andPOP » Interviews

andPOP Speaks With Twilight New Moon Actor Bronson Pelletier

Jordan Bortolotti — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:05:45 +0000

OK everybody, the Twilight saga continues with New Moon (ladies please control your crying). We were lucky to sit down with Canadian heartthrob Bronson Pelletier for an interview during the recent press stop in Toronto. Bronson plays Jared in the movie and apparently had to get jacked up to play his werewolf character. He also spoke with us about his relationships with his fellow Twilight actors.

Emily Osment Hates VHS and Vinyl

Jordan Bortolotti — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:29:47 +0000

For those of you under 20 years of age, there used to be these crazy things called VHS and Vinyl. VHS were these tapes that played movies and all sorts of video, in machines hooked up to your TV. Vinyl were these big discs which contained music that you played on something called a record machine. Sadly as Emily told Jordan, her newest projects, Hannah Montana The Movie will not be available on VHS and her newest album will not be available on Vinyl. Ah well.

Russell Peters Teaches andPOP How To Master Accents

Ilan Mester — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:51:28 +0000

A superstar in his own right, Russell Peters is to comedy lovers what Robert Pattinson is to pre-pubescent girls. The Canadian humorist born to Anglo-Indian parents became the first comedian to sell out the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, and is one in a handful of comedians to perform at the Madison Square Garden to a sold out audience. Peters’ new tour celebrating his 20th anniversary kicks off this January.

Anyone who’s seen him perform knows that one of the many things that distinguishes Peters from other acts is his dead-on accuracy when it comes to accents. What’s his secret?

“I listen,” he tells andPOP. “You’ve got to listen to get the inflections and the intent of what people are saying. That means listening to people when they’re happy, sad, angry. That’s how you learn how they speak. I still can’t do a Scottish accent though – doesn’t matter how much I listen and try it… those tricky Scots!”

Fans can hear him and his array of accents when Peters hits the road with “The Green Card Tour” in celebration of his 20th anniversary. But rest assured the jokes will focus on a variety of cultures as usual, not only on Americans. “The reason it’s called The Green Card Tour, is because I’ll be getting my Green Card in 2010,” he explains.

And if you’ve ever dreamed of opening for Peters during one of his shows, here’s your chance. He’s looking for a Canadian BFF (not a la Paris Hilton) through SIRIUS Satellite Radio and Russell Peters’ Search for Canada’s BFF. “In this contest we’re looking for anybody’s and I mean anybody’s ‘Best Funny Five Minutes,’ ” says Peters. “This is a chance for all those people who watch stand-up and say, ‘Hey! I could do that’, to actually get up on stage and do it, with a chance to open for me somewhere in North America.”

Just like many fans out there wish they could be Peters’ “BFF” – and they can enter at www.russellpetersbff.com - he has an ideal celebrity BFF of his own. “Eddie Murphy because I grew up watching him and I want to know what goes on in his head now,” he admits.

His latesest DVD, “Red, White and Brown,” was a huge success but Peters is still not sure when he’ll release new material. “I’m trying to figure that out. We taped a lot of the shows across Canada this past summer, but I’m still not sure what we’re going to do for the next DVD,” he says. “I want to make sure that I’m giving the fans the best possible show that I can when I release my next DVD.”

Aside from the tour – that stops in the U.S. and Australia in 2010 — Peters reveals to andPOP some exciting news. “I’ve got a few things on the go right now. We’re back into developing a sitcom and there are a number of different opportunities being presented to me these days,” he shares. “We haven’t cracked series television yet, but that’s okay because some of the stuff that’s come my way hasn’t necessarily been that good, so I’d rather wait until it’s right. It’s not a race.”

He’s also working on a few other things for Showtime and a book for Canada. “Canada is all about a variety of cultures – it’s one of the things that makes us great,” says Peters. “I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am if I’d have grown up in any other country, including the States.”

For Peters, the best and only way to celebrate his anniversary is to be out on the road doing what he does best: making people laugh. “Just doing what I’ve been doing for the past 20 years, getting on-stage and performing,” he says of how he’s celebrating. “Only now it’s arenas instead of biker bars for 50 bucks in London, Ontario.”

Want To See a Twenty-Two Second Interview With Chris Rock?

Jordan Bortolotti — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:19:27 +0000

At andPOP we are all about creating efficient interviews that get straight to the point. In that spirit here is our interview with Chris Rock after the Toronto premiere of Good Hair.

‘Peak Season’ Emerges On MTV, Dre And Lauren Fill andPOP In

Joelle Tomlinson — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:25:10 +0000

Beautiful scenery, beautiful people, and drama galore nestled in the slopes of Whistler, British Columbia. Sound intriguing?

MTV’s latest documentary series Peak Season, surrounded by much buildup, debuts Monday night (Oct. 19).

So what’s all the hype about?

First, it’s a bold new approach to Canadian-focused television. It’s also unscripted, raw, and features personal stories that hit closer to home.

MTV Canada has ordered 10 episodes of this fresh series which follows the lives of a tight-knot group of people in Whistler, British Columbia. Peak Season offers an up-close look into their personal struggles and achievements, ranging from a tearful break-up in the first episode, to the distinct possibility that you will always run into that certain someone you were avoiding at the bar. This tight-knit group consists of Dre Morel, Lauren Horton, Amanda Scheller, Ian Ross, Matthew James, Stephanie Just and Elle Hetherington. Each 20-something-year-old has their own story to tell, and all is revealed in the long days, and even longer nights, in the town of Whistler.

Stephanie Just and Dre Morel are ambitious Whistler locals, while others such as Scheller (Morel’s ex-girlfriend) moved to Whistler when she started dating him.

Whistler transplants aren’t rare in the resort town: Horton moved to Whistler from Ontario, while Matthew James and his girlfriend, Elle Hetherington, hail from Australia. Peak Season also stars Ian Ross, the wise-cracking bachelor who takes partying to another level with his crew, whose meaningful conversation about comparing city girls to “expired milk” is just one example of their entertaining behaviour.

Laid-back Morel attributes his presence on the show to fate.

“It was the perfect time and perfect place, and just the right situation,” says Morel, who was in Toronto for the show’s premiere.

In Horton’s case, the process took a bit longer.

“I filled out an application form and went through the process of doing three filmed auditions over the span of 2007,” explains Horton, in Toronto last week for the show’s premiere and launch party. “They called me when I got back for the New Year and were like, ‘yeah, we want you to be part of the show.’”

The cast brings the perfect mix of business, pleasure, friendships and relationships to the set. And unlike reality shows like The Hills and The City, Peak Season has an air of refreshingly authentic situations and people.

“The thing that this show really brings to the table is that it’s not a reality television show; it’s a documentary series. We would just give the crew our schedule, and they would just show up and follow us,” explains Morel, whose genuinely nice and approachable personality will make him a favorite on the show. “It’s not scripted, not at all. It’s just our everyday life.”

“I think a lot of people think of reality shows along the terms of scripts, and with cast members being told to ‘say this’ or that.” Horton, a wise-cracking brunette firecracker, elaborates. “With Peak Season, what you see is what is actually going on with our lives.”

And what you see is a lot. From a tough relationship discussion for Dre in the first scene, to vodka-spewing antics on the slopes, Peak Season holds nothing back from the audience. Another nice touch is that there is genuinely good snowboarding promoted on the show. With the premiere on Monday, and the first episode available online, this show is sure to gain a dedicated fan base from the get-go. Peak Season encompasses a variety of situations, from an inner look into the nightlife, the hilarious conquests of Ross’s crew, international visitors, Morel’s impressive DJ skills, Horton’s burgeoning promotion company to the aspirations of a female boarder (Just) to make it pro.

“We’ve basically said, here’s our lives and our souls, do what ever you want with it,” laughs Horton.

The beauty of Peak Season is also in its location. Whistler, a long-touted tourist spot in Canada, sports pristine mountains, log cabins, and breathtaking scenery. “Growing up, though I have nothing to compare it to, I’m pretty sure I was spoiled with that environment,” says Morel. “From the mountains in the summer, the lakes, there’s endless things to do. It’s unfortunate that people only see the winter season, because all of it is amazing.”

“I’ve sat on the beach with my bikini and seen people snowboarding and skiing on the mountain,” adds Horton.

With such an enclosed environment, relationships are bound to get complicated. Fans can expect a trail of sticky messes concerning the cast members, which ultimately result in everybody’s favorite addiction: drama. Punches are thrown, curses are uttered, hearts are broken, and yes, girlfriends are forgotten at the bar.

“It’s non-stop,” says Horton, who’s feisty side makes an appearance in the first episodes. “From what I’ve seen, they’re using everything. There’s never a dull moment. Personally, I’ve always stuck up for myself, and I’ve always been aggressive, but people can expect to see another side of me as well.”

“Honestly, it gets better and better and better,” affirms Morel, whose relationship with Scheller is largely focused on in the first episode. “I will say that there is a crazy roller coaster ride with my relationship in this season.”

What will truly draw people to the show is the raw element of its production. There is an air of spontaneity that keeps the audience engrossed and guessing, while feeling a real connection to the cast in Whistler. People will root for the ever-unpredictable Horton’s promotion company, appreciate Morel’s love and passion for music (he hopes to begin producing, and recently did sets in Toronto last month), watch the ups-and-downs of relationships on the slopes and become attached to so much more within the bubble of Whistler.

“It’s going to get crazy, believe me, just stay tuned,” promises Morel.

If you miss out on catching the first episode online at mtv.ca, be sure to catch the series premiere of Peak Season on MTV, airing on Monday, October 19 at 10 p.m.

Carmen Reece and Mark Feist Team Up For Love In Stereo

Joelle Tomlinson — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:35:57 +0000

Carmen Reece is what you would call the epitome of the term, “triple-threat.” The 22-year-old singer/songwriter/pianist/dancer boasts an impressive musical resume, and is emerging as a serious presence with the upcoming debut of her album, “Love in Stereo.”

The talent Reece has demonstrated is a product of hard work and natural ability fused together. The soul singer began playing piano and flute at the age of seven, earned a place in the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain at 11, and entered the prestigious Brit Performing Arts and Technology School at 16. Along with Reece, The Brit School has consistently provided society with world-class artists such as Adele, Leona Lewis, Imogen Heap, and the paparazzi-ridden Amy Winehouse.

“From an early age I’ve always been crazy about music, and my parents always said that my ear pricked up listening to anything on the radio, and I was always singing around the house,” Reece tells andPOP. Of her admission into the Brit School, she says “it was wonderful because I got to work with a lot of students that were very talented, recording, writing, and that kind of set me up for breaking out [into the industry] and recording with professionals and writing.”

She’s not just talking about any other professional either. Reece has teamed up with Mark Feist, a multi-platinum producer-songwriter with a world of impressive experience. Having worked for the likes of Beyonce, Celine Dion and Natalie Cole, Reece is working with the best in the business.

Four years after meeting Reece, Feist still remembered the blue-eyed singer from London. In need of a demo singer last year, he decided to pursue her musical talent on MySpace.

“I really thought we would get in the studio and produce a whole bunch of existing songs that I needed cut, and she turns up on my doorstep with her computer and I asked her what she’d been doing, and she said, ‘well, you know, I’ve been really focusing on my writing and I’ve got a few things,’” explains Feist. “I sort of skeptically said, ‘well you know, let me hear something.’”

Feist’s skepticism quickly turned into excitement as he recognized what a rare gem Reece was in the industry. He confirms that “it’s very rare that you find someone that sings like Carmen that also can write and really understand the whole concept of composition because it’s a whole another bag.” This quality of Reece’s, combined with Feist’s unique hands-on approach to producing, created a chemistry that has already resulted in a top-3 hit with “Right Here” on the Billboard Top 40 Dance Chart, and a number 10 record in the club charts.

This recently quick rise to success has been a dream come true for Reece. Already drawing comparisons to Beyonce, and Mariah Carey (an early role model for the artist). “The biggest influences were through my early teens to late teens, which were Mariah, Whitney, Celine, Toni Braxton, basically all the big diva’s. I was drawn to the strength in their voice and their range, and the feeling that they put into the songs,” Reece elaborates.

Reece definitely isn’t lacking in any feeling when describing her upcoming album release. Though a release date has not been set yet, fans can expect an announcement fairly soon. “My sound, I’d like to think that every song I’ve written, whether they’re slow or fast, or a dance track or ballad, that you’re going to feel something from it emotionally and it takes you on a journey,” raves Reece.

“Love in Stereo” brought in an impressive roster of additional writers, including Wayne Hector (Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears), and Rose Marie Tan (Danity Kane), but Feist promises a real glimpse into who Carmen Reece is. “I will say that the record really is a true representation of Carmen because a lot of the ideas start with her, she brings them to me, and I just polish it up, and coax the best out of it. Definitely the whole album is a real reflection of who Carmen is musically.”

“People love to hype things, and it’s very rare that you have a product that lives up to the hype, and all I’m going to say is that the critic and the public and the radio is going to be the ultimate test here,” Feist continues. “But I truly believe that there isn’t one song on this record that is better than the other. They’re all really solid, and they’re all very different, and we touch on so many different topics musically.”

Love in Stereo embraces a three-dimensional feel that hits the listener musically from all sides. The track lineup includes songs with just piano and vocals to songs with massive background vocals and huge rhythm arrangements. As Feist puts it, “‘Love in Stereo’ really does sum up the whole flow of the record because there are a lot of love songs on the record, but also sonically, from a production and musical point of view, the record has a wide variety of different sounding tracks.”

However, with its variety in mind, Reece and Feist have achieved a consistency in their finished result. Feist attributes this theory to the achievements of the late Michael Jackson, as well as his family members. “One of the things I’ve tried to do on this record is bring it back to a little bit of those Jackson times, even the early Janet Jackson, or a lot of the Jackson records and Michael records – there was a common thread in terms of the sound,” he explains.

“We wrote 30 to 40 songs and narrowed it down to 13 and we’ve really tried to keep a common thread through that. With Michael and with Janet, that’s what kept the consistency going album after album, because they never left that basic core. It kept going but there was still a consistency in the foundation of the music they had originally created so that’s something I’m really proud of with this record because there is a common thread, but every song does not sound the same, it’s very well thought out.”

Reece hopes that this consistency will carry her through to a successful future in music. Her passion and dedication to her craft are evident in her complete immersion in the music world. When asked where she would like to see herself in five years, Reece answers, “I would like to think that I’m on [whatever] album, and people are still feeling the music and I’m creating more, and better songs. Mark and I are planning to work together for a very long time, so I just hope that my music continues to get better and I reach out to people and make memories, make them laugh, make them smile, that would be amazing.”

She adds to aspiring singers and songwriters to “stay strong, stay focused, keep practicing, and perfecting your craft. At times you may feel down and think, ‘where am I going,’ but you never know what’s around the corner. That’s exactly what happened to me, Mark was just around the corner, and if only I’d known that a few years before, I would have had a huge smile on my face but you just have to stay strong and if you’re meant to do it, you’re going to do it. Stay positive, and practice, practice practice.”

This emphasis on practice is sure to be represented in Love in Stereo. Fans can follow Reece and Feist’s latest accomplishments on her MySpace page, as well as follow the cheerful singer’s blog on the site. Reece’s outlook and accomplishment are the results of where hard work and perseverance can take you.

As Feist logically puts it, “stay true to who you are, and always do the best you can. If it doesn’t work, you can always turn around and say, ‘you know what, I gave it my all.’”

‘Sanctuary’ Returns Tonight Where ‘Things Fall Apart,’ Says Robin Dunne

Ilan Mester — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:06:55 +0000

Season two of “Sanctuary” premieres tonight at 9 p.m. ET on Space and andPOP caught up with one of its stars to talk about one of the most high-speed sci-fi series. Why high-speed? Well, the series actually had its beginnings on the web but “Sanctuary” has since grown into a phenomenon of its own and moved into the small screen during its first season.

“We have a blast. I mean, sometimes we think we’re in the wrong genre, we should be doing comedy because from morning to night we’re laughing the entire time, Amanda [Tapping] leading the chart being the constant giggler,” says Canadian-born Robin Dunne who plays Dr. Will Zimmerman on the show. “If she was a superhero she’d be The Giggler…I hate to use an overused cliche but it really is like a family, that’s how it feels.”

But don’t be fooled, “Sanctuary” — which follows the adventures of scientist Dr. Helen Magnus (played by Amanda Tapping) who shelters a population of strange and at times terrifying beings with the help of Dunne’s character — is far from a comedy, although it has its fair share of tongue-in-cheek moments. This time around, things are about to get darker.

“Because the world is established now, the characters are established, we have the ability to go a little darker now with this…things are falling apart around [the characters],” he says from a hotel room in Vancouver, where the series is shot. “We’re trying to keep the sanctuary from literally falling apart and because of that, there’s a lot of stress between the characters and you’re going to see some things that are definitely darker. I think my best analogy would be if season one was ‘Star Wars,’ then season two is definitely ‘Empire Strikes Back.’ ”

This season, “Sanctuary” is taking viewers around the globe, to locations ranging from the Middle East to Tokyo and the U.K — all made possible by the one and only green screen, which the show has mastered (if you’ve seen “Sin City,” think of those incredible effects and apply them to TV). But when executive producer Martin Wood (“Stargate SG-1”) called up Dunne at his L.A. apartment to see if he’d want to take part in the show, he had his doubts about the infamous green screen.

“I mean, I had worked with green screen in pieces here and there on other things, but never to this extent,” admits Dunne. “And I just couldn’t really get my head around it.”

That all changed after he witnessed with his own eyes the final product of a scene he filmed with Tapping and the show’s creator, Damian Kindler. “I was completely blown away and totally at that point just a complete believer in what we could do,” says Dunne. “And the thing about ‘Sancuary’ is, because we use so much green screen, the possibilities are limitless, we can do anything.”

Dunne refers to “Santuary” as “innovative,” and with its top-notch special effects and use of the RED camera, it’s clear why the series is innovative and nominated for six Gemini awards this year (including a nomination for Dunne).

“I’ve actually never been nominated for anything before so it was a real honour, not in a selfish kind of way in terms of me, but just for the team,” he tells andPOP. “It’s great to be recognized as a team…apart from working on the show we’re such great fans of it that it’s really great to be recognized for something that you love so much.”

Dunne (also known for his recurring role on “Dawson’s Creek” and for co-writing the made-for-TV film franchise “Roxy Hunter”) revealed some of the guest stars this season on “Sanctuary.” Michael Shanks who along with Tapping “have some really great stuff to do together” according to Dunne, will be appearing on the show, as will Callum Blue (“Dead Like Me”), as well as Erica Cerra and Chris Gauthier.

Aside from “Sanctuary,” Dunne has a Robin Hood TV-movie called “Beyond Sherwood” currently in post production, where he stars alongside “Smallville’s ” Erica Durance, as well as a a few projects of his own that are still in development but for now, all he wants to do is take a vacation while he waits to hear about a possible third season for “Sanctuary.”

“We have no official word but we’re optimistic,” says Dunne. “So right now honestly, I’m just excited for the launch of the show and then I’m going to take a vacation and just recharge the batteries”.

J-Roc and The Trailer Park Boys Creator Talk To andPOP

Jordan Bortolotti — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:14:09 +0000

So we went to the red carpet for the premiere of the new film (now in theatres) but we also had a one on one sit down with The Trailer Park Boys creator Mike Clattenburg, and the hardest rapper from the East Coast, J-Roc.

Trailer Park Boys On The Red Carpet

Jordan Bortolotti — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:42:58 +0000

When you think of a red carpet The Trailer Park Boys don’t exactly come to mind, but that’s where we met them. The boys from Sunnyvale are back for the second major movie release and Jordan caught up with them at the Toronto debut. Also stay tuned for an in depth interview with J-Roc and Mike Clattenburg coming soon!

TIFF ‘09: Suck’s Mike Lobel Talks With andPOP

Jeremy Singer — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:43:55 +0000

Glazing the city of Toronto in celebrity magic for one week in September, the Toronto International Film Festival has always boasted the ability to create a buzz and shed the spotlight on industry newbies.

Such is the case for Toronto native Mike Lobel -widely formally known as Jay Hogart from Degrassi: The Next Generation- who is experiencing his first induction into TIFF this year with the rock n’ roll comedy vampire-flick Suck.

“I’m really psyched for tonight,” says Lobel, who’s premiere played at the Bloor Varsity Cinema in Toronto on Friday night. In the midst of running around the city for those last minute “day-of” errands, the 25-year-old reeks of optimism for his first festival outing.

“I’m just running all over the place,” he says. “I’m loving it so far though. Got to get a jacket, Much On Demand later on for some promotional stuff, and then picking up my date.”

Adds the actor, “I’m just anticipating a wicked time with the guys later on.”

Directed and written by Rob Stefaniuk, Suck tells the story about a struggling rock band ironically called the Winners. Led by lead singer Joey Winner (Stefaniuk), the band tries to make it big on their tour across Canada and the US- despite their lack of popularity. After their bassist Jennifer (Jessica Paré) is turned into a vampire by the Vampire Queen (Dimitri Coats), the band experiences a surprising turn of events. Injecting a heavy dose of rock n’ roll vibes into the film are rock legends Alice Cooper and Iggy Pop who don minor roles as a vampire bartender and the latter as a studio owner.

“They’re all such committed actors,” says Lobel who plays the band’s drummer Sam. “They work hard for what they do, they came to set and were right on.”

Lobel seemed most fond of co-star Malcolm McDowell who plays Eddie Van Helsing- a vampire hunter trying to chase the clan down.

“Working with the guy was amazing. I was a big fan of A Clockwork Orange. He’s just so creative and passionate about what he does.”

Acquired by Alliance Films, shooting occurred in Toronto last November for 20 days with a low budget of $3.5 million (CAN). Most of the clubs throughout the film are underground clubs and bars in the city.

Lobel admits that once he had a chance to eye the script, he was -without a question- hooked. He fought so hard to get the role, that he even sent in an audition tape of himself jamming out on the drums.

“I knew that Stefaniuk’s work was fun and comedic, so I thought this was a really cool opportunity to portray the vampire genre in a different light.”

As his six-year role on Degrassi gained him some street cred, Lobel feels that it’s now time to switch things up and take a stab at feature films. And TIFF’s reputation to give concentrated career boosts can only mean great things for a guy who hopes to continue his new-found path in the film industry.

“I would like my work to speak for itself,” he says, “and I’m just gonna keep on working hard at my craft. It would be great to have the chance to parlay into another feature film, and I’d definitely be open to the opportunity.”