Scottish Actors

A message for all Scottish Actors followers

noreply@blogger.com (helygen) — Thu, 22 May 2014 21:32:00 +0000

Dear Scottish Actors fans

Summer is almost upon us, which can only mean two things: spring is almost over, and my promise to resume regular updates has not been fulfilled.

I apologise for this. Life has not slowed down at all during the last six months, and the gaps in my schedule that I'd expected to crop up by now have not materialised.

However, I'm determined that this blog will continue and I will be publishing monthly updates from 1 July.

If you've been in touch with me about contributing, I'll be emailing you in the next week or so.

If you wish to contribute and haven't already contacted me, please do so a.s.a.p.

In the meantime, I think it's time we had a new banner for the Scottish Actors blog and Twitter account, don't you?

Would you like to design one?

If not, do you have any ideas for what should be included?

Please reply on the blog, on Facebook, or on Twitter

Thanks

Scottish Actors admin

Tìoraidh an-dràsta!

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Tìoraidh an-dràsta! (Bye for now)

I'm sorry to announce that the Scottish Actors blog, Facebook page and Twitter account will be going into semi-hibernation until Spring 2014.

Due to ever-increasing family, work, study and personal commitments, I'm unable to update the blog on a regular basis.

Other than occasional 'big' announcements, there will be no further updates until the end of March 2014.

We're still looking for regular contributors to join the team from March 2014. If you'd like to collate a report on your favourite Scottish actor(s) for inclusion in our monthly updates from next Spring, please email scottishactors at gmail dot com.

Thank you for your support

helygen
20 October 2013

Scottish Actors: September news round-up

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 17:28:00 +0000

Here you'll find the latest news about all your favourite Scottish actors: what they've been doing, what they're doing now, and what they've got in the pipeline!

Actors are listed alphabetically.

    2013 Scottish Fashion Icon nominees
The 2013 Scottish Fashion Icon nominees include Gerard Butler, Karen Gillan, Louise Linton, and James McAvoy.
Details here

    BAFTA Breakthrough Brits 2013
Paul Brannigan, Chloe Pirrie, and Sharon Rooney among those selected in the British Academy’s new scheme to recognise young British talent.
Details here

    John Barrowman
Dragon Con 2013: Hilarious Torchwood Panel Hijinks, Part 1 - details here

    Billy Boyd
Armageddon expo - details here

    Paul Brannigan
Under The Skin official trailer here
It's crying time for Paul Brannigan on River City (Glasgow Evening Times interview); details here

    Paul Brannigan, Kevin Guthrie, Peter Mullan
Sunshine on Leith
Details here
Official trailer here
Review - The Guardian
Visit Scotland article here

    Ewen Bremner
New Snowpiercer international trailer here

    Gerard Butler
DVD Review: Olympus Has Fallen - Get Hampshire
Gerard Butler joins Gods of Egypt - details here

    Peter Capaldi
The Fifth Estate, Toronto Film Festival, review - The Telegraph

    Robert Carlyle
Robert Carlyle: My dream role would be to play legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly
Details here

    Sean Connery
Sir Sean Connery is to play St John in a new film about Spanish art, which will be completed next year. Details here

    Sean Connery, Alan Cumming
Sir Billi (DVD) reviews
Big Gay Picture Show
Hey U Guys
The Guardian
The Guardian Film Blog

    Billy Connolly
Latest news here

    James Cosmo, John Hannah, Sylvester McCoy
The Christmas Candle is to open in theaters Nov. 22
Details here

    Brian Cox
Brian Cox to star in BBC One spy drama The Game - details here

    Alan Cumming
Michelle Williams to star opposite Alan Cumming in Cabaret, opening April 24 at Studio 54
Details here
Alan Cumming interview: 'I think I look ridiculous as a drag queen' - The Guardian
Any Day Now review - The List
Interview - Hey U Guys
Alan Cumming: 25 Things You Don't Know About Me - details here

    Tony Curran
Lots of news, links, photos, videos (provided by one of our contributors) here

    Henry Ian Cusick
Hawaii Five-0's Lost reunions - details here

    Iain De Caestecker
S.H.I.E.L.D. Details here
Interview - Buddy TV

    Blythe Duff
Celebrate 30 Years of Taggart on TV with Blythe Duff - details here

    Emun Elliott
NTA nomination - Drama Performance - The Paradise, John Moray. Details here

    Emun Elliott, Joanna Vanderham
Trailer: The Paradise Season Two - here

    Tommy Flanagan
Sons of Anarchy at J&P Cycles 2014 Rally - details here

    Laura Fraser
Breaking Bad Q&A - details here
Interview - The Scotsman

    Niall Greig Fulton, Bryan Larkin, Pollyanna McIntosh, James McCreadie, Douglas Russell, Hanna Stanbridge, Brian Vernel, Jonathan Watson
Let Us Prey completes filming - details here

    Karen Gillan
Oculus review - Dread Central
Oculus distribution and release details here
Oculus review - Hitfix
Karen Gillan in A Touch Of Cloth III - details here
Not Another Happy Ending review - Female First
Not Another Happy Ending trailer here
Karen Gillan wraps as Nebula for Guardians of the Galaxy - details here

    John Hannah
John Hannah to host Never Mind the Buzzcocks 27th series opener - details here

    David Hayman, Alex Norton, Elaine C smith
Scotland's Real Heroes - details here

    Douglas Henshall
Douglas Henshall is nominated for TV Detective of the Year (Shetland) in the National Television Awards - details here

    Ashley Jensen
Interview - IOL

    Richard Madden
A Promise: Venice Review - Hollywood Reporter
Filming begins for Disney's live-action Cinderella - details here

    James McAvoy
Two new red band clips from Filth here
Filth review - The List
Interview - Herald Scotland
Frankenstein movie - details here
TIFF Review: The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him & Her - Indie Wire

    Brian McCardie
Filth’s Brian McCardie makes Begbie look like a Disney Character - Edinburgh Reporter interview

    Kelly McDonald
Boardwalk Empire season 5: HBO series renewed for new season to air in 2014 - details here.
Travis rocker Dougie Payne has written a moving song about his actress wife Kelly Macdonald for the band's new album - details here

    Ewan McGregor
Mortdecai multi-movie, multi-year deal - details here.
Ant-Man rumour - details here.
Osage County - Toronto Film Festival, review - Telegraph
More on the unnamed 'Submarine' film: details here

    Siobhan Redmond
Dunsinane review - Journal Online

    Dougray Scott
Exclusive Strike Back season 3 episode 4 preview scene here.
Last Passenger trailer released: watch the terrifyingly startling teaser clip here

    David Tennant
David Tennant and Greg Doran to guest on Front Row on 1st October - details here
Richard II cinema screenings, rehearsals updates, production diary - full info here
Richard II trailer - here
Young Shakespeare Nation animated video here
Best Actor at the TV Choice Awards - details here
NTA awards nomination - details here
The Escape Artist promos here
The CD audiobook of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car read by David Tennant is now available to buy - details here
Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Poster And Print released - details here
BFI Doctor Who screening Sunday 29 Sept - details here and on Twitter!
David Tennant to play Plastic Man? Speculation here
Fish Hooks - details here
Sunshine On Leith Gala Screening - details here
Dolphins: Spy in the Pod - details here
All the latest David Tennant news (much more than what's included here!) can be found at DavidTennantOnTwitter
For immediate news updates, follow them on Twitter

    Joanna Vanderham
NTA nomination - Drama Performance - The Paradise, Denise Lovett. Details here

Scottish Actors: August news round-up

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 01 Sep 2013 21:42:00 +0000

Rab Affleck

From @PJK86 on Twitter:

Hey, please check out 'Rab Affleck' (Big man, layer cake etc) starring in a music video by @Culann

Video source: YouTube

Gerard Butler

Feature: Gerard Butler - Action Hero

Gianni Capaldi

Facebook page for all the latest news

Peter Capaldi

Big Issue interview

Sean Connery

Encore to feature Bond season. More info here.

Sean Connery et al: all-Scottish film production 'Sir Billi'

From Tess at Hartmann Media:

We thought you maybe interested in this story given the amount of amazing Scottish talent we have attached - apart from Sir Sean and Alan Cumming we have Alex Norton, Barbara Rafferty, Ford Kiernan, Greg Hempill, Larry Sullivan, Kieron Elliott and award winning Scottish composer Patrick Doyle who wrote the score. The entire project was created and produced in Scotland!

KALEIDOSCOPE ENTERTAINMENT

IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE RELEASE OF

SIR BILLI

STARRING SIR SEAN CONNERY, MIRIAM MARGOLYES & ALAN CUMMING

TITLE TRACK PERFORMED BY DAME SHIRLEY BASSEY

DIRECTED BY SASCHA HARTMANN

RELEASED IN CINEMAS: 13 SEPTEMBER

Synopsis

An ageing, skateboarding veterinarian Sir Billi goes above and beyond the call of duty fighting villainous policemen and powerful lairds in a battle to save an illegal fugitive - Bessie Boo the beaver!

A heart-warming and action packed family movie where thrilling car chases, heroic skydiving and daring stunts from this octogenarian, fuelled with encounters with a hostile submarine, will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Voiced by Sir Sean Connery, everyone wants a grandpa like Sir Billi, the Guardian of the Highlands! With a star-studded cast including Alan Cumming (Spy Kids, The Smurfs 2, X-Men 2) Miriam Margolyes (Harry Potter, Mulan), Kieron Elliot (How to Train Your Dragon) and title track performed by Dame Shirley Bassey. Original score by Oscar nominee Patrick Doyle.

SIR BILLI will be released in UK cinemas on 13 September.

OFFICIAL TRAILER

Source: YouTube

Official site: (Hear exclusive play of title track performed by Dame Shirley Bassey) www.sirbilli.com

Twitter: @Sirbilli

Facebook: SirSeanConnerysSirBilli

Video source: YouTube

The film is also being released in South Korea, Australia / New Zealand, Middle East and Turkey - more territories announced soon.

James Cosmo

Hammer of the Gods Review and trailer

Alan Cumming

Any Day Now interview

Tony Curran

What to Expect in Defiance Season 2

The Syfy series Defiance returns in June 2014 for season 2. According to Huffington Post, there will be many changes concerning the characters.

At Comic-Con, a panel including executive producer Kevin Murphy and stars Grant Bowler (Joshua Nolan), Julie Benz (Amanda Rosewater), Stephanie Leonidas (Irisa), Tony Curran (Datak Tarr), Jaime Murray (Stahma Tarr), Jesse Rath (Alak Tarr) and Trion Worlds’ senior game producer Rob Hill was held for the fans. The audience was clued into the fact that when the second season returns, many of the characters will be in different places and leading different lives.

“The goal at the end the end of Season 1 was to take the chess board and flip it up and knock all the pieces all over the place. Every single character has a reset,” Murphy told the audience.

Huffington Post reports the changes to expect in Defiance season 2. One change will be seen as Datak will be away from his family for the first part of the season. What happened to him was unclear after he murdered the Earth Republic official but it “will be explored in first part of the season,” Murphy said.

“As for Stahma, she will be experimenting with the increased power and status that her new role in the business gives her. Stahma has taken over the family with Alak as the figurehead,” Murphy said. During her time in Defiance, Stahma has been around “other women who are far more liberated,” Murray said. “Castithan men put their women in cages. She was trying to control from within the cage, but maybe this season she’ll get a taste of what it’s like in the outside world.”

Scottish Actors blog - a message for our readers

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Thank you!
First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for the support shown to the Scottish Actors blog, Twitter account and Facebook page during the last few months. Despite very infrequent updates, the readership level has continued to increase and we gain new followers every day - a great testament to the popularity of our beloved Scottish actors!

Sorry!
Due to unforeseen circumstances, there was no update in July, and no explanation for its absence. I apologise.

What's next?
Regular updates will resume with effect from Sunday 1 September. The updates will be posted either fortnightly or monthly (decision yet to be made), and for the time being they will be presented in one large report rather than a separate report for each actor.

Want to help?
There are still opportunities for contributors. If you'd like to collate a regular report on your favourite Scottish actor for inclusion in our fortnightly/monthly updates, please email scottishactors at gmail dot com.

Thanks
helygen
Scottish Actors

Scottish Actors blog: an update on updates

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 30 Jun 2013 19:00:00 +0000

June news round-up

I have accidentally lost this month’s update – I hit “Don’t Save” rather than “Save” – and I don’t have time to re-write it or to trawl through a month’s worth of deleted emails to find the news I’d included.

The latest news about most of our Scottish Actors can be found via the links on the left. If you run or know of a fansite that could be added to the list, please get in touch.

David Tennant news (updated several times a day) can be found here.

Tony Curran news (provided by a dedicated fan) can be found here. (link now fixed)

Future updates
Due to an increase in family, work, study and personal commitments, I'm unable to update the Scottish Actors blog on a regular basis. For the time being, I will attempt to update monthly.

If you would like to help collate news and / or write news updates, either generally or for a specific actor, please get in touch.

The next updates will be posted on Sunday 28 July.

Scottish Actors: May news round-up

noreply@blogger.com (helygen) — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 20:00:00 +0000

Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland
The full nominations list is here.
The winners will be announced at the Traverse Theatre on Sunday June 9, as part of the theatre's 50th anniversary celebrations. The event is open to the public and tickets are available from the Traverse. A full list of nominations can be found on the CATS website.

John Barrowman
John Barrowman is to reunite with comedy duo The Krankies for Glasgow's Christmas pantomime season.
The three are set to star in the SECC's production of Dick McWhittington later this year.
It is the fourth time Glasgow-born Barrowman has teamed up with The Krankies, having previously been in Jack and the Beanstalk, Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates and Aladdin.
Read more at Scottish Daily Record

Master of the Universe: interview at StarPulse

ABC has signed judges, cast and a host for its new competition series Sing Your Face Off, and it’s quite a unique collection of famous names. First, actor John Barrowman (Torchwood, Arrow) will host the show, where five celebrity contestants take on the identity of an iconic music performer each week.
Read more at Entertainment Weekly

Head of Zeus has acquired a new trilogy from Carole and John Barrowman.
Editorial Director Laura Palmer acquired UK & Commonwealth rights in Hollow Earth Unbound, a new trilogy for ages 12+ by writer Carole and her actor brother John Barrowman. The series follows the adventures of twins Matt & Em Calder who can bring anything they draw to life.
Read more at Head of Zeus

Caitlin Blackwood
Caitlin will be a guest at the Norwich SciFi Convention in September.
More information at NorCon

Billy Boyd / Gawn Grainger
Double Olivier Award winner Gawn Grainger and The Lord Of The Rings star Billy Boyd have joined the cast of Macbeth, Eve Best’s forthcoming directorial debut at Shakespeare’s Globe.
The pair joins the previously announced Joseph Millson, Samantha Spiro and Bette Bourne in Shakespeare’s much-loved exploration of ambition, guilt and destiny, which will play at the alfresco venue from 22 June.
Read more at Official London Theatre

Paul Brannigan
Having served time inside Polmont Young Offenders’ Institution, Paul Brannigan wasn’t fazed when he was asked to play a hood on the make in River City.
He did have one condition, however – the hardman had to have a soft centre.
The 26-year-old shot to fame at the Cannes Film Festival last year after starring in Ken Loach’s award-winning film The Angels’ Share.
His real-life story of growing up in poverty in Glasgow’s east end amid drugs, gangs and violence has since been well documented and there was never any chance he was going to repeat any of it in Shieldinch.
Having briefly played the role of Gareth O’Connor last year, he only became interested in returning when he knew there was a love interest in the shape of Nicole Brodie, played by Holly Jack, to smooth out Gareth’s rough edges.
Read more at Scottish Daily Record

Ewen Bremner
Bill Nighy will return to the part of the MI5 spy in 'Turks & Caicos' and 'Salting The Battlefield', the final two parts of 'The Worricker Trilogy' on BBC Two, alongside a string of famous names.

'Turks & Caicos' will also star Christopher Walken, Winona Ryder, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Ewen Bremner, James Naughton, Dylan Baker, Zach Grenier. Helena, Ralph and Ewen will also star in the third film.

Read more at Female First

Comic Book Movie have a new image from Snowpiercer - showing most of the main cast members together - here

Gerard Butler
Gerard Butler is currently eying the a role in The Raven. Olympus Has Fallen star Butler is in talks to star in the Universal Pictures thriller, andis tipped to play a man desired by both the government and the military for his special powers, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Read more at Digital Spy

Peter Capaldi
Peter Capaldi has said the new BBC adaptation of The Three Musketeers is so good it looks like a film.
The Thick Of It actor has been shooting the programme in Prague and reckons viewers have a lot to look forward to.
He said: "It looks wonderful, we're doing it in Prague and it looks like a movie, it's very big.
"We started in the snow, we've been through the rain and now it's getting quite spring-like and warm. I think it's going to be good, the Musketeers are fantastic."
Read more at Belfast Telegraph

Peter Capaldi / Billy Connolly / Ewan McGregor / David Tennant
Lionsgate UK has picked up six British pics, including Peter Capaldi’s comedy Born to be King, which toplines Kate Hudson and Ewan McGregor.
Also acquired is What We Did on Our Holiday, a British family comedy written and directed by Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton, the creators of BBC hit comedy Outnumbered. It stars Billy Connolly, Rosamund Pike and David Tennant (Doctor Who).
Read more at Variety

Martin Compston / Brian Cox / Greg McHugh / Clare Grogan
Famous Scots back the ‘see me’ campaign
Scottish celebrities have added their voice to the ‘See me’ campaign and are urging Brechin and Angus residents to ‘just listen’
The ‘see me’ campaign is a Scottish national campaign to help tackle the stigma and discrimation of mental ill-health
‘Just Listen’ encourages people in Angus to talk about mental ill-health, and to listen to what is being said.
Deacon Blue’s lead singer Ricky Ross, TV and film actor Martin Compston, Emmy award winning actor, Brian Cox, interior designer and TV presenter Colin McAllistair, Scottish actor and writer Greg McHugh and Scottish actress and singer Clare Grogan have all got behind the campaign.
Read more at Brechin Advertiser

Sean Connery
If Manchester United fans weren’t emotional enough during Alex Ferguson’s final home game, Sky wrapped up their coverage from Old Trafford with a Sean Connery-voiced montage.
Read more, and watch the montage, at The Score

James Cosmo

Budding film-makers got some help from veteran Scottish actor and Game of Thrones star James Cosmo as they made a horror film in Greenock.

The movie – Dying Light – was produced and filmed by unemployed youngsters from Inverclyde.
The actor, who has starred in Hollywood hits Braveheart and Highlander agreed to voice a character in the psychological thriller after being contacted by the film-making team.
The project, which aims to give unemployed young people a taste of what it is like to work in the film industry also has the support and technical expertise of Bafta award-winning film director David Newbigging.
David, of Inverkip, said: "James Cosmo agreeing to appear in our film is amazing.
"He's a great supporter of Scottish films. The young people who made Dying Light are all massive fans of Game of Thrones and couldn't believe that he is involved."
Read more at Glasgow Evening Times

Female First have a summary of Get Lucky, which will be released on 9 August. Read more here.

Brian Cox
Libby Purves meets actor Brian Cox; adventurer Jason Lewis; artist Adela Jusic and singer June Tabor.
Actor Brian Cox has performed in the West End, on Broadway, at the National Theatre and the Royal Court. He is currently playing Jack in Conor McPherson's The Weir at the Donmar Warehouse. Brian joined Dundee Rep as a young man and since then has carved out a successful theatre and Hollywood career - his films include Manhunter, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and Coriolanus. The Weir is at the Donmar Warehouse.
Listen to the interview, and read more, at BBC
More info on The Weir at the Donmar Warehouse here

Design in Action are proud to have Hollywood actor Brian Cox, famous for appearing in blockbuster films such as Troy, X-Men and the Bourne series amongst many others, as one of their project ambassadors. In a video interview, Brian explains the ethos behind Design in Action and in particular the Chiasma process that drives it. Watch the video at Design in Action

Swedish sales outfit Yellow Affair has taken international rights on The Carer (the last film scripted by the late Gilbert Adair, screenwriter of Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Dreamers).
Yellow Affair has already concluded a deal on the film with Rialto for Australia/New Zealand.
The Carer, directed by Janos Edelenyi, is billed as “a feel-good, life affirming film about death and the relationship between a famous actor and his immigrant carer”. It stars Brian Cox as Sir Michael Gifford, a stage and star screen who is dying.
Read more at Screen Daily

Alan Cumming
Alan Cumming is on Broadway playing the title role — and every other major one — in Macbeth, a reimagined version of Shakespeare’s tragedy set in a mental institution. In this scene Mr. Cumming plays the ruthless Lady Macbeth asking the spirits to “unsex me here.” Directed by John Tiffany and Andrew Goldberg, Macbeth continues through June 30 at the Ethel Barrymore Theater.
Watch the scene at Arts Beat

Fans were outraged when Tony voters snubbed Macbeth and its versatile star Alan Cumming, but the Scottish play and the Scottish-born actor were big winners at the Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards! Cumming took home the Favorite Actor in a Play award for his portrayal of nearly every role in Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy, and Macbeth won the trophy for Favorite Play Revival at the awards ceremony on May 5.
Read more at Broadway

Tony Award winners Audra McDonald and Alan Cumming are among the 2013 recipients of the "Made in NY Awards," which will be presented June 10 at Gracie Mansion.
The awards recognize "individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to various fields in the city's entertainment and digital media industries."
Read more at Playbill

Tony Curran
Syfy has ordered a second season of its ratings winning drama Defiance starring Julie Benz, Stephanie Leonidas, Tony Curran, Jaime Murray, Graham Greene and Mia Kirshner.
Read more at ATV Today
Many more May updates are here

Henry Ian Cusick
The CW is going a bit darker next television season, looking at almost one hundred years after a nuclear war destroyed civilization in new drama pilot The 100.
The 100 comes from Writer/Executive Producer Jason Rothenberg with Executive Producers Leslie Morgenstein and Gina Girolamo. It stars Eliza Taylor, Henry Ian Cusick, Kelly Hu, Isaiah Washington, Eli Goree, Bob Morley, Paige Turco, Thomas McDonell, Christopher Larkin, and Marie Avegeropoulos for a very eclectic and talented group.
Read more at Examiner
C21 Media have a trailer here
Red Carpet News TV have a video interview with Henry here

Iain De Caestecker
Watch a trailer for the upcoming thriller In Fear, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and stars Alice Englert (Beautiful Creatures), Iain De Caestecker ("The Fades"), and Allen Leech ("Downton Abbey"). Check it out at Worst Previews
In Fear review by HeyUGuys

Following the success of 2012's The Avengers, ABC television announced that it has officially picked up the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D for a series, taking place in the same universe. Centered around the resurrected Agent Coulson (Clarke Gregg), the show will also be starring Ming-Na Wen, Brett Dalton, Chloe Bennet, Iain De Caestecker and Elizabeth Henstridge as agents in the mysterious organization named Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. The pilot was filmed in January 2013, written by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen, and directed by Joss Whedon.
Read more at Geek Exchange
Huffington Post has a 'sneak peak' promo video here
The full first-look preview is at 411 Mania

TV Fanatic have a gallery of the S.H.I.E.L.D. characters. Iain's character is here

Ryan Gosling's How To Catch A Monster, which was recently acquired by Warner Bros, has an all-star cast with the latest addition being Coronation Street's Iain De Caestecker, who was spotted on set in Detroit on Saturday (18 May).
Read more (with photos) at Daily Mail
Also reported (with photos) by Metro

Ron Donachie
Dundee-born Ron Donachie, who played Ser Rodrik Cassel in hit fantasy series Game of Thrones and Angus MacInnes, from Star Wars, are two of the voiceover artists who will play key roles in new interactive displays when the Black Watch Museum opens in Perth later this year.
Read more at The Courier

Tommy Flanagan
Stacy Martin, one of the stars of Lars von Trier’s forthcoming Nymphomaniac, is among the lead cast of new British feature Barking At Trees.
The cast also includes Tommy Flanagan, Judith Godreche, Tom Payne, Bill Milner, Kate Magowan, Simon Kunz and a cameo from Jessica Hynes.
Read more at Screen Daily

Karen Gillan

Not Another Happy Ending will close the Edinburgh International Film Festival this year, the film’s producers have confirmed. The film, which stars former Doctor Who companion Karen Gillan alongside Stanley Weber, is an indie rom-com set in the Scottish city of Glasgow directed by John McKay.

The film will be shown on the 30th of June.
Read more at zConnection
The Scotsman has an on-set report from Not Another Happy Ending here
EntertainmentWise has the EIFF preview reel - which includes Not Another Happy Ending - here

She once travelled the world in a police phone box, but now Karen Gillan has a new cop car to roll in. The British actress was announced as the newest cast member in NTSF:SD:SUV:: back in March and now she's on set ready to play the character Daisy in season three. The American TV show - short for National Terrorism Strike Force: San Diego: Sport Utility Vehicle - was filming scenes in London's Parliament Square with Karen and the rest of the crew on Monday (6 May).
Read more (with photos) at Daily Mail

Karen Gillan is set to star in indie flick The List.
The Doctor Who actress is joining Patrick Fugit in the romantic comedy drama, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Directed by Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo writer Harris Goldberg, The List is about a man who ticks off a list of self improvements to win over the woman he loves.
Read more at Irish Independent

Former Doctor Who star Karen Gillan’s Elvis-mad dad has recorded his first album – after his daughter paid for it all. Blues singer Raymond Gillan has recorded his first album, Deep Down Inside, and released it on iTunes. And his delighted daughter couldn’t wait to plug its nine songs to her Twitter followers.
She tweeted: “PAPA MADE AN ALBUM. Get into it. It’s really good. The magic lies in hard work.”
Read more at Scottish Daily Record

Former Doctor Who actress Karen Gillan has lined up her next film role, starring in the Marvel movie Guardians Of The Galaxy.
According to reports Gillan – who sprang to fame as the Doctor’s companion Amy Pond in the BBC One show – will play one of the movie’s ‘major villains’ although no other details were revealed.
Read more at Metro

John Hannah
Portrait of the Artist: interview at The Guardian
John also shares his favourite cycling routes from around the world, in The Telegraph (and reveals his travel preferences here)

Susan Boyle's career in showbiz has been taking a high road since her Britian's Got Talent win. Her first movie role in The Christmas Candle, a period drama, where she plays the role of a church warden's wife. Other stars besides Boyle are Samantha Banks and John Hannah. Banks was recently seen in the hit musical Les Miserables.
Read more at Top News

Douglas Henshall
Previously announced Palme d'Or recipient Mads Mikkelsen has been joined by Eva Green, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Eric Cantona, Mikael Persbrandt, Douglas Henshall, Michael Raymond-James and Jonathan Pryce among others for upcoming The Salvation.
The film has just (as at 22 April) begun an eight-week shoot on location in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Read more at Coming Soon

Kelly MacDonald

After 11 years raising £13million for sick youngsters in Glasgow, the Yorkhill Children's Foundation is to expand its services.

Actress Kelly Macdonald and two former patients from the Royal Hospital For Sick Children helped the organisation relaunch itself in Glasgow.
It has been renamed Yorkhill Children's Charity.
The Foundation had donated all its fundraising cash to the Yorkhill hospital, but bosses plan to expand the charity's services to support the treatment and care of children and their families on a local, national and international level.
This means it will raise funds for any hospital or community-based organisation helping sick kids.
Read more at Glasgow Evening Times
Also reported (with photo) by Scottish Daily Record

Angus MacFadyen
New Mexico-based Greenwomb Productions announced on Monday [13 May] that Wes Studi, Adam Beach, Gísli Örn Garđarsson and Angus MacFadyen will star in eco-thriller Terra Infirma.
Read more at Screen Daily

James McAvoy
In a long line of news, behind-the-scenes images and teasers, director Bryan Singer has tweeted the first image of James McAvoy on the set of X-Men: Days of Future Past as Charles Xavier/Professor X in his 1970s costume.
Read more, and see the photo, at Flicks and Bits

James McAvoy talks about Shakespeare at last month's Press Conference for Macbeth - transcript and video at Live Magazine

Ewan McGregor
The resilient indie Western Jane Got A Gun finally has its bad guy. Ewan McGregor is negotiating to play the pivotal role of the leader of an outlaw gang in the film that Gavin O’Connor is now directing.
Read more at Deadline
The Daily Mail has photos of Ewan here which they believe show his new 'look' for Jane Got A Gun

The trailer for August: Osage County has hit the web and by the looks of things, Meryl Streep is easily on her way to capturing her 18th Academy Award nomination. The upcoming comedy-drama, based on the Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize-winning play and produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, finds the screen legend leading an all-star cast that includes Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Cooper, Sam Shepard, Abigail Breslin, Juliette Lewis, and Dermot Mulroney.
Read more at EOnline
Watch the trailer at YouTube

Greg McHugh
Fresh Meat will air its third series in the autumn.
The returning Channel 4 comedy will follow JP (Jack Whitehall), Howard (Greg McHugh), Vod (Zawe Ashton), Oregon (Charlotte Ritchie) and Kingsley (Joe Thomas) as they begin their second university term.
Read more at Digital Spy

Kevin McKidd
Kevin will be appearing at Comic Con in July. Read more at Grey's Gabble

Kevin McKidd is filming his new movie, comedy drama North of Hell, and Kevin has revealed a picture of himself on the set of the film, looking completely unrecognisable.
Read and see more at FansShare

Warner Home Video have released the official trailer for Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, the next entry in the popular ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies.
In Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, time travel allows a past wrong to be righted for Flash (Justin Chambers) and his family, but the event's temporal ripples prove disastrous, creating a fractured, alternate reality where the Justice League never formed, and even Superman is nowhere to be found. Amidst a new world being ravaged by a fierce war between Wonder Woman's (Vanessa Marshall) Amazons and Aquaman's (Cary Elwes) Atlanteans, Flash must team with a grittier, more violent Batman (Kevin McKidd) and government agent Cyborg (Michael B. Jordan) to restore the continuity of Flash's original timeline.
Read more, and watch the trailer, at Superman Supersite

Richard Madden
Disney has issued a press release naming Richard Madden as the Prince in their upcoming live-action re-imagining of Cinderella. The Scottish actor, who is best known for playing Robb Stark (King of the North!) on Game of Thrones, will be joining a cast that includes Downton Abbey's Lily James as the titular princess, and the ever-elegant Cate Blanchett as the evil stepmother, Lady Tremaine.
Read more at Cinema Blend

Peter Mullan
The Liability is the tale of a seasoned assassin hoping to retire named Roy (Tim Roth), who gets teamed with a young, enthusiastic driver, Adam (Jack O’Connell) for his next job (as a result of Adam owing a ruthless local crime boss, played by Peter Mullan).
Read more, and watch a clip, at What Culture

According to Screen Daily, director James Watkins (The Woman In Black) has a joint company with Altitude, which is launching its first production, The Loch, written by Watkins and Simon Duric. Watkins was initially attached to direct, but now Duric will take the helm. Peter Mullan (War Horse, Trainspotting) has come on board to lead the cast.
Read more at Dread Central

Writer/director/actor Peter Mullan's Paradise, a movie about the founding of legendary Scottish soccer team Celtic Football Club by a priest in 1887, is creating buzz among buyers.
Read more at Hollywood Reporter

The Guardian's "best TV for summer 2013" includes Top of the Lake.
Holly Hunter, Peter Mullan and Elisabeth Moss star in The Piano director Jane Campion's rich, languorous crime thriller, in which the pregnant 12-year-old daughter of a local drug lord goes missing. Its small-town setting and dreamy pace has earned it Twin Peaks comparisons, but it has its own unique feel and flavour. BBC2, July.

Read more here.

Ruaraidh Murray

Sean Connery has said “yes” to Ruaraidh Murray twice and the young Scots actor and writer hopes the next time he says it – it will be to give his blessing for a film.

Edinburgh-born Ruaraidh’s one-man show Big Sean, Mikey and Me was shown at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe last year and had the ex-Bond actor as the main character’s imaginary friend.

Ruaraidh (it’s Rory if you hadn’t worked it out yet) is adapting the script to turn it into a film, which they hope to make next year.

He said: “Sean Connery has not been in touch but I’m sure I’ll need to get his blessing.

“Hopefully he’ll be cool about it.

“I have met Sean once. I have the scene where I met him in my Big Sean show. I was on my way to an audition in Belgravia in London when I saw him walking towards me. I stuck out my hand and said ‘Sean, my name’s Ruaraidh, I’m an actor from Edinburgh.’

“He said ‘yes.’ A cabbie then screeched to a halt to say hello too. I said ‘It’s nice to meet you Sean.’ And again he said ‘yes.’ I left them to it feeling like I’d just met God.

“Hopefully, third time lucky, he will say ‘yes’ to the film.”

Scottish Actors blog - hiatus extended

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Wed, 08 May 2013 22:00:00 +0000

The Scottish Actors blog will be on hiatus for the next few weeks.

Due to an increase in family, work, study and personal commitments, I'm taking a short break.

The next updates will be posted on Sunday ~~12 May~~ 2 June.

David Tennant: project news and updates

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:15:00 +0000

Broadchurch

The Broadchurch soundtrack EP by Olafur Arnalds will be available to American fans from 30th April on iTunes. Source: David Tennant on Twitter
The worldwide link to watch episode 7 of Broadchurch has been posted to DailyMotion. Source: David Tennant on Twitter
The finale of Broadchurch (an extended episode) airs on ITV tomorrow (22 April) at 9pm.
All the latest Broadchurch news, reviews, photos, etc., can be found here.

The Politician's Husband

Review of The Politician's Husband in The Lady describes it as 'a reminder of how television should be. It's a big, brainy, sexy political drama with a splendid cast and no compromise made for lightweights.'
Source: David Tennant on Twitter
Amazon now list the DVD of The Politician's Husband to be released one week early - on 13th May!
Source: David Tennant on Twitter
The BBC have released several new hi-res promo photos of David Tennant in The Politician's Husband. Source: David Tennant on Twitter
The Politician's Husband premieres on BBC Two on Thursday (25 April) at 9pm.
All the latest The Politian's Husband news, reviews, photos, etc., can be found here.

Great Scott

RadioDramaReviews has posted a review of The Great Scott: The Fair Maid Of Perth.

Source: David Tennant on Twitter
This afternoon's episode, braodcast on BBC Radio Four at 3pm, was entitled The Great Scott: Rob Roy.
The third episode of The Great Scott (narrated by David Tennant) will be Waverley. It premieres on Sunday 28th April at 3pm on BBC Radio Four and is repeated the following Saturday.
Source: David Tennant on Twitter
All the latest Great Scott news, reviews, and MP3 downloads, etc., can be found here.

Spies of Warsaw

On 17th May, the television station ARTE will start broadcasting Spies Of Warsaw in both France and Germany. Source: David Tennant on Twitter
All the latest Spies of Warsaw news, reviews, photos, etc., can be found here.

Doctor Who

David Tennant will reprise his role as the Tenth Doctor (with Billie Piper as Rose) for the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special episode which will air on Saturday 23rd November 2013. He's been filiming recently, and all filming locations, photos, etc., can be found here.

David Tennant spoke to Chris Evans on BBC Radio 2 briefly on Friday morning via telephone from the Doctor Who set. More info (including MP3 of the call) here.
There is a photo of David Tennant (and all the Doctors) on the front of Doctor Who Magazine #460 which is published on Thursday 2nd May. Source: David Tennant on Twitter
The Peter Davison era of Doctor Who retrospective from the Resurrection Of The Daleks DVD (introduced by David Tennant) has been posted to YouTube. Source: David Tennant on Twitter
All the latest Doctor Who news, reviews, photos, etc., can be found here.

Bernard Who?

David Tennant will be one of the stars interviewed about Bernard Cribbins in a two part documentary titled Bernard Who? The first episode premieres on BBC Radio Four at 11.30am on Thursday 25th April.
More info here. Source: David Tennant on Twitter

Double Income No Kids Yet

The Double Income, No Kids Yet Series One audio is available for £2.99 from AudioGO. (The page has a photo of a young David!) Source: David Tennant on Twitter

Virgin Media Shorts

Screen Daily reports that David Tennant will help judge the Virgin Media Shorts Competition.
Source: David Tennant on Twitter

Much Ado About Nothing

Screen Daily have announced that CinemaLive are to release the David Tennant / Catherine Tate's production of Much Ado About Nothing worldwide in cinemas. Source: David Tennant on Twitter

Tree Fu Tom

TBIVision reports that Tree Fu Tom will be shown on the US station Sprout from 22nd April.
Source: David Tennant on Twitter

Diary dates

Sun 21 Apr - David Tennant stars in The Great Scott: Rob Roy on BBC Radio Four at 3pm.
Mon 22 Apr - Penguins - Spy In The Huddle released on Blu-ray in the UK.
Mon 22 Apr - Joe Sims (Nige Carter) on Lorraine on ITV at 8.50am and at 12.35pm on Channel 4 on What's Cooking to promote Broadchurch.
Mon 22 Apr - At 7.15pm real life political couple Peter and Virginia Bottomley will discuss The Politician's Husband in Front Row on BBC Radio Four.
Mon 22 Apr - Episode eight of Broadchurch premieres on ITV at 9pm.
Mon 22 Apr - Tree Fu Tom will be shown on the US station Sprout from today.
Tues 23 Apr - Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Collection Tenth Doctor book Beautiful Chaos is published.
Thurs 25 Apr - David Tennant interviewed in Bernard Who? on BBC Radio Four at 11.30am.
Thurs 25 Apr - Episode one of The Politician's Husband is broadcast on BBC Two.
Sun 28 Apr - The first two episodes of Broadchurch will be shown in Paris at Forum des Images.
Sun 28 Apr - BAFTA Television Craft Awards announced. Writer John Morton nominated for Writing: Comedy for Twenty Twelve.
Sun 28 Apr - Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited - The Fourth Doctor will premiere on BBC America with David Tennant interview clips.
Source: David Tennant on Twitter

For all the latest news on David Tennant, visit the most frequently update website - David Tennant on Twitter - or follow them on Twitter or Facebook

Dougray Scott: interviews

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:10:00 +0000

Dougray Scott takes Netflix subscribers to ‘Hemlock Grove’

MCT/photo source: The Day

Dougray Scott costars in the new Netflix series Hemlock Grove, which begins streaming on April 19.

When he was a little boy, actor Dougray Scott used to stow away in his father's car when his dad left for work as a salesman.
"I used to hide in the back until he drove so far away from the house that he couldn't take me back. I used to be fascinated by his preparation in the morning. And what it taught me - it didn't teach me then because I wasn't sure what I was looking at - but looking back on it, I realize why I had a fascination for it, because what I watched him do was try to form himself in the morning into this character so he could go out into the world and sell fridges and freezers.
"And whatever he was feeling, he had to suppress that in order to present this happy, likable, charismatic character to the people he wanted to buy his wares. And I just loved watching him do that. I was fascinated by it."
Scott is still studying characters who exhibit one thing, but are thinking another. He's bounced from the big screen in films like "Mission Impossible II" and "Ever After: a Cinderella Story" to the small screen in "Desperate Housewives" and the new thriller, "Hemlock Grove," premiering Friday on Netflix.
Scott grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Fife, Scotland. He longed to be a soccer player, but says he wasn't good enough. When he was 14 he discovered the play "Death of a Salesman."

Tony Roper: recovering from surgery

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:05:00 +0000

Rab C Nesbitt star Tony Roper is recovering from prostate cancer surgery.
It's believed he was operated on at the Southern General Hospital in Govan two days ago.
A source close to the actor said: "It seems Tony is recovering well, although it wasn't a straightforward case of treating the prostate cancer.
"There was a tumour to deal with at the same time.
"However, he came through the operation well and is getting his strength back."
Tony, who worked as a miner before going to drama college when he was 26, is one of the country's most popular comedy actors.
His first major starring role was in Scotch and Wry but he went on to play the part of the amoral Jamesie Cotter in Rab C Nesbitt for the past 20 years. Alongside Barbara Rafferty as Ella, the ever-warring pair made up one of the most popular sitcom duos to appear on screen.

Tony's talents however aren't confined to acting.
Read much more at Glasgow Evening Times

Everyone at Scottish Actors wishes Tony a quick and full recovery.

Peter Mullan: role in Texas music vidoe

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:00:00 +0000

Texas tease 'The Conversation' music video - picture
From Digital Spy:

Texas have released a teaser of their upcoming music video exclusively on Digital Spy.

The band have put out a still from the clip, which sees singer Sharleen Spiteri walking with acclaimed Scottish actor Peter Mullan.

Spiteri and Mullan in new Texas video. Source: Digital Spy

The visual for the song, which is available to download now, was also directed by the group.

Read more, listen to the song, at Digital Spy

Kevin McKidd: 'Justice League' casting

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:45:00 +0000

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox cast, photos revealed

Justin Chambers and Kevin McKidd, both veterans of the hit ABC drama Grey’s Anatomy, will head up the cast in the upcoming DC Universe animated feature Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, based on Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert’s Flashpoint.
Chambers will play Barry Allen (the Flash), the superhero around whom the film centers and who is, to a certain extent, responsible for shaping the world of Flashpoint. McKidd stars as the Batman of the Flashpoint Universe, while Kevin Conroy will return as Bruce Wayne in the sections set in the main DC Universe that reportedly bookend the film.
Source (including image): ComicBook

Also reported by TV Guide

Bluray.com has an article about the release of the Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox DVD here

Ewan McGregor: 'Son of a Gun' preparations

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:40:00 +0000

Ewan McGregor delves into Trainspotting prequel “Skagboys”
Hollywood star Ewan McGregor has revealed he is devouring Irvine Welsh’s latest novel – which follows a younger version of his famous Trainspotting character.
Skagboys, a prequel to Welsh’s 1993 book Trainspotting, follows an early 20s version of Mark Renton as he changes from a “daft young guy” out for a buzz on drugs, to a total junkie.
Read more at Deadline

Ewan McGregor works on his muscles for Oz film role
From The Daily Record:

The 42-year-old Scot wanted to beef up his biceps to star in Australian crime thriller Son of a Gun.

Ewan pumps iron ahead of new film role

Pumped up Ewan McGregor goes through the pain barrier as he works out for his latest role as a big screen tough guy. The 42-year-old Scot beefed up his biceps for Australian crime thriller Son of a Gun. The Scots plays Australia’s public enemy number one, who takes on a young protege after he is sent to prison.
The actor hired personal trainer Brett Smith to get him in shape. Brett said: “He wanted the guns – the big arms – so he had to put on a bit of muscle and strength.”
Ewan tweeted his delight at his transformation, saying: “Brett, thanks for all the sessions in your gym.”

Source (including photo): Daily Record

Knockout guest list at boxing

Photo source: The Age National

Colourful characters and goodfellas will find security is tight at a boxing match promoted by Mick Gatto because the ringside buzz is that actor Ewan McGregor is the special guest.
Australian heavyweight champion Lucas ''Big Daddy'' Browne has muscled into acting to play a bad dude in Son of a Gun, the thriller McGregor is filming in Western Australia, and their friendship led to an invitation for great the Scot to attend the match on April 28. The cast will move to Melbourne later this month for filming, so McGregor will take in many sights once here.

Greg Hemphill & Ford Kiernan: 'Still Game' stage production

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:35:00 +0000

TV’s Still Game to return to the stage

Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill have given their blessing for the stage adaptation.
Picture: Phil Wilkinson

Still Game is to make a return after a six-year absence with the blessing of Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill, the duo behind the series.

The duo, who also starred in another BBC comedy hit, Chewing The Fat, have given permission for the stage production.
Read more at Scotsman

Patrick Doyle: 'Impressions of America' soundtrack

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:30:00 +0000

Patrick Dolye: Impressions of America (Original Soundtrack)

Impressions of America is a symphonic composition by Scottish film composer Patrick Doyle. His inspiration for this Original Soundtrack comes from his relationship with America, travelling back and forth from Scotland and Hollywood.

The Soundtrack consists of fiftheen cues, which he composed over the years in his career as a film composer, gives a nostalgic look at America. The landscapes, traditions and it's people.

Scored for and recorded with a full symphony orchestra, Varèse Sabrande releases film composer Patrick Doyle's Impressions of America to celebrate the composer's 60th birthday in April of 2013.
Read more, and download the album, at New Film Scores

Tony Curran: 'Defiance' news and updates

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:15:00 +0000

Tony Curran of "Defiance" attends Syfy 2013 Upfront at Silver Screen Studios
at Chelsea Piers on April 10, 2013 in New York City. Source: Zimbio

From Twitter:
Tony Tellado, host of Sci-Fi Talk, in conversation with Tony Curran of Defiance from SyFy Up Front - here
Tweeted by Tony Curran:

Next weeks gonna get darker and more interesting https://twitter.com/TonyCurran69/status/325775343824822273/photo/1
Scotty Stuart in background keeping an eye on me https://twitter.com/TonyCurran69/status/324023808010887168/photo/1
he gets up to no good next Monday also.. April 22 9pm Syfy https://twitter.com/TonyCurran69/status/324368894242467841/photo/1
A lot of passion and hard work went it to this wonderful journey with an amazing cast and crew Defiance2013 https://twitter.com/TonyCurran69/status/324009799547228161/photo/1
Chilling between shooting Defiance2013 https://twitter.com/TonyCurran69/status/324007286945230848/photo/1
Datak & Sukar hanging together before we shoot, Defiance2013 https://twitter.com/TonyCurran69/status/323996664727756801/photo/1
"Don't mess with these fellas" https://twitter.com/TonyCurran69/status/324405766448611328/photo/1
Shooting the final battle scene https://twitter.com/TonyCurran69/status/324026829709115392/photo/1

Defiance - Syfy Video Featurette: 'VFX Before & After' - Episode 1Take a look at the before & after visual effects from episode 1 here.

Defiance - Syfy Video Featurette: Episode 1 Recapby Antiopodalarapaima

Online Magazine - Guaranteed Post: Defiance Reviewed
by Geeks versus Nerds

Tony Curran's Favorite Scene from the PilotWatch the video at SyFy.com

Tony Curran Reveals What Really Happens in the BathVideo interview at SyFy.com

New Stills and Another Promo for Defiance Episode 1.02 - Down in the Ground Where the Dead Men Goat Dread Central

Defiance Actor Tony Curran Talks Defiance TV Series And Video Game
Actor Tony Curran reveals Syfy new TV Series Defiance and his portrayal of Datak Tarr.
Watch the video interview here.

Defiance - Game Hub: Tony Curran Video Interview
Defiance Actor Tony Curran Talks Defiance TV Series And Video Game

Watch the interview here.

Defiance - Syfy Video Featurette: Tony Curran Video Interview
Tony Curran (Datak Tarr) reveals what really happens in the bath with Jaime Murray (Stahma Tarr).
Watch the interview here.

Defiance Trailer: Beast
New Earth, New Rules. The world is your oyster.
Watch the trailer here.

3 Behind the Scenes Featurettes
at SF Series and Movies.

Intro to the AliensVideo at Defiance.com

Get to Know DatakVideo at Defiance.com

Defiance [1x01] "Pilot" Opening Creditscourtesy of YouTube

Actor Tony Curran sneaks off film set to watch the Celtic game still wearing his alien costume
Actor Tony Curran sneaked out of filming his new sci-fi telly show to catch Celtic vs Barcelona - dressed in his full alien costume. The Doctor Who star was given a couple of hours off from filming Defiance to catch the game.But the die hard Celtic fan was warned by producers not to remove his make up or costume.And ex pats watching the game at McVeigh’s Tavern in Toronto were stunned when he walked in dressed as his character in the new show Datak Tarr.

The Celtic-mad actor was in the middle of shooting a new science fiction programme in the Canadian city, and had begged the producers for a few hours off to watch his team play Barcelona in the Champions League.But with a hectic shooting schedule, Tony was told he could only nip out if he agreed to keep his full make up on so he had to head to the pub dressed as alien gangster Datak Tarr from the new series Defiance.

Despite trying to hide his ghostly white face with a bunnet and scarf, he spent the whole night explaining to the members of the Downtown ...
Read much more at Daily Record

Defiance Review: New Sci-fi Drama Premieres Monday
From Cinema Blend:

We've had a long time to anticipate the arrival of Syfy's new drama series Defiance, and in that time, many of us have likely set our expectations high for what will hopefully be a new must-watch original sci-fi drama for the cable channel. The series premiere does not disappoint, bringing us into a story about human and alien characters who are trying to co-exist in a city that was once St. Louis and is now known as Defiance. Developed by Rockne S. O'Bannon, Kevin Murphy and Michael Taylor, Defiance's tone blends western with sci-fi and tells the story of humans and aliens as they attempt to co-exist with one another on what's left of Earth.

The history of the setting is explained throughout the premiere. Aliens showed up decades ago thinking earth was uninhabited, they were wrong, war broke out and after earth was torn apart by the battles and drastically changed by alien technology, humans and Votans (the collective term for the various alien species) eventually laid down their arms and have attempted to share what's left of the planet. There's a bit more to it than that, and we begin to learn the details as the first episode gets going.

Read much more at Cinema Blend

'Defiance' Review: New Syfy Drama Comes Out With Guns BlazingFrom Huffington Post:

"Defiance" (9 p.m. ET Monday, Syfy) is not just a smart, well-crafted TV show with a good cast and an adventurous flavor, it's also indisputably science fiction, which is a relief.

Read much much more at Huffington Post

Defiance: TV Review
by Hollywood Reporter

Meet the Aliens of Defiance
We love horror, which pretty much translates into loving aliens since they are often scary (exceptions include E.T., Stitch, Gleek the Monkey and that alien from Mac and Me that loved Sears). A new alien epic is coming via Syfy's Defiance (Airing Mondays at 9/8c on Syfy), where sheer terror is substituted with pure sci-fi, but that doesn't make these aliens any less tough. In the show, life on Earth is cataclysmically changed by the arrival of the Votanis Collective, a conglomeration of alien races fleeing the destruction of their world. After your standard issue alien war apocalypse, we're left with a world in which humans exist alongside a rash of extraterrestrial races.
Castithans: Of all the Votan races, Castithans are closest to humans. They are characterized physically by their white skin and hair, and culturally by their adherence to a strict caste system.
Irathient: Irathients are a proud, tribal and spiritual race possessed of excellent combat skills. They have broad and flat nasal bridges, reddish skin, and large eyes. They are sometimes seen as feral due to their love of nature and their aggression.
Indogenes: Indogene have bright, white skin laid with hexagonal patterns, and no hair. An intellectual race, they value science above all and upgrade themselves with cybernetic implants.
Gulanee: Gulanee are rarely seen, and are beings of pure energy.
Sensoth: Somewhat simian in appearance, Sensoth tend to be on the larger side, and are the longest-lived of the Votan races. Their size and strength makes them well-suited for use as muscle and manual labor.
Liberata: Short in stature and generally fairly hairy, the Liberata are a servant class with a lower social standing than the other races.
Volge: A frightening, war-like race, the Volge make use of Cold Fire weaponry and pose a threat to both Votans and humans, alike.
Source: Chiller TV

'Defiance': Everything You Need To Know
Huffington Post's very comprehensive guide to everything Defiance is here.

'Defiance': Syfy Attempts To Blend TV Series, Video Game
Earth is recovering from an apocalyptic event, alien races cooperate warily, a wise-cracking outsider suddenly finds himself shouldering new responsibilities.

Yes, the world of "Defiance" features familiar sci-fi touchstones, but it's taken an ambitious approach to how you can experience them: Through both a weekly TV series and an online-only video game.

Five years in the making, the joint project is the most high-profile and big-budget attempt at ongoing "transmedia" entertainment, promising characters and storylines that crisscross between the Syfy network show and Trion Worlds game.

Set in 2046 on a "terraformed" Earth where humans live alongside seven alien species, the series premiering Monday displays a space Western vibe with bar brawls, interspecies politics and love, plus actors familiar to genre fans like Julie Benz and Jaime Murray. The already-released game, a multiplayer third-person shooter, has plenty of guns to upgrade, quests for supplies, and boss battles in which players cooperate to bring down giant monsters.

Though they can be experienced separately, somebody who both plays the game and watches the show will gain an extra layer of insight to each, promises actor Grant Bowler, who appears in both. Bowler said he was impressed and a bit wary of that idea when he signed on to play lead Joshua "Jeb" Nolan, who becomes "lawkeeper" of the city of St. Louis, renamed Defiance by survivors.

Read more at Huffington Post

Popular video game 'Defiance' inspires SyFy TV series examining the uneasy co-existence of aliens and humans
Read more at Daily News

Defiance - Yahoo! TV: Monday's Picks Apr 15 '13 - NEW Series Syfy 9/8CRead more at Antipodalarapaima

Defiance - Syfy Video: "Down In The Ground Where The Dead Men Go' Episode Trailer - Airs Apr 22 '13
Read more at Antipodalarapaima

Defiance - Syfy: NEW Series - April 2013 ScheduleRead more at Antipodalarapaima

'Defiance' Ratings: Syfy Series Hits High NotesRead more at Huffington Post

Syfy's 'Defiance' travels between media worlds with TV series and online gameRead more at Zap2it

TV Ratings: Syfy's Pricey 'Defiance' Gives Network Best Demo Premiere Since 2006Read more at Hollywood Reporter

Defiance Behind the Scenes: Tony Curran Talks about Castithan Honor
Source: YouTube

Doctor Who - BBC America: Season 5 Marathon Schedule Apr 18 '13

04:00PM Vincent and The Doctor

Visiting a museum, the Doctor (Matt Smith) and Amy (Karen Gillan) are especially excited with the gallery for Vincent van Gogh (Tony Curran). Many of van Gogh pieces are displayed, including "The Church at Auvers (1890)". However there is something irregular discovered on the painting - a small alien image within a window pane. The Doctor quickly takes Amy back to 1890 where they locate the troubled artist that upsets the locals, cannot pay his bills, and is able to see an invisible monster that no one else is able to see.

Guest stars include Defiance's Tony Curran, Nik Howden, Chrissie Cotterill and Sarah Counsell.
Source: Antipodalarapaima

Alan Cumming: interviews and nominations

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:10:00 +0000

Alan Cumming dares do all in 'Macbeth' on Broadway
The actor tackles 15 roles from the Shakespearean tragedy along with a mental patient in a story that frames the performance. He finds it 'terrifying' but relishes the chance to try something that's never been tried before.

Alan Cumming outside the Broadway theater where he is playing 15 parts in "Macbeth" in Manhattan, NY.
(Jennifer S. Altman, For The Times / April 14, 2013)

Like world-class athletes, actors often measure their achievements by the degree of difficulty. Does a part require an unusual amount of range? An extraordinary number of man hours? Is it simply a matter of a chewy set of lines to get one's lips around?
By all these standards, Alan Cumming would be an extreme-sports medalist.
In a stage turn that will last nearly two hours, Cumming is set to play the part of Macbeth. Or, rather, the parts of Macbeth, as he tackles 15 roles from the Shakespearean tragedy, including the title character, Banquo, Duncan, Lady Macbeth and plenty of others (as well as, in a story that frames the performance, a disoriented mental patient reenacting the play).
Read more at LA Times

Alan Cumming -> Quoted
The celebrated actor talks about preparing for his one-man production of Macbeth.

After sold-out engagements at the National Theatre of Scotland and Lincoln Center Festival, Alan Cumming is bringing his dark, one-man production of Macbeth to the Ethel Barrymore Theatre for a limited engagement, opening April 21. Cumming says that even though he was drawn to the idea of a new production, he still finds performing the show somewhat daunting.

“I’m really excited to do it again. I feel like I wasn’t done with it… It’s the most challenging and most overwhelming thing I’ve ever done in my entire life,” says Cumming.Read more at Next Magazine

Alan Cumming nominated for United Solo uAward
United Solo, the world's largest solo theatre festival, has announced the nominees for its uAward, which recognizes those with outstanding achievements in popularizing the form of solo performance.
Alan is nominated for his performance in Macbeth (National Theater of Scotland, Lincoln Center, and Broadway.
The recipient of the special uAward will be announced at the United Solo Festival Closing Ceremony.
This year the Festival will begin Oct. 3 and conclude with the Closing Ceremony on Nov. 24 at Theatre Row. During its eight-week program, the Festival will present a variety of local and international performances. The producers are currently accepting submissions from all over the world. Artists and performance companies are invited to submit their solo shows now through April 22. More information can be found at the festival's website, www.unitedsolo.org.
Read more at Playbill

Alan Cumming welcomes first Birks cinema fans
Hollywood movie actor Alan Cumming OBE extends a personal welcome to the first patrons of The Birks Cinema at the Golden Ticket event on Friday 19th April
Source: YouTube
Also reported by BBC

Billy Connolly: new merchandise range

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:05:00 +0000

Billy Connolly launches man bag range
He's one of Britain's best-loved comedians and now Billy Connolly is branching into fashion.
But as fans would expect of the wacky stand-up, he doesn't take take himself too seriously with his range of clothing and households goods.
Items on sale from the 70 year old comedian's website, www.billyconnolly.com, include man bags, T-shirts and hats.

Funny man: Billy Connolly's range includes the £4.50 man bag, featuring himself in the Leonardo Da Vinci 'Vitruvian Man' drawing

The merchandise includes images of the bearded actor or lines from some of his most popular jokes, such as 'too old to die young' and 'never trust a man who, when left a lone with a tea cosy doesn't try it on'.
Source (including photos): Daily Mail

Also reported (with different images and more information) by Scotsman

Martin Compston: interviews

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Actor Martin Compston makes waves as leading man

Martin Compston. Picture: Graham Jepson. Source: Scotsman

From The Scotsman:

Martin Compston is fast becoming the go-to guy for directors seeking a leading man with an edge. We join him as he does his best Daniel Craig impression in the Irish Sea

We are sheltering from a howling gale in a small, out-of-season seaside resort on the east coast of Ireland. Battered by the fierce wind roaring in off the Irish Sea, a tired-looking fairground appears to be struggling to remain upright. At the fairground – which is in fact a set for a new ITV1 drama The Ice Cream Girls – bored teenagers light up in an apathetic fashion by the waltzer while their friends try in vain to stop their candy floss blowing away in the gale-force winds. Next to them stands another ride, festooned with pictures of young women in bikinis looking inexplicably cheery. Just beyond the fairground, the raging sea is a dark shade of grey. Enormous breakers crash on to the shingle beach with a sound like thunder. It’s not what you would call a good day to go swimming but unfortunately for him – that’s exactly what Martin Compston is about to do.

Jonathan Watson: Quiz Show reviews

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 18:40:00 +0000

Quiz Show reviews (Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh)

Jonathan Watson in Quiz Show. Photo from Traverse Theatre.

More reviews are coming in for Quiz Show, starring Jonathan Watson, which is currently playing at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.
Here's a selection from:
Telegraph
The Independent
The Journal

There are more reviews, as well as information on the play and its cast, at the Traverse Theatre website.

Ewan McGregor and other Scottish links with Star Wars

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 18:35:00 +0000

Disney says a new Star Wars film will appear yearly from 2015. But while the stories might be set in a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars has some interesting connections closer to home.

Star Wars will blast back to the big screen with movies alternating between those expanding the saga and spin-off character-based films.
At first glance the franchise's galaxy populated with Jedi, Wookies, Ewoks and jet pack-propelled bounty hunters seems a long way from Scotland.
But given a closer look, a tartan-tinged Force runs strong through the Star Wars films and comic books.
Some of these connections are well-known.

They include Scots actor Denis Lawson playing rebel fighter pilot Wedge Antilles in the original film trilogy.
Lawson's drama school class-mate, Carnoustie-born Ian McDiarmid, starred as the Empire's powerful emperor in 1983's Return of the Jedi and appeared in the most recent films: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

Crieff lad Ewan McGregor - Lawson's nephew - starred as a young Obi Wan Kenobi in those last three movies. And McGregor says he is keen to reprise the role in any of the new flicks.
Talking to Newsbeat entertainment reporter Natalie Jamieson last month, the actor said: "If they needed Obi Wan Kenobi I would rather it was me than someone else, of course."

Another Scot who appeared in The Phantom Menace was Glasgow-born Ray Park, who played Darth Maul, a fierce warrior serving the evil Dark Side.

Read much more at BBC News Highlands & Islands

Not Another Happy Ending to premiere at EIFF

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 18:30:00 +0000

EIFF to close the 2013 Festival with World Premiere of 'Not Another Happy Ending'

Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) is proud to announce NOT ANOTHER HAPPY ENDING starring Karen Gillan and Stanley Weber (alongside Amy Manson, Iain de Caestecker, Kate Dickie, Freya Mavor, Gary Lewis and Henry Ian Cusick), as the Closing Night film of the 67th edition of the Festival.
The red carpet will be rolled out at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre on 30th June when the stars and filmmakers attend the World Premiere of this indie romantic comedy set in Glasgow.
Read more at The Fan Carpet

Also reported by STV, Screen Daily, The List, Radio Times, The Edinburgh Reporter, and many others.

Clare Grogan: 'Aye Write' interview

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 18:15:00 +0000

Video: Clare Grogan at Aye Write!
From Herald Scotland:

Clare Grogan has given us a special video interview about Altered Images, female musicians and Gregory's Girl.

Clare Grogan and Ken McCluskey. Picture by Martin Shields. Source: Herald Scotland

The actress and singer appeared at the Aye Write! festival with Ken McCluskey from The Bluebells to talk about What Presence!, a book that celebrates the photography of Harry Papadopoulos.

Watch the interview at Herald Scotland

Elaine C Smith: radio interview

noreply@blogger.com (ScottishActors) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 18:10:00 +0000

Elaine C. Smith: Celebrity Interview

Photo source: Twitter

Susan Calman talks to actress Elaine C Smith about Zombie Rule #9.
Duration: 09:32

Source: BBC Radio Scotland