michael.ausiello

Sopranos Creator Shoots Back

If you were among the legions of Sopranos fans let down by the show's relatively quiet and uneventful season finale (save for Jackie Jr.'s whacking), the show's creator, David Chase, has good news: "Next year we'll kill 200 guys," he deadpans. "Maybe they'll like it better." Well, it certainly couldn't hurt. Despite 22 Emmy nominations and blockbuster ratings (at least by cable standards), HBO's mob hit continues to find itself haunted by last May's anti-climax  an episode that critics complained spent more time showcasing Dominic Chianese's second career as a singer than tying up loose ends (the Russian mobster, Dr. Melfi's rape, Tony's mistress, etc.). The disappointing send-off was one of the hot topics at the about-to-be-concluded Television Critics Association press tour in Pasa

Thu, Jul 26, 2001

Emmy "Body"-Slams Buffy

Turns out, Buffy the Vampire Slayer can't even buy itself an Emmy nomination. Just ask the show's creator-executive producer Joss Whedon, who reached into his own pockets to help fund an aggressive campaign to get voters' attention. With a zero return on his investment  the critically acclaimed dramedy failed to get a single nod  Whedon naturally is bummed. "I feel a certain embarrassment," he tells TV Guide Online. "I feel like I just spent a lot of money trolling for a compliment that I didn't get. So I felt stupid having even gone there. "But that's part of the business," he adds. "You're supposed to pay for an Emmy campaign. My wife is like, 'Why don't you give the money to something worthy and get an Emmy for free?' I was like, 'That makes sense, honey.' So you feel kind of like a dork having tried, because we were never meant to get Emmys. It's Buffy the

Tue, Jul 24, 2001

Jeri Ryan Goes Public

As the new teacher on Boston Public, onetime Star Trek: Voyager bombshell Jeri Ryan has just one small request for her boss, David E. Kelley: Please, no math or science. "I don't know what I'm teaching, but I think I've had enough of the technical stuff," laments the actress, who spent four years spewing facts and figures as Voyager's crack engineer, Seven of Nine. "English would be a nice subject to teach, perhaps history. Social studies maybe." This much Ryan does know about schoolmistress Ronnie Cooke, who first appears during Public's second season premiere Oct. 22: She's an old friend of Harry Senate (Nicky Katt), and she's trouble. "Her teaching methods are somewhat unorthodox, and that puts her at odds with some of the administration," explains the former Army brat. "She's a corporate attorney who is very wealthy and not a c

Mon, Jul 23, 2001

Elizabeth Berkley: No Shame in Showgirls

Six years have passed since former Saved by the Bell starlet Elizabeth Berkley lapdanced her way into the middle of a critical maelstrom with Showgirls, and judging by her recent film coups (Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday, Woody Allen's upcoming Curse of the Jade Scorpion), Hollywood seems willing to forgive and forget. However, the 28-year-old actress insists that she has nothing to apologize for  not even the now-infamous sequence in which her hotheaded alter ego assaults a poor, defenseless ketchup bottle in the middle of a restaurant. "I see it as the

Fri, Jul 20, 2001

Helen Hunt Pays It Back

Despite winning four Emmys, four Golden Globes and an Oscar, Helen Hunt has had a rocky relationship with the nation's TV-film critics. First, there was the media backlash surrounding Mad About You's final, turgid seasons (for which Hunt and leading man Paul Reiser netted $1 million per episode). And more recently, reviewers crucified the 38-year-old former child star for her participation in last year's poorly received drama Pay It Forward. Well, just as Hunt has no regrets about extending her honeymoon with Reiser on NBC in the late '90s, she also makes nary an apology for signing on to play a single mom who falls for a disfigured Kevin Spacey in Forward. "This is just my feeling," she sheepishly tells TV Guide Online, "but there are parts of that movie th

Tue, Jul 17, 2001

Emmy Nominees React!

It seems fitting that Martin Sheen and Rob Lowe should be the only members of The West Wing ensemble vying for a lead acting Emmy: They were the only series regulars who showed up Monday for the first day of work on the show's third season. Co-stars Allison Janney, Richard Schiff, Bradley Whitford and John Spencer  supporting actor-actress Emmy nominees themselves  went AWOL reportedly because they want a raise. For his part, Lowe isn't letting the so-called stalemate take away from his Emmy celebration. As it is, he predicts that by next week the situation will be resolved. "The word is that we're going to try and restart on Monday," he told TV Guide Online. "I'm sure it'll all work out." The show's creator, Aaron Sorkin, was singing a similar tune to The Associated Press. "We don't begin filming until Monday and I'm sure it will all be taken care of," he said.

Fri, Jul 13, 2001

Emmy Plays It Safe

Members of the Academy of Television Arts &#038 Sciences failed to heed TV Guide Online's "Be kind, please don't rewind" plea when it came to the 2001 Emmy nominations  announced early yesterday in Los Angeles. Instead of rewarding new or previously overlooked faves such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ed, Gilmore Girls and Once and Again, voters gave their seal of approval to perennial  and creatively shaky  Emmy darlings like ER, The Practice, Will &amp; Grace and (yikes!) the now-dead 3rd Rock from the Sun! "It's just really depressing to see the same people and programs nominated jus

Fri, Jul 13, 2001

Meet The Real World's Evil Eye

Not since Alicia Calaway's finger-pointin' showdown with Kimmi Kappenberg on Survivor: The Australian Outback has a physical quirk caused such a fuss: During Tuesday's 10th-season premiere of MTV's pioneering reality soap The Real World, African-American spitfire Coral responded to sheltered housemate Mike's racist comments with a simple  yet menacing  stare. It was enough to send the sheltered Ohio frat boy begging for her forgiveness. However, Coral insists that her gaze of terror is not some secret weapon she uses to punish her enemies. "When I was watching [the episode], the face feels familiar," the 22-year-old San Franciscan tells TV Guide Online. "But I've never really had anyone say, 'Coral, you've got that stare like you want to kill me!' I've never had that happen." Well, there's nothing like an ignorant remark to bring out the worst in people. "It hurt and it p-----

Thu, Jul 5, 2001

Meet The Real World's Evil Eye

Not since Alicia Calaway's finger-pointin' brawl with Kimmi Kappenberg on Survivor: The Australian Outback has a physical quirk caused such a fuss: During last night's 10th-season premiere of MTV's pioneering reality soap The Real World, African-American spitfire Coral responded to sheltered housemate Mike's racist comments with a simple  yet menacing  stare. It was enough to send the Ohio frat boy begging for her forgiveness. Surprisingly, Coral insists that her gaze of terror is not some secret weapon she uses to punish her enemies. "When I was watching [the episode], the face felt familiar," the 22-year-old San Franciscan tells TV Guide Online. "But I've never really had anyone say, 'Coral, you've got that stare like you want to kill me!' I've never had that happen." Well, there's nothing like an ignorant remark to bring out the worst in people. "It hurt and it p----- me of

Wed, Jul 4, 2001

Secrets Behind A.I.'s Teddy Bear

One of the biggest questions raised by Steven Spielberg's confounding A.I.: Artificial Intelligence  which pulled in $30 million during its opening weekend  concerns Haley Joel Osment's trusty companion, Teddy. Specifically, what was a cuddly, lovable stuffed bear doing with such a deep, scary voice? It's a quandary that even baffles Jack Angel  the voice behind the plush toy. "I asked every person on the [A.I.] set if they were casting the part of Teddy, would they have chosen that voice, and everyone said, 'No,'" Angel tells TV Guide Online. "Steven said, 'That's right!' He marches to a different drummer." But, as Angel first explained to A.I. co-star Robin Williams (who voices Dr. Know), it would be unwise to judge Teddy by his raspy vocals. "Robin was recording his little part, and [he said], 'Teddy sounds so malevolent.' And I said, 'Only because you do

Tue, Jul 3, 2001

A.I.'s Hero Up for Sale

If you were one of the millions of moviegoers who experienced Steven Spielberg's mind-blowing morality tale A.I.: Artificial Intelligence over the weekend, then you no doubt have a whole new appreciation for stuffed plush  thanks to Teddy the bear, Haley Joel Osment's heroic, heartwarming supertoy. Luckily, audiences' love affair with the raspy-voiced plaything won't have to end when the credits roll: Tiger Electronics  the company behind Furby  is hoping to have Teddy dolls on store shelves by late July. Four versions of Teddy will range in size (four to 15 inches) and price ($4.99 to $29.99), with the larger dolls uttering such phrases as, "I am robot, but I am also teddy," "You have a trusting hand, my friend" and "What's new, super friend?" (The bigger models wo

Mon, Jul 2, 2001

Sam Robards's A.I. Scare

As the son of screen legends Lauren Bacall and the late Jason Robards, Sam Robards (American Beauty, Bounce) has spent his entire life in the Hollywood spotlight. Still, the 39-year-old actor cops to being a bit starstruck on the set of Steven Spielberg's mindbending futuristic fantasy, (A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (opening today). "I'm just a human being like everyone else  I mean, it's Steven Spielberg," he marvels. "He's running DreamWorks. He's making the movie that's [the dream] of Stanley

Fri, Jun 29, 2001

A.I. Star Lifts Veil of Secrecy

British-born thesp Frances O'Connor may not be a household name, but that's all about to change with the Friday release of Steven Spielberg's highly anticipated futuristic drama A.I: Artificial Intelligence. In the pic, O'Connor  who starred in the 1999 Jane Austen drama Mansfield Park  adopts a robot boy (Haley Joel Osment) and finds her life turned upside down. Personally, the thirtysomething actress doesn't believe real life will imitate A.I. art anytime soon. "I don't think we'll ever get to the point where we'll recreate people to that level," she says of Osment's eerily lifelike alter ego. "We might, but it won't be for a very long time. I

Thu, Jun 28, 2001

Haley Joel Osment's A.I. Hurdle

The Sixth Sense wonderkid Haley Joel Osment has earned a rep as one of the most gifted child stars in Hollywood history. However, for his role as a robot boy in Steven Spielberg's haunting futuristic fairy tale A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (opening Friday), the Oscar nominee was presented with the acting challenge of a lifetime. "It was hard not to blink, because robots always keep their eyes open," Osment tells TV Guide Online. "The trick is not to think about it a lot. After the first week, I didn't blink even after they yelled, 'Cut,' at the end of a scene." A.I. is a collaboration between Spielberg and late filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, whose untimely death did not

Wed, Jun 27, 2001

Julianna Margulies's Big Night Out

She may have left ER more than a year ago, but Julianna Margulies still is not immune to outlandish rumors. Case in point: Recent gossip suggested the upcoming star of TNT's female-empowerment miniseries, The Mists of Avalon, paid a visit to Manhattan's notoriously Neanderthal go-go bar, Scores. Crazy, huh? "I did," she confirms. "I wanted to see what it was like  not that I'm researching anything. I was interested because I had never been." So what was the former TV nurse's evaluation of the lowbrow establishment? "I'm sad to say I was there for [only] 20 minutes," she sighs. "I felt bad for the girls; it just depressed me a little bit." Well, if it sounds like Margulies has a little time on her hands, that's because she does. Since checking out of ER, the 35-year-old New York native has kept herself busy with theater work, most recently starring in Jon Robin Baitz's off-Broadway stage dra

Thu, Jun 14, 2001

David Duchovny: The Truth Stinks!

X-Files fans may have felt last month's season finale  featuring a climactic smooch between proud parents Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson)  was out of this world, but Duchovny saw it as a major kiss-off. "We were doing the last two episodes and I felt like, 'This isn't a resolution for my character,'" the Evolution star tells TV Guide Online. "'We're resolving things that had nothing to do with Mulder.' I felt like it was a lost opportunity. I felt like the last two episodes could have been a real send-off for Mulder." Part of the problem, insiders suggest, is that X-Files creator Chris Carter didn't know for sure whether the two-part finale was Mulder's swan song. It was only last week that Duchovny put the truth out there, announcing that he would not be returning for a ninth season in any capacity. But the

Wed, Jun 13, 2001

Law &#038 Order Gal's Anti-Angel Bias

Angel may have earned a rep as one of TV's best hours, but Elisabeth Rohm still hesitated before sinking her teeth into the recurring role of vengeful cop Kate Lockley on the WB drama. "When [series creator] Joss Whedon offered it to me  and he knows this, so it's not off the record  I wasn't sure I wanted to do it, being a serious New York actor," the theater-trained thesp tells TV Guide Online. But after meeting with the Buffy the Vampire Slayer sire, her doubts were put to death. "He's so Dr. Seuss. He's got these incredible metaphors woven into [stories with] all these vampires and demons, and I was so excited. I thought, 'This could be really interesting,' and I think it helped me as an actress." Rohm will get no argument from Law &amp; Order producer Dick Wolf, who tapped her to replace Angie

Tue, Jun 12, 2001

Edie Falco: In Defense of The Sopranos

As The Sopranos's strong-minded yet eternally conflicted mafia wife, Edie Falco has turned a blind eye to her share of shady goings-on. But even she can't ignore some of the hits the HBO drama series has taken during its just-concluded third season. First, there were the protests from angry Italian-American groups. Then came the uproar over the show's violent streak against women. And most recently, critics were shooting their mouths off about the lackluster season finale. "Anything that gets a lot of attention is going to take heat, and it's going to get praised and everybody's got to have something to say about it," Falco reasons to TV Guide Online. "And I respect that." Regarding The Sopranos's particularly cruel treatment toward females of late (the show's rap sheet includes the beating death of a pregnant stripper and the brutal rape of Lorraine Bracco's shrink character), Falco admits t

Mon, Jun 11, 2001

Brooke Shields: Suddenly Sally

Brooke Shields may not want to get too comfortable at New York City's famed Studio 54, where she's set to succeed Gina Gershon as sexy showgirl Sally Bowles in Cabaret beginning July 3. Natasha Richardson (The Handmaid's Tale, The Parent Trap)  who in 1998 won a Tony for playing Sally in the acclaimed Broadway revival  could be slipping back into the character's tawdry outfits in the not-too-distant future. "I might possibly return to close Cabaret," Richardson hinted backstage at Sunday's Tony Awards, adding that nothing had been finalized and no closing date set. A spokesperson for the show had no comment regarding Richardson's possible comeback, but pointed out that Shields  who made her Broadway debut as Rizzo in Grease  is committed until "at least Sept. 30." In the meantime, Gershon is slated to take her final bow on

Fri, Jun 8, 2001

Young Frankenstein: The Musical?

With The Producers officially a record-breaking Broadway phenomenon, the Great White Way has found something new to obsess over: Mel Brooks's rumored follow-up  a stage remake of his 1974 big-screen spoof, Young Frankenstein. "[I'm] toying with the notion," Brooks confirmed backstage at Sunday's Tony Awards, in which his Producers made history by winning a best-ever 12 trophies. But before the celebrated auteur starts lining up backers, he wants to make certain Frankenstein has a heart. "Even though The Producers may be the funniest show in town, the other [element] is the emotion, the love story between Matthew [Broderick] and Nathan [Lane], and Cady [Huffman] and Matthew," he explains. "Love counts for a great deal. So I would walk around Young Frankenstein and see where the emotion is  certainly between the monster and Dr. Fr

Thu, Jun 7, 2001

Reba Has a Change of Hart

When it comes to Reba McEntire's new fall sitcom, the WB has opted for the direct approach: The network has changed the name of country superstar's comedy from Deep in the Hart to simply Reba. "When you have Reba McEntire, you let people know it," a WB spokesperson tells TV Guide Online. This isn't Reba's first makeover. The series  which finds McEntire playing Reba Hart, a Texas soccer mom trying to hold her family together  first was titled Sally, after her character's original name. Then came Reba, Deep in the Hart, and now Reba again. Reasons McEntire: "They decided I have a large fan base and that would give us a great head start." So, why not stick with Reba from the beginning? One theory making the rounds is that the WB worried Reba would turn off the network's 'N Sync-lovin' viewership, many of whom might find McEntire unhip. In fact, insiders have suggested that Reba wou

Tue, Jun 5, 2001

Rohm's Harmon-ious Transition

Angie Harmon  whose three-year run as assistant district attorney Abbie Carmichael on Law &amp; Order ended with last week's season finale  didn't leave the show without giving her replacement, Bull's Elisabeth Rohm, some lasting words of encouragement. "She said, 'Come on, I wanna give you a tour of the set,'" laughs Rohm. "She's a very gregarious person. I really didn't talk to her that long, but she was lovely." Given the speed of the transition  Rohm started work less than 24 hours after Harmon taped her final scene  it's no surprise their encounter was a brief one. (Fearing a writers strike, L&#038O creator Dick Wolf got an early jump on Season 12; an agreement between scribes and producers has since been reached.) "I must say, we had wondered what it was going to be like ahead of time," admits co-star Sam Waterston of the rapid leading-lady switcheroo. "But

Wed, May 30, 2001