ileane.rudolph

The L Word's Pregnant Pause

We've seen plenty of pregnant ladies on TV, but never one like The L Word's Tina Kennard, as played by real mommy-to-be Laurel Holloman. As befits the no-holds-barred lustiness of Showtime's lesbian drama (Sundays at 10 pm/ET), Tina's — and Laurel's — expanding belly didn't keep her from doing love scenes with ex-girlfriend Bette (Jennifer Beals) and the haughty Helena (Rachel Shelly). And how's this for a twist on life imitating art: Now that Holloman has had her child (6-month-old Lola), Beals has revealed that she's expecting! TVGuide.com touched base with Holloman a few weeks before she returned to Vancouver to shoot L Word's third season.TVGuide.com: So now that Jennifer Beals is pregnant, you'll have to deal with her hormonal issues on the set. Fair play?Laurel Holloman: [Laughs] We're pretty good at it now. I'll take care of her this year, because she really took care of me! TVG:

Sun, May 8, 2005

Sex's Cynthia Nixon Faces Tab Rumors

Today, Cynthia Nixon is dressed for the role she plays off screen — Upper West Side mom: khakis, low-heeled boots, wool hat pulled down over mussed blond hair (her true color). Settling into a booth at her local Manhattan sushi joint, the 39-year-old actress appears content with her life since Sex and the City ended its breathless run last year. For her latest project, she's traded in Sex's Jimmy Choos for sensible pumps, adding a prosthetic overbite and a high, fluttery voice to play Eleanor Roosevelt in HBO's Warm Springs (Saturday, 8 pm/ET). Her personal life has been no less exciting: After splitting with the father of her kids (Samantha, 8, and Charlie, 3), she has become involved with education activist Christine Marinoni. It's not a subject she cares to discuss because, as she points out, if she does, "then that's all anybody will want to ask me about."TV Guide: Why did you want to play Eleanor Roosevelt?Cy

Fri, Apr 29, 2005

Love Tips for Race's Rob and Amber

Part of the fun of watching The Amazing Race's bickering couples is trying to figure out why they're even together. Indeed, the race has run over many a relationship — as well as the warring team's chances of winning. How can lovebirds like Rob and Amber avoid the same romantic pitfalls? We asked a few Race alumni for their advice.Reichen and ChipThe finish line: These Season 4 winners broke up after the race; they're still friends. What went wrong: "We started to get frustrated with each other," Chip says. Reichen's response? "I wouldn't let Chip near a map after he got us lost getting to L.A.!" Their advice: "It's OK to let out a little tension and yell," Chip says, "but don't stay angry." Reichen warns: "If you're going to fight, don't do it in front of the other teams. It empowers them." Hayden and AaronThe finis

Tue, Mar 15, 2005

Desperate Househusband Tells All

Playing the scorned spouse isn't always easy on a guy, especially if he comes from a machismo Latino background. Both a Texan and Mexican-American, just like his TV-wife Eva Longoria, Desperate Housewives' Ricardo Antonio Chavira gets plenty of teasing for all the sleeping around Gabrielle does behind Carlos' back. Being a jailbird under house arrest &#224 la Martha Stewart doesn't help his image much, either. So far, Chavira's gotten mixed reactions from the Hispanic community."It's funny," the amiable 33-year-old says. "Latin women are like, 'Shame on Gabrielle for doing what she's doing. She doesn't know what she's missing!'" Since Carlos spends a good amount of time wearing just a towel, we have some idea... "The men are all, 'Hey, you know your wife's sleeping with your gardener?' And I'm like, 'No s--t, guys.' Or they're like, 'Hey, when are you gonna

Tue, Mar 15, 2005

Desperate Boy Toy's Love Secrets

Desperate Housewives everywhere are hungry for intimate knowledge of Jesse Metcalfe. The 26-year-old soap star — who literally went to Hell and back for love on NBC's Passions — plays 18-year-old John Rollins, the sometime boy toy of the gorgeous and married Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria). But is it all just make-believe, or has he ever really yearned for the love of a mature femme fatale?"I have gone out with an older woman," Metcalfe reveals. "I went out with a 32-year-old when I was 21. I have dated a few older women, but I don't really have a thing for them." Well, they certainly seem to have a thing for the brown-eyed actor, who says he's remained single because "I've been too busy with a successful show, so I really haven't had time to pursue relationships." That said, Metcalfe claims he's flattered by the attentions of his particular fan base. "It's been k

Thu, Mar 10, 2005

Amazing Race's Reichen Rejected

Think fast: Which reality-TV star's sexy poster was rejected by a self-described "right-wing conservative, God-fearing Christian" printer?That'd be Reichen Lehmkuhl Burke, who won The Amazing Race 4 with his ex-boyfriend, Chip Arndt. After signing a contract, Reichen alleges that Mark Jones of Vacaville, Calif. — who did not object to the poster photo itself — visited his website, where he learned that Reichen is gay. (We guess the guy doesn't watch much TV.) He says that's when Jones opted not to honor their agreement. On March 16, Reichen tells TVGuide.com, he and his attorney will hold a press conference in West Hollywood, Calif., to make an announcement. No, he's not planning to sue Jones, he says, but he does aim to bring public attention to the injustice of his situation. Meanwhile, life goes on for the 31-year-old aspiring actor, who recently drank worm juice on Realit

Tue, Mar 8, 2005

Desperate Hubby Here to Stay

Psst! Think you know everything about the residents of Wisteria Lane? Well, you might not have realized it, but Melrose Place alumnus Doug Savant isn't an official series regular on Desperate Housewives. That seems odd, considering the 41-year-old thesp did the talking when the show's stars picked up their SAG Award for best ensemble cast this month.Here's the sitch: This season, each time Lynette's husband Tom shows up on screen, Savant is listed as a guest star — he's the only partner of the Housewives to be so credited. Yet he's not on the permanent cast roster. What gives? "I guess it's because I'm out of town all the time," he says with a laugh. "When a show starts out, nobody knows whether it's going to be a hit, and everybody's trying to save money. [Creator] Marc Cherry told me this was one of the ways the show could get done without hav

Fri, Feb 25, 2005

Johnny Carson Remembered

Americans felt as if we'd lost a personal friend when the news broke that late-night legend Johnny Carson died Jan. 23 of emphysema at his Malibu, Calif., home. He was 79. Here, some of Carson's pals and frequent guests share their fondest memories of his close to 30-year reign on NBC's Tonight Show.Tony Bennett: I [sang] "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" on his very first show. He had on Groucho Marx, Joan Crawford, Mel Brooks and Rudy Vallee. At the show's end, he said, "Well, that's the first show. Let's see how it goes." He had no idea. Dolly Parton: I realized how sensitive and caring Johnny was the night he did the famous joke about giving a week's pay to look down my shirt. During a camera break, he leaned over, patted my hand and said, "I really hope I didn't embarrass you — I didn't mean to." He really seemed to care. I was crazy about him. I would never do [Tonight Show] with a guest host

Wed, Feb 2, 2005

L&O Remembers Jerry Orbach

For 12 seasons, Jerry Orbach and S. Epatha Merkerson were a team on Law &amp; Order. He was the series' signature seen-it-all police detective, Lennie Briscoe. She was his all-business lieutenant, Anita Van Buren. Because he was fighting prostate cancer, Orbach left for a less strenuous role on L&amp;O creator Dick Wolf's latest spin-off, Trial by Jury, which debuts on NBC in March. (He'll be seen in several episodes.) The 69-year-old Orbach's passing on Dec. 28 left both fans and colleagues shocked and saddened. "It just never occurred to me that Jerry wouldn't make it," Merkerson tells TV Guide Online. "It just seemed that even death couldn't beat him." The actress already felt devastated when Orbach exited the original series, she says. "It didn't hit me until the day we said goodbye to him, and there was such an outpouring of love for this dude. I bet it was a 20-minute ovation. It was more than I could take. H

Mon, Jan 24, 2005

Farscape Hunk's Stargate Gig

It's a sci-fi scenario straight out of Internet fan fiction: Studly Farscape pilot John Crichton gets sucked into a wormhole and wakes up on Stargate SG-1. Well, it's real — or at least it's kind of real. As first reported by TV Guide Online, Ben Browder, who played the marooned astronaut on Sci Fi Channel's late, lamented Farscape (and last fall's miniseries Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars), has been recruited to join the intergalactic soldiers of the network's Stargate. His character — all producers would reveal is that his initials are M.M. — will be introduced when the series begins its ninth season this summer. While this news will have Farscape fanatics buzzing, hard-core Stargazers might be disappointed to learn that Richard Dean Anderson, who plays Stargate Command chief Jack O'Neill, will no longer be a full-time cast member.

Tue, Jan 4, 2005

Monk Says: Bye, Sharona!

Some irate Monk fans vowed to wash their hands of USA Network's quirky germaphobic-sleuth series when it was announced that Bitty Schram would not return as Sharona for the second half of the season. The decision to split was apparently mutual. Schram, who played the feisty Watson to Tony Shalhoub's Holmes, declined to be interviewed; manager Scott Zimmerman said her departure was "too painful and she still had friends" on the set. Zimmerman confirmed Monk executive producer David Hoberman's claim that the split was due to "creative differences," contractual issues (usually code for wanting more money) and Schram's desire to do feature films. Sources close to the show say Schram, who earned a Golden Globe nomination for the role last year, was more ditz than diva but had become more difficult this year, causing "strain" on the set and delaying production with "sick-outs." When the show returns January 21, new cast m

Mon, Dec 20, 2004

LOTR Prankster Gets His

Talk about a stretch! Everyone loved Pippin, the brave, innocent hobbit played by Billy Boyd in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. So what did the Scottish actor choose for his next role? A voice-over gig as a sexually confused killer doll in the gory slasher comedy Seed of Chucky. His follow-up to that one is On a Clear Day, a heart-warmer about a couple of guys who try swimming the English Channel (due out next year). Meanwhile, since Return of the King's special extended DVD is out this week, TV Guide Online decided to ring up Boyd back in his hometown of Glasgow and reminisce about those infamous high jinks on the Shire set. TV Guide Online: The LOTR set sounds a lot like a boys' boarding school, what with all the pranks and horsing around.Billy Boyd: It was all of that and more — just the most fun place to be. There were stages we went through. We played video games in someone's trailer all the time, then it was

Thu, Dec 16, 2004

Sean Astin Dishes LOTR

Lord of the Rings star Sean Astin continues to live in New Zealand, even though his days playing heroic hobbit Samwise Gamgee are done. Now, he's shooting scenes as the poet/bard Linus in Hercules, an NBC miniseries slated for next May. He still has LOTR on his mind, however, having just published his new book, There and Back Again: An Actor's Story. Naturally, Astin borrowed the title from Bilbo Baggins' autobiography. He also shared some opinions his costars are unhappy about.TV Guide Online: Congrats on your new book. Is it a behind-the-scenes diary of your LOTR days?Sean Astin: No. It's just me trying to give voice to some thoughts and feelings that I had. I'm trying, in some way, to place myself in Hollywood history. As a second-generation actor whose parents [Patty Duke and John Astin] were popular cultural icons in the '60s, and someone trying to make my way in the industry, I'm just trying to say, "H

Thu, Dec 9, 2004

LOTR's Hobbits: Are They Gay?

Dominic Monaghan currently plays Charlie, the burned-out rocker stranded on an isle of the damned on ABC's Lost. But as the Dec. 14 release of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Special Extended DVD Version approaches, we're bringing him back to his life and times as Frodo's fellow hobbit, Merry Brandybuck. Specifically, TV Guide Online wants the scoop on those gay rumors — both on-screen and off. Was there ever anything behind Frodo and Sam's legendary longing looks? And just how close were boon companions Merry and Pippin? Or were those hairy-footed hobbits — and their cute portrayers — just friends? Here, Monaghan dishes the dirt.TV Guide Online: You've got a big female fan base. Are you still unattached?Dominic Monaghan: I am. I'm working so much. I still enjoy female company, but in terms of anything really serious, that's not really where my head's at. TVGO: Your good pal Billy Boyd (Pippin)

Wed, Dec 8, 2004

Blythe Danner Gets Huffy

These days she's best known as Gwyneth Paltrow's mother and Apple's grandma — but Blythe Danner certainly isn't neglecting her acting career. The 61-year-old stars in Showtime's new series Huff, the TV-movie Back When We Were Grownups (Nov. 21 on CBS) and Meet the Fockers, the sequel to the 2000 comedy Meet the Parents (opens Dec. 22). "I'm always surprised that I'm working so much," she says, "because so many of my [peers] aren't. TV is a blessing — especially cable, because it just multiplies the roles for us"TV Guide Online: In Huff you play a mean mother-in-law, and on Back When We Were Grownups, you're a widow with four daughters. Do you get tired of being "the mother"?Blythe Danner: Don't forget grandmothers! But I'll take whatever out there is good. When my husband [the late St. Elsewhere producer Bruce Paltrow] was a struggling writer, I'd do a TV-movie for a couch!

Thu, Nov 11, 2004

Bottoms Up, Linda Gray!

Whatever you do, don't turn this TV Guide Online interview with Linda Gray into a drinking game. If you took a swig every time the actress, best known as Dallas's liquor-lovin' Sue Ellen Ewing, revealed something shocking about the long-running prime-time soap, you'd be halfway to pickled before your three-martini lunch even arrived. And by the time you caught the 62-year-old knockout ruminating with her cast mates on Sunday's all-star get-together, Dallas Reunion: The Return to Southfork (9 pm/ET on CBS)? Please! You'd be passed out cold. Just look at the alcohol equivalent of the tidbits she shared with us:Champagne — the good stuff, too! Newhart innkeeper Mary Frann was originally supposed to play Sue Ellen. "She had the part," Gray confirms. "Victoria Principal was a brunet and so was I, and Mary was a blond, and [the producers] wanted that [visual] contrast. But the casting director [who had only recently tappe

Fri, Nov 5, 2004

Larry Hagman's Dallas Confessions

What can we possibly say about Larry Hagman that hasn't already been said a thousand times? The 73-year-old Texas native isn't just an actor; thanks to Dallas and his wonderfully wicked portrayal of good ol' bad boy J.R. Ewing, he's an icon. Not only that, but his life and career have been documented and dissected as thoroughly as any president's. So we refuse to trot out the same tired superlatives to describe his achievements (or the same winking acknowledgments of his mischief-making and glass-raising). Instead, as we look forward to Sunday's Dallas Reunion: The Return to Southfork (9 pm/ET on CBS), we're just going to let him speak for himself. Herewith, highlights of his interview with TV Guide Online:TV Guide Online: Rumor has it you're pulling out your old home-away-from home movies for this special. Catch any hanky-panky on tape?Larry Hagman: Of course, but I'd sell that for a much higher price! (Chuckles) No, I didn't [shoot] that kin

Fri, Nov 5, 2004

Victoria's Dallas Secrets Revealed!

It's been nearly two decades since Victoria Principal left Dallas behind, but dang if the 54-year-old stunner doesn't still sound like the only actress who could've possibly played the indomitable Pamela Ewing. Now the kind of businesswoman who'd turn even J.R. dollar-green with envy — her Principal Secret line of skin-care products is worth a pretty penny — she has resisted the temptation to revisit her old stomping ground via TV-movies, holding out instead for what she considers a proper reminiscence, this weekend's Dallas Reunion: Return to Southfork (Sunday at 9 pm/ET on CBS). Before shooting the breeze with her former castmates at the get-together, she took a moment to dish the dirt with TV Guide Online.TV Guide Online: Is it true that you got your Dallas audition under false pretenses?Victoria Principal: I sent myself in for it! I had left acting to be an agent and was on my way to law school, but when a friend dropped off a

Thu, Nov 4, 2004

At Last! Farscape's Far-Out Reunion

Finally! Farscape fans who mourned Sci Fi Channel's canceled cult hit will see their fave space-opera stars reunited this weekend. John Crichton and fianc&eacute;e Aeryn Sun have a baby on the way and intergalactic turmoil on their hands in Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars, a four-hour miniseries starting Sunday at 9 pm/ET. Here, Ben Browder — who plays the astronaut-turned-action hero — tells TV Guide Online all about his visit from the space stork! TV Guide Online: Once again, your real-life wife, Francesca Buller, plays someone who wants to kill you.Ben Browder: [Cracking up] It was just the show's writing reflecting my natural existence. She wants to kill [me]. It didn't require any acting. TVGO: Crichton, of course, does his requisite suffering in the miniseries.Browder: Poor John Crichton. He's the most hunted man in the universe.

Fri, Oct 15, 2004

Kelsey Grammer: Life After Frasier

Kelsey Grammer may well be the busiest unemployed actor in Hollywood. Since bidding adieu to Frasier Crane in May, the 49-year-old actor — who picked up his umpteenth Emmy last month for playing the stuffy shrink — has been juggling a slew of new projects. Grammer took a few minutes out of his busy sked to update TV Guide Online on his life and career post-Frasier. TV Guide Online: You're producing a new improv show on PAX, World Cup of Comedy. Are you a big improv fan?Kelsey Grammer: My buddy Wayne Page is really the brains behind it. It's not something that I'm drawn to. I've never been good at it. I'm pretty good off-the-cuff when there's no pressure, but as soon as there's pressure, I freeze. I think my interest is to watch people who don't [cave to the pressure]. These people amaze me. TVGO: So you won't be taking your turn on that stage?Grammer: In the finals, I'm there as a guest commentator. Sort of li

Thu, Oct 14, 2004

The Plot to Save Enterprise

What do you do when your intergalactic starship almost crashes and burns? After UPN came thisclose to canceling his space opera, Enterprise executive producer Rick Berman wisely reached back into the Star Trek franchise's glory days for inspirational fuel. And you won't believe what he dug up. Hold on to your phasers, Trekkers... Remember the Eugenic Wars that spawned the evil Khan (aka Ricardo Montalban) and his followers in the camp classic Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan? That ancient conflict is back. And for an extra bonus, so is Next Generation star Brent Spiner, who not only played the adorable android Data, but also his genius creator, Dr. Soong. In a three-episode story arc this season, Spiner will play Soong's great-grandfather, "an almost Hannibal Lecter-like bad guy," Berman previews. "He's a brilliant and dangerous scientist who messed with some genetically enhanced and outlawed Eugenic em

Mon, Oct 4, 2004

ER's Young Stars Take Over

The staff changes keep coming at ER's County General. In fact, this fall, the NBC hospital drama will have more bodies checking in and out than a real emergency room! Let's recap: Greene succumbed to a brain tumor two years ago, and Romano got crushed by a helicopter last season. This fall, Greene's widow, Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston), will also be gone after a few episodes. "She'll leave in a smart, real way," says executive producer Dee Johnson, who adds that ER simply couldn't think of what else to do with the beleaguered Corday. Meanwhile, hunky Goran Visnjic — who plays love doctor Luka Kovac — has been making noises about leaving the series for a film career. So where does all this leave us? For starters, expect big story lines for twentysomething actresses Parminder Nagra (Neela) and Linda Cardellini (Nurse Sam Taggert), who'll return to the hospital after quickie exits at the end of last seas

Thu, Sep 9, 2004