Sarah Silverman has landed a recurring role in the second season of Showtime‘s Masters Of Sex. Silverman will recur as Helen, Betty's (Annaleigh Ashford) former lesbian lover. The character is described as a palm reader who believes she's a psychic, who is still pining for Betty.
Production on Season 2 is currently underway in Los Angeles and will premiere Sunday, July 13. Silverman received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Comedy Series for The Sarah Silverman Program, and was also nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for Monk. But these days she’s maybe best known for the Emmy she won — for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics as one of the writers of that hummable tune “I’m F*cking Matt Damon”for ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Silverman will next be seen starring in Seth MacFarlane’s soon-to-be released feature A Million Ways to Die in the West. She also just wrapped production on the drama film I Smile Back in which she stars in the lead role. Silverman’s other feature-film credits include Wreck-It Ralph, Take This Waltz, and Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic. Silverman is the author of The New York Times bestseller The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption and Pee. Last year she debuted an hour-long stand-up special, We are Miracles. Additionally, Silverman is a part of JASH, a new comedy collective on YouTube featuring original content by Silverman (and friends Michael Cera, Tim and Eric and Reggie Watts).
Masters of Sex stars Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan as real-life pioneers of human sexuality, William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the series chronicles their unusual lives, romance and pop culture trajectory. Their research touched off the sexual revolution and took them from a mid-western teaching hospital in St. Louis to the cover of Time magazine. The series is an adaptation of Thomas Maier’s book Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, The Couple Who Taught America How To Love. The series was created by Michelle Ashford (The Pacific) who also serves as an executive producer. In addition, the series is executive produced by Carl Beverly, Sarah Timberman, Judith Verno and Amy Lippman. Michael Dinner, Michael Sheen, Tammy Rosen and Thomas Maier serve as producers. Masters of Sex is produced by Sony Pictures Television.
Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on Banshee [S3] & Masters Of Sex [S2]
Michael Ausiello Question: Is it too early to ask for scoop on Banshee Season 3? —Craig Ausiello:Nope. In fact, your timing is impeccable, as I just learned that soap grad Tanya Clarke (As the World Turns, One Life to Live) is joining the cast in the recurring role of Emily, a headstrong hospice nurse who also happens to be the ex-wife of Deputy Lotus!
Roger Damnit! Her audition video was on Vimeo but I wanted to wait before downloading it or linking to the blog, thinking the role will go to some other actress...F*ck me!
Lindsey McKeon-Emily-Banshee [AUDITION]
Tanya Clarke In Death Warrior
Question: Can I please get some Masters of Sex scoop? —Morgan
Ausiello:Indeed, you can. Not only is Betty back — as you already know, Annaleigh Ashford is a series regular this season — but we’ll also get to meet Helen, the newlywed’s wacky former lover. How wacky is she? She’s a palm reader who really, truly believes she’s a psychic. But, on the other hand, she’s also with-it enough to be unashamed of her lesbianism. And, since she’s still carrying a torch for Betty — and she’s probably the ex-hooker’s soul mate — I’d wager there’s some great material in store for whomever’s cast, as well as for Ashford and Greg Grunberg, who plays odd-man-out Gene. [Role description partly lifted from casting notice]
Sunday, 6 April 2014
Producer Michelle Ashford On Keke Palmer and Betsy Brandt's Roles On Masters Of Sex
Celebified was on the red carpet for the Paleyfest 2014 panel honoring Showtime's Masters of Sex where we caught up with the show's Executive Producer, Michelle Ashford. She filled us in on the unusual roles Keke Palmer and Betsy Brandt will play, and detailed the fates of Beau Bridges and Allison Janney.
Roger Keke will be around for at least 5-6 episodes. Some kind of transformation from a mousy character to becoming a strong, assertive force in Masters life. Keke grows closer to Caitlin Fitzgerald. Hints from the cast and Michelle suggest there could be nudity of some kind by Keke. It's 50/50 at the moment. Even if there was T-and-A by Keke, brace for disappointment. We're talking about Showtime here. Either they'll resort to BD or CGI.
Friday, 28 March 2014
Bullets Babe Heléne Yorke on Woody Allen, Professional Idiots and Eating Flamin' Hot Cheetos in Her Underwear
By Beth Stevens
Age: “Eleven-ish.”
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Current Role: Aspiring actress Olive Neal, a ditzy, talent-free mob moll hellbent on being a star, in Bullets Over Broadway.
Stage and Screen Cred: Marty (replacement) in Grease on Broadway, Walmartopia and What's That Smell: The Music of Jacob Sterling off-Broadway. Jane on Showtime’s Masters of Sex.
“I wasn’t a nerd or a recluse, but I didn’t grow up too fast. Does it sound like I’m bragging about myself when I say that I had a childhood?”
“Andrew Keenan-Bolger was my college roommate for two years. Instead of going to tap class, we’d be in our underwear eating Flamin' Hot Cheetos on our futon watching Paula Deen for hours.”
"I’ll never forget the first moment I stepped on a Broadway stage. It was in Grease, and I knew it was momentous. My parents were there, and I got into a cab with them afterward and started crying."
"Woody was at my callback. When I was in the waiting room, the energy of the actors in there was palpable. There was a sense that people knew they were about to go in for a living legend. It was a bit of a trip."
"I’ve always been an idiot, so doing voices and being a goof has always been a part of who I am. I didn’t find [Olive’s] voice; it just sort of was. That’s sounds so actor-y, it makes me want to barf a little. I’m so dumb, and now I’m a professional idiot. Bonus!"
"As a human being I'm a grounded person, but this character is not. It’s easy to get Chihuahua-style over-excited, so staying at a normal frequency is essential. I'm trying to pace myself."
It’s a perilous business covering entertainment. I nearly choked to death at a Bafta dinner recently, and on Wednesday I thought I might die laughing as I watched the great musical Bullets Over Broadway that Woody Allen and Susan Stroman are putting together at the St James Theatre. It’s based on Allen’s 1994 picture about a struggling Twenties playwright forced to cast a gangster’s moll — whose theatrical roles until then have been limited to ‘wiggling’ at risqué revues — in order to get his play staged on Broadway. Zach Braff plays David Shayne, the rather precious writer, with Helene Yorke as Olive Neal the ‘wiggler’.
One of my favourite moments involved Helene Yorke (pictured with Zach Braff and Lenny Wolpe) singing a deliciously salacious old vaudeville song called I Want A Hot Dog For My Roll
Stroman explained that Marin Mazzie, who plays diva Helen Sinclair, was off with a flu bug the day I went, but I’m hoping to catch her before I leave town.
The show is in previews and still being tinkered with, but I got the general idea — and I had a ball. One of my favourite moments involved Ms Yorke singing a deliciously salacious old vaudeville song called I Want A Hot Dog For My Roll. ‘I want a Hot Dog without bread, you see,’ pouts the wiggling Olive. Performed by Ms Yorke and choreographed by Stroman, it made me laugh so much I thought my heart was going to cease functioning. I keep hearing that the musical has been polarising audiences — I have no answer for that. Some supposedly funny shows leave me stony-faced, but not this one. For me, Bullets fires on all cylinders. Stroman’s heading back to London in the autumn to usher the Young Vic’s landmark, Olivier-nominated Kander and Ebb musical The Scotsboro Boys into the Garrick Theatre in the West End.
Wednesday, 26 March 2014
PaleyFest 2014: ‘Masters of Sex’ Cast Interviews
We ask Michael Sheen and writer Michelle Ashford about William Masters’ strange appeal, and also speak with Lizzy Caplan, Teddy Sears, Caitlin Fitzgerald and Annaleigh Ashford.
After only one season, “Masters of Sex” has earned a night in the annual Paleyfest lineup from the Paley Center for Media. Of course, Showtime quickly greenlit a second season to continue the story of William Masters and Virginia Johnson’s clinical study of sexual intercourse.
We managed to speak with several of the “Masters of Sex” cast members during last night’s red carpet arrival at the PaleyFest.
Lizzy Caplan
First up, Virginia Johnson herself, Lizzy Caplan, gave us some quick feedback on the show’s accuracy.
CraveOnline: How much better do you know Virginia Johnson now than you did when the show started?
Lizzy Caplan: I know her one year better. I think I know my interpretation of her way better. I feel much more comfortable in her skin, sort of like I’m now part owner of the story we’re trying to tell even though it’s clearly not me in real life.
Of course we know there’s artistic license, but did Virginia have a friendly relationship with Libby Masters in real life?
Lizzy Caplan: She did. That’s actually one of the more fascinating parts of the story. They had a pretty close friendship and this was all going on. We think that Libby was probably aware but maybe not ‘til later on, but nobody was asking those questions so everybody just kind of went along with it. Yeah, they were dear friends.
'Masters of Sex' star Lizzy Caplan reveals awkward family reactions to her sex scenes
On the PaleyFest red carpet on Monday (March 24) night, I chatted with most of the stars of Showtime's "Masters of Sex," which resumed production last week. My interview with Lizzy Caplan was nifty to begin with, as she talked about Masters' end-of-season betrayal, followed by his finale confession. But it really hits a high gear toward the end when I skipped asking about the awkwardness of filming the show's sex scenes and instead asked about awkward reactions to the sex scenes after the show started airing. Unprompted, she teases that this season's scenes are "pretty steamy, they make Season 1 look like baby games." Then she launched into an impression of her Israeli uncle's reaction to watching the first season. It's pretty much my favorite thing so far this week. Stay tuned for my chats with Michael Sheen, Teddy Sears, Caitlin Fitzgerald and awesome new cast regular Annaleigh Ashford, as well as series creator Michelle Ashford. Check out the Lizzy Caplan interview above and remember that "Masters of Sex" returns to Showtime on July 13.
Caitlin Fitzgerald
Caitlin Fitzgerald was one of the first interviews I ever did for “Masters of Sex,” back at their first Television Critics Association presentation. She plays Masters’ wife Libby, who in season one suffered a miscarriage, and became close friends with Virginia.
CraveOnline: What is new for Libby in season two?
Caitlin Fitzgerald: She gets to kinda go to the dark side a little bit which is exciting. We see a whole new dimension of her, not necessarily a likable one.
Darker than when she suffered a miscarriage?
Caitlin Fitzgerald: You know, the miscarriage sort of happened to her and this is her being an agent of darkness. That’s more dramatic than it needed to be, but taking actions that are not necessarily likable.
Is this some artistic license or does it stem from the real history of Libby Masters?
Caitlin Fitzgerald: We don’t know that much about Libby so a lot of what happens to her is artistic license.
Is it prompted by the continuing study, or by other factors?
Caitlin Fitzgerald: Both, I would say.
Can Libby’s friendship with Virginia sustain the study that they’re still trying to do?
Caitlin Fitzgerald: We’ll find out. In a weird way, I think Virginia and Libby really need each other. Certainly I think Virginia is Libby’s only friend in a weird way, so while the study is hard for Libby, she also really cares about and needs fulfillment in her life.
Am I asking the right questions since you can’t really answer them all ?
Caitlin Fitzgerald: Yes, precisely. [Laughs]
Michelle Ashford
As head writer on “Masters of Sex,” Michelle Ashford had most of the answers I was looking for. She wasn’t spoilery, any more than one could read the history of Masters and Johnson. She also had some insight into the appeal of William Masters among female viewers.
CraveOnline: I think we can all imagine how messy a study like this can be. Can you verify from your actual research how messy it got for Masters and Johnson as quickly as it got on the show?
Michelle Ashford: It got messy, I suspect, in terms of their personal relationship and how it got melded in the most curious way with that study, it took about a year. So I think they worked together for a year before it shifted into this other thing. So we condensed it a little bit but not too terribly.
Even as far as their study participants might get involved with each other?
Michelle Ashford: It’s funny. A lot of this we have to surmise because they destroyed a lot of their records, which is of course a tragedy for us. Sometimes we have to just sort of imagine. We have a very good biography that Thom Maier wrote that we based a lot of this on and filled with fact, but there are big holes in there as well. So sometimes we just have to think, well, how would it have gone? We do have signposts along the way but then we have to fill in.
A lot of my female friends are really attracted to Masters. Are you surprised he became the sex symbol of the show?
Michelle Ashford: No, because now I know Michael [Sheen] and he’s just immensely charming and winning and complicated and smart. No, I think he’s sort of catnip actually. I think what he is is not necessarily traditionally handsome but as a result of his intelligence at the fact that he is a very good looking man, I think he’s a very refreshing kind of sex symbol.
I think a number of my friends think they could have fixed him too.
Michelle Ashford: Oh yes, well, every woman, don’t they? The damaged man.
What can we look forward to in season two?
Michelle Ashford: We got a different direction. Masters has left that hospital. He has to strike out on his own. What does that mean? He gets into a very curious part of the St. Louis community. We explore the African-American community this year. It’s very different. It’ll look very different.
Did Masters and Johnson actually have African-American participants?
Michelle Ashford: They did, they had a few and they were trying to figure out what to do with that and what it meant, so it becomes this very curious journey and the world is changing. St. Louis actually was the place, Martin Luther King had come there in 1957 and said St. Louis was doing the most impressive work in terms of race and what was happening there. So it starts to bubble around their lives a lot more than it certainly did the first year.
How far after the finale does the season premiere pick up?
Michelle Ashford: It starts pretty quickly. Pretty much immediately. So we spend some time there and we answer some questions and things happen, but then we move and we have a big time jump.
How big a time jump?
Michelle Ashford: Well, you’ll just have to see.
Have you abandoned all the old sets and locations?
Michelle Ashford: No, because we were there for a bit but then by the end of the year, we will have abandoned them all except for their homes.
What are some of the exciting new places you get to shoot?
Michelle Ashford: Well, there’s a lot of different hospitals that are explored for a while and Masters and Johnson set up an office. That’s where they spent the rest of their careers in real life, so they have a whole new office. Where it is is pretty interesting.
Teddy Sears
Teddy Sears played some of the messiest scenes in Masters and Johnson’s first studies. As their colleague Dr. Austin Langham, he participated in the study, but fell in love with his partner, Jane Martin (Helene Yorke).
CraveOnline: Where does season two pick up for Austin?
Teddy Sears: Season two, he is, God, how do I put this, sort of back to his old tricks from season one. But we very quickly learn of an event in his life, or an event at the hospital that changes his trajectory for what I believe to be the run of the second season. I’ve only seen the first couple scripts. You would think that Austin would’ve learned something from how season one ended when he finds out about fathering the child with the girl from the study, and it doesn’t really affect him at all. I think he’s able to compartmentalize family in one box and chasing nurses at the hospital in another.
Is he still participating in the study?
Teddy Sears: Well, the study has left the hospital because Bill’s been summarily fired. We open with there being no study, but Bill very actively trying to get the study back off the ground. So we don’t see any study stuff right off the bat.
Is he still pursuing Jane?
Teddy Sears: Oh yeah, but Jane in real life now has a Broadway show so we’re not going to see too much of her because she’s on the east coast. There are other people who have caught his eye. He’s moved on.
Is Austin based on a real person from Masters and Johnson’s study?
Teddy Sears: Austin is based on a real person, but the story that Austin is telling is not the story of the guy this character is based on. It’s sort of an amalgam of fact and fiction, but it’s going to be mostly fiction at this point because there’s just so much more to mine with this character Austin that Michelle and Sarah [Timberman] have come up with, versus the guy that this guy’s based on. He eventually left the hospital with his family. I think they decided, “Let’s base Langham on a real guy, but let’s have some creative license with where we go.”
Let’s get him into more trouble than Austin really got into?
Teddy Sears: Let’s get into more trouble, exactly, yeah. The Masters and Johnson story needs to be told and it’s sort of fun to have Austin’s stuff bump up against what they’re doing.
Annaleigh Ashford
Annaleigh Ashford played a very important figure in Masters and Johnson’s research. She plays Betty, a prostitute who volunteers to help out, or I should say agrees to help out. She still charges her usual fee.
CraveOnline: When you got this role, did you know it was going to be recurring?
Annaleigh Ashford: Oh my gosh, no. I had no idea. She was just very representational of the hookers of St. Louis in that first pilot, but I just can’t believe I’m here. It’s amazing. It’s amazing how much her character has grown and how her journey has taken me here.
Is Betty going to continue to be important in the second season?
Annaleigh Ashford: You know, I think that she’s going to continue to be important in telling the other side of their sexual study. So I have no idea what’s happening next but I can’t wait to find out. I’m kind of in the dark which is great. I like to be surprised.
How were the prostitutes of the era different from the general women of the era?
Annaleigh Ashford: They were the lowest of the social stratosphere. They kind of always have been from day one, especially in a time like the ‘50s when sex was so private, so quiet. One of the most interesting things about Betty is in that one area, she has power over a man and she has power over an educated man. She knows more than him about that one specific conversation. It’s amazing to see a woman have power over a man.
And that’s before anyone had thought of a hooker with a heart of gold, isn’t it?
Annaleigh Ashford: I mean, how about that? Sweet Charity hadn’t come out yet, right?
Michael Sheen
We almost didn’t get Michael Sheen at all. I was to be one spot next to the cutoff point for his last interview. Fortunately the publicists at the PaleyFest allowed him to do one more interview with a group of reporters. When I asked him about Masters’ sex appeal, he played it totally cool.
CraveOnline: A lot of female viewers are very attracted to Masters. Are you surprised he’s become the sex symbol of “Masters of Sex?”
Michael Sheen: Why would that be a surprise? I don’t understand.
Where will we see him pick up in season two? Because he was a mess when we left him.
Michael Sheen: Well, that was one of the things I loved about the storyline for him is that he begins season one as a man who is possibly the most defended, guarded, invulnerable man in the world, and he ends the season standing there in the rain saying how much he needs someone, the most vulnerable man.
So I love that kind of journey, but as with most people who are not particularly comfortable with being vulnerable, I don’t think that’s going to last. In fact, the more the pendulum swings one way, the more it has to swing back the other way. So there is something in him I think that has to punish everyone who makes him vulnerable as well, so look out, Lizzy.
Sarah Timberman
Executive Producer Sarah Timberman was also available to answer more questions about the direction season two is going in.
CraveOnline: Moving into the second season, do you have to step more into artistic license than fact based research?
Sarah Timberman: No, really we have so much fact on which we can continue to rely on season two because Masters and Johnson’s documented work spans decades, so we feel like there’s an embarrassment of riches in the source material, in Thom Maier’s book.
So we don’t feel like we ever will need to depart completely from reality over the course of the series. Of course we took license in season one and we’re certainly taking some license in season two in terms of where exactly [they set up]. As you know, the project at the hospital ends at the end of season one and that was a very truthful reflection of reality. We will have Masters and Johnson spend a period of time in the wilderness.
It’ll be a tumultuous season. They’re going to land in a couple of different places before they find their footing again so some of that is of course fictionalized, but we’re trying to remain true to the spirit of their work and also trying to truthfully track how their work evolved over the years. It’s a tall order but Michelle is the best writer for the task. We will continue to touch upon milestones that are absolutely based in reality and then depart again and then come back to reality and then depart again. It’s the nature of this kind of show.
Is there one piece of research that you just can’t wait to work into the show?
Sarah Timberman: We’re very interested in getting to the surrogates work that they did and of course we’re interested in getting to the work they did with couples, which is distinguishable from what we covered in season one because that was research they were doing with strangers who were coupled together in the research project.
This is way down the road, but we’re excited to get to couples coming in who are really helped in a significant way by Masters and Johnson. People who’d been through years of therapy would come in and have life changing experiences, so we’re excited to get there but that won’t be for quite some time. Surrogates are in the not too distant future and that seems very interesting to us.
Possibly season two material?
Sarah Timberman: Maybe. One of the things that we thank Showtime for is the degree to which they encourage us in season one and beyond to continue to come back to the actual research and to document it. If you go back and look at season one, most of our episodes touch upon one facet of their research or another.
We ended up getting to any number of discoveries that Masters and Johnson made. They’re debunking some of Freud’s ideas and they’re really documenting the way in which women experience sex differently from men and we’ll continue in that fashion. We’re going to keep looking at truth because this story is an incredible one and Thom wrote an amazing book. It’s one of these great things of truth being sometimes more fantastic than fiction.
Tuesday, 25 March 2014
Annaleigh Ashford on the return of brassy lesbian Betty to “Masters of Sex”
For all of us who spent a big chunk of the first season of Masters Of Sex longing for more Betty, the brassy lesbian who decided to put away her sexuality and marry a man in order to survive in the 1950s, we can all breathe easy because Annaleigh Ashford is back full time in Season 2… …and we found out she’s definitely going to have some same-sex love. Last night at PaleyFest, the Showtime series which was celebrated with a panel featuring cast members including Lizzy Caplan (Virginia Johnson), Caitlin Fitzgerald (Libby Masters) and Ashford. AfterEllen was there on the red carpet before the panel and grabbed time with Ashford and series creator Michelle Ashford (no relation) to find out just how complicated Betty’s life will be and what else we can expect when new episodes begin to air this summer.
At Monday night's PaleyFest panel at L.A.'s Dolby Theater, the cast and producers of Showtime's freshman drama reminisced about its rookie year, which included one note that questioned "too much sex."
There wasn't much to dish on season two of Showtime drama Masters of Sex, considering production began just a week ago. The cast and executive producers at the PaleyFest panel Monday night, however, had plenty to say about last season, including why staying true to a period piece means even wearing the proper undergarment, even for a non-sex scene. Lizzy Caplan mentioned that on set Breaking Bad's Betsy Brandt, newly added for season two, asked her how the women handle going to the bathroom wearing such undergarments. "A couple days ago, she said, 'How do you do this?!'"
Michael Sheen joined Caplan on the panel, along with co-stars Caitlin FitzGerald, Teddy Sears, Annaleigh Ashford and EPs Michelle Ashford and Sarah Timberman, who said they came directly from shooting a season two scene to the Dolby Theater. They were watching a scene between Beau Bridges and Allison Janney; Timberman said, "We were both weeping and weeping," giving a nod to the actors' well-received scenes in the first season.
Annaleigh Ashford, who plays prostitute Betty in the series, said: “Undergarments can change everything about how you walk, you talk, you move. Also, it was really hard to pee back then. You had to ask someone to help you pee. I haven’t done that since I was, like, 4.” She and Lizzy Caplan, who plays Virginia Johnson, discovered in the course of the conversation that they had very different strategies for peeing while wearing a girdle — Caplan pulled it down, while Ashford pulled it up, being careful to unclip the stockings from the garters.
“The truth is, women would run everything but we’re too busy getting ready,” joked Caitlin FitzGerald, who plays Masters’ wife Libby. “We show up at 5 AM and it’s a solid two hours getting hair and makeup. These women did it every day, and that’s crazy – crazy! And they were also cleaning their house and taking care of children and cooking three hot, well-balanced meals – sometimes out of a can – for their husbands. That’s a full-time thing.”
The clothes and dialogue helped Caplan define the period. “I realized how much I rely on saying ‘like’ and ‘um’ and having terrible posture, and mumbling. … My posture changed tremendously, and making sure to say every word” was a challenge. The role, she said, has “made me much more disciplined.”
“That shit don’t fly with me,” Sheen jumped in.
“Hamlet – bleccch,” Caplan groaned in response.
Asked what was his favorite scene of the first season, Sheen finally settled on the one between the glass dildo, named Ulysses, and a prostitute (Nicholle Tom), “in which she had to lie on the bed with the dildo and “go mental – go like bonkers with it for a really long time … and she started doing it and I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. It was the most extraordinary performance — the most extraordinary human behavior, aside from the acting. It was, like, ‘What just happened?!”
“We were looking for ferocious intelligence and people who had an unconventional bent to their work and to the roles that they had chosen,” explained series EP Michelle Ashford of casting Sheen as famed 1950’s OB/GYN William H. Masters and Caplan as Virginia Johnson, a lounge singer-turned-secretary-turned-pioneering sexologist.
“I was leaning toward more comedic roles because I thought that was all I was going to get, but that’s not what I sought out to do as an actress,” Caplan said of her decision to pursue the role. “I wanted to do everything as an actress. Going after this job was about proving to myself that I could do more than one thing.”
Even so, Caplan was skeptical that she’d actually land the part.
“I walked away from that three-hour audition and I thought that was the best audition I ever had and I did not get that at all,” she admitted.
“They must have really wanted Lizzy to do it because I tried everything to get rid of her,” Sheen joked, whose lyrical Welsh lilt is a far cry from Masters’ sturdy Midwestern accent.
Sheen called the series “a perfect combination of an existing structure: real life and real facts which act as a springboard to work from.”
“Even though we know certain things [about Masters and Johnson],” he said, “they were such private, secretive and mysterious people you have to invent as well.”
While FitzGerald worried that Libby, Masters’ long-suffering bride, would be just another “conventional 50’s housewife,” Ashford and EP Sarah Timberman assured her that that would not be the case.
“[Libby’s] motives for having a baby are so much more about need and safety and security and that feels very much contemporary for me,” said FitzGerald.
Sheen praised Ashford and Timberman for their deft and fearless handing of “complicated” subject matter.
“We have this word ‘love,’ and it means whatever it means for everybody and we all put a pretty little bow on it, but nobody knows what that is,” he said. “One of the things I find fascinating about the show is that it’s a show about sex but you can’t separate the sex and the sexuality from the emotions and the psychology that go along with it — all those things go together. Time makes you intimate, that’s just what happens. Those are the ties that bind us.”
Caplan is pleasantly surprised that the show, now shooting its second season, has engendered such a rousing response.
“I really did not anticipate the reaction to be so in line with what we were going for,” she said.
“That’s never happened to me before in my career. When we first aired, we were seen as a show that didn’t degrade women in the least. It was a feminist story that we were trying to tell. It was so refreshing and really proves how smart the audience is and that it deserves more.”
While nobody would disclose what exactly happens this next season — save that “Breaking Bad” actress Betsy Brandt makes an appearance — Caplan did explain how she manages to stay so nonchalant about all the naked sex scenes required of her character. “Some people flip burgers for a living,” she shrugged. “Some people get naked and grind Michael Sheen.”
Below are some of the other highlights from the panel, as the cast recalled their favorite moments, auditions and all those sex scenes:
1. Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan disagree on audiences' smarts When Caplan was cast for the part of Virginia Johnson, she was then filming the comedy Hot Tub Time Machine and mentioned it was one of the many reasons she took the role, "proving to myself I could do more than one thing," she said. Upon the wild applause the comedy received from the audience, Sheen jokingly condemned the theater. Caplan later praised the show's feminist story, adding "it's so refreshing and proves how smart audiences are to demand more. Hear that, Michael?" 2. Annaleigh Ashford auditioned as a buttoned-up secretary and came out a hooker The actress talked about how she wore a pink button-up shirt and read for the part of Jane (played by Helene York), but was called back to read the part of the rambunctious brothel worker Betty, as she unbuttoned her shirt as far as she could and put on her now signature accent. The EPs agreed it suited her better. "It was all wrong. But she makes such a good hooker," Michelle Ashford said, to laughter.
3. Showtime gave one sex note Timberman mentioned how "completely in-step" Showtime and Sony has been for them, but they did receive one note: "There's too much sex in this episode."
4. Location, location, location The Sony studio parking lot and entrance to one building is used as the hospital entrance and parking lot in the show. Many of the interior hospital scenes were shot in an abandoned tuberculosis hospital from the '30s. "It looked like a Stephen King nightmare," Michelle Ashford said. "It was sexy!" Annaleigh Ashford joked.
5. Teddy Sears' sex audition tape As the actor talked how it was performing his audition for the show, in which he had to read a sex scene, Sheen jokingly added they had the tape to show everyone at the theater.
6. There's an emphasis on "the more complicated choice" Sheen brought up the idea of how the show always goes for the more complicated choice, and it's a theme of discussion that ran through the evening. Caplan mentioned how, even amid a love triangle, neither woman played by Caplan and FitzGerald are portrayed as a "villain" or as the "doormat," she said. This three-way relationship, Michelle Ashford added, lasted an entire 10 years in the real-life story of Bill Masters and Virginia Johnson.
The reality about Hollywood "newcomers"? A lot of these people aren't new to the scene at all — many clock upwards of 10 years of experience before gaining any recognition. Case in point: Caitlin FitzGerald. The striking blonde has shared the screen with everyone from Blake Lively to Ed Burns and the one and only Meryl Streep. Yet, it wasn’t until booking her current gig, playing Libby Masters on Masters of Sex, wife of the titular Dr. William Masters (Michael Sheen), that she started to become a household name.
So, what does FitzGerald consider to be her big break? “Every job I’ve had has definitely paved the way for the next,” she said. “Everyone likes to think of actors as being these overnight sensations, but even Jennifer Lawrence has been acting since she was 12. It’s really just about sticking with it.” This perseverance has definitely paid off for the actress — and, judging from the fervor and affection with which she discusses the job, it’s going to continue to do so. Newcomer or not, this is one girl you’d be a fool to bet against.
Has being on Masters of Sex altered the way you view relationships in your personal life? “Yeah, absolutely. I think it’s made me more aware that these cultural assumptions — that are such a big part of the show — are still completely alive. I wasn’t prepared for that at all. In a lot of ways, yes, we’re much more liberated and sexually free than we were back then — but, in many ways we still have the same issues as we did back then."
What's one of the issues that you still see existing today? “Well, what’s interesting for me about [my character] Libby is that she believes this fairy tale — and that fairy tale still totally exists for some people. Like, if I find the right guy, and I get the perfect house, and I have all the right clothes, and the right hairdo, I’ll be happy; the fairy tale will come true. And, I definitely have friends that bought into that mythology, too. And, now, as we get older, those friends are totally shocked and thrown that it’s more complicated than that.”
In what ways do you relate to Libby? “I think Libby leads from her heart a lot. And, I think I do, too — for better or for worse. I think that’s what has led me to be an actor and pursue this insanity. She feels things really deeply, and things affect her on a very personal level. I remember an acting teacher once told me, ‘Your greatest strength as an actor will be your sensitivity — but that will also be your greatest weakness.’ And, I think that’s really true for Libby, too.”
If you had to travel back in time to the '50s, what's one thing you know would be a huge struggle for you? “I don’t know how I would be able to keep my mouth shut with all the blatant misogyny."
What advice do you wish you were given when you were first starting out? “That it’s all just a game of holding out, and it definitely just takes a long time to get there. And, that’s been true for every actor I know.”
What's the worst audition you’ve ever had? “The worst? Oh yeah, I’ve got a good one. I auditioned for a play right out of college that Alan Rickman was directing. I got a callback, and I really wanted it, and I felt like he and I had a real connection. Anyway, I didn’t get the part. Then, like three months later, I’m waitressing at this horrible restaurant, and I’m informed that the opening-night party for the play that I didn’t get is happening that night at the very restaurant that I was a waitress at. So, I got really drunk in the back room since I was so horrified and stressed, and I proceeded to go right up to Alan Rickman and tell him how much I loved the play and how sorry I was that he hadn’t cast me. All the while, I’m holding a tray of crab balls. And, he looks at me, and has absolutely no idea who I am or what I'm saying. It was awful. And, I was holding crab balls!"
You’re on a show that’s insanely sexual. But, you might be the only actor on it who doesn’t have to worry about their family seeing them naked. “Yes! I was literally the only cast member this season who didn’t have to get naked. Literally, the only one! I was very grateful of that, and slightly offended [laughing]. But, no, seriously, my father and my three brothers were definitely quite pleased with that.”
Showtime Pairs ‘Ray Donovan’ and ‘Masters Of Sex’ This Summer
Last year’s freshman Showtime dramas Ray Donovan and Masters Of Sex will air as a block this summer, with their 12-episode second seasons set to premiere on Sunday, July 13. Last year, Ray Donovan launched in the summer behind the final season of Dexter, while Masters of Sex unspooled in the fall behind Homeland.
Showtime will likely use Homeland as a launching pad again this year for new drama series The Affair. Neither has been assigned a premiere date yet. Showtime’s next original scripted series premiere is thriller Penny Dreadful on May 11.
Tuesday, 18 March 2014
'Breaking Bad's' Betsy Brandt Joins Showtime's 'Masters of Sex'
The "Michael J. Fox Show" alum will portray the new secretary to Michael Sheen's Dr. William Masters.
Showtime's Masters of Sex has enlisted a Breaking Bad favorite.
Betsy Brandt has boarded the second season of the Showtime drama, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Brandt will recur and play Barbara, new secretary to Dr. William Masters (Michael Sheen). She fills the roles previously held by Margo Martindale's Miss Horchow, who guest starred in the series premiere, and Caitlin Fitzgerald's Libby, who temporarily filled in as his secretary in season one.
The role marks Brandt's first gig after wrapping NBC's low-rated freshman comedy The Michael J. Fox Show, where she co-starred as Fox's wife. The series, which was pulled from the network's schedule with seven unaired episodes to go, has yet to be rescheduled. Worth noting: Showtime has also booked Brandt's Michael J. Fox co-star Wendell Pierce to guest star in the second season of drama Ray Donovan.
Repped by Talent Works and Patty Woo Management, Brandt's credits also include Magic Mike. Brandt joins Akeelah and the Bee's Keke Palmer, who also booked a recurring role on season two of Masters.
The actress-singer will recur on the second season of the Showtime drama.
Showtime's Masters of Sex is adding another player.
Keke Palmer has joined in a recurring capacity on the second season, the pay cabler announced Wednesday.
She will play Coral, a nanny hired by the Masters to care for their new baby.
Masters of Sex stars Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan as real-life pioneers of human sexuality, William Masters and Virginia Johnson. The series chronicles their unusual lives, romance and pop culture trajectory.
Actress-singer Palmer can next be seen in the Drew Barrymore-produced horror film Animal, which will be released in June. She also stars in Queen Latifah's Brotherly Love and Imperial Dreams, which debuted at Sundance. She most recently co-starred in Lifetime's A Trip to Bountiful. Production on Masters of Sex begins later this month in Los Angeles.
Roger How I wish my former MOS source is still around to provide the casting details? Alas, life goes on. Pleasant shock of the year if Keke takes her top off for the good doctors. Keke talks about Christ the savior all the time, very family-friendly performer and all around good girl with more than million followers. Solely speculation on my part but I do wonder if William Masters will chose a young African-American female for his ongoing sex experiment with Coral an easy choice right in front of him. 'Masters of Sex' Showrunner on What's Ahead for Season 2 What has been the most awkward or difficult moment in the writers room? What we're always saying is, "Is this too far?" One of the things that's fascinating about our show is that you can get very quickly into stereotypes. We were talking about potentially bringing in an African-American character and we just thought … about all these stereotypes that people associate with, especially in the '50s (and still today, which is why we feel our show is relevant), the idea that … African-Americans [are] perceived different sexually than maybe white people. Then you're immediately into incredibly charged territory, which is good, but you have to navigate through that very delicately and thoughtfully.
) You’re also involved with the Potential of Us campaign so who has been a positive role model to you? Definitely. my parents. I think that the best thing they ever did was believe in me because that made me believe that I could do anything and made me believe in myself.
How does mom feel? Keke's Mom: I mean, it’s just our life. We’ve been doing this for 10 years and when she was probably like around 13 or 14, it became a problem because she was like 'Are you my momma or my manager because I really need my mom right now.' But then she went through a whole epiphany thing which was, 'You know what, this is our life. This is what we do. You’re my mother but you also help me so I’m going to deal with this' and we just kind of…
Keke: (Interrupts) She’s really good at it. It’s one of those things like no one’s gonna have your back more than your parents. You’re not going to be able to trust anyone more than your parents. It’s a balance. I can talk to my dad about some stuff if my mom is too focused on the music or is focused on the industry in general and my mom is like me. That little obsessive quality is what makes her so good. I have the obsessive quality too. I obsess over something until I get it right and it always works out for me. It’s probably the reason why I’m so successful. And her having that quality is probably why she’s successful too.
KM: I can agree with that. I totally agree with that and I also think that I’ve also tried to find managers for her. But it’s always back to me anyway.
K: You have to have managers that have a vision for you because if they do, there’s not gonna be any stopping. They’re always going to have the next step and the next step. It was my mom’s vision in the beginning anyhow that even got me to California so she sees the potential in me and always knows where to take it, who to get me to meet and stuff like that. She’s just really good at it so it’s really no point to get anyone else. Now is there anything else that folks should be on the lookout for this year? I have a horror movie coming out later this year with Drew Barrymore’s company called Animal. Eve’s actually in it too. And then I have a coming of age story called Brotherly Love, produced by Queen Latifah’s company, that’s coming out later this year as well.
Have you gotten a chance to meet with Drew Barrymore? No, I didn’t get to meet her during the process. I met all the people she works with like people that have been running the company for awhile but I didn’t get a chance to meet her. How was working with Eve? It was so cool. I can’t say too much cause if I tell you then you’ll know some of the movie, but she was really fun to work with. I’ve been a fan of Eve since I was a kid and one of my favorite songs by her was “Love Is Blind.” For whatever reason, it really stuck with me as a child. There’s one line in the song where she says... I’m actually going to look this up now. She says... Sorry to say these words but, “Nigga whatever my bitch, fuck it my sister/ You could never figure out/ even if I let you live/ What our love was all about.” That is a very deep line: “Even if I let you live, what our love was all about.” As a kid, I’ve always been such a loving, loving person. I don’t know I’ve just always felt so much love in my heart so when I heard that line, I understood what she meant. Because when you love someone, no one can imagine what that love would feel like, even if you let them live it. And for you to be so selfish to take the love of another, you really could never figure out that type of love because you don’t even have the capacity to allow it.
Roger Her mom is also her manager. Drop the nudity percentage to 5%. There's no way her mom would have agreed to Keke taking the role if it requires nudity. No freaking way.
Saturday, 8 March 2014
11 Big Questions With Rose McIver, From 'Once Upon a Time' to 'Petals on the Wind' Prep
Rose McIver is sprinkling her pixie dust all over Hollywood these days.
After a winter break, Sunday marks the return of ABC's "Once Upon a Time," on which the New Zealand native charms as Tinker Bell, the feistiest fairy in the Enchanted Forest. The iconic character is a contrast from McIver's role on "Masters of Sex." On the Showtime series set in the 1950s, she plays Vivian Scully, the daughter of the university's provost (played by Beau Bridges) and an impeccably dressed and tressed candy striper who seems hell-bent on landing a doctor husband.
Further, the 26-year-old is currently shooting "Petals on the Wind," Lifetime's upcoming TV movie sequel to its hit adaptation of V.C. Andrews's "Flowers in the Attic." She's playing the starring role of Cathy, taking over for "Mad Men's" Kiernan Shipka, who played the younger version of the character in the first film. "Petals" picks up 10 years after the first film.
While it seems she's suddenly everywhere, McIver isn't exactly a newcomer. At the age of 3, she appeared in the Oscar-nominated film "The Piano" and her memory of the experience is a funny, leg-crossing one. She's also spent time fighting crime, TV style, as a Power Ranger, wearing the yellow suit for the series in 2009. So we hit her with some Big Questions…
1. There have been many famous Tinker Bells. Who and what inspired your version on "Once Upon a Time?"
What was great was when I auditioned, I didn't know it was for Tinker Bell. I thought I was just auditioning for a fairy. Because of that, I didn't bring any of those ideas to my initial performance. So it's been a nice fusion of a completely original portrayal of a fairy, and merging in some of the original ideas of Tinker Bell. When I looked into J. M. Barrie's creation of her, he envisioned her, because of her pint size, to only be able to house one emotion at a time. So she's either incredibly jealous or incredibly elated or incredibly encouraging. That's been fun being able to have an almost manic element to her, where she can flip and become very stroppy at the drop of a hat. She doesn't symbolize one thing or one virtue; she's much more three-dimensional than I had expected.
2. And, of course, your Tinker Bell has a cool New Zealand accent. How did you convince them to keep it for the part?
What's cool is because the story is universal — everybody from all different countries grew up reading it — the "Once Upon a Time" creators were open to keeping it a really universal and global production. The characters can be from all over the world; they're not locked into being American or British. They have Australian accents on the show, and now, this is the first Kiwi accent that they've had. It's a nice way to unite and tie in audience members from all over the world into a very universal subject matter.
3. Your "Masters of Sex" character, Vivian, is one of the most marriage-minded girls we've seen on TV. She's 18, but so excited to walk down the aisle that she ruined her own marriage proposal.
I know [laughs]. But I feel like I do know those girls. It seems like a dated idea, but when I look around at some of my friends, it's an absolutely essential thing for them in their lives that they really have counted down the days, and almost spoiled the moment, because it's so anticipated. But, yeah, it's funny — in some ways, it's such a 1950s show, and it's really presenting people's images and understandings and psychology at that time. But when you look around, some of people's mindsets today can still be very comparable. On the show, you see everybody wears 1950s costumes and speaking sometimes in a dialogue that feels a little out of date. But the things that they’re talking about are still issues that I feel are not necessarily resolved today, and they were generating a conversation that is still very much in the works. It's not something that's irrelevant, which is great.
McIver with Nicholas D'Agosto on Masters of Sex
4. Your character's parents are played by Beau Bridges and Allison Janney, making it the second time you've worked with Allison, who also appeared in the movie "Brightest Star." What have you learned from her?
Allison is definitely one of the people I’ve looked up to most since starting work in the United States for sure. I just really admire her choices. I admire how down-to-earth and grounded she is. She's incredibly professional. I really look up to her a lot And she's a lot of fun. She knows that she's lucky to do what she does for living. As for this role, it's really inspiring to think that it doesn't matter how experienced you are, you can still take new roles and push your boundaries, and find new characters to play. So that's been something I've looked up to.
McIver and her 'Masters' mom, Allison Janney
5. Any funny reactions to the title of the show from people who didn't know the premise — that it's a show about sex research pioneers Dr. William Masters and Virginia Johnson?
My mom and dad [laughs]! I told them on Skype. I remember vividly — I was so excited and I phoned to say, "Guys, you'll never believe this. I got the role in this great cable show. It's called 'Master of Sex.'" And I just saw their faces drop. I hadn't thought about the fact that to phone my parents on the other side of the world, who let their little girl go live in Los Angeles, to get that phone call and not know the context was probably pretty terrifying. But when I told them it was about Masters and Johnson and the research and explained the role, they were really excited for me. But certainly, the title has a shock impact that can be little throwing to some people. And I have to explain to people that Vivian is not one of the racy subjects or part of the experiments. She's the virgin and everything comes with that [laughs].
* Hmmmmm.........
6. Do you still have your yellow Power Ranger costume and, if so, please tell us that you wear it in public from time to time? Or Halloween?
I wish. I absolutely wish. It's funny, I was in Austin around Halloween this year for the Austin Film Festival and I saw a bunch of people dressed up as Power Rangers walking down the street in a drunken state. I never realized going into that project how much of a cult following it had. In New Zealand, it's actually banned on screen for being too violent — weirdly because compared to some of the other stuff that's on screen. I mean: It's rubber monsters! What's the risk of that being carried out in the playground? [Laughs.] So I didn't realize its impact until coming and spending time in the States. It was so much fun to make. It was a job where I worked with five of my best friends, they had a lot of New Zealand cast on the show, and we flew around and fought rubber monsters for months on end. It's kind of a dream gig. And, no, I never have dressed up as a Power Ranger for Halloween. I feel like I spent enough time in that spandex to last a lifetime.
7. Were you a girl who had V.C. Andrews books on her nightstand?
I actually had never read these books, but so many of my friends and family had, so I wasn't unfamiliar with the series. The limited time between casting and when production began meant that reading the books was not a realistic goal if I wanted to juggle all the other preparation I wanted to do as well. I spent a lot of time doing ballet, developing Cathy's emotional arc throughout this story, and building relationships with the cast and crew I would be working with. And I always work via Skype with a coach and mentor back in New Zealand — Miranda Harcourt — so I made time for that as well. Unfortunately, reading the books will have to wait.
The actress on the set of 'Petals on the Wind.'
8. You've just started filming, so how is it going? And, because it's an intense role, what do you do to shake it off at the end of the day?
So far I have been really enjoying finding the truth in each scene. Because Kiernan Shipka already did a fantastic job bringing Cathy to life, I am able to draw from her performance as well as creating the character with the supremely talented director I'm working with, Karen Moncrieff. [As for shaking it off], hot baths! Not only is the emotional component of this project really taxing, but there is also the physical component of ballet training. So I have been making sure I find time to wind down with a hot bath and a cup of tea at the end of long days. It also helps that my fellow cast and crew have a great sense of humor and strong work ethics, so we are able to keep spirits up in a wonderful way.
9. Your biggest movie role that Americans will probably know was in fellow New Zealander Peter Jackson's "The Lovely Bones." What was that experience like?
I remember that it was my first time working abroad. I remember how thrilled I was to be coming with a group of awesome filmmakers from my own country who hadn't worked directing and making films abroad either. Although they were so experienced and capable, it was their first time adventuring overseas to make a project like that. So there was something really nice about embarking on it with a bunch of other people on their first adventure like that too, and we made something that I feel is really special. I made some lifelong friends on it, and I learned a lot. It was quite hectic — it was during the writer's strike. And it was everybody working away from home, but I was just lucky that I had such a positive experience and met wonderful people and learned a lot.
10. What, if anything, do you remember about being in "The Piano"?
My most vivid memory, it's actually one of my first memories, I was three and I was the youngest angel in the show production. And I remember being absolutely desperate for the toilet. I needed to wee really badly. So I was crossing my legs when I was walking down. I remember just thinking: This is so unjust that this little girl is desperate for the toilet. And they're saying, "Aww — it looks really cute! She looks just like a girl in a school production. Keep her like that." And I remember being like, "Oh, I will never let myself need to go to the toilet like that again." That's the only memory I have!
11. You started acting so young. When did you decide for yourself, "Hey, I love acting. I'd like to keep doing this forever"?
Well, to be honest, it's still a decision that I make every day. I don't ever want to feel like my whole life is laid out before me and I know exactly what's gonna happen. That would be so boring. What I love about my work is the variety and not knowing what's coming next, and being able to embrace something for a period of time and know something new is going to follow. I also know that I want to do other things in my life as well. I’d love to write, and I think about teaching. But at the moment, what feels right is acting. I'm really fortunate that I am in continuous work and I love what I do. And I think that there's a reason that it keeps happening. So while that keeps happening, I will be thrilled — and feel lucky — to keep doing it.
Sarah Silverman has landed a recurring role in the second season of Showtime‘s Masters Of Sex. Silverman will recur as Helen, Betty's (Annaleigh Ashford) former lesbian lover. The character is described as a palm reader who believes she's a psychic, who is still pining for Betty.
Teddy Sears played some of the messiest scenes in Masters and Johnson’s first studies. As their colleague Dr. Austin Langham, he participated in the study, but fell in love with his partner, Jane Martin (Helene Yorke). 
