I was in Australia, which is a day ahead of the USA. I looked at the time and had about an hour to put together a video application and submit it to meet the deadline.

Which I managed to do, just in time, with the support and help of my husband! …and this is how my magical journey started with the SI Swimsuit Family.

Prior to receiving this recognition from Sports Illustrated, what was your history with the magazine as a reader? Were you an ardent aficionado of the magazine, or more of a casual reader?

Like many people, I have known about the magazine for decades. Although I played tennis in high school and was a cheerleader too, I was not a hardcore sports person. Of course, the SI Swimsuit editions were (and are) highly anticipated, and I looked forward to seeing the Rookies in the magazine and who graced the covers. So, to answer your question, I was more of a flip through the pages, casual reader.

At a young age of 57, you’re the eldest of the seven finalists selected by the mensch’s at Sports Illustrated. Do you feel that this sends a positive message that, despite our respective ages, at the end of the day it’s all relative and just a number?

100% agree! Age is a number that helps determine a measure of time … one’s time living on this earth. I do hope that me being a 57-year-old SI Swimsuit Rookie sends a positive message that aging is a gift that not many are fortunate to receive.

Therefore, one should not limit themselves to the “should have, could have, would have - if only I was younger” fallback. Open your gift and TRUST that it is always the righttiming. SLAY the GRAY! My volunteer experiences along with my work in higher education and workforce development over the decades, have provided me with many life skills that have helped inform a smoother transition into the modeling world. I find myself using my adaptability, patience, and teamwork skills quite a bit. Also, as a mom, my over-the-top preparedness has come in handy as well. I carry a model bag with me that has a bunch of items that not only make my job easier, but also that of the wardrobe folks (oh, and in many cases, that of my fellow models).

A lot of folks look to you as an amazing role model in the representation of Asian culture. Do you feel because of your Filipino heritage that you have a responsibility to speak for and to that proud culture?

I am immensely proud to be Filipino and part of the Asian community. I look to many community members with pridefulness at the contributions they have made. Having the opportunity to add to what many Filipinos and Asians have already accomplished, will be an honor.

You wear a lot of hats in that you also are counted as a friend and representative of the diabetic community. Could you

talk about what this means to you as someone who is diabetic themselves?

I am grateful to have this welcomed opportunity to highlight Type 2 diabetes. Folks are usually surprised when they learn I am a Type 2 Diabetic. My journey with diabetes started when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes during my pregnancy at 26 years old. Due to my family history of diabetes, coupled with my gestational diabetes, I was told at the time that the likelihood of me becoming diabetic was much greater. Fast forward to 2015, when I was feeling and exhibiting signs of diabetes. I went in for testing and was diagnosed with Type 2. It is important for me to talk about this because looks can be deceiving. Although I am active, eat fairly well, and am not overweight, I still need to take medication to maintain my diabetes. Genetics plays a major role; however, I will not let this diagnosis get in the way of living my life.

What’s left to conquer after Sports Illustrated? Do you have some pretty far-ranging modeling plans on the heels of your work for SI? This past year has certainly been a whirlwind of wonderful surprises. One of the things I would love to experience is being a dancer on “Dancing with the Stars”! I love dancing, even though I am not formally/technically trained; although I did take ballet and tap classes for a couple of years in elementary school. The idea of getting out of my comfort zone, learning something new, and enjoying myself is thrilling! Not to mention that DWTS was one of my parents’ favorite shows and it would be AMAZING to dance in their honor. I would love to continue to model as well. I have been so fortunate to have had some wonderful opportunities this past year thanks to my agencies.

What can you tell us about your work with the Get Safe organization?

Thank you for asking about Get Safe! I have been volunteering for the non-profit organization since 1999. Get Safe changes mindsets to change outcomes by empowering community members through personal safety training, prevention education, and providing effective solutions to de-escalate violence, reduce anxiety, and alleviate fear-which save lives. Get Safe bridges sensitive topics of abuse, bias, violence, and mental wellness, while maintaining and modeling their core values of integrity, competence, human connections, and social justice. Get Safe fosters understanding and empathy to build stronger, safer, and unified communities in which everyone has the right to a safe and violence-free life. Get Safe offers many targeted training programs to include campus, corporate, community, and law enforcement. My volunteer work includes training people with intellectual disabilities. Trainings have included personal safety and self-advocacy, healthy relationships, and elopement prevention. To learn more about Get Safe, please visit: www.getsafeusa. com Any final thoughts you might like to share with our ever-inquisitive readers about your forthcoming Sports Illustrated feature modeling spot?

Final thoughts … Well, I can finally announce that my photoshoot was in beautiful Porto, Portugal, with acclaimed photographer Ben Watts! I cannot wait to see the magazine and the final photos chosen. The photos are kept top secret until the magazine comes out. So, the Swimsuit Rookies are just as surprised as the readers. I would be remiss if I did not say a sincere THANK YOU to MJ Day, Editor-in-Chief of SI Swimsuit, and the SI Swimsuit Family for not only giving me this incredible opportunity but believing in and supporting me. I am profoundly grateful. Thank you, Vent Magazine, for this time. Your support and kindness are appreciated.

Cindy Sterling Everything means a lot to me - so it’s hard for things to be non sentimental for me. There are definitely moments I feel like I was living a real life movie. Love and romance can be very inspiring to write about when it’s meaningful.

I’ve had those moments of pulling over on Sunset to sneak in a hug and look at the stars with someone just by accidentally passing each other in traffic, then also sneaking in windows for sleepovers to falling in love and booking flights somewhere fascinating immediately after + many more. I’m grateful for them.

Mostly though, I think ultimately I was just living this dream life on paper I always wanted growing up - but I was feeling lost and sad for multiple reasons and making music about it all just really helped me find myself, in a way I’ve needed to know. My values are more clear.

Roxbury Romance is such a beautiful and personal album. Was it cathartic for you to lay a period of your life bare and talk about all of those memories you experienced during that five year span?

Yes. Immediately, definitely.

I’ve always usually kept a part of myself hidden. I never liked to let anyone truly in or see me when I’m sad because I’m such a laughy, bubbly, joking around type of person who wants to bring light in every room I go into.

So, it was almost like this part of myself - the real part with vulnerable emotions - needed to show itself. I’ve often in my life struggled with a lot of dark things, but tried to hide all of them.

We’re excited to be speaking today with acclaimed Indie-Pop artist Cindy Sterling; greetings and salutations, Cindy! Before we dive into the Q&A mosh-pit, how is the 2023 holiday season treating you?

Another part that causes me to say the immediate yes - is that I would never in a million years ever want to hurt anyone by saying anything harmful or hurtful in my music. So I’ve tried to be very cautious of that. While still ultimately expressing myself.

Haha thank youuu , The Holidays so far this year are really good.

I think I do a good job of giving something but not giving away too much, I hope.

I’m in a lot better place mentally this year, then I was last year. My holidays last year, while working on the album, consisted of a lot of crying in my bath tub reflecting on not the best things.

Who was your producer on Roxbury Romance and what did the collaboration between artist and producer look like in the studio while putting the LP together?

This year I feel a lot more at peace, relaxed & closer with my family.

That’s a really huge thing for me as my family & I weren’t close in this way when I was growing up - So i spent a lot of holidays with my significant others, usually.

I worked with a ton of different producers such as Ethan Schaefer, who produced “Kids Back Then” but ultimately the person I worked on everything with, Zachary Dowd a.k.a. Dowzy, has kind of been my therapist and everything all in one for this album. He’s also a very talented musician.

Major congratulations on the upcoming December 13 release of your debut album Roxbury Romance! Starting at the tip-top, what inspired one of the very best LP’s of 2023?

Yeah, it’s very soon. It feels so strange. If you’re referring to my Album “Roxbury Romance” that’s really kind of you. Thank you so much.

Ultimately I think what inspired it was the movie-like experiences I’ve had in love. Whether it be short lived or long, the way they’ve happened has always been quite cinematic.

We often laugh about this but when I walked in I was very shy, the very first song we recorded “Crush” isn’t even on the album hahaha But - I recall asking what his zodiac sign was and Dowzy said, “A Cancer”. I went, “Oh! what a relief ok so you’re like the most sensitive sign? I feel like I can trust you… I can work with that” But yeah, Dowzy is amazing. We often would talk about life and catch up to get me comfortable before working on music. It

gave me the confidence to record and even write in front of him at times. The relationship with the main person you work with, your engineer, is so important. He’s been there for me through so much. He’s also now a truly good friend to me.

In your humble opinion, what differentiates Roxbury Romance from the Distinguished Competition on the 2023 music scene?

What differentiates “Roxbury Romance”, I believe, is it doesn’t fall into one specific genre… I’ve had a few friends try to explain my music to other friends and I’ve been met with Lana Del Rey meets Taylor Swift, as in the way I write - but I don’t think I sound like either of them.

For a long time I couldn’t put myself into a box with music as far as where I fit or who I sound like, and that’s when I realized basically that is why I need to release music. Instead of being confused as to where I fit, it striked me that is why I need to release… because if there isn’t anyone that sounds like what I am, then isn’t that all the more reason to release it out into the universe?

Anyway, I plan on staying that way for a long time - for as long as I can. I don’t want to be put into a box with my sound.

You were born and raised in Los Angeles, California. How do those roots inform you as both an artist and as a person?

Honestly, being born and raised in Los Angeles there are so many incredibly talented artists out here. Which is why I also took a long time to build up the courage to even release music. I will admit I was afraid of judgment because I do know so many great artists.

Some of them have been releasing since 16, which comes with a level of “why aren’t i there yet?” you know - but I think with time I’ve learned to have grace in knowing that whatever I would’ve released then wouldn’t have been anything too real to me.

Everything happens in its own time. I also never had my parents fund anything for me, so while it be painful how long it’s taken, I’m happy knowing its happened this way.

Another fraction of that - why I postponed putting out music for so long - was just also friends that come from a background that focuses so primarily on finance and real estate, that me doing something like music came with a large level of skepticism and judgment. My friends with more of that old money background didn’t really get it and would question why I was even wanting to go down that career path…

I’m glad I’m at peace with who I am now knowing you can always start where you are with what’s important to you & keep growing as you’re going. Its advice I would give to any friend I saw chasing their dreams, who I would want to believe in themselves. You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to get started.

In the wake of the December 13 release of Roxbury Romance, can fans look forward to catching you on the touring/performing circuit?

I just performed for the very first time in Houston, Texas. United Masters flew me out to perform at their Bulliet Whiskey event & that was pretty amazing. I met some incredible and kind tour managers for some amazing talented artists that a lot of people know and admire. Preforming my own work for the first time was very scary, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. A very crazy out of body experience.

It opened my eyes to what I want to dedicate my time to, and also what I need to work on. HowI want my sets to preform and things like that for example. So while working on the recording process, I’ve been dedicating time behind the scenes to bettering my performance craft and building my team.

I’ll probably need to hyper focus my growth there to get on the road efficiently asap - but I really essentially need to get a touring manager and booking agent to help me learn the ropes.

But yes, I definitely want to do that. Even if it scares me. I want to perform with other artists too and just dive deep into the euphoria of doing that.

Who inspires you musically?

Life itself. I don’t have anyone in particular I look to sound like or want to sound like. I honestly don’t admire anyone. Every single genre I love. Every piece of musical talent I just really love. There isn’t anyone in particular.

If there’s anyone I admire and am inspired by, it’s my mom - she’s been through some pretty horrible stuff and still manages to work extremely hard and get through life everyday. I think that’s inspiring. She’s shown me you can go to hell and back and still come out strong.

As that rare bird in the music industry known as a singer/ songwriter, which generally comes first for you when working on new material: The music or the lyrics?

The music first definitely. Sometimes I’ll sing lyrics out of nowhere in the shower or a walk or alone in my room then be so inspired I’m like - we’ve got to get music behind this then I grab a notepad and start writing. Definitely though, always the music first. Without the music powering the vibe of the song, it’s hard to kinda catch a vibe for what direction you want the music to go.

Writing music is kinda like the orchestration of dance. 2 & 2 go together. You need music to dance, the same way you need music to write.

I play guitar and piano but at this point I’ve focused really on the song writing and left the music composition to people much more talented by far at it, then I. At the end of the day, what do you hope listeners walk away with after giving many-a-spin to one of the best albums of 2023, Roxbury Romance?

That is actually so overly kind of you haha that’s very insane to hear & thank you so much.

I hope it brings whoever is listening comfort in knowing they’re not alone on these strong, similar feelings they may have of a confusion amongst their longing, not feeling okay when they may statistically speaking have nice things, that they things they have hidden deep down inside them others may feel as well, that those with a sunny disposition on the outside that feel something much more dark inside and a despair they don’t want to discuss that I too have felt those feelings & through music it helped me escape into a path and place that I knew helped release me from those darker feelings.

I hope Roxbury Romance can be a nostalgic and eye opening experience via music, and that it inspires people who may know me or not know me as well in some way - to chase their dreams.

Life is short, it passes in a blink. So do what you love, and forget what they think.

Hannah Cutt

We’re very excited to have some time today with acclaimed rock artist extraordinaire Hannah Cutt; greetings and salutations, Hannah! Before we meander down the Q&A musical pathway, how is the 2023 holiday season treating you?

It’s good! Ordered some Christmas decorations that my boyfriend and I are gonna be putting up soon! We got a Christmas tree. A fake one because I wanted it flocked and I live in an apartment building and didn’t want to make a mess! I love Christmas time. Gonna be watching my favorite holiday movies, like The Grinch, Elf, The Holiday, Love Actually, etc. My boyfriend calls me Buddy the Elf because of my love of scheduling and sugar!

Major congratulations on your rockin’ new single “Dirty Enough For Hardcore,” which is available wherever finer music is sold! Starting at the tip-top, what inspired you and Erik Kertes to write this gem?

First off, I write the lyrics and then Erik and I build from there. I was just thinking about a guy that was into me and how I felt about him. He was too clean cut. I prefer my men to be edgier. A little dirty.

“Dirty Enough For Hardcore” was produced by the ever-amazing Sean Hurwitz of Smash Mouth fame, alongside Gregg Cash of Josh Todd & the Conflict fame. What was it like collaborating with Sean and Gregg on this new single?

What does your touring/performing dance card look like in the coming weeks and months?

I have a show on December 15th at The Viper Room in LA! Not sure what we have after that. My momager handles my bookings!

Who inspires you musically?

I love Bon Jovi. Their music just has such catchy choruses that I love. Max Martin, who’s co-written with Bon Jovi, is a genius and has so many hits! Just an endless amount. I love catchy rock music. Some of my favorite more current bands are Avenged Sevenfold, their music is epic. “A Little Piece of Heaven” is one of my favorite songs of theirs. I also love Falling In Reverse who opened for them. I also love classic rock like the Eagles, Tom Petty, and Crosby, Stills, Nash!

You celebrated the release of “Dirty Enough For Hardcore’ by performing at the legendary Troubadour in L.A. What was that experience like?

It was great! The place was packed which is always nice.

I performed a new song for the first time that I wrote with Gregg Cash and Sean Hurwitz called “No Crown in this Dead Town.” Everyone loved it!

In your humble opinion, what differentiates your music and “Dirty Enough For Hardcore” from the distinguished competition on the 2023 music scene?

I love working with them! We’ve written a lot of music together. We didn’t write this one, but we’ve come up with a lot of great songs. I personally think it’s more special being in there and writing the song together than just producing it. I’m not in the room when they produce the record!

It’s better! I think a lot of music today has just a vibe and misses the most important part to a song which is the chorus. I think “Dirty Enough” has a really catchy chorus.

Can you introduce our ever-inquisitive readers to the other amazing musicians who plied their musical alchemy into making “Dirty Enough For Hardcore” a reality?

I just think it makes me genuine because I have lived in LA my whole life I don’t feel like I have to prove anything to anyone. So I just write with a clean slate of experience without any type of agenda.

Of course! We had Ronen Gordon on drums and Lincoln Cleary on keys and of course Gregg Cash on bass and Sean Hurwitz on guitar

How is “Dirty Enough For Hardcore” similar to some of your past music? How is it different?

In the wake of the release of the new single, can fans look forward to an EP or LP release from you in 2024?

It’s similar in that it has that tongue in cheek element that most of my music has, but it’s different sound wise.

My first album was a lot more pop, well dark pop, and this one is definitely Rock!

Yes, 100%. The EP is called Misery in Heaven and is gonna have around 4 or 5 songs on it!

You were born and raised in LA. How do those roots inform you as an artist and as a person?

Orlando Pineda

We’re excited to have time today with acclaimed actor Orlando Pineda; Happy New Year and greetings and salutations, Orlando! Before we meander down the celluloid Q&A pathway, how did the recent holidays treat you and yours?

I’m very excited to talk with you! Happy holidays and happy new year to you as well, it was great, very chill in my house with my closest friends, which I love.

Congratulations on your upcoming star turn in the Netflix mini-series Griselda which is set to premiere this January 25! Starting at the tip-top, can you explain to our ever-inquisitive readers what Griselda is about and how your character of Dixon Trujillo Blanco figures into the proceedings?

Thank you so much! The show is based on the life of Griselda Blanco the drug lord that expanded the route from Colombia to Miami for cocaine trafficking, she started it before Pablo Escobar was even in the picture. You’ll see her developing into a powerful ruthless woman, her as a mother, and her dealing with the “machismo” in this world. And Dixon is her eldest son, the trouble-maker that is really just a reflection of her life on her kids, he will constantly want her attention and approval.

Because of your own personal connections with this true story, did you know as soon as you were approached with the possibility of being in Griselda that this was a production you wanted to be a part of?

Well I didn’t really know it was about Griselda Blanco until I met with the director after 3 callbacks. But if I had known from the beginning, absolutely. It is a powerful story and I feel honored I get to be part of the cast bringing it to you.

Speaking of your own connection to the source material for Griselda, did this help you out in your preparations for your role as Dixon? How deep down the rabbit hole did you go in doing research for this part?

Yes, and no. My dad is a General in the Colombian Army and he fought against the Cali Cartel back in the 90’s so I always grew up with a soldier mentality, very against everything “cartels” represent. But when I got the role, I called my dad and we started talking about everything he remembered from those days and all of that information definitely helped me develop my character. I went deep with my questions I kept my dad on the phone for hours, asking about stories, people, characteristics of these criminals, patterns, EVERYTHING. You work with such a talented ensemble of actors in Griselda, including the likes of the ever-amazing Sofia Vergara, Alberto Guerra and Alberto Ammann among many others. What was it like exercising your own considerable acting chops alongside this top-notch cast?

It was a dream come true. They are so talented and humble, it really amazed me and taught me a lot. I went into this experience with the will to learn from them and they not only

taught me a lot but gave me the confidence to do my own work and treated me like an equal. Lots of respect, trust and love.

Your director on Griselda is the talented Andrés Baiz.

What was your collaboration process like in working with Andrés? Is he what some actors might call “an actor’s director”?

Andi is the absolute best, he is a mix of talent, humor, and dedication I haven’t seen before. He is an “actor’s director” he would always ask everyone what they thought of the scene, how our characters were moving forward, what could we all do better for the story. It was never just his saying when it came to acting, he always made sure we were doing our best, and he trusted us with everything.

What fascinates you the most about the craft of acting?

How a movie, a scene, or even one line can make a person change their life completely. It is fascinating how much power there is in acting, we get to make people feel, inspire them, think about life beyond their 9 to 5. It’s just powerful.

Your first credited performance as an actor came in the form of - appropriately enough, considering your new turn in Griselda - the 2014 short film Black Widow. Any special memories of that freshman production?

Wow I hadn’t realized that until this question. It was a college short film so it was very messy and slow but I remember having lots of fun with my friends, and not seeing the final product ever.

Who inspires you, acting-wise?

At the moment, Pedro Pascal. A Latino acting stories from all ethnicities, in all periods of time, being versatile and delivering in every single role is just amazing.

What do you have coming up after Griselda in terms of acting? Did the recent SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes sort of help you in taking stock with what you want to accomplish as an actor in the future?

You’ll have to keep up with my journey to see what’s next.

The strike was a very still period of time for me, but as soon as it ended everything started rolling again for me.

At the end of the day, what do you hope audiences walk away with after watching the new Netflix mini-series Griselda?

I hope they walk out wanting more.

Final - SILLY! - Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies - Living In Oblivion, Ed Wood, Barton Fink or Once Upon A Time In Hollywood?

I love Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, it is a masterpiece and a love letter to Hollywood, so I’ll choose that one.

Marco DelVecchio

We’re super-excited to be speaking today with acclaimedmodel, comedian, podcast host, actor, and - wait for it! - newly minted reality star Marco DelVecchio; greetings and salutations, Marco! Before we meander down the proverbial Q&A pathway, how is the 2023 holiday season treating you?

Hey there! Thanks for taking the time to chat with me. This holiday season is treating me well so far! I’ve gotten the opportunity to spend some quality time with family and friends as well as stay consistently busy with work, which is always good.

Major congratulations on your star turn in the brandspankin’ new season of the hot dating competition series FBOY ISLAND! Can you explain to our ever-inquisitive readers exactly what the premise of FBOY ISLAND is?

So, on FBOY Island, there are 3 ladies, 24 guys, and throughout a series of dates, mixers, and challenges, the ladies try to weed out the FBOYS and find a “nice guy” to potentially start a relationship with off the island. If one of the females ends up with anFboy, he has the power to either take $100 grand from her or split the money, whereas nice guys automatically split the money 50/50.

What led you into the adventure which is FBOY ISLAND? I was contacted via Instagram about the show and the casting director, Chanel Perillo, said I’d be perfect for it (which I didn’t know was a compliment or an insult haha).

I had recently gotten out of a long-termrelationship so I saw the opportunity as a perfect time to potentially meet someone new as well as have fun in the process.

Do you feel that the social experiment quality of FBOY ISLAND is basically a mirror onto our own society in 2023?

I think it does mirror our own society in a way because labels constantly get thrown out and projected on guys based on their behavior/lifestyle/friend group. So, if “said guys” can be placed in an environment where they are forced to establish real connections and get to know a female companion, without any outside distractions or influences, the whole mantra of “judging a book by its cover” is obsolete.

Did you come to any discoveries about yourself during your time on FBOY ISLAND? The main discovery I made while on FBOY Island was that I don’t need alcohol to have fun or be funny. FBOY Island is a sarcastic dating show and the root of all the entertainment is comedy. We didn’t drink much nor get drunk at all, and my background is stand up comedy. I usually have a couple drinks before I go on stage, but having this experience where I was sober the entire time gave me the confidence to be funny and be myself without that crutch or influence.

In your opinion, what differentiates FBOY ISLAND from the Distinguished Competition on the 2023 television reality dating competition scene?

FBOY Island is quite possibly the funniest reality show on TV and rather than having drama and people getting drunk be the main focus of the show like most reality shows do, the entertainment comes from the cast’s and producer’s innate sense of humor.

As we noted at the top, you’re a respected model, actor, comedian, and podcast host. Can you talk with us about what you have coming up in the near-future in the above endeavors?

I’m hoping to continue to grow my podcast and bring on influential guests from all aspects of entertainment. I’d love to travel more around the country for comedy shows and eventually book a national tour. Acting wise, the commercial world has been great to me thus far, but I hope to book a lead role in a film or get cast on a hit sitcom. Modeling wise, I’m just going to stay in the best shape possible because if you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready!

You hail from Providence, RI. How do those roots inform you as a person and as an actor, model and comedian?

Hailing from Providence, RI and the smallest state in the country, I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder and when you come from nothing all you want to do is be the best possible and prove everyone who doubted you wrong.

I want to put Providence on the map and my full Italian roots, which are pretty prevalent in Providence, really exude in my work ethic, sense of family and comedic performances.

As a comedian, where do you gather most of your material?

Most of my material comes from real life experiences that happen to me on a daily basis. I live a pretty interesting life and have a funny group of friends so there’s always an opportunity to write new material/stories.

Who inspires you acting-wise?

My biggest inspiration acting wise would have to be Ryan Reynolds. I love his range and innate comedic abilities, as well as his business minded work ethic!

Wrapping this up, how is the third season of FBOY ISLAND similar to the two prior seasons? How is it different?

I would say the third season of FBOY Island is much more interesting than the first two primarily because of the cast.

Everyone was on their game and absolutely hilarious and really embraced the characters of how the show was going to portray them. Much more memorable to say the least.

Muna Otaru

We’re very excited to have some time today with acclaimed and award-winning actress Muna Otaru; greetings and salutations, Muna! Before we dive into the Q&A celluloid deep-end, how is the freshly-minted holiday season of 2023 treating you?

Greetings to you too! London is a little “extra” when it comes to Christmas, the streets are filled with lights and holiday cheer, it puts you right in the Christmas spirit. I’ve just finished my Christmas shopping too and that’s a record for me.

Congratulations on a very busy 2023, SAG-AFTRA strike or not! Starting at the tip-top, you were featured in a star turn in the rightly lauded series Dreaming Whilst Black. For anyone that might have missed the series and your work in it, can you talk about what the show is about and how your character of Stephanie figured into the proceedings?

Dreaming Whilst Black is a comedy/drama about a young, Black British filmmaker, Kwabena, trying to make it the British film industry. My character Stephanie is friends with Grace, Kwab’s mum. She is concerned about her son, Dorvin and the new friends he’s hanging out with and elicits Kwabena’s help to look out for him.

Good things. All good things.

Who inspires you, acting-wise?

Oh man, Jeffrey Wright, Alfre Woodard, Ellen Burstyn, Gary Oldman, Julianne Moore, Phil Hoffman (RIP) to name a few.

You were born in Liverpool, England to Nigerian parents and were raised in Lagos, Nigeria. How do those seemingly disparate roots inform you not only as an actress, but also a person?

It’s helped me understand that there are different rhythms of ways of life in different parts of the world.

My interpretation of how a character might react in a situation in say, Lagos, could be very different from how the same character would react if it were set in London.

Your first credited on-screen work came in the form of the 2001 short film Pottersville. Any special memories of that freshman production?

Wow that’s taking me back! I was still trying to find my footing as an actor and it was great introduction to working on set.

What was it like exercising your own considerable acting chops alongside the other talented thespians in Dreaming Whilst Black?

Did your breakthrough performance in 2014’s The Keeping Room fundamentally alter the type of roles you were being offered up until that point?

It really feels as if everyone brought their respective A-games!

Yes. My experience working on the film was not only a masterclass in carrying the weight of a character like Mad, but also continues to inform how I show up to work on other roles.

Thank you for saying that! The cast were so generous and collaborative and fun! I think everyone felt invested in bringing Adjani’s vision to life because it resonated so deeply with us and it carries such an important message amid all its hilarity.

You also had a memorable turn in the 2023 series Silent Witness where you played a character called Sheila. What attracted you to this compelling character?

It’s challenging playing a character torn between wanting to save her son’s life but knowing it could mean the demise of another child. It’s a tight rope to walk. Plus, Silent Witness is an iconic British drama and I felt honoured to be invited to be a part of it.

With the aforementioned SAG-AFTRA strike officially resolved, is 2024 shaping up to be another busy year for you? Can you give our ever-inquisitive readers a hint or three as to what you have coming up?

We’d possibly be remiss to not bring up your short but sweet turn in one of our all-time favorite television series, LOST! What was it like to ply your craft on what is now considered one of the best ongoing TV series of all time?

It was my first job out of acting school, and it set a high bar for me. Shooting in Oahu, Hawaii wasn’t too bad either.

Final - SILLY! - Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies - Living In Oblivion, The Player, Ed Wood or Once Upon a Time In Hollywood?

It’s not a silly question, it’s right on topic with Dreaming Whilst Black. Right, my answer is Living in Oblivion but I would like to give an honourable mention to Boogie Nights.

Bill Dawes

We’re very happy to be speaking today with award-winning actor, comedian, producer and writer Bill Dawes; greetings and salutations, Bill! Before we dive down the film and television Q&A rabbit hole, how is the freshly-minted 2023 holiday season treating you?

Haha it’s complicated to say the least. Lots of family members, a two year old, baby mamas, and the political spectrum ranges from proHamas to Git ‘er done!

Major congratulations on all of your upcoming work! Starting at the tip-top, what can you tell our ever-inquisitive readers about your acting and producing turns in both Aloha Also Means Goodbye and Operation Taco Gary’s?

I just gave some money to Aloha, which is truly the lowest form of producing. But for “Operation Taco Gary’s,” I was involved from the beginning: developing the script, considering the cast, and even acting in it. It’s a truly unique comedy movie with it truly unique voice - my best bud Michael Kvamme - and I really hope people resonate to it.

We noted,you not only acted in Aloha Also Means Goodbye and Operation Taco Gary’s, you also served as a producer; kudos! Is producing something you want to continue to pursue alongside your acting?

I think I would give it all up to be a successful producer. The idea that you can show up whenever you want, sit in a chair in video village, and literally get catered to while you offer your silly opinions on stuff is truly mind-blowing. Who wouldn’t want that for a life??! Just don’t make me raise money.

You’ve got a slew of other forthcoming film and television work that we’re looking forward to, Not to mention recent work on projects like “Alaska Daily” opposite Hilary Swank, The Other Two on HBO Max and “Mo” on Netflix. In the spirit of the holidays though, what can you tell us about two Christmas offerings: Mistletoe Massacre and Christmas Couples Retreat?

Who inspires you acting-wise?

The biggest inspiration, for my acting is my acting mentor Jeff Weiss, who passed away last year. He taught me that it’s possible to give yourself 100% on stage while also being present to everyone else needs on stage. It’s almost a magic trick when you can pull it off. Watching Dennis Quaid on bass Reeves was incredibly inspiring because he acts like a 20 year old kid with so much joy in his heart doing it.

Your first credited work came in the form of a 1997 episode of the television series Feds. Any special memories of that freshman production?

Well, I shaved my head and played a neo-Nazi. I remember the call back was with Dick Wolf, the legendary creator of “Law and Order.” At one point during the audition, I made the choice to ferociously snap at the reader. I saw Dick Wolf jump in the seat. And hey, I got the offer. It was really fun playing innocent looking guy who is actually a Nazi. I love roles like that.

Word‘round industry campfire has it that you have an Aerospace Engineering degree from no less of a bastion of higher education than Princeton - Kudos and accolades! Was it always in the cards that you would segue from Aerospace Engineering into acting?

It was definitely not in the cards I would segue from engineering to acting. Like most things in life, it just sort of happened, casually and inexorably. By the time my parents realized I was a full-time actor, it was too late to go back. My course had been set. That’s why I don’t believe and things like having a back up plan. Go all in. Always. And even if you don’t succeed the way you might have initially hoped you would, Leif always has a way of opening up to you if you work hard and have integrity.

As we noted at the top, you’re a respected and very funny comedian. In this very serious day and age, is it more difficult than ever to navigate being funny without potentially offending someone? Or does that possibility come as part of the job?

Mistletoe Massacre and Christmas Couples retreat are both pretty silly comedies. One of them is a comedy horror and the other one is “mistletoe massacre.” Sorry couldn’t resist, but they’re both silly little indies I did with friends.

And if you’re not offending someone, you’re doing something wrong. I don’t feel like I’ve done a good show until at least three or four people have left the audience. Otherwise, what are you doing? Talking about how parking at Whole Foods difficult? Screw that.

Rounding those projects off are the current Paramount+ TV hit “Lawman: Bass Reeves” in which you work opposite David Oyelowo and Dennis Quaid to name a few. How was that experience.

Your most recent lauded Broadway role was Mickey Mantle in the MLBproduced Bronx Bombers. As an actor, what is it about performing to a live audience that fuels your fire? Is it the immediacy and the instant reactions which you and your fellow thespians receive which can’t be duplicated on screen?

Those are two masters at the top of their game. Working with them was really incredible. Watching their dedication and joy and love of the craft was truly inspiring and mind blowing. My only regret was that I didn’t get to work with them more. Or even tell them how honored I was to work with them.

You brushed off the Underwood typewriter awhile back and wrote for two of our favorite and quirky actors, Michael C. Hall and Jamie Kennedy! What was it like serving as a wordsmith for these two talented individuals, and can we look forward to seeing more industry writing projects from you in the future?

For Jamie kennedy, I helped write his Comedy Central stand-up special.

That was amazing because it was a combination of being on the road with him for four years. Mike Hall was just an old buddy who did a voice over as a favor for a sketch. I have written movie scripts and TV scripts, and but I’m mostly happy, just coming on board and offering my two cents here and there. The idea of writing a full script right now is very daunting to me.

That’s a great question. Throughout the years, people talk about how theater is dying and stuff like that. But theater and live stand up will never die, because at the end of the day, there is nothing more viscerally dynamic than creating art in real time in a room of real people. I think humans desperately crave that shared experience. And it’s partially why Broadway is doing better than ever, but movie theaters are still struggling.

Final- SILLY! - Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies Living In Oblivion, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, The Player, Barton Fink or Swimming With Sharks Again, this is a brilliant question. I’ve seen all these movies clearly. And I know the inside scoop and inspiration for almost all of these movies. I think I have to go with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood because Quentin Tarantino has an uncanny ability to make a cohesive movie that covers about 50 themes of movie-making and what it means to be a fragile and flawed human living in this crazy world.

Sigi Ravet

Can you tell us a little about your latest project Lessons in Chemistry and what it was like to work on that show?

From the first table read to my final shoot day, it felt like a collaborative process and there was just this energetic buzz. The Hastings Lab group had instant chemistry; we jived immediately and definitely laughed way too hard. I still talk to the other secretaries and scientists. It was a special experience to step into that world and make magic together.

We’re excited to be speaking today with actress, writer and producer Sigi Ravet; greetings and salutations, Sigi! Before we meander down the proverbial celluloid Q&A interview pathway, how is the freshly-minted 2023 holiday season treating you?

Thank you so much for having me! The holiday started early with the SAG-AFTRA strike ending. Now I’m just excited to get back to work!

Major congratulations on your upcoming turn in the film Do I Shock U Like Lightning! Can you tell our ever-inquisitive readers what this intriguing-sounding upcoming film is about?

Thank you! The movie is about a failed artist who decides to leave LA for good, but a chance encounter with a stranger reignites his creative spark. It’s definitely a story artists will be able to relate to, since so many of us have felt the desire to call it quits... until something or someone inspires us to keep on pushing. Many times over!

What was it like working with director Kahlil Maskati on Do I Shock U Like Lightning? Is he what some actors might refer to as “an actor’s director”?

Kahlil and I have actually worked together before on the short film Revenge Tour, and it was a lovely surprise to get an offer for this role. He is definitely a director who gets “down and dirty” with the actors, and is also very open to improv, which I personally live for.

Do I Shock U Like Lightning features an amazing ensemble which includes the likes of Omar Maskati, Malia Aiello, Malcolm Nicholas and Sierra Santana, among others. What was it like exercising your own considerable acting chops alongside this talented lot of thespians?

I have also worked with Omar before (as well as Malgosia Tolak) and it was so fun reconnecting with them on set!

I didn’t get to work with the other actors quite as much but wait till you hear Malia’s incredible voice. Filming was a collaborative and relaxed vibe and everyone was super friendly.

You have another film currently in production entitled Sallywood from director Xaque Gruber. Can you talk a little about this film and tell us how your character of Willow figures into the proceedings?

Willow is so great and was definitely one of my favorite characters to play. She’s a quirky and eager casting director.

What’s not to love?!

What has it been like working with the legendary Sally Kirkland in Sallywood?

Sally was such a character! Bigger than life and just so entertaining to watch and be around.

Acting-wise, who inspires you?

I have always been inspired by Natalie Portman, Felicity Jones, and Mila Kunis. I am also frequently compared to Alison Brie and basically love everything she ever does, so I’ll take it!

Your first credited work came in the form of 2007’s Ghost Image. Any special memories of that freshman production?

I don’t recall much, but I do remember shooting a group scene in the cold weather, freezing my butt off, and thinking, “I’ve never had more fun and would like to do this for the rest of my life.”

You’ve worked as both a producer and a casting director during your career in film and television. Is it difficult to balance your acting alongside the producing and casting, or is it something that flows pretty easily?

I absolutely love casting and giving other actors roles -- it is the best feeling to write someone an offer email that I myself would love to receive, since I know too well what it’s like to be on the other side. I have produced several of my short films, digital series, and plays, and though it can be challenging to shut off my “producer brain” and turn on my “actor brain”, it does offer more control with the overall product so there are definite perks. Ultimately though, I’m happy to just be an actor on set!

In 2015 you were the writer of the short film SigNHil. Is writing something you enjoy, and can we look forward to more writing endeavors from you in the future?

I love writing personal essays and wedding speeches and have performed in many storytelling shows around LA. Writing a script from scratch on my own has never been my speciality, but I do love punching up a script and/or collaborating with a partner, like I did with my dear friend Hilary. Nothing is better than finishing each other’s sentences and having your dialogue just click. It is also a gratifying feeling to write yourself a role you dream of playing, so I imagine there will be more, yes!

A very belated kudos and congrats for your Best Actress win for your film Optimistic Realist at the Portland Comedy Film Festival! Can you talk about what that particular honor and recognition meant to you as an actress?

Thank you!! It meant a lot on multiple levels. My then-newboyfriend (now husband... phew!) wrote this script based on my experience as a Hebrew school teacher who gets advice from her wise 5th graders. We cast my actual students and filmed with the overwhelming support of our community.

To say it was a passion project is an understatement. My husband and I attended various film festivals together representing the film, and it was particularly touching to receive this award because I was in the mix with other actors I admire.

Final - SILLY! - Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies - Living In Oblivion, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The Player, Swimming With Sharks or Barton Fink?

I’m going to add my own and say La La Land! It’s relevant because it was one of the inspirations for Optimistic Realist and is featured in our movie... which you can check out here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHC6qu79DMw

Susan Gallagher We’re very happy to be speaking today with acclaimed actress Susan Gallagher; holiday greetings and salutations, Susan! Before we meander down the proverbial Q&A pathway, how is the 2023 holiday season treating you thus far?

19! Starting at the top, a clarification for our ever-inquisitive readers: Is the title of the film Merry Good Christmas or is it Merry Good Enough? We’ve seen both titles used in reference to the film (personally, we like ‘em both)!

I’ve always loved the holidays so this is a special time of year for me and my family. Having several projects airing in December certainly adds to the excitement and I’m very busy, but full of gratitude.

This beautiful indie film, MERRY GOOD ENOUGH, is a dark comedy with heart. Instead of Merry Christmas, it’s Merry Good Enough.

Major congratulations on your upcoming new film Merry Good Christmas which is set to premiere across all VOD channels this December

Can you tell us what this new film is about and how your character of Carol figures into the proceedings?

Writer Caroline Keene’s story is sorta like a reverse Home Alone, but my character, Carol (the Mom) turns up missing just before Christmas.

It’s a relatable story about a dysfunctional family and the struggles in those relationships, especially daughter Lucy (brilliantly played by the Raye Levine Spielburg) and her Mom, Carol. This film will make you laugh and cry, so if you love Christmas, this film is for you or if you hate Christmas, this film is for you.

Your directors on this Yuletide motion picture are the very talented Caroline Keene and Dan Kennedy. What was it like working alongside these two? Were they what some actors might refer to as “an actor’s director”?

Caroline and Dan work together really well. They both are very talented and have a calming energy, which makes for a better and more natural performance for all us actors. When the tone at the top is calm, it trickles down through the crew and the cast, which makes for a loving family environment throughout. It was an absolute pleasure working with them, but hard to say goodbye to Carol, this script, cast and crew.

You flex your considerable acting chops in the film with an equally talented cast including the likes of Joel Murray, Sawyer Spielberg and Comfort Clinton. What was it like working with this talented ensemble?

The entire cast was remarkable to work with and since it’s not a big budget project, it was more of a labor of love for us all. When the writing is this relatable, it makes the entire experience enjoyable for everyone.

You’ve also got another big film set to rule the holiday box-office, Fast Charlie which stars Pierce Brosnan and which is set for release this December 8! What can you tell us about this intriguing-sounding production?

Yes! FAST CHARLIE is on VOD and received 100% from Rotten Tomatoes and great reviews from the Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, etc. It’s also the last film done by the late great James Caan. This Mississippi mobster story has humor and romance and Pierce is more charming than ever. My character, Celine, is married to high school sweetheart and mobster, Benny, played by Toby Huss. I have a very intense scene with Pierce, who is a true gentleman and a very generous actor.

What was it like working with Fast Charlie director Phillip Noyce?

I absolutely adore Australian Director, Phillip Noyce! He a brilliant filmmaker and generously shares his vast knowledge with his cast and crew. He’s a natural born teacher and an actor’s director. Cannot wait to work with him again soon!

I would be remiss if I didn’t ask you about your fun turn in the hit Netflix series Cobra Kai! Did you sign up for this character in the series as a fan of the original Karate Kid film? And what’s it like sharing the screen with nigh mythical 1980s onscreen bully extraordinaire, William Zabka?

Of course, I was a fan of the Karate Kid movies, but was determined to book the role of homeless Lynn because I was trying to break out of the very small box the business had me in. Playing this sassy/filthy character and being unrecognizable has been a blast and liberating.

Delivering the hilarious one-liners to Johnny Lawerence that creators Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, and Hayden Schloosberg come up with, has made playing Lynn one of my favorite roles ever. Lynn and Johnny, played by the legendary William Zabka, have an interesting chemistry to watch onscreen and provides Johnny some much needed humor to his drama filled life. Billy is easy to work with and I’m glad the world gets to see what a great actor he is. The best part has been to meet and interact with all the loyal fans of KK/CK and I feel blessed to be a part of something so special to so many people.

You’ve got a whole slew of upcoming productions in the Hollywood pipeline! What can you tell us about Boots and Trenches, Lawyers Gone Bad, Finding Home and A Taste of Love?

I’m thrilled to share that A Taste of Love has just been picked up by Hallmark and will air on the Hallmark Channel the first quarter of 2024. It stars Erin Cahill, Jesse Kove, Martin Kove and I where I play Martin’s wife and Erin’s Mom. Jesse is actually Martin’s son in real life and was also in Cobra Kai. The Karate Kid/Cobra Kai fans will be very excited to see the 3 of us together playing such different type roles in this lovely Hallmark film. A Taste of Love is set and filmed in the beautiful Dunedin, Florida area. Michael May’s, cinematography highlights the beauty and charm of Florida beaches and the perfect backdrop for a Hallmark classic.

What are your feelings on the recently resolved SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes? Are you relieved that work is back in full-swing for everyone in the industry?

I’m relieved the strike is over even though we have a long way to go figuring out how to best navigate A.I. You have your own production house which is called Her Little Red Productions. What inspired you to hang out your shingle on the production side of the fence?

Back in 2014, I was getting tired of waiting for my Agent to call and was inspired by some other friends creating their own projects. I was finally at an age where I wasn’t afraid to fail and wanted to have some control over my work and career. It’s been a learning curve, but I’ve produced several award winning docs and short films. I’m thrilled to share that I’m currently developing an awesome project and hope to begin filming before Spring of 2024, so stay tuned.

Final - SILLY! - Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies - The Player, Barton Fink, The Big Picture, Living In Oblivion or Swimming With Sharks? The Big Picture -I like Kevin Bacon Merry Good Enough -Trivia: Star Raye Levine Spielberg is the real life wife of Sawyer Spielberg and love interests in the film Thanks so much for having me. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

IG: iamsusangallagher FB: Susan Gallagher Official IMDB.me/SusanGallagher

Spencer Moss

We’re very happy to have some time today with acclaimed and very busy actress Spencer Moss; greetings and salutations, Spencer!

Before we dive into the proverbial celluloid Q&A rabbit hole, how is the 2023 holiday season treating you and yours?

I love this time of year! My family just spent one week in Italy for Thanksgiving and it was beautiful! My older brother was studying in Rome, so it was great for all six of us to be together eating pasta and gelato! I loved Venice, it was like nothing I’d ever seen before!

And of course, the Vatican in Rome was beautiful! We took a lot of tours, so it was educational and I learned a lot!

Major congratulations on your star-turn as the voice behind the character of Harper in the freshly-minted new sophomore season of Dreamworks’ Dew Drop Diaries! For anyone who may have missed out on the first season, can you explain what Dew Drop is all about and how your character of Harper figures into the proceedings?

Dew Drop Diaries follows a group of three-inch tall family fairies — or as they’re known in the fairy world Dew Drops — who live inside teensy fairy houses on brownstone balcony gardens in “The Big City.” They have been assigned to human families to secretly help out around the house with the little things that can often fall through the cracks, like making sure your first lost tooth actually makes it under your pillow before bedtime or your favorite toy doesn’t get left behind at the park. The best thing is the parents can’t see them, but the kids know they are there!

How is the second season of Dew Drop Diaries similar to the first?

How is it different?

The second season has more of the same adventures as the first! In the latest season, Harper gets up to lots of adventures that are resolved with the help of Eden and the Dew Drops - from accidentally leaving Wilford (her pet) at home, on her way to the Fairhaven Pet Get Together to finding the missing ingredient for her mom’s favorite dessert on Mother’s Day and getting to the bottom of a mysterious noise in her bedroom. What I love the most about the show is that it teaches an important message. Kids need to have an “attitude of gratitude” with the idea that even if you’ve had a bad day or things don’t go exactly as planned, there are still things to be thankful for!

As an accomplished actress who has made a huge impact on the live-action filmmaking and television scene in such projects as This Is Us and Stolen, what are the differences between acting on camera versus lending your vocal prowess to an animated effort such as Dew Drop Diaries? Is one more challenging than another?

They each have their own challenges! Most times with voice acting you are alone in a booth, so you really have to use your imagination when delivering your lines. Usually, I give Rick and Aliki three different takes and they decide what they like best! I love acting on camera because you meet so many more people, but it is also a lot of sitting away and waiting for your turn as opposed to voice acting, it is all about you during your session! I love each type of acting equally!

What’s it like exercising your own considerable acting and vocal

chops alongside your Dew Drop Diaries co-stars, Scarlett Estevez, Sydney Mikayla, and ViviAnn Yee? I love them, they are so kind! Mikayla and ViviAnn are both in college and Scarlett just turned 16, so they are all older than me. I definitely look up to them and their amazing careers! Plus they are all super smart and beautiful!

In your humble opinion, what differentiates Dew Drop Diaries from the Distinguished Competition on the television landscape?

The series depicts diverse characters with different body types, abilities, talents, personalities, backgrounds, and interests that accurately represent the beautiful, colorful world we live in. The animation is super duper colorful and there are so many wonderful messages!

Who inspires you, acting-wise?

That is a tough question to answer! I think Jenna Ortega is so amazing! She is a Disney star from Stuck in the Middle and now the star of Wednesday! I am a huge fan! Also, literally ANYONE in Harry Potter as I am obsessed!

Word ‘round industry campfire has it that when you’re not acting you can be found very much engaged in the world of competitive dancing! Can you talk about what it is about competitive dancing which makes it a big passion in your life?

Oh my gosh! Are they making smores?! Just kidding! You are one hundred percent correct. Dancing is my life! I train at least 20 to 30 hours a week! I am now the youngest company member working for Streetz Dance Convention! We just had our orientation in Houston this past weekend and I had the time of my life! When I am dancing, I feel free!

Your first credited on screen work came in the form of 2016’s American Fable. Any special memories of that freshman production?

I was five when I filmed that movie! Believe it or not, we have maintained a super close friendship with the director of that movie, Anne Hamilton! We have some exciting projects down the pipeline!!

You’ve got a short film in the pipeline which is entitled Killer Set and is directed by Maura Kidwell; congrats! What can you tell our ever-inquisitive readers about this and any other projects you have forthcoming in 2024?

I have known Maura Kidwell for years and she asked me to be part of her new short film. Killer Set is a window into the life of a sociopathic funeral home director and her quest for adult friendship. Spencer plays the chilling young version of the lead character, Susan.

At the end of the day, what do you hope viewers walk away with after checking out the second season of Dew Drop Diaries?

I hope viewers simply feel happy after watching Dew Drop Diaries.

It is a sweet show about having gratitude and loving one another, something we all need right now!

Laurel and Brendan Brady We’re very excited to have some time today with award-winning sibling filmmakers Laurel and Brendan Brady! Before we start, how has your 2023 been?

Laurel Brady: My 2023 has been really good so far! It’s been a mixture of CHRONIC being screened at a number of amazing festivals, consulting and story editing on some wonderful writers’ scripts, and working on my writing projects that are in development.

Brendan Brady: 2023 has been a great year. In addition to Chronic premiering at festivals around the world, A feature film I executive produced, Fitting In, premiered at TIFF, the final season of Letterkenny, which I was a producer on, is set to air on Christmas, and I started my own production company, Accent Aigu Entertainment with my business partner, Jacob Tierney.

Congratulations on your new film CHRONIC! Laurel, for anyone not in the know, can you explain the series of very personal events which inspired CHRONIC and how that translated to the final screenplay of the new film?

Thank you so much! So, I sustained a mild traumatic brain injury and whiplash from a work-related injury back in 2019 and wasn’t allowed to work for 6 months. It was an incredibly painful, debilitating, and extremely lonely experience. The injury itself is tricky. It’s taken years to heal, and even now, I still have chronic pain and certain after-effects that I’m living with.

I initially wrote the drama-comedy TV pilot version of “Chronic” ten months after my injury which ended up becoming a semi-finalist at LA’s Screencraft’s TV Pilot Competition. I then decided to write the short to explore the terrible, misunderstood (and sometimes darkly funny experience) of going through a brain injury and also let it act as proof of concept for the larger project. Brendan was naturally my first choice to team up with as a director and my co-producer because a) he’s awesome, and b) he has his own experience with chronic pain, so he understood what I was going for.

I really wanted the short to touch on the private grief around experiencing a body and mind that has been changed due to injury and illness while also exploring the situational humor of navigating your new reality. After my injury, I found many people didn’t necessarily understand what a brain injury feels like or how debilitating it can be, so I wanted to infuse the short with some of the same hyper-extreme versions of loved ones not getting it or being thoughtless juxtaposed with the relief of finally connecting with folks who do!

Brendan, from the very beginning of the creative process for the film, was humor always a major player in the script?

100%. Laurel infused the script with a lot of humour, and it was very important to her to show that even in stressful, traumatic experiences, there can still be moments of levity. This is essential to how Laurel is in real life. We also have a shared sense of gallows humour, so it was easy to jump into it.

Laurel, relating somewhat to my last question to Brendan, how big of a part was having a sense of humor essential for your own mental well-being and health after your 2019 injury?

I 100% use humour to cope, HA! If I didn’t have my sense of humor after my injury, I think I would have become an angry, awful, shell of a person, so thank god I did my best to keep laughing through the literal pain. Although some days were harder than others, my sense of humour 100% got me through. I also think from a storytelling perspective, humour opens audiences up for tougher conversations while also making a story enjoyable and funny, which, let’s face it, we need more opportunities to laugh. In general, I’m constantly finding the balance between light and dark in my work and my life.

Brendan, what makes YouTube the perfect home for CHRONIC? There’s just no other platform with a global reach like Youtube.

Laurel, what was it like working with such a talented and amazing cast of actors such as Nadine Bhabha, Aviva Mongillo, and Prince Amponsah on CHRONIC? They were absolutely amazing. Our whole cast, Nadine Bhabha, Aviva Mongillo, Vivien Endicott Douglas, Eva Everette Irving, Prince Amponsah, Christian Smith, and Sonny Goldstein, were the kindest, loveliest, and most talented cast we could ask for. Nadine is obviously our lead, and I was blown away at the level of work she put into getting her physicality right, how nuanced her performance was, and how she was 100% the Frankie I imagined in my head. Nadine has this beautiful ability to be absolutely hilarious one moment and heartbreaking the next which I love! We feel so lucky to have had her and the other cast in CHRONIC. Brendan, CHRONIC was originally conceived as a half-hour television series. How would a hypothetical CHRONIC TV series differ from the finished film set to premiere in January?

Chronic the series will explore a whole host of characters and their lived experiences that a short film, by virtue of it’s shortness, cannot.

It’s important to Laurel and I that we showcase a wide range of lived experiences for the television show. So we’re excited to work and collaborate with writers and consultants who can help tell these stories.

We are inspired by the show High Maitenance, so we’re taking a similar approach to the format of our show, chronicling a variety of characters who are loosely connected through a support network.

Laurel, even though you and Brendan have successful solo careers, will you two be teaming up in the future for more projects? Is that something which you both would like to have happen?

Definitely. Brendan is the coolest, most awesome person I know. ;) *BRENDAN WROTE THIS Despite putting words into my mouth, Brendan is so hilarious and talented, and I would absoluetly work with him again. Our goal is to bring the long-form version of CHRONIC to life together, so fingers crossed.

Yes, absolutely! Laurel is also amazing, and the best sister in the world so how could I not work with her again? ** LAUREL WROTE THIS. A question for the both of you: Writing and directing-wise, who inspires you?

BB: Not to be a dork, but our Mom is incredibly important to us as writers. She’s a governor-general nominated playwright, comedian, storyteller, and author. We get a lot of our sense of humor from her.

Without us even knowing it, she taught us how to craft of story.

Directing wise, I’m inspired by whole host of people. I just watched Bottoms (So good. Cannot recommend this film enough!) so for today, I’m inspired by Emma Seligman.

LB: Yes, both of our parents have this infectious love of story. We grew up in a household where creativity was celebrated, so I’d say that both of our parents are big influences on us writing and directing-wise. Fun fact: our dad was also one of the E.Ps on the film so this was truly a Brady production (along with honorary Brady and co-E.P Sonny Goldstein). Besides them, I’m obsessed with writers who balance multiple tones and/or genres - Josh Thomas, Emma Seligman, Phoebe-WallerBridge, and Greta Gerwig.

Directing-wise - I love Edgar Wright, Emma Seligman, Greta Gerwig, and honestly, obsessed with my talented pals who are up-and-comers (Katelyn McCulloch, Kat Webber, J Stevens). Not to gush, but Brendan is an insanely talented director and also one of the calmest, kindest leaders I’ve seen on set, so I’m truly inspired by him as director.

Laurel, at the end of the day what do you hope audiences walk away with after watching CHRONIC? I want audiences who live with chronic pain and/or disability to feel seen, to laugh, and to be the main POV for once. I also hope folks can feel some sort of catharsis by the end of the film. My other hope is for audiences who don’t live with this experience to be entertained, to laugh, but also to hopefully find some empathy for folks living with invisible disabilities/chronic pain. Just because a person looks painfree, doesn’t mean they aren’t physically or emotionally hurting on the inside. Ultimately, we just want people to laugh, think, and enjoy the ride!

Final - SILLY! - Question (for the both of you!): Favorite movie about the making of movies - Living In Oblivion, The Player, Barton Fink, Swimming With Sharks or The Big Picture?

BB: The Player is so good. I’m going to go watch it right now!

LB: To be totally transparent, I haven’t seen any of these. But will check them out.

BB: Laurel, how can you have never seen The Player?! Or Barton Fink!?!

Get over here now! Bring popcorn and candy…

LB: Done and done.

Inherently Lost

Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

We have been petty damn good. Playing shows, writing and recording new material. 2024 is looking good.

What can you tell us about the title and meaning behind your most recent release?

The title of our full length is called “Art of Corruption” and it’s basically just looking at the awful state of humanity and the corruption on all side of the political spectrum How was the recording and writing process?

Very smooth. We self produce which is a huge benefit not worrying about paying studio time and limited schedules.

You still have to go in prepared though.

Where did you guys find the inspiration for the song and lyrics?

Noreen and Mark handle the lyrics but, we mostly touch on the darker sides of human nature and emotions. So basically, people are awful.

Will you be hitting the road this year?

We definitely plan to get out as much as possible. I’d love to hit the festivals this summer so if any promoters are out there reading this hit us up here at inherentlylost@gmail. com .

What else is happening next in your world?

Just the usual playing heavy music, smokin’ grass and slappin’ ass. Finally finishing recording our Art Of Corruption album to be released March 2024. You can listen to our latest singles Unraveling Sanity and the Red Hot Motley Crue cover on whatever streaming service you use.