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Buzz Interview: Barry Watson of Samantha Who?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:47:26 -0700

Before the writers' strike essentially halted new television, the charming Samantha Who? was one of the TV season's breakout hits. The show returns tonight with its first new episode in months, reclaiming its post-Dancing with the Stars time slot - and, with any luck, the audience that fell in love with it last Fall.

Last week, I had a chance to chat with Barry Watson, who plays opposite Christina Applegate as Samantha's ex-boyfriend, Todd. We talked about his move from What About Brian, which he starred in for two years, to a half-hour comedy, as well as his career aspirations and his hopes for Todd and Samantha in the future. Here are highlights:

After What About Brian ended, did you know you wanted to do another series? And did you know you wanted to do a comedy?
No, actually - no to all of those questions, because I didn't know until they offered me the role of Todd that What About Brian was completely done yet. That was my first sign of the cancellation of Brian - that's a good title, by the way, "the cancellation of Brian." So I kind of took a couple days to kind of think about whether I wanted to jump back into another show again, but when I did the pilot, Todd's character was only in the pilot episode, he wasn't really a series regular yet, so I figured why not? It wasn't like I was held down to any contract and had to do another series, so I was like, yeah, I'll come and do the pilot. They said I had like another day to think about it, and once I got off the phone I was turning on the TV, and Don't Tell Mom, the Babysitter's Dead was on, and I was like, well, there's a sign right there, I'm going to do it.

How did Todd go from being just in the pilot to being a series regular?
I was so brilliant! [laughs] No, I don't know how that happened - I guess there was always talk that he would become more of a recurring [character] or a regular, but he was only kind of cast in the pilot. They could have kept it going, or they probably could have taken the character out after the pilot, if they wanted to, but the chemistry between Christina and me just worked and they wanted to keep me around for a little bit, which was nice.

I've got more from Watson, including hints about what happens with Todd and Samantha in the upcoming episodes, so just read more.

What are some of the things that you like about the Todd/Samantha relationship?
The way I played Todd in the pilot was just that he was afraid of Samantha, that he was basically kind of scared of her. I think this new Sam, he finds very kind of attractive and endearing in a lot of ways. She's kind of very childlike, and maybe it takes him back to who Sam was, maybe in the first year of their relationship. You know, I also think maybe on Sam's side, Todd's one of the very few people who's - maybe not totally honest with her all the time, but more honest than the rest of the characters about her past. She knows that she can count on Todd more than anybody else, even though they're not together anymore.

What was it like going from What About Brian, where you were Brian, to going to Samantha Who? where you're not the focus of everything?
I just look at it as a job and a character. I'm not somebody who counts their lines each script and has to be the center of attention constantly. For me right now it's actually kind of great, because I put so much energy and time into What About Brian that I felt kind of got lost in all that anyway, so it's nice to - you know what, it's on Christina's back pretty much, so I just want to jump on her back and have her take me to the promised land.

It's actually really good. it was kind of a weird adjustment at the beginning - we actually shot the pilot episode on the same stage as What About Brian, and Todd's apartment is actually Brian's apartment just kind of redressed a little bit. I still see when I come into the set What About Brian written on the back of the walls, stuff like that. Not having to be there everyday was kind of a hard adjustment, cause I always like working a lot - I feel like it gets me in a rhythm that I need to be in. But this has been good. It's given me more time to be with my kids, and the pressure's not on me like it was with What About Brian. I got really stressed out quite a bit toward the end of that show, so this is much better. I'm very very very happy.

Back in your 7th Heaven days, you did some writing and directing. Would you like to do that again?
Directing, for sure. Writing, I don't know if I am the guy to be writing TV. But directing is something I definitely want to keep pursuing and eventually make more of a career out of it, I think. Right now I'm kind of just focused on the whole acting side of it, and if certain things work out when I can start directing more stuff, then I'll definitely jump on that opportunity. I want to be a "slash" guy, an actor-slash-director guy.

Is there anything you can tell me about what's going to happen when the show comes back, either with Samantha and Todd or with the show in general?
Todd is with his new girlfriend, Chloe, who's about to move in with him. Eventually, I think that there's gonna be some moments of Todd and Samantha - "maybe, will they, I don't know . . . " There's going to have to be more of that, because if they figure it out then there'd be nowhere to go for the next 20 years that we shoot this thing. I think there's definitely some feelings that are kind of starting to get to the boiling point with Sam and Todd so hopefully we'll see more of that. It's great working with Christina, it's very easy, and the more they give us stuff to do, the better I think it will be for the show and for the characters.

Pilot Watch: "Samantha Who?"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 23:50:00 -0700

The networks have announced their fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? Throughout the summer, as I watch the pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. A lot can change before a show makes it to air, so these aren't comprehensive reviews, just quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: The show of many name changes, ABC's "Samantha Who?"

What's it about? Samantha Newly wakes up her coma after a hit-and-run accident with no personal memories - which means she has no idea what a horrid person she's always been.

Who's in it? Christina Applegate, Jean Smart, Jennifer Esposito, Melissa McCarthy, Barry Watson

The good: Somewhere between "Married with Children" and here, Applegate has grown up into a funny, appealing leading lady who knows how to sell the show's little moments. The interplay between Samantha and her mother, played by the always-awesome Jean Smart, got a few chuckles out of me. It's a single camera comedy with no laugh track, which automatically makes it less annoying than three-quarters of the comedies on TV.

The bad: The rest of the supporting characters were weak and fairly uninteresting. If the show just has Samantha discovering a new horrible thing about herself every week, it's going to get old very quickly.

Will I watch? I'm not setting a season pass just yet, but I'm planning to check out a few more episodes.

To watch a preview and see a gallery of photos, read more

View 16 Photos ›

Rachel Getting Married Leads 2009 Independent Spirit Noms

BuzzSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:35:45 -0800

After all the acclaim heaped on Rachel Getting Married, the family drama starring Anne Hathaway, it makes sense that the movie would lead (along with two other films that also received six nominations each: Sundance favorites Ballast and Frozen River) the year's batch of nominations for the Independent Spirit Awards.

Other titles in the Best Feature category include the heartbreaking Wendy and Lucy, starring Michelle Williams, and the Mickey Rourke drama The Wrestler. Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona is getting some love, with acting nominations for Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz and a Best Screenplay nomination for Allen. Milk scored several nominations as well, including a Best Actor nod for Sean Penn and a Best Supporting Actor for James Franco.

The winners will be announced at the ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009. To check out the full list of this year's Independent Spirit Award nominees, read more.

The 2009 Spirit Award Nominees:

BEST FEATURE
Ballast
Frozen River
Rachel Getting Married
Wendy and Lucy
The Wrestler

BEST DIRECTOR
Ramin Bahrani (Chop Shop)
Jonathan Demme (Rachel Getting Married)
Lance Hammer (Ballast)
Courtney Hunt (Frozen River)
Tom McCarthy (The Visitor)

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
Afterschool
Director: Antonio Campos
Producers: Sean Durkin, Josh Mond

Medicine for Melancholy
Director: Barry Jenkins
Producer: Justin Barber

Sangre De Mi Sangre
Director: Christopher Zalla
Producers: Per Melita, Benjamin Odell

Sleep Dealer
Director: Alex Rivera
Producer: Anthony Bregman

Synecdoche, New York
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Producers: Anthony Bregman, Spike Jonze, Charlie
Kaufman, Sidney Kimmel

BEST MALE LEAD
Javier Bardem (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
Richard Jenkins (The Visitor)
Sean Penn (Milk)
Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker)
Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Summer Bishil (Towelhead)
Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)
Melissa Leo (Frozen River)
Tarra Riggs (Ballast)
Michelle Williams (Wendy and Lucy)

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
James Franco (Milk)
Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker)
Charlie McDermott (Frozen River)
Jim Myron Ross (Ballast)
Haaz Sleiman (The Visitor)

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Penélope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married)
Rosie Perez (The Take)
Misty Upham (Frozen River)
Debra Winger (Rachel Getting Married)

BEST SCREENPLAY
Woody Allen (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck (Sugar)
Charlie Kaufman (Synecdoche, New York)
Howard A. Rodman (Savage Grace)
Christopher Zalla (Sangre De Mi Sangre)

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Dustin Lance Black (Milk)
Lance Hammer, (Ballast)
Courtney Hunt (Frozen River)
Jonathan Levine (The Wackness)
Jenny Lumet (Rachel Getting Married)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Maryse Alberti (The Wrestler)
Lol Crawley (Ballast)
James Laxton (Medicine for Melancholy)
Harris Savides (Milk)
Michael Simmonds (Chop Shop)

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000; award given to the writer, director, and producer)
In Search of a Midnight Kiss
Prince of Broadway
The Signal
Take Out
Turn the River

BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Betrayal
Encounters at the End of the World
Man on Wire
The Order of Myths
Up the Yangtze

FOREIGN FILM
The Class (France)
Gomorra (Italy)
Hunger (UK/Ireland)
Secret of the Grain (France)
Silent Light (Mexico/France/Netherlands/Germany)

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD (Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)
Synecdoche, New York
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Casting Director: Jeanne McCarthy
Ensemble Cast: Hope Davis, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Catherine Keener, Samantha Morton, Tom Noonan, Emily Watson, Dianne Wiest, Michelle Williams

IFC/ACURA SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
Barry Jenkins, director of Medicine for Melancholy
Nina Paley, director of Sita Sings the Blues
Lynn Shelton, director of My Effortless Brilliance

Gossip Girl, Chris Brown Lead Teen Choice Nominations

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:32:11 -0700

Gossip Girl may not have great ratings, but it certainly has the eye of the teen demographic. The show and its stars scored a total 14 nominations for the 2008 Teen Choice Awards today, easily the most of any nominee.

In the music categories, Chris Brown was the clear leader with nine nominations. Miley Cyrus, who will return as host of the surf-themed show on Aug. 4, picked up four nods of her own in both the music and TV categories. Among TV series, Grey's Anatomy and Heroes were big names, while the movie nominations ran the gamut from Rendition to Made of Honor. And hey, no matter what your feeling are on the Teen Choice Awards in general, I have to give props to any show that recognizes Friday Night Lights (ahem, Emmys).

Voting is now open at the awards site, and you have to be between 13 and 19 (or make up a birthday) to participate. To check out all the nominees, just read more.

MOVIES

CHOICE MOVIE: ACTION ADVENTURE
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man
Speed Racer
The Forbidden Kingdom

CHOICE MOVIE: DRAMA
21
August Rush
Into the Wild
Step Up 2: The Streets
Stop-Loss

CHOICE MOVIE: CHICK FLICK
27 Dresses
Enchanted
Fool’s Gold
P.S. I Love You
Sex and the City

CHOICE MOVIE: BROMANTIC COMEDY
Dan in Real Life
Definitely, Maybe
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Made of Honor
What Happens in Vegas

CHOICE MOVIE: COMEDY
Baby Mama
College Road Trip
Juno
Semi-Pro
Superbad

CHOICE MOVIE: HORROR/THRILLER
30 Days of Night
Cloverfield
I Am Legend
The Strangers
Prom Night

CHOICE MOVIE ACTOR: DRAMA
Channing Tatum, Stop-Loss
Emile Hirsch, Into the Wild
Jake Gyllenhaal, Rendition
Mark Wahlberg, We Own the Night
Ryan Phillippe, Stop-Loss

CHOICE MOVIE ACTRESS: DRAMA
Kate Bosworth, 21
Keira Knightley, Atonement
Keri Russell, August Rush
Reese Witherspoon, Rendition
Scarlett Johansson, The Other Boleyn Girl

CHOICE MOVIE ACTOR: ACTION ADVENURE
Emile Hirsch, Speed Racer
Harrison Ford, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Jackie Chan, The Forbidden Kingdom
Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man
Shia LaBeouf, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

CHOICE MOVIE ACTRESS: ACTION ADVENTURE
Abigail Breslin, Nim's Island
Christina Ricci, Speed Racer
Diane Kruger, National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Gwyneth Paltrow, Iron Man
Rachel Bilson, Jumper

CHOICE MOVIE ACTOR: COMEDY
Ashton Kutcher, What Happens in Vegas
James Marsden, 27 Dresses; Enchanted
Jonah Hill, Superbad
Michael Cera, Superbad; Juno
Will Ferrell, Semi-Pro

CHOICE MOVIE ACTRESS: COMEDY
Amy Adams, Enchanted
Cameron Diaz, What Happens in Vegas
Ellen Page, Juno
Kristen Bell, Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Sarah Jessica Parker, Sex and the City

CHOICE MOVIE ACTOR: HORROR/THRILLER
Will Smith, I Am Legend
Edward Burns, One Missed Call
Josh Hartnett, 30 Days of Night
Michael Stahl-David, Cloverfield
Scott Speedman, The Strangers

CHOICE MOVIE ACTRESS: HORROR/THRILLER
Brittany Snow, Prom Night
Jessica Alba, The Eye
Liv Tyler, The Strangers
Odette Yustman, Cloverfield
Shannon Sossamon, One Missed Call

CHOICE MOVIE: VILLAIN
Cate Blanchett, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Jeff Bridges, Iron Man
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Samuel L. Jackson, Jumper
Susan Sarandon, Enchanted

CHOICE MOVIE: BREAKOUT FEMALE
Ellen Page, Juno
Briana Evigan, Step Up 2: The Streets
Jurnee Smollett, The Great Debaters
Kristen Bell, Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Mila Kunis, Forgetting Sarah Marshall

CHOICE MOVIE: BREAKOUT MALE
Jim Sturgess, 21; Across the Universe
Ben Barnes, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Drake Bell, Superhero Movie
Jason Segel, Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Michael Cera, Superbad; Juno

TELEVISION

CHOICE TV SHOW: DRAMA
Friday Night Lights
Gossip Girl
Grey's Anatomy
House
One Tree Hill

CHOICE TV SHOW: ACTION ADVENTURE
Heroes
Lost
Prison Break
Smallville
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

CHOICE TV SHOW: COMEDY
Desperate Housewives
Hannah Montana
How I Met Your Mother
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty

CHOICE TV: ANIMATED SHOW
American Dad
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Family Guy
South Park
The Simpsons

CHOICE TV: REALITY DANCE
America's Best Dance Crew
Dance War
Dancing With the Stars
So You Think You Can Dance
Your Mama Don't Dance

CHOICE TV: REALITY MUSIC COMPETITION
American Idol
Don’t Forget the Lyrics!
Making the Band 4
The Next Great American Band
Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious

CHOICE TV: REALITY BEAUTY AND MAKEOVER
America's Next Top Model
Beauty and the Geek
The Biggest Loser
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Project Runway

CHOICE TV: CELEBRITY REALITY
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Life of Ryan
Rob & Big
Run's House
The Hills

CHOICE TV: LOOKING FOR LOVE
I Love New York
Flavor of Love
Rock of Love with Bret Michaels
The Bachelor: London Calling
The Bachelorette

CHOICE TV: REALITY COMPETITION
The Amazing Race
American Gladiator
Big Brother 9
Oprah's Big Give
Survivor: Micronesia-Fans vs. Favorites

CHOICE TV: GAME SHOW
Amnesia
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
Deal or No Deal
Duel
The Moment of Truth

CHOICE TV ACTOR: DRAMA
Chace Crawford, Gossip Girl
Chad Michael Murray, One Tree Hill
Patrick Dempsey, Grey's Anatomy
Penn Badgley, Gossip Girl
Taylor Kitsch, Friday Night Lights

CHOICE TV ACTRESS: DRAMA
Blake Lively, Gossip Girl
Hilarie Burton, One Tree Hill
Katherine Heigl, Grey's Anatomy
Leighton Meester, Gossip Girl
Sophia Bush, One Tree Hill

CHOICE TV ACTOR: ACTION ADVENTURE
Josh Holloway, Lost
Matthew Fox, Lost
Milo Ventimiglia, Heroes
Tom Welling, Smallville
Wentworth Miller, Prison Break

CHOICE TV ACTRESS: ACTION ADVENTURE
Hayden Panettiere, Heroes
Ali Larter, Heroes
Evangeline Lily, Lost
Kristen Kruek, Smallville
Summer Glau, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

CHOICE TV ACTOR: COMEDY
Barry Watson, Samantha Who?
Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men
Michael Urie, Ugly Betty
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Steve Carell, The Office

CHOICE TV ACTRESS: COMEDY
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
Jaime Pressly, My Name Is Earl
Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana
Tina Fey, 30 Rock

CHOICE TV: PERSONALITY
Heidi Klum, Project Runway
Lil Mama, America's Best Dance Crew
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol; E! News
Simon Cowell, American Idol
Tyra Banks, America's Next Top Model

CHOICE TV: BREAKOUT SHOW
America's Best Dance Crew
Gossip Girl
Miss Guided
Samantha Who?
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

CHOICE TV: BREAKOUT STAR FEMALE
Blake Lively, Gossip Girl
Leighton Meester, Gossip Girl
Olivia Wilde, House
Summer Glau, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Taylor Momsen, Gossip Girl

CHOICE TV: BREAKOUT STAR MALE
Chace Crawford, Gossip Girl
Ed Westwick, Gossip Girl
The Jabbawockeez, America's Best Dance Crew
Thomas Dekker, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Zachary Levi, Chuck

CHOICE TV: MALE REALITY/VARIETY STAR
Brody Jenner, The Hills
David Cook, American Idol
Rob Dyrdek and Christopher Boykin, Rob & Big
Ryan Scheckler, Life of Ryan
The Jabbawockeez, America's Best Dance Crew

CHOICE TV: FEMALE REALITY/VARIETY STAR
Heidi Montag, The Hills
Kim Kardashian, Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Kristi Yamaguchi, Dancing with the Stars
Lauren Conrad, The Hills
Whitney Thompson, America's Next Top Model

CHOICE TV: VILLAIN
Ed Westwick, Gossip Girl
Michael Rosenbaum, Smallville
Spencer Pratt, The Hills
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty
Zachary Quinto, Heroes

MUSIC

CHOICE MUSIC: SINGLE
Chris Brown, "With You"
Jonas Brothers, "When You Look Me in the Eyes"
Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake, "4 Minutes"
Miley Cyrus, "See You Again"
Rihanna, "Don't Stop the Music"

CHOICE HOOKUP
Flo Rida Featuring T-Pain, "Low"
Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown, "No Air"
Lil Mama featuring Chris Brown & T-Pain, "Shawty Get Loose"
Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake, "4 Minutes"
Nelly featuring Fergie, "Party People"

CHOICE MUSIC: MALE ARTIST
Chris Brown
Jesse McCartney
Justin Timberlake
Kanye West
Usher

CHOICE MUSIC: FEMALE ARTIST
Britney Spears
Fergie
Mariah Carey
Miley Cyrus
Rihanna

CHOICE MUSIC: RAP ARTIST
Flo Rida
Kanye West
Lil Mama
Lil Wayne
Lupe Fiasco

CHOICE MUSIC: R&B ARTIST
Beyoncé
Chris Brown
Rihanna
T-Pain
Usher

CHOICE MUSIC: ROCK GROUP
Boys Like Girls
Fall Out Boy
Linkin Park
Paramore
Simple Plan

CHOICE MUSIC: BREAKOUT ARTIST
Colbie Caillat
Flo Rida
Jordin Sparks
Leona Lewis
Taylor Swift

BREAKOUT GROUP
Day 26
Girlicious
Jonas Brothers
OneRepublic
Paramore

CHOICE MUSIC: LOVE SONG
Leona Lewis, "Bleeding Love"
Colbie Caillat, "Bubbly"
Chris Brown & Jordin Sparks, "No Air"
Alica Keys, "No One"
Jonas Brothers, "When You Look Me in the Eyes"

CHOICE MUSIC: R&B TRACK
Danity Kane, "Damaged"
Chris Brown, "Forever"
Bow Wow and Omarion, "Hey Baby (Jump Off)"
Mariah Carey, "Bye Bye"
Sean Kingston, "Take You There"

CHOICE MUSIC: RAP/HIP HOP TRACK
Kanye West featuring Chris Martin, "Homecoming"
Nelly featuring Fergie, "Party People"
Pitbull featuring Lil Jon, "The Anthem"
Lil Mama featuring Chris Brown and T-Pain, "Shawty Get Loose"
Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos, "Superstar"

CHOICE MUSIC: ROCK TRACK
Panic at the Disco, "Nine in the Afternoon"
Paramore, "crushcrushcrush"
Linkin Park, "Shadow of the Day"
OneRepublic, "Stop and Stare"
Boys Like Girls, "The Great Escape"

FASHION

CHOICE MALE HOTTIE
Chace Crawford
Chris Brown
Jonas Brothers
Taylor Kitsch
Zac Efron

CHOICE FEMALE HOTTIE
Blake Lively
Hayden Panettiere
Megan Fox
Rihanna
Vanessa Hudgens

CHOICE RED CARPET FASHION ICON FEMALE
Carrie Underwood
Hayden Panettiere
Jessica Biel
Kate Hudson
Lauren Conrad

CHOICE RED CARPET FASHION ICON MALE
Chris Brown
Jonas Brothers
Pete Wentz
Shia LaBeouf
Zac Efron

COMEDY

CHOICE COMEDIAN
Adam Sandler
Dane Cook
Jonah Hill
Michael Cera
Will Ferrell

SPORTS

CHOICE MALE ATHLETE
David Beckham
Eli Manning
Kobe Bryant
LeBron James
Tiger Woods

CHOICE FEMALE ATHLETE
Shawn Johnson
Candace Parker
Danica Patrick
Maria Sharapova
Serena Williams

CHOICE ACTION SPORTS FEMALE
Dallas Friday
Gretchen Bleiler
Hannah Teter
Kristi Leskinen
Stephanie Gilmore

CHOICE ACTION SPORTS MALE
Kelly Slater
Mick Fanning
Ryan Nyquist
Ryan Sheckler
Shaun White

Photos courtesy of The CW and Source