sheryl.rothmuller

HBO's Big Night!

HBO's Golden Globe after-party, held poolside at Griff's Restaurant at the Beverly Hills Hilton immediately following Sunday's ceremony, had the feel of a warm-and-fuzzy family reunion. Only this clan was unusually attractive, bore little resemblance to each other and had very expensive taste (fresh Maine Lobster was the main course). Still, as Sopranos leading lady Edie Falco explained to TV Guide Online, like most families, the HBO brood have a knack for pulling together when it matters most. "When Six Feet Under won [for best drama series], I jumped up with excitement because I'm such a huge fan of the show," Falco gushed. "But then I realized, 'Oh, wait a second. If they won then we didn't win.'" Well, the mob from The Sopranos may have gone home empty-handed

Tue, Jan 22, 2002

Andy Lawrence Grows Up

Here's something that will really make you feel old: Andrew Lawrence  one third of the rascally Lawrence troupe that includes older bro Joseph (Blossom) and middle-sib Matthew (Boy Meets World)  is officially a teenager. The lil' one turned 13 earlier this year, but memories of his misspent youth still linger. Recalls the actor: "There was a period where I wouldn't leave the house without my Batman cape." Fast forward to 2001: Lawrence is at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia reuniting with Matt, 21, and Joey, 25, for Jumping Ship, a Disney Channel sequel to 1999's Horse Sense premiering Friday night at 7 pm/ET. Although the Lawrence brothers have exploited their matching designer genes to great benefit career-wise  in addition to the Disney flicks, they appeared together in the mid-'90s sitcom Brotherly Love  Andy insists that their on-camera camaraderie is not growing stale.

Thu, Aug 16, 2001

Chris Tucker: Rising Star

Rush Hour 2 helmer Brett Ratner sums up the appeal of star Chris Tucker pretty simply. "He's funny as hell," the director grins. "He's funny if he just says, 'Hey, maaan.'" Taking his comedy a bit more seriously, Tucker boasts that his work has "evolved tremendously" since his early days. "I always knew I wanted to keep going to another level," says August's GQ cover boy, who's cleaned up his dialogue plenty since his last collaboration with Ratner, Money Talks. Rush  hitting theaters Friday  found Tucker a fish out of water, both on and off the set. While the citizens of Hong Kong were already familiar with prominent native

Mon, Jul 30, 2001

Kids' Choice: Tom Cruise

What separates Nickelodeon's 14th annual Kids' Choice Awards from the myriad of other kudofests? "I think what sums it up is right here on the red carpet to my left  a cow doing interviews," cracked MTV host Carson Daly, referring to a reporter donning a bovine suit. "You don't see a cow at the Grammys." Something else you don't typically see at music's biggest night: Tom Cruise. The Mission: Impossible actor was host Rosie O'Donnell's Super Secret Surprise Guest on Saturday's live telecast  in which 15 million young people voted for their faves in music, movies, TV and sports. Cruise picked up Wannabe honors  the newest Choice award given to an entertainer kids most want to be. (Clearly they never saw Eyes Wide Shut.) "There's two things that my mother instilled in me when I was growing up: Work hard and be kind to others," Cruise told the audience of screaming kids packed into Santa Monica's Barker Hangar (aka Space S

Tue, Apr 24, 2001

Driven's Sexy Speed Demon

An athletic Ivy League grad, Kip Pardue  who scored as a hunky high-school quarterback in last year's Remember the Titans  now hits the racing circuit in Sylvester Stallone's Driven (opening Friday). While his sports prowess served him well on the film, the actor never realized what an iron gut it takes to be a racecar driver. "Playing football my whole life," he says, "[I know] what it's like to step out on the field with 30,000 people there... what it's like to hit someone as hard as you can. [But] I have no idea what it's like to go to work every day and have the risk of dying  these guys could die like that!" Though he's totally at home on movie sets these days, Pardue  who majored in economics at Yale  initially planned for a career on Wall Street. Of course, everything changed once he caught the acting bug. "I don't know if there is a word big enough to acknowledge [what's happened]," he chuckles. "It doesn't s

Tue, Apr 24, 2001

Sly's Driven Personality

Sylvester Stallone makes other actors nervous. Kaopectate nervous. Forget-your-lines nervous. During their first days on the set of Stallone's Driven  which hits theaters Friday  up-and-comers Kip Pardue (Remember the Titans) and Til Schweiger fretted more about meeting the megastar than surviving their intense racing scenes. "For the first three weeks, it was terrifying," Pardue admits of the Rocky star, who wrote Driven and plays Joe Tanto, a veteran driver who mentors Pardue. "And then it got to the point where he was Sly, and he was a buddy." Echoes Schweiger: "I was nervous like hell." Stallone understands the weight his name carries, though he's uncomfortable with it. "It has not settled in and it's odd," he says. "You walk in the room and you think they're, like, contemporaries..." Still, he knows those "contemporaries" aren't looking at him the same way he looks at them. "It's the same thing [as] when I w

Mon, Apr 23, 2001

Depp Sells Snow in Blow

Moviegoers have most recently seen Renaissance thesp Johnny Depp as an Irish river rat romancing Juliette Binoche in Chocolat and as a crossdresser in Before Night Falls. Tomorrow, the debuting narc epic Blow will find him playing George Jung, the man who single-handedly orchestrated cocaine imports from Colombia's drug cartels into America in the late '70s. Based on Bruce Porter's book of the same name, Blow chronicles the true story of Jung's escapades, taking him from blue-collar suburbia to prison. "I knew I needed a chameleon to play this man," director Ted Demme says about casting Jung. "I didn't want someone 'starring in,' I wanted someone to 'be in'... someone to be George." Demme credits Depp's ability to play vastly different characters with making the actor a shoo-in for the role. "Johnny just changes his colors in every film," he says. "If you put Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands and Donnie Brasco in the

Thu, Apr 5, 2001

Pee-wee Rides Again

It's been 13 years since the last Pee-wee Herman movie landed in theaters, and Pee-wee's alter ego, Paul Reubens, is finally ready to slip back into the gray tux again in not one, but three brand new films. However, unlike the first two flicks  1985's Pee-wee's Big Adventure and 1988's Big Top Pee-wee  the next film is going to be for mature audiences only. "It's an adult Pee-wee movie that kids won't be able to come to," Reubens says of The Pee-wee Herman Story, a dark tale that charts the fictional character's rise to fame. Not to worry, kiddies. Reubens admits feeling a tad guilty about penning an R-rated adventure for Pee-wee, and sought redemption by focusing on another, more family-friendly feature. "My guilt kind of turned me into writing this other one, that's starting to become really great," he says. "It begins and ends in the Playhouse and then the whole middle of it is like an epic adventure in kind of a make-believ

Mon, Apr 2, 2001

Sony's Hidden Oscar Bash

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was shut out of the top Oscar categories Sunday night, but the movie's four wins  including best foreign language film  were cause for celebration at Sony's high-flying after-party held at Crustacean in Beverly Hills. "Every award means something different, but this is the biggest one," Crouching Tiger director Ang Lee told TV Guide Online. "The whole world's watching. I was carrying the wishful thinking from [the whole] Chinese audience." The acclaimed helmer of Sense and Sensibility and The Ice Storm then hinted at the kind of acrobatic showdowns that audiences should expect from his in-the-works prequel to the $100-million-grossing crossover smash, saying that he will probably approach the fight sequences a little differently next time around. "I'm thinking... I can do better," he said, to the astonishment of anyone within earshot. "I was a novice the first time." Asked about Crou

Tue, Mar 27, 2001

Depp Doesn't Gel with Oscar

A billion people will be tuning into the 73rd annual Academy Awards Sunday night on ABC  but one of them won't be Johnny Depp. In fact, the Hollywood outsider  who plays a sexy drifter in best picture contender Chocolat  admits he doesn't even know who's nominated this year. "When I say I don't know who got nominated, I really don't," insists the actor, whose latest film, Blow, opens April 6. Truth be told, Depp does in fact recall that his Chocolat co-stars, Juliette Binoche and Judi Dench, received nods. "And I know that Javier [Bardem] did for Before Night Falls and Benicio [Del Toro] did [for Traffic], and that's about it. I don't like the whole competitive nature of awards." If Depp sounds a little out of the loop on all things Hollywood, well, that's because he is. For more than two years, he has been living in the South of France with actress Vanessa Para

Fri, Mar 23, 2001

Stars Shine at NAACP Image Awards

Trophies for the 32nd annual NAACP Image Awards were handed out last weekend at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, honoring black achievements in film and TV. Comic Chris Tucker hosted the kudocast  airing March 9th at 8 pm on Fox  which included special honors for former President Bill Clinton and actor Sidney Poitier. Tucker, taking a short break from filming Rush Hour 2 in Las Vegas, gave a quick lesson in awards-show etiquette at the top of the show. "If you don't win, act like you're happy," he told the nominees. And to avoid long acceptance speeches, he advised, "Just thank your mama and God." Steve Harvey and his self-titled WB series, which ends its run this season, were the big winners of the night with four awards. An emotional Harvey was named Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series and Entertainer of the Year. "This is the biggest thing that's ever happened to me, hands down," Harvey marveled backstage. "I'm En

Thu, Mar 8, 2001

Malcolm Star Remembers Dale Earnhardt

Malcolm in the Middle's Frankie Muniz had the eerily fateful opportunity to meet Dale Earnhardt on the same day of the legendary racer's fatal crash. Muniz  a self-professed NASCAR fan  attended the Feb. 18 Daytona 500 race to film a segment for MTV's "Day in the Life" Diary series (airing tonight at 10:30 pm/ET), and witnessed the tragic accident. "It didn't look too bad," Muniz tells TV Guide Online, adding, "But I was sort of like, 'Why is he not getting out of his car?'" Shortly after, Muniz returned to his hotel room and heard the shocking bulletin on TV. "They said, 'We have very sad news in the NASCAR world,' and I was like, 'Don't say it, don't say it!' And they said it." Muniz immediately ran to tell his mom, who was chatting with owners of the Phoenix racetrack. "Nobody believed me," he said. "They're like, 'No, that's not true.'" Once the reality sunk in, the young actor said

Thu, Mar 8, 2001

Will Gunmen Shoot and Score?

As one-third of the scene-stealing Lone Gunmen trio on The X-Files, Tom Braidwood has spent eight seasons lurking in the background. But that's all about to change now that the actor and his fellow super-sleuths, Dean Haglund and Bruce Harwood, have been spun-off into their own Fox series  aptly titled The Lone Gunmen. "It's really interesting to have to focus on it day in and day out," Braidwood tells TV Guide Online of going from a bit player to a full-fledged series regular. But the actor  who originally joined The X-Files as an assistant director  admits he's prepared if his career as a thesp doesn't blast off with Gunmen. "If they run the series and it doesn't get picked up, I'm quite certain I'll simply go back to focusing on directing and producing," he says. "But I would probably also make an effort to do auditions." Premiering March 4 in The X-Files

Wed, Jan 31, 2001

West Wings It

As the end of the TV season draws near, Shane West, Once and Again's resident high school hunk, isn't stressing about the impending actor's strike or the future of his low-rated ABC drama. No, he's too busy dreaming about being a rock star. As frontman for Average Jo, a band he formed with some actor friends, West sings, writes and plays guitar. "If the strike happens and I don't have anything booked, then I'm going on tour with the band," West tells TV Guide Online. "And I'll probably have more fun doing that rather than if I did book a movie, just because I've never done it and I'm sure it'll be amazing." Last fall, Average Jo received some great exposure when the group appeared in a episode of Once and Again under the name Anti-Inflammatory  the faux band that West's Eli character performs in. However, the up-and-comer wants to make it perfectly clear that Anti-Inflammatory shares little i

Tue, Jan 30, 2001

Mole Man Spies on Rivals

At first glance, The Mole's Anderson Cooper appears no different than any other reality host. But the former TV journalist says if viewers look closer, they'll see that he is actually the antithesis of Survivor's Jeff Probst and Big Brother's Julie Chen. "I think you just have to go with your instincts, and I knew from watching Survivor what I did not want to be doing," the ex-ABC News correspondent tells TV Guide Online. "And certainly, from Big Brother, I knew what I really didn't want to be doing." Prior to signing on to the series, Cooper sat down with executive producers Scott A. Stone and David G. Stanley and co-executive producer Clay Newbill to discuss how he envisioned his role as host. And while some critics described his persona as too intense, Cooper admits he's relaxed a bit since those initial episodes. "The first couple [of] days, I wasn't used to being around 10 people co

Mon, Jan 29, 2001

When Billy Elliot Met Pretty Woman

Young Billy Elliot star Jamie Bell was the main attraction at DreamWorks's post-Golden-Globe fete, held Sunday night at the Beverly Hilton's Polynesian-themed eatery Trader Vics. Gladiator hunk Russell Crowe approached the up-and-comer and, as Bell confided to TV Guide Online, the two "had a good ol' chat. He's just telling me how [the whole awards thing] works." The advice could come in handy if Bell earns an Oscar nod, as some predict he might. Already sounding like an old pro, he jokingly discounted the hype. "We don't believe it," he laughed. "It's all a lot of hot air." The star of the evening  Julia Roberts  made it her personal mission to hunt down Bell. "I have an almost 10-year-old niece who said 'Oh my God! He's gonna be there? Can I come?,' Roberts explained to TV Guide Online. "I'll just say hello and I'll tell her tomorrow that I shook his hand." Well, the Golden Globe-winning Erin Brockovich a

Tue, Jan 23, 2001

Partying InStyle

As expected, the InStyle/Warner Bros. post-Golden Globe party at the Beverly Hilton was the place to be Sunday night. Of course, you didn't have to tell that to the star-studded guests, who included nominees John Cusack, Frankie Muniz and Sarah Michelle Gellar (on the arm of beau Freddie Prinze Jr.), as well as best actor in a comedy film winner George Clooney. Also spotted in the crowd: John Leguizamo, Phil Collins, Mimi Rogers, Craig Kilborn (with Ling Bai), Eriq La Salle, Keanu Reeves, Sigourney Weaver, James Woods, Hugh Grant, Chad Lowe and Hilary Swank, Camryn Manheim, David Allen Grier, Jane Seymour (with her Miss Golden Globe daughter Katie Flynn), Kirsten Dunst, Hugh Hefner (with an armful of Playmates, natch) and Brad Rowe. While some celebs took time to chat with the press stationed outsid

Tue, Jan 23, 2001

Freaks's Geek Graduates

Seth Rogen, known to Freaks and Geeks fans as the sarcastic high schooler who fell for the Tuba girl, is hitting the books again  but this time as a college freshman in Fox's midseason comedy Undeclared. And proving quite the overachiever, Rogen also serves as one of the show's writers. Freaks and Geeks brainchild Judd Apatow  the creator and executive producer of Undeclared  originally approached Rogen to join the writing team. However, he quickly realized that the up-and-comer would be perfect for the role of Ron, one of six college freshman sharing the same dorm floor at the fictional University of North Eastern California. "He's really funny," Apatow says of Rogen. "And how much funnier he is now than I was at 18, you can't even discuss it." Rogen admits he doesn't mind the extra work load, and is especially enjoying taking part in Undeclared's writers meetings. "It's very relaxing, and you can just real

Wed, Jan 17, 2001

Star Trek: The Voyage Home?

The crew of Star Trek: Voyager has been lost in the Delta Quadrant for seven seasons, and now, with the final episode slated to air May 23 on UPN, there is much speculation about whether or not the space travelers will find their way back home. At the Television Critics Association's press tour in Pasadena, Calif., Tim Russ, who plays Tuvok, refused to offer any clues, although he insisted the truth is no doubt out there  somewhere. "There probably is a fan in Iowa who does know," he joked. Executive producer Rick Berman took a more direct approach in addressing the rumors: "Not going to tell you." The crew's top doc, Robert Picardo, turned the tables on the relentless media. "I actually have a question for you," he remarked. "Do you think we will shoot multiple endings as a way of fooling you?" Although cagey about plot details, Voyager's producers and cast did reveal that the big

Tue, Jan 9, 2001

No Beauty Bounce for Bakula

American Beauty won five Academy Awards, grossed $130 million and gave a nice boost to the careers of Kevin Spacey and Annette Benning, not to mention newcomers Wes Bentley and Mena Suvari. However, it caused barely a ripple in the life of Scott Bakula, who played half of an idylic gay couple in the 1999 film. "It hasn't opened doors," the former Quantum Leap star tells TV Guide Online. "Not at all. But it's a nice, wonderful gift to be associated with." Bakula could use those same words to desribe his new film Luminarias, a low-budget comedy about four middle-aged Latina women looking for love in Los Angeles. Playing in limited release since May, the film  in which Bakula appears as one of the potential suitors  has developed a bit of a cult following among females. "I loved what it had to say about life in Los Angeles, and in any multi-cultural situation around the world," explains the actor, wh

Wed, Oct 25, 2000

Lawrence Plays the Name Game

Former teen idol Joseph Lawrence is growing tired of the media obsessing about his decision to pull a Deborah Gibson and now go by Joseph, as opposed to just Joey. In fact, contrary to reports, the 24-year-old ex-Blossom star insists that his moniker actually hasn't changed. "Joseph's my name," Lawrence tells TV Guide Online. "I was born that... it's on my birth certificate. It was Joseph before it was Joey and they just changed it when I was a kid because they thought [since] I was playing characters named Joey, it might be better for recognition purposes." So why go back to the original spelling now? "I'm named after my dad and I always said that's what I want to see up on the big screen," says the star of Urban Legends: The Final Cut, a sequel to the 1998 film, opening Friday. "I basically am just using my name. People can call me whatever they want, I could care less.

Wed, Sep 20, 2000

ET's Post-Emmy Bash a Mixed Bag

Entertainment Tonight's fifth annual post-Emmy party, held at Barneys New York in Beverly Hills, drew its fair share of celebs but few actual winners. Among the attendees: Frasier's David Hyde Pierce, NYPD Blue's Dennis Franz, Multimillionaire bride Darva Conger, Survivor castaways Rudy Boesch and Rich Hatch, Ted McGinley (Married, With Children) and wife Gigi Rice, Malcolm in the Middle's Frankie Muniz, Sharon Lawrence, Kimberly Williams, former Punky Brewster Soleil Moon Frye (now on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch), Weird Al Yankovic and Ben Stein. Muniz arrived with Malcolm sibs Erik Per Sullivan, Justin Berfield and their TV pop, Bryan Cranston. Although disappointed that their TV mom, Jane Kaczmarek, didn't take home the Emmy, they were ecstatic about their show's writing and directing w

Tue, Sep 12, 2000