CelebWatch: Stardate 05.22.08

This week The Watch welcomes the return of Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (which opens today) by starting with an Indy-related Trek Celeb story. Plus we have Kate Mulgrew and Patrick Stewart being honored for their theater work, lots of red carpet photos from around the world (including Jeri Ryan’s first post-baby sighting), videos and more.

De Longis whips it good with Indy
When Harrison Ford needed a refresher course on whip-cracking for Indy 4, who did he call? Why, Star Trek: Voyager guest star and master bullwhipper Anthony De Longis, of course. We probably know De Longis best as Maje Jal Cullah in several VOY episodes, but Ford knows him as the man who brought him up to speed on the bullwhip for Indy’s return to the big screen. Of De Longis, Ford tells the Philippine Daily Inquirer:

Anthony is a real artist and he taught me quite a lot. In the beginning, I almost took my ear off with the whip. The first couple of weeks training with the whip is painful. One is encouraged to wear a hat, maybe even goggles, in classes. But once you get the hang of it, it stays with you.

For his part De Longis told The Charleston Post and Courier about working on Indy and the working of the whip. From the Charleston:

Working with Ford was wonderfully satisfying. That was my contribution to the film, that and hand-dyeing and breaking in the whips he was to use. Harrison’s intelligent, resourceful and appreciative. He saw what I was trying to offer. He did great. He was ready to go from the start.

De Longis also talked to Georgia Straight, CVA.ca, and  NY Post. For even more on De Longis, check out his official site and his Whip demo video. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull opens today (as if you needed reminding).


Harrison Ford (L) learned to crack the whip from De Longis (R)

Star Trek 2009 Celebs in The Big Apple
It seems in the last week you couldn’t throw a Tribble in New York without hitting someone working on the new Star Trek movie.


Zoe Saldana (Star Trek 2009 Uhura) attends the Rogan For Target Debut at Barneys New York on May 15, 2008. (click to expand)


Star Trek 2009 co-writers Roberto Orci (L) and Alex Kurtzman (R) w/ Star Trek 2009 Director JJ Abrams, arrive at the 2008 FOX UpFront at Wollman Rink in Central Park on May 15, 2008 in New York City to promote their new show FRINGE.


(L-R) Publisher of Entertainment Weekly Scott Donaton, actor Zachary Quinto (Star Trek 2009: Spock) and Senior Director of Matrix Integrated Communications Vivianna Barrera attend the Entertainment Weekly & Vavoom Annual Upfront Party at the Bowery Hotel on May 13, 2008 in New York City.

Quinto is hunky…talks Abrams magic
Speaking of Quinto, the new Spock has been nominated as one of the AfterElton.com Hot 100 Hunkiest Guys. The blog notes "Zachary is appearing in the next Star Trek film as Spock, so wouldn’t it be logical that he’d make the list?." Voting has been going on all week and the results will be released June 2nd. At the Upfronts in New York last week, Quinto (along with his Heroes cast mates) was interviewed by the AP. In the video below he talks about how JJ Abrams showed off his magical abilities between takes on the Star Trek set. NOTE: vid has some Heroes spoilers.

Pegg does Cannes
Another Star Trek 2009 star (Simon Pegg: Scotty) was spotted out and about in the last week, but instead of NYC it was at the Cannes Film Festival. Pegg dropped into France for the premiere of his new film How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (see pics below). While at Cannes Pegg spoke to The Times about life living in Hollywood (noting even the homeless have scripts) and said that being in the new Star Trek has generated a whole new set of fan mail for him, saying "There is a whole new raft of people writing to me which is kind of strange." 


Pegg showing the ladies a good time at Cannes: with his "Lose Friends" co-star Gillian Anderson (L) and singer Lily Allen (R), (click to enlarge).

Transporter chief gets new job, talks a little trek
One last bit of news from Star Trek 2009 stars. Marlene Forte (Transporter Chief), has secured a leading role in the Lifetime Television Movie of the Week entitled Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Story. according to News Blaze, production wrapped on the movie this week in Canada and the movie is set to air on August 16th. In the meantime, the site explains how Forte landed her role on Star Trek:

She was cast in Star Trek without going through the traditional process of auditioning. When [director/producer] JJ Abrams saw her demo reel, he instructed the casting director[s] to hire her on the spot.


Marlene Forte (second from right) with her Little Girl Lost cast mates.

Jeri Ryan joins Idol collective
Switching gears to Voyager, Borg beauty Jeri Ryan (7 of 9) was seen in the audience of FOX’s American Idol season finale last night, according to BuddyTV. Ryan told Deseret News that she was there supporting finalist David Archuleta (who lost to David Cook), but we think she appeared on the FOX program as revenge against CBS for cancelling Shark. By the way, the first pictures of Jeri’s newborn baby girl, Gisele, are in this week’s issue of People magazine.


Jeri looking good at Idol finale, sorry your boy lost (click to enlarge)

Picardo does Italian, talks Sensored & Stargate
Robert Picardo (VOY’s Holodoc) is a guest at the Star Trek Italian Club Convention, where he will join Brent Spiner (TNG’s Data) and Vaughn Armstrong (various characters, inc. ENT’s Admiral Forrest). The event kicks off (in Italy, duh!) on May 22nd and goes through the 25th. And speaking of Picardo, Bob has a few new interviews online, including two at Sci-Fi Wire: one discussing his film, Sensored, and another discussing his role on Stargate: Atlantis. Bob also has interviews up at the official Stargate site and Starlog, and you can find a bit more info on Sensored at Fangoria.

Mulgrew gets an Obie
There’s Obies in that nebula! Okay, bad joke…There is yet another Voyager actor in the news this week. On Monday Kate Mulgrew (VOY’s Capt. Janeway) picked up an Obie Award for her performance as Clytemnestra in the Signature Theatre’s production of Iphigenia 2.0. Here is her acceptance speech.

Stewart nominated…again
Just how many theater awards are there? It seems that Patrick Stewart (TNG: Capt. Picard) has won or been nominated for all of them for his work in Macbeth. This week’s nomination was for a Broadway.com Audience Award. Last Friday Stewart attended the Drama League Awards, where he was a nominee of course, but this time he walked away empty handed.


Stewart looking pretty pleased with himself at the Drama League Awards in New York City on May 16, 2008

Meaney gets ‘Ironclad’
TNG/DS9 star Colm Meaney continues to be one of the busiest, hardest-working actors in the world. He is currently starring in the Americanized version of the BBC’s Life on Mars and is also set to play Coach Don Revie in the film, The Damned United. Now, according to Variety, Meaney has joined the cast of the $30 million medieval action epic, Ironclad. The film, about a small band of knights who defended Rochester Castle against the tyrant King Johnset in 13th century England, will be the first project of the newly-formed company, Mythic International Entertainment.

Kira talks to the animals
Speaking of DS9 stars, Nana Visitor (Kira Nerys) will be talking to a tiger and chatting to a cheetah before the month is out. Ryan Stark, the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra’s Associate Director of Marketing and Public Relations, tells TrekMovie.com that Nana will be narrating “The Carnival of the Animals” at the orchestra’s May 30th concert at the Rio Grande Zoo in Albuquerque (be sure to take that left turn). Visitor will also be the first guest narrator to serve as the Garrison Keillor Chair for Storytelling and Narration. Tickets to the event start at $14 and are available at NMSO.org, at any Albuquerque-area Ticketmaster outlet or by calling (505) 881-8999. Enjoy!

Montgomery finishes record
Enterprise star Anthony Montgomery (Ens. Travis Mayweather) has completed recording his debut album, tentatively titled A.T.. As reported by his official site, the album is currently being mixed and mastered and is currently slated for release in October 2008. Song titles and samples will soon be available at this page here.


From the helm to the microphone: Montgomery’s debut album should be out in October.

80s Pop Star wants Shatner cover
After a couple weeks of non-stop Shatner news, is there anything else to say about the original Captain Kirk. The answer is: Yes. Ozzie TrekMovie reader Kevin sends in this clip of the lead singer of the 80s pop band Mental As Anything talking about how he needs the Shat.

TrekBits

  • Nichelle Nichols (the original Uhura) will be attending the screening of her film Tru Loved at the New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Film Festival on June 5th. (News Blaze)
  • Chase Masterson (DS9’s Leeta) and Malcolm McDowell (Star Trek Generations‘ Soran) will be among the guests at this year’s Big Apple Con.
  • This Week in Geek has a new interview with actor/writer/geek-god Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher); check it out here.
  • Catherine Hicks (Dr. Gillian Taylor in Star Trek IV) will co-host the Make a Wish Foundation’s premiere benefit screening of the movie Put it in a Book at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills on May 30th. (Newswire via Fox Business)
  • F. Murray Abraham (Ru’afo in Star Trek: Insurrection) will moderate a discussion on the art of acting at the Seattle International Film Festival on May 26th. (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
  • Tom Hardy (Shinzon)’s film Bronson is being screened at the Cannes Film Festival. (Telegraph)
  • Frank Langella (DS9’s Jaro Essa) will be starring as Sir Thomas Moore in a Broadway revival of A Man for All Seasons. (Playbill)
  • NBC has picked up Kings as a series, which will star frequent Trek guest actress Susanna Thompson (VOY’s Borg Queen, etc.). (Broadcasting & Cable)
  • Boris Lee Krutonog (STVI: Helmsman Lojur) and “Dog the Bounty Hunter” producer is suing A&E claiming that he was bilked out of $5 Million bucks (TMZ)
  • The San Francisco Gate has noticed that John “That Guy” Billingsley (ENT’s Dr. Phlox) has been appearing in a lot of shows set in “San Fauxcisco” lately.

Happy birthday, John!
Dr. Phlox himself, John Billingsley, celebrated his birthday this week! Other Trek luminaries turning an extra digit include actress Yvonne Craig (Marta in TOS: “Whom Gods Destroy;” 71), actress Ann Cusack (Maggie in ENT: “Carbon Creek;” 47), actor Ben Lemon (Jev in TNG’s “Violations;” 53), actor Richard Libertini (Akorem Laan in DS9’s “Accession;” 75), actor Matt McCoy (Devinoni Ral in TNG’s “The Price;” 50), actress Stephanie Niznik (ST:FC and ENT: “Rogue Planet;” 41), stuntman Eric Norris (43), actor Michael Sarrazin (Trevean in DS9’s “The Quickening;” 68), actor Bill Smitrovich (Michael Webb in VOY’s “Past Tense” episodes; 61), actress Gail Strickland (Alicus in DS9’s “Paradise;” also 61), actress Noa Tishby (Amanda Cole in ENT’s “Harbinger;” 31), actor Sean Whalen (Zoumas in ENT’s “Canamar;” 44), and actor Anthony Zerbe (Adm. Dougherty in Star Trek: Insurrection; 72). To all of you and everyone else, TrekMovie.com wishes you a very happy birthday!


Hey, it’s That Guy… again! Billingsley in his latest TV appearance on the series finale of the San Francisco-based drama “Women’s Murder Club”.

 

Red Carpet Images: Wire Image

 

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Man, Stewart’s tache is schweet.

Zoe is schweetness with a bow on it. .

Jerry in; Jerry out. Matters not. “Shark” is a great show; James Woods is awesome; CBS should be tied to the pack of a ’76 Plymouth with about 30ft of chain, soaked in lemon juice, dipped in salt, and dragged through a field of glass.

Zoe Saldana=Hideous
Jeri Ryan=Repulsive
Lily Allen=Freakish

Stewart’s ‘stache=Rockin’!

BTW the gals are gorgeous!

Fess up, Denise, you nominated Zach, didn’t you?

My, Jeri Ryan is looking especially yummy these days!

CmdrR- I would nominate Zach for anything, then hand him the award.

Zoe looks so cute in those pictures, and Jeri Ryan could look smokin’ hot wearing a potato sack. Very impatient for the new Heroes eps – it has been too long sice we saw Syler do something horrible and dastardly.

since, not sice…

I enjoyed the Bugs Bunny reference. :D

I saw Indy 4 earlier today. It was OK.

Earlier TONIGHT would be a more correct phrase.

Not as good as Iron Man?

I wonder if JJ and I are distantly related – we both have pointy chins and messy black hair.

Nice to see that Quinto’s eyebrows are growing back in. :)

The “Vavoom Annual Upfront Party?”

Wasn’t Vavoom a character on the Flintstones?

A little green flying alien in a helmet who says “VAVOOM!”?

In other news, Jeri looks remarkably good so soon after having a baby.

Charles, the endless Trek celeb detail every week is mind-boggling and wonderful to read.

“And Armin Shimerman (Letek (TNG), Quark (DS9), Betazoid Giftbox (TNG), Principle Snyder on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) was spotted last Thursday at 3:31PM in a public restroom in Central Park with his groceries and Irish Setter, Pookie.

Shimerman: “Charlie? Next time, I call the cops.”

AJ

The Great Gazoo is the alien you are looking for. He was voiced by Harvey Korman.

Charles:

It’s just a tribute to your thoroughness. LOL!

I read somewhere here that you do Memory Alpha, which I love as well.

THX

Thanks for that. I never realized it was Harvey Korman.

Dear Kate Mulgrwe
and how did you hear