SciFiAndTvTalk

Juggling Act: Interview with The Tomorrow People's Mark Pellegrino

Mark Pellegrino as Dr. Jedikiah Price in The Tomorrow People. Photo copyright of The CW.

Back in the 1970s, the young heroes of the long-running British Sci-Fi TV series The Tomorrow People faced a number of dangerous and cunning adversaries, terrestrial as well as extraterrestrial. Among their enemies was Jedikiah, a shape-changing alien robot used as a tool by an outside force to capture The Tomorrow People in an effort to harness their powers and use them to repair a damaged alien ship. The robot was later driven insane, developing an intense hatred of The Tomorrow People and devoting the rest of its days to their destruction.

In the updated version of The Tomorrow People (currently airing Wednesday nights @ 9:00 pm EST/PST on The CW Network), this nuts-and-bolts bad guy has received a total makeover and been re-imagined in the flesh and blood form of Dr. Jedikiah Price. Although still very much a threat to our Homo Superior protagonists (The Tomorrow People are the next stage in human evolution) he is not driven by an irrational desire to harm them. Jedikiah Price has his own reasons, personal and professional, for what he is doing, all of which are carried out onscreen by the actor who plays him, Mark Pellegrino. A veteran feature film and TV performer, he was approached by the show’s producers when casting for the pilot began.

“Phil Klemmer [one of the show’s executive producers and co-developer of the 2013 reboot] asked me to meet with him and we had a little chat,” recalls Pellegrino. “Pretty much the first thing out of his mouth was, ‘So would you like to shoot a TV show in New York?’ Phil and I then talked and afterwards I walked out of his office thinking, ‘That was a really easy audition process. I wish they were all like that.’

Dr. Jedikiah Price (Mark Pellegrino) in The Tomorrow People pilot. Photo copyright of The CW.

“Then, of course, I had to go back in and read, but the actual audition process was extremely actor-friendly. Usually you have one or two chances at most, and you audition in front of the all network folks and it either happens for you or it doesn’t. It’s quite nerve-wracking, but in this instance the process was very much rehearsal intensive. [Executive producers] Danny Cannon and Greg Berlanti were there as well as Phil, and we just worked on the scenes and filmed them. I had a reader there with me, which makes everything much nicer. Not long after, the show’s producers phoned to tell me I had the job and we were off to shoot the pilot in New York.”

In The Tomorrow People pilot, a 16-year-old, Stephen Jameson (Robbie Amell), fears he is losing his mind when he starts hearing a woman’s voice in his head. In fact, he is “breaking out” as a Homo Superior, and the woman’s voice is that of Cara Coburn (Peyton List), one of The Tomorrow People. She along with the group’s leader, John Young (Luke Mitchell), and others like them possess superhuman abilities including telepathy, telekinesis and teleportation. They are being hunted down by a powerful organization called Ultra, which just happens to be run by Stephen’s uncle, Jedikiah Price. The young man’s breaking out attracts Ultra’s attention and results in an unexpected family reunion. Pellegrino chuckles when asked about his experiences filming the pilot.

“On the first day we filmed in a place called Dumbo [Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass] right under the Brooklyn Bridge,” he says. ”It’s kind of an older part of the city and the streets are cobblestone. We were shooting a scene where Stephen is walking home from school and the Ultra SUVs are closing in. It’s basically the scene where Jedikiah captures Robbie’s character and brings him back to Ultra. At one point, Robbie starts running down these cobblestone streets, which in itself is quite an athletic feat, and with every take when I would open the door, he would start this skid or slide from about 15 feet away and stop about two feet from me. I was like, ‘Robbie, how exactly are you doing that without going ass over teakettle?” He said, ‘Don’t even ask me. I’m not even thinking about it.’ So that was pretty amusing.

Jedikiah (Mark Pellegrino) and his nephew Stephen (Robbie Amell) in season one's "Death's Door." Photo copyright of The CW.

“It was biting cold that day and we had the trains running overhead, all of which made for a chaotic but fun and interesting first day of work in a very cool part of town. We shot at some amazing locations for the pilot, including a place called, I believe, Cooper Union or Cooper Square, which was used as Ultra headquarters. It has this deep historical pedigree of academia and presidential speeches and the building itself is really awesome looking. In general, filming in New York is a pretty great phenomenon. I’ve always wanted to work and live in New York, because I think for American actors it’s kind of like our Mecca.

“I have to say, too, that the cast was and is terrific. When we did the pilot we didn’t know each other and we really tried to bond. You’re never sure if your pilot will be picked up, so it could be the only time you’re together. As such, you form instant and intense relationships fairly quickly. Now that we’re in Vancouver we’re a little bit more scattered about the city, so we don’t have as much social time together as we did in New York, but we all still get along very well.”

Although The Tomorrow People are unable to harm human beings and are, in fact, destined to play a huge part in the development of humankind’s future, Ultra believes they pose a threat to the human race. The organization’s mission is to hunt down all Homo Superiors and either force them to use their abilities against others of their kind, or render them powerless. Stephen’s father, Jack Jameson a.k.a. Roger Price (Jeffrey Pierce), secretly one of The Tomorrow People, once worked for Ultra, but was tragically killed. His brother Jedikiah has carried on supporting Ultra’s goals, but because he is not without a conscience, his devotion to duty has its inner conflicts.

Brothers Jedikiah (Mark Pellegrino) and Roger (Jeffrey Pierce) in "Brother's Keeper." Photo copyright of The CW.

“Jedikiah is a very complicated guy,” explains Pellegrino. “I think he’s torn between family and his ideology as well as his desire to protect humanity and his ethics, values and love for his brother. This type of grey area has forced him into some really difficult actions that he’s had to compartmentalize for a long time. If you think about it, it seems like Jedikiah has had to play a game for a number of years in a place that’s not like the CIA. At Ultra, people can read your mind and see what you’re thinking, so his ‘mask’ has had to sort of weld itself to his soul, basically, and my character has had to live not just a double life but a triple and quadruple life in an effort to juggle all his values. Sometimes he can’t do it. You saw that in the episode where Jedikiah has a dream about John. He wakes up in a cold sweat and Morgan [Carly Pope] has to talk him off the ledge if you will. I mean, that kind of compartmentalization comes with a price, and in Jedikiah’s case he’s torn between his loyalties, I think.

“All of these things with Jedikiah have developed as the story has gone along,” continues the actor. “As actors, we only have a certain amount of light shown in front of us as we’re going along. The conflicts and deeper story roots get revealed to us a bit at a time. Acting-wise, my main concern with Jedikiah was not to make him arch. I didn’t want him to be a typical bad guy. I wanted him to have layers. No bad guy thinks of himself as one. They see themselves as doing good, and in Jedikiah’s mind, he believes he’s doing good and protecting humanity. There’s more to that story, though, and as the episodes are unfolding, you get to see that there’s a macro and micro thing going on with my character. There’s his service to humanity, but there’s an intensely personal connection to that that’s not ideological, but rather very familial and brotherly in all its dimensions, not just the positive but the negative as well. That type of multi-layering and trying to bring that kind of sense to a character is quite a challenge for an actor, and one I thoroughly enjoy.”

Despite their rather unconventional reunion, Jedikiah ends up employing his nephew Stephen at Ultra, but unbeknownst to him, the young man is working with The Tomorrow People as a double agent. Unlike Stephen, Jedikiah has had a long association with John Young, who he brought into Ultra’s fold at a young age. John later turned his back on Jedikiah and still harbors resentment towards him for everything done to him while at Ultra. Away from the office, Jedikiah had secretly been involved with Morgan, a Homo Superior. She has since been taken in by The Tomorrow People. Whether personal or professional, Jedikiah’s interactions with others are anything but conventional.

Jedikiah (Mark Pellegrino) issuing orders at Ultra Headquarters. Photo copyright of The CW.

“My character’s relationships are complicated, twisted and misguided, but always underpinned by love as well as a protectiveness and the attempt to do the right thing,” says Pellegrino. “I think John is the closest thing that Jedikiah will ever get to having a son, but their relationship was tainted because of the requirements of life at the time. John has held on to an enduring anger for what Jedikiah did to him, but he did those things to John for a reason. It’s one of those fortunate and unfortunate or good and bad situations.

“With Morgan, I feel that Jedikiah genuinely loves her. I think she took him by surprise and got underneath his skin. When someone does that and accepts you for who you are and loves you anyway, that’s an extremely seductive thing, and I think that’s what happened with Morgan. In spite of what his head will tell him to do and in spite of how dangerous it is for him to be with her, he can’t give up his feelings for Morgan or his connection with her. As for Stephen, he has an extreme connection to him, too, as well as a loyalty, although it might not seem like that in certain instances, and I believe Jedikiah is also quite protective of his nephew.

“As my character becomes more complex and as you start to lift the mask and get under the politician and the guy who has to maintain a certain image, you begin to see what’s really going on with him. I’ve had the chance to do quite a few scenes that have been emotionally deep and passionate. I wish I could say more about them, but there are moments coming up between Jedikiah and Stephen that show some real vulnerability with my character, and scenes involving him and Morgan that show even greater vulnerability, which as an actor were scary to do.

Even Jedikiah (Mark Pellegrino) has a boss, The Founder (Simon Merrells), as seen in the episode "Thanatos." Photo copyright of The CW.

“There’s flashback stuff as well that I think is interesting and where you see a different and more innocent relationship between two brothers and learn why things unfolded how they did. I like those scenes quite a lot because they give Jedikiah the opportunity to be innocent, boyish and sensitive, all of which I feel make for a rounded and complicated human being. As things progress and you become more deeply involved in Roger’s and Jedikiah’s story, you get to see, like I said, why things turned out the way they did. Hopefully that will give viewers more of a chance to connect with my character.”

Besides The Tomorrow People, Pellegrino can be seen in the upcoming feature film We Gotta Get Out of This Place. “It’s kind of a little film noir piece that did quite well when it premiered at the Toronto Film Festival,” enthuses the actor. “I think it turned out good. My character is bad, naturally, but he’s very funny as well, and the ‘kids’ or young actors in it are really special, so we just might have something there.”

With several more episodes yet to air of The Tomorrow People’s first season, can Pellegrino reveal anything about what lies ahead with Jedikiah’s story arc? “It seems to be heading in conflicting directions, and I’m very interested in seeing what the conclusion of it is going to be,” he says. “I’ve only read up to episode 20, so there are two scripts I’ve yet to see, but again, there appear to be some inevitable conflicts. I don’t know how they’re going to turn out and who’s going to win, or even if there is going to be a winner.” 

Steve Eramo

As noted above, all photos copyright of The CW, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

Syfy's Face Off Heads To Japan for Anime-Inspired Challenge

(L-R): Face Off's McKenzie Westmore, Michael Westmore and artist Rashaad Santiago in "Ego Trip Abroad." Photo copyright of Syfy.

Syfy’s acclaimed reality competition series Face Off continues its bold and extreme season as the eight remaining artists travel to the other side of the globe for a special episode shot in Tokyo, Japan. Academy-Award nominated makeup artist Kazuhiro Tsuji (Planet of the Apes, Men in Black, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and renowned anime artist and sci-fi illustrator Hidetaka Tenjin make guest appearances in the all-new episode airing Tuesday, March 4 at 9 PM ET/PT.

In the episode, Ego Trip Abroad, the artists embark on the trip of a lifetime where they’ll gather inspiration for two extreme challenges celebrating the fascinating culture of Japan. After a day of exploration, they arrive at an ancient temple where host McKenzie Westmore and two-time Academy Award-nominated makeup artist Kazuhiro Tsuji are waiting to deliver their next Foundation Challenge – to create an original take on a traditional Japanese Oni, which are ogre-like Japanese demons. The next day, the artists venture off into the heart of Akihabara, Tokyo’s tech district and ground zero for anime, where they meet genius anime artist Hidetaka Tenjin. They learn their Spotlight Challenge will be to create a character based on one of Japan’s most famous exports, anime, with a surprise personal twist thrown into the mix.

The eight artists still in the competition are: Chloe Sens of Austin, TX; Corinne Foster of Whittier, CA; Daran Holt of Kansas City, MO; George Schminky of Walnut Creek, CA; Graham Schofield of Boston, MA; Niko Gonzalez of San German, Puerto Rico; Rashaad Santiago of Bronx, NY; and Tyler Green of Litchfield, CT.

Face Offis a competition/elimination series exploring the world of special-effects make-up artists and the unlimited imagination that allows them to create amazing works of living art. As a member of the multi-generational family dynasty whose name is synonymous with the make-up effects field, actress McKenzie Westmore brings expertise to her role as host of the series. Some of SFX world’s most celebrated figures return to judge the competition – Ve Neill (The Hunger Games, The Amazing Spider-Man, Pirates of the Caribbean), Glenn Hetrick (CSI: New York, The Hunger Games, Heroes) and Neville Page (Avatar, Prometheus). World-renowned makeup artist – and McKenzie’s dad – Michael Westmore is the official contestant mentor.

Face Off is a production of Mission Control Media with Dwight D. Smith, Michael Agbabian and Derek Atherton serving as executive producers.

As noted above, photo copyright of Syfy, so please no unauthorized copying or dupplicating of any kind. Thanks!

El Rey Network Announces Production of New Series "Matador"

At a press breakfast held in New York today, El Rey Network executives announced that Matador, an original, scripted action series created by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, and produced in association with K/O Paper Products, the coveted writing/producing team behind Sleepy Hollow, Fringe, Star Trekand the Transformer franchise, will start production in Los Angeles at the end of March. El Rey Network and founder Robert Rodriguez also confirmed that he will direct the first episode of the series which will make its primetime debut just following the World Cup competition in July 2014. Matador is the second original series to launch of the genre-busting cable network. The network's first scripted project, Rodriguez’s highly-anticipated From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, premieres on March 11, 2014 at 9 pm ET/PT. 

Irreverent and action-packed, Matador chronicles the unlikely rise of Antonio "Matador" Bravo, a popular soccer star, who comes to be known as much for his playboy antics off the field as his dynamic moves on it. But what his fans and family don't realize is that it's all a cover--in truth, he is a skilled covert operative executing missions for a little known branch of the CIA. Matador has the kind of fame and notoriety that affords him access to powerful circles of corruption and villainy. But, in balancing the dueling roles in which he's been cast, he will be forced to confront the question of his true identity...and it is this mission which will prove to be his most dangerous.

Bob Orci said: "This is a project that I have wanted to do for as long as I can remember and when I asked Robert if El Rey Network could be our home for Matador, he embraced the idea immediately. And that's what is special about El Rey Network-it is a place where creatives can create and where success is measured by your ability to tell a story well-and that is incredibly appealing on many levels."

Rodriguez added: "Bob Orci and his team are absolutely committed to delivering high quality, visceral content that will explode off the screen. They are some of the best storytellers in the business and I am confident that El Rey Network's viewers will be engaged from the minute the show hits the air."

Executive Producers Jay Beattie and Dan Dworkin, also showrunners, will pen the first episode alongside executive producers Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Andrew Orci.  Also joining as executive producers are Heather Kadin of K/O Paper Products; and Robert Rodriguez along with FactoryMade Ventures and El Rey Network co-founders John Fogelman and Cristina Patwa. Entertainment One Television (eOne) exclusively handles all media rights for Matador, with the exception of broadcast rights.

BBC America Releases Orphan Black Sneak Peeks on Instagram

Rachel (Tatiana Maslany) and Sarah (Tatiana Maslany) from Orphan Black's season two opener. Photo copyright of BBC America.

Today, BBC America released the first of eight sneak peek clips from season two of Orphan Black. The official Orphan Black Instagram (@OrphanBlacktv) will post seven additional sneak peek clips (once daily) from the new season of the dramatic conspiracy thriller. Season two of Orphan Black premieres Saturday, April 19th @ 9:00 p.m. EST/PST on BBC America.

As noted above, photo copyright of BBC America, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks! 

Helix Sneak Peek - "Level X" (Syfy US)

In this week's all new Helix episode Level X, the scientists will learn more information about the virus, after discovering a secret lower level within the research facility. As you can see in the first look below, things are getting scarier and more intense. The team will have to band together in order to survive the next wave of danger. Make sure to tune in for the entire episode to see how our heroes - and villians- fare on Friday, February 28th @ 10;00 p.m. EST/PST on Syfy.

   

Being Human Season Four: Message From The Cast

The following is a message/press release from Syfy: With the second half of Being Human’s” fourth season set to kick off, our human-at-heart characters are about to embark on a journey full of  twists, turns and surprises that will culminate in a spectacular series finale on Syfy, Monday, April 7th.

Showrunner Anna Fricke and the talented producers, writers, cast and crew have done an amazing job bringing this show to life over the past four seasons and we sincerely thank them and the series’ production company Muse Entertainment for their hard work. They’ve saved the best for last with the final six episodes that revisit the story’s beginning, leading to a not-to-be-missed send-off for Aidan, Sally, Josh and Nora. Please check out the wonderful message below.

 

 

A&E to Present "Bates Motel: After Hours"

A&E Network announces Bates Motel: After Hours, a live half-hour special event bringing the highly engaged Bates Motel community to life as fans interact with the show’s stars and creators sharing behind-the-scenes analysis and exclusive content.

Series stars Vera Farmiga (Norma Bates), Freddie Highmore (Norman Bates), Max Thieriot (Dylan Massett) and executive producers Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin share their insights into the first episode and answer fan questions about the upcoming season of “Bates Motel.  

Bates Motel: After Hours will be broadcast in front of a live studio audience in New York on Monday, March 3 at 11PM ET/PT immediately following the series premiere of Those Who Kill at 10PM ET/PT and the season two premiere of Bates Motel at 9PM ET/PT.

Bates Motel is a contemporary prequel to the genre-defining film Psycho, and gives viewers an intimate portrayal of how Norman Bates’ (Freddie Highmore) psyche unravels through his teenage years. Fans discover the dark, twisted backstory of Norman Bates and how deeply intricate his relationship with his mother, Norma (Vera Farmiga), truly is.

Bates Motel: After Hours is produced for A&E by Embassy Row. Michael Davies serves executive producer. The Bates Motel series is produced by Universal Television for A&E Network. Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin serve as executive producers for Carlton Cuse Productions and Kerry Ehrin Productions respectively.

BBC America's "Intruders" Begins Production

Production is underway for BBC America’s new original series Intruders, starring celebrated British actor John Simm and Oscar winner Mira Sorvino. The series is about a secret society devoted to chasing immortality by seeking refuge in the bodies of others. Produced by BBC Worldwide Productions, from writer and executive producer Glen Morgan (The X-Files), the series is based on Michael Marshall Smith’s novel The Intruders.

A contemporary, chilling, paranormal tale set in the moody Pacific Northwest, the series spins a fascinating and complex web of drama. As strange, apparently unrelated events start happening, multiple story-lines – a missing wife, an assassin covering his crimes, a child on the run – begin to intertwine to reveal a conspiracy that will forever change our understanding of human nature.

Simm, who previously starred in the hit BBC America series Life on Mars, State of Play and Doctor Who, is joined by Sorvino, whose impressive multi-award winning body of work includes Mighty Aphrodite, Norma Jean & Marilyn and Human Trafficking. The cast includes James Frain (The White Queen, Tron: Legacy), Tory Kittles (True Detective) and introduces 10-year-old Millie Brown (Once Upon a Time in Wonderland), making her debut in a series lead role.

Under the direction of Eduardo Sanchez (Blair Witch Project, Exists) and Daniel Stamm (13 Sins, The Last Exorcism), the creative team includes acclaimed production designer Mark Freeborn (Breaking Bad). The series is executive produced by Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner for BBC Worldwide Productions, Glen Morgan and Rose Lam (The L Word).

Jack Whelan (John Simm), a former LAPD cop with a troubled and violent history, finds the quiet idyllic life he has crafted with his wife, Amy (Mira Sorvino) shattered when she goes missing. While Jack is consumed with an investigation, which threatens his very core, a sinister agent named Richard Shepherd (James Frain) is embarking on a series of lethal executions. Meanwhile, a distraught little girl named Madison (Millie Brown) runs away from home into a world of danger.

Mira Sorvino says "I feel I have been haunted, in the best possible way, by Glen Morgan's deeply compelling script. I am thrilled to undertake what may be one of the greatest artistic challenges of my career, and who better to take this journey with than John Simm, James Frain and everyone at BBC America and BBC Worldwide Productions!"

“It’s such an intriguing story,” says James Frain. “I was immediately hooked. An actor always responds to great scripts and Glen Morgan’s adaptation both hits the genre notes and allows for characters of range, complexity and emotional truth.”

Intruders is a BBC America original series produced by BBC Worldwide Productions and distributed internationally by BBC Worldwide. The series is part of BBC America’s slate of dramas including original series Orphan Black, The Game, NorJonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, Ripper Street, Doctor Who, Atlantis, Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond and In The Flesh.

Samuel Anderson to Join Doctor Who

Samuel Anderson as Danny Pink in Doctor Who. Photo copyright of the BBC.

Samuel Anderson (The History Boys, Gavin & Stacey) is set to join the cast of Doctor Who as a recurring character in the new season, which will also introduce Peter Capaldi as the Doctor to millions of viewers. Anderson will play Danny Pink, a teacher at Coal Hill School where companion Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) also teaches when the series returns to BBC America later this year.

On joining the show Samuel Anderson said: "I was so excited to join Doctor Who I wanted to jump and click my heels, but I was scared I might not come down before filming started! It's a quintessential part of British culture and I can't believe I'm part of it. It's an honor to be able to work alongside Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman and I can't wait to show people how my character becomes involved with such a fantastic duo!"

While Steven Moffat, lead writer and executive producer, added: "For the fourth time in Doctor Who history, Coal Hill School is coming to the aid of the TARDIS. In 1963 teachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright accompanied the first Doctor. These days it's the turn of Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald. And very soon now, Sam Anderson as Danny Pink will be entering the world of the Doctor. But how and why? Answers are coming later this year in Peter Capaldi's first season of Doctor Who!"

Filming recently began on episode four of the new series, which will co-star Robert Goodman (Gangs of New York, Game of Thrones) and episode five, co-starring Jonathan Bailey (Broadchurch, Groove High), and Pippa Bennett-Warner (The Smoke, Death in Paradise).

As noted above, photo copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

Heroes Reborn - Coming in 2015

 

An iconic series that still commands a rabid fan base, Heroes will return to the network in 2015 as an event miniseries with original creator and executive producer Tim Kring at the helm, it was announced today by NBC Entertainment President Jennifer Salke. NBC has ordered 13 episodes for a new stand-alone story arc entitled Heroes Reborn, with all details of storylines and characters being kept under wraps. 

“The enormous impact Heroes had on the television landscape when it first launched in 2006 was eye-opening,” said NBC Entertainment  President Jennifer Salke. “Shows with that kind of resonance don’t come around often and we thought it was time for another installment. We’re thrilled that visionary creator Tim Kring was as excited about jumping back into this show as we were and we look forward to all the new textures and layers Tim plans to add to his original concept. Until we get closer to air in 2015, the show will be appropriately shrouded in secrecy, but we won’t rule out the possibility of some of the show’s original cast members popping back in.”  

The original series chronicled the life-changing stories of a series of unrelated ordinary people who discovered they had superhuman abilities. As the saga unfolded, they learned they were part of a grand plan that brought them together to change the world.

With the return of Heroes Reborn, NBC will launch a digital series prior to the 2015 premiere that will introduce the characters and new storylines. This leveraging of social media is a way for fans to re-engage with what was one for the true pioneers in multiplatform storytelling. 

The iconic sci-fi series, which ran on NBC from 2006-10 and was an immediate hit, ranked as television’s #1 new drama with an average audience of 14.5 million viewers during its initial season. The show was Golden Globe-nominated in its first year of eligibility for best drama series; it won the BAFTA Award for best international series, the AFI Award, the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Saturn Award, two People’s Choice Awards and the Television Critics Association Award for Program of the Year. Heroes remains one of the best-selling TV series on DVD of all time with more than 10 million units sold.