July 2017

IMPRINTED
ISSUE 2

You’ve read the stories of near death experiences…

Reunions with lost loved ones. Blinding white light. The sensation of the human soul being rocketed back into the body.

These all-too-familiar first person accounts have been told for as long as people have discussed the possibility of an afterlife. But are they legitimate?

Imprinted tells the story of Lillian, a young reverse reaper closed off from humanity, whose entire purpose is to guide those souls not yet destined for the other side back into their bodies. When the balance between life and death is disturbed, Lillian is forced to carry the weight of the entire world on her shoulders and protect every living soul on the planet or else sit by and watch as all of humanity dies.

COME BACK SOON FOR MORE OF IMPRINTED!

With the sheer volume of content flooding our brains on a daily basis, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to keep tabs on what new television series are launching, at what time, and on what platforms. That being said, it’s hard not to get excited for the ones that are being spearheaded by the best and brightest talent both behind and in front of the camera. That is certainly the case with the new Netflix series “Friends From College,” an ensemble comedy with a stacked cast (Cobie Smulders, Keegan-Michael Key, etc) and a creator/writer/producer (Nicholas Stoller) known for bringing the laughs with films like “Neighbors” and “The Muppets.”

We recently sat down with “Friends From College” star Jae Suh Park to discuss her expectations for the series, being the weirdo at the bus stop, and the perks of being married to a superhero.

TrunkSpace: Your new show “Friends From College” is a high profile series, stacked with a high profile cast, set to premiere on Netflix, a high profile platform. It is it difficult not to view it all as a career changer?
Jae Suh Park: Well, I feel like I’ve been in the business long enough to know that not one thing is a career changer. I don’t think you can point to that one thing. I mean, I hope it does well and I hope for a season two. It definitely had people wanting to talk to me, like you. So I guess it’s a little bit more high profile than… well, a lot more high profile than things I’ve done in the past, so… I hope so.

TrunkSpace: Have you had to emotionally disconnect from it since you wrapped shooting or is it something you can’t help but get excited about as it gears up for release?
Jae Suh Park: Well, we shot it last fall in New York for about three months and right after it, I did kind of forget about it. But I’ve been thinking about it a lot more now because we were just in New York for the premiere last week, and then I’ve just been hearing stuff about it and seeing stuff, so I’m thinking a lot more about it now. But I didn’t for a long time, because you just kind of move forward.

TrunkSpace: There must be a bit of a defense mechanism aspect to it because you ultimately have no control over things once your job is done?
Jae Suh Park: Well yeah, and you just never know how long it’s gonna take. Sometimes you shoot something and it comes out right away, and other times it can take years. Especially cable shows. I guess it’s partly a defense mechanism, because you never know. As far as movies go, or even TV, maybe you got cut out. Maybe your part is not as big as you thought it was. I definitely had experiences like that in the past. (Laughter) So you can’t just go ahead and tell everybody that you’re going to be in this big show, or be in a big movie, and then have all your things cut out. So yeah, I did some of that for sure.

TrunkSpace: We saw the poster for “Friends From College” and there you are, front and center with the rest of the cast. Did that help it all feel more real for you?
Jae Suh Park: Oh yeah, definitely. And then we have separate posters… each of us has a separate poster. It says what we are and I’m “The weirdo.” The friend who’s a weirdo. And it’s been on all the bus stops here in LA. So I’ve had friends text me and I saw two of them by where I live, and I was like, I worked a really long time and very hard to be a weirdo at a bus stop. (Laughter)

TrunkSpace: (Laughter) In order to be the weirdo at a bus stop you really have to stand out.
Jae Suh Park: (Laughter) Especially in LA.

TrunkSpace: The series creator is Nicholas Stoller and he has become synonymous with quality comedy, especially on the feature side. From a performance standpoint, comedy must be very fun to explore in a series because you sort of get to see the funny spread out over the course of what is usually multiple arcs, not just one arc.
Jae Suh Park: Yeah, that’s what’s so exciting is that you can explore the character in so many different situations and they just kind of take twists and turns. But I know Nick really wanted to make this kind of like a very long movie. It definitely ends open-ended. It’s not like the complete series. It’s not like “Big Little Lies” or something where it’s just kind of one movie. So going back to what you said, it’s very exciting to be able to explore so many different sides of the character.

TrunkSpace: When you look beyond the series itself and at the current TV landscape as a whole, what’s the most exciting part for you as an actress in what a lot of people are calling “The Golden Age of Television” and what that means in terms of roles and characters available?
Jae Suh Park: I get to play a weirdo, which I don’t know if I would have been able to five years ago. (Laughter)

There’s definitely a lot more opportunities for everyone involved in the business. So that’s exciting, but as a viewer, I don’t get to watch as much as I want to just because it’s so much… and I think also the good thing and the bad thing is that you can kind of watch what you want and not at all know anything about anything else. If you’re a very huge fan of “Westworld” you may know all of the actors on the show, but if you’ve never seen the show, you would be like, “I have no idea who that person is.” It’s good and bad because you can definitely have anonymity that stars in the past didn’t have as much.

TrunkSpace: You actually worked with your “Friends From College” costar Cobie Smulders on an episode of “How I Met Your Mother” a few years back, correct?
Jae Suh Park: Yeah, it’s so funny because that’s how I met Cobie for the very first time and my husband is actually really good friends with her husband and they had worked together. I had met him just briefly and when I got the part I went up to her and I said, “My boyfriend knows your boyfriend!” And this is before we were even married or had kids, and now we’re both married and we both have kids. But that was the first time that I met her and worked with her, and that was forever ago.

TrunkSpace: And that was a very memorable episode of “How I Met Your Mother” because it introduced the woo girls… and a quotable “woo” has been echoed ever since.
Jae Suh Park: Yeah, I think I said, “woo” maybe… I don’t know how many times. Let’s just say the script was very easy to memorize. (Laughter)

TrunkSpace: What’s great about “Friends From College” is that you guys really have this amazing on-screen chemistry together, as if you actually are a group of old friends.
Jae Suh Park: Yeah, that was one of the very first things that a lot of people noticed because I had only worked with Cobie that one time eons ago and I knew Keegan just socially. And then I’d never worked with the others or any of the guest stars and it was just immediate. We all had so much fun off-screen and on-screen. Even at our very first wardrobe call everybody was like, “Do you guys know each other or have you guys worked together?” All of us except for Keegan have kids and we’re married, so I think that definitely bonds us with Nick. I’m grateful for it because that doesn’t always happen.

TrunkSpace: We know that your husband (Randall Park) was just cast in “Ant-Man and the Wasp” and we’re curious, has he been introducing himself as your “superhero husband” now because that’s totally what we would do with our wives?
Jae Suh Park: (Laughter) No, he’s not. He’s not introducing himself as my superhero husband, but he’s been working out quite a bit because he says he’s gotta look good. I think he’s just in suits. But I will note, I’m not that familiar with the comic, but he did show me some art… some old issues, and the character is buff. I’m not complaining at all. I feel like that’s a perk of being married to a superhero.

“Friends From College” premieres tomorrow on Netflix.

Name: K.C. Shonk

Hometown: East China, Michigan

Current Location: Los Angeles, California

TrunkSpace: When did you know that you wanted to dance for a living?
Shonk: My parents always told me to do what I love and the money will follow. They instilled the value of happiness over monetary wealth at a young age. I love dance and it has made me happy my whole life so it only makes sense for me to want to pursue dancing professionally for a living.

TrunkSpace: Was there a particular performance or actor/actress from your childhood that you remember being drawn to and inspired by?
Shonk: I saw the contemporary company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, perform when I was 12 years old and was blown away by their artistry, performance, athleticism and beauty. It was also the first time I had seen a professional dance performance and I put it together that if I could get good enough, I could make dance my profession.

TrunkSpace: How did you decide to approach your career as a dancer? Did you formulate a plan of how you wanted to attack what is known for being a hard industry to crack?
Shonk: I have always just focused on getting better, surrounding myself with the right people, making good connections and taking it one step at a time. In my training at Spotlight Dance Works in Chesterfield, MI in competitive dance, my university level training as well as what I am currently doing… taking all kinds of classes at the EDGE PAC and Millennium Dance Complex, I always try to watch the dancers I perceive to be the best in the room and I try to match or exceed their talent out of a healthy mental competition, which helps me get better. When I’m the only one in the room I push myself to be better than I was before and to achieve the level of ability I see in my role models and I’ve had some fantastic ones.

Breaking into the industry isn’t easy but this is where calling on the connections I’ve made along the way has become important. Recognizing that the teachers I’ve learned from, friends I’ve made and professionals I’ve brushed paths with in the industry, may be able to, or know other people in the industry who might be willing to help me, has become increasingly important. I have always known being nice to everyone was important in order to be a decent human, but that and continuously conducting myself in a professional manner, in other words building a good reputation as a student, friend and person in the dance world, has helped me immensely to build the network necessary to become a professional.

TrunkSpace: When did you decide to move away from your home and pursue dance as a career? How old were you at the time? 
Shonk: As a junior in high school I began to “audition” colleges. I wanted a good dance program that would put me in front of good people and I needed the academic environment to address that side of me. (Confession: I love math.) So I applied to approximately 12 schools, was accepted at 11 and received two offers for full scholarships out-of-state, but the University of Michigan was my match as well as my reach school. It is highly selective and I thought I would be very lucky to get in. I did and they offered me a scholarship. It was one of my happiest moments, receiving a call from the School of Music, Theater and Dance at the University of Michigan to offer me a scholarship. My first day of college was really my last at home. I have been home to visit a handful of times but my schedule rarely allows for me to sit still for long. I am currently (age 22) in the process of moving away from Michigan to pursue dance as a career. I recently graduated from the University with a degree in Dance, and an additional minor in Business Administration and was a Student-Athlete on the Michigan Dance Team. Right after graduation I started auditioning and narrowing down where I want to be in order to dance professionally. I spent a month in Los Angeles to get a feel for the dance scene there and to attend the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Summer Intensive at University of Southern California. I loved my time in the dance scene in California because of the immense variety and abundance of dance styles and projects happening there. I have invested time in New York and Chicago while doing intensives and I am ready to make the move now and plan to be settled in Los Angeles by the end of August.

TrunkSpace: Was that move an easy transition for you initially? How long did it take you to feel at home and find a good support group of friends and peers?
Shonk: The move thus far has had its fair share of challenges. It’s no secret that California is expensive and thankfully I have the world’s most supportive family helping me to afford the big move so that I can follow my dreams, but as a college student I learned to be smart about money and if I have to spend it, I make it count. Although I’ve only spent a month in LA so far, it’s already starting to feel like a second home. The dance world has a magical way of bringing the right people together and I’ve loved meeting LA-based dancers from all over the world. It is such a diverse community and there are lessons to be learned from everyone. We all bond over our similar goals and reasons for being there. No matter where I’ve traveled, I’ve found the best way for me to adapt is to get busy usually by dancing, taking class and meeting people. If I stop and have too much time sitting still I sometimes feel lonely or homesick, but getting busy right away helps me make friends and build a new normal wherever I am. It also helps that technology allows for us all to be so connected now. I love Facetiming my friends and family who are all so interested and supportive of me taking this big leap.

TrunkSpace: What has been your biggest break in terms of a particular opportunity thus far?
Shonk: I suppose one of my biggest breaks thus far has been making the Michigan Dance Team. It was a prestigious position but I consider it as one of my biggest breaks because it completely changed how I thought about dance. I used to look down on commercial dance somewhat or consider it a lower art form than concert dance as I think many other dancers are taught to do, however joining the dance team showed me that just because the movement is different that it’s still movement, it’s still dance, it’s an art form and a sport and it’s so much fun to do, especially for an audience of 109,901 screaming fans in Michigan Stadium because it’s relatable to almost all audiences and they truly enjoy watching it.

TrunkSpace: Is there a specific type of project you’d like to take on or a specific genre that you feel more at home in?
Shonk: I am a very versatile dancer and love doing most styles of dance. I gravitate towards contemporary dance first but I also enjoy hip-hop, ballet, heels, jazz, modern and ballroom.

TrunkSpace: What would you say is the greatest strength a dancer can have outside of dance ability itself?
Shonk: I’d say the greatest strength a dancer can have outside of dance ability itself is, beyond passion, really a combination of three seemingly non-related skills: great networking skills, a strong and unyielding work ethic, and self-advocacy. My passion for and to dance, and the combination of those three entities are the core of what propels me forward.

TrunkSpace: What is your ultimate dream when it comes to your dance career? Where would you like your path to lead?
Shonk: Two ultimate dance dreams for me would be to tour as a backup dancer for Beyoncé and to be a company member in Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. These dreams seem extremely different from each other because they fall completely opposite on the concert vs. commercial dance spectrum, but I’m in love with both. I want my path to lead to a place where I can combine my passions for dance and business to blend the worlds of concert and commercial dance… where both can be experienced and appreciated for what they are. Dance is so much more than an awesome art form. Dance is what makes my heart sing, and for me it is a trait. It is the quality and characteristic of how I define myself. I am always open to new experiences, but through dance I have learned to be tenacious; I have learned to persevere through pain, exhaustion, frustration and ultimately reap the reward of the “high” on the other side of that mountain—performance— the “it” of dance. It feeds my soul. There is always risk involved in trying something that seems too hard or too new, but the opportunity for success lies within that risk-taking and I love the challenge.

TrunkSpace: What advice would you give another young aspiring dancer who is considering moving away from home to pursue their dream?
Shonk: Build your support team. Make connections. Be good and kind to everyone. Be ready. Be prepared for failure, it will happen and do not let it break you. Let it fuel you. Work hard. Take educated risks (aka, think). And DANCE!

TrunkSpace: Where can people (and casting directors) learn more about you?
Shonk: Please feel free to check out my website, https://kcshonk.wordpress.com/ ,which has a few of my dance videos, photos, resumes and a contact section as well as on Instagram @k.c.shonk and Facebook.

Everyone’s got a TOP WHATEVER column. You know the type… a list of arbitrary best ofs, worst ofs, or does it really matter ofs. Well, TrunkSpace didn’t want to be left out, so we decided to come up with our own JUST ANOTHER $@!#*? LIST COLUMN. Whereas other lists on other sites may have a point, rest assured, ours will have none.

This time out we’re putting all the fixin’s on our latest list and slapping it between two buns as we look at…

THE TOP FIVE BURGERS THAT AREN’T ACTUAL BURGERS

BurgerTime
As chef Peter Pepper, you controlled your own fast food destiny. Make burgers. Score points. RULE THE WORLD!

Or at the very least, get some arcade bragging rights to go along with your cherry-flavored FreeZee.

Hamburger Hill
Actual Battle of Hamburger Hill aside… which is never a fun thing to glorify considering hundreds of people lost their lives… the 1987 film starring Don Cheadle, Dylan McDermott, and Steven Weber (shameless link plug) was an HBO staple for those of us who grew up glued to the television and watching movies far too mature for our young minds. No, you couldn’t eat this burger, but you could eat a burger while watching this burger. Next best thing.

“Nothing Burger”
Politics have taken over our world. News anchors have become pop culture celebrities. And the term “nothing burger” has entered the mainstream lexicon thanks to political commentator Van Jones. Now every time a new scandal breaks, someone is saying that said scandal is nothing but a nothing burger, BUT, isn’t a burger that is nothing still something?

Gregg Berger
Voiceover actor Gregg Berger isn’t a household name, but the characters he has brought to life since he started his career in the early 80s are. How’s this for a list? Odie (Garfield), Grimlock (Transformers), Firefly (G.I. Joe), Mysterio (Spider-Man), and Cornfed Pig (Duckman). And that’s just the tip of the voiceover iceberg! This is one prolific Berger!

Burgerdier General
Every neighborhood had that one kid in it who owned every toy imaginable. (He was basically the real world version of Ricky from Silver Spoons.) We’d wager that it was those nonfictional Rickys who bought Mattel’s 1989 action figure line Food Fighters. His toy-filled house was the only place you ever got to choose sides… Kitchen Commandos or Refrigerator Rejects… in the ultimate food fight. And because they were his toys, he always got to be the burger. DAMN YOU, RICKY!

Artist/Band: Sour Bridges

Members:
Bill Pucci – banjo, git
Matt Pucci – mando, lead git
Jackson Ellis – bass git
Kat Wilkes – fiddle
Dalton Chamblee – drums

Website: www.sourbridgesmusic.com

Hometown: Sour Bridges was constructed in Austin, Texas circa 2009

Latest Album/Release: Sour Bridges-Live at Stubb’s

Influences: The Byrds, The Beatles, The Band

TrunkSpace: How do you describe your music?
Pucci: We (Dalton) coined “browngrass” a few years ago, joking around and it just stuck. We are basically Americana; or bluegrass with some drums.

TrunkSpace: The band previously described browngrass as bluegrass, but just a little dirtier. Where does the dirt stick? Is it on the music? Is it on the lyrics? Is it scattered across the board?
Pucci: Jack and Dalton come from a rock and roll background with previous bands Fatback Circus and Superlitebike. So we started fooling around on front porches at parties with a banjo and a guitar and a bottle of bourbon, things always got amped up a notch, and we’d be hoot ‘in and holler in’ before too long. The formula stuck, and we just kept cranking out hot tunes!

TrunkSpace: Where is the music of Sour Bridges best enjoyed?
Pucci: I hear good things about Sour Bridges on road trips. Pop it on in the car with your buddy, and sing that shit out loud! But the best way to hear Sour Bridges is live. You gotta see it, to really feel it.

TrunkSpace: What can fans of your music expect from your latest album?
Pucci: We just released a live album in June at a staple venue in Austin; Stubb’s. We captured 15 tracks and a hell of a crowd! It’s got a couple old tunes amped up, some great new tunes, and even our version of some classics. Sour Bridges-Live at Stubb’s is browngrass at its finest.

TrunkSpace: Revisiting the “bluegrass but dirtier” vibe, how do you capture that in the studio? A lot of those whoops and stomps sound like they may be difficult to capture outside of an energy-infused live setting.
Pucci: Sour Bridges have 5 albums. They all have been recorded as raw and natural as possible. While Dalton is recording drums, we are all there, laying down scratch guitars and vocals; jumping around, drinking, feeding off each other. So yeah, these good vibrations are picked up in the studio and carried out in the music.

TrunkSpace: Austin has a fertile creative scene. How has it shaped the band and the individual musicians in it?
Pucci: Austin has so many musicians and so many fans that will actually come see your music. You find yourself playing any show in any weather, just to keep up with the next band. In one night you’ll be the fourth band playing at a bar at 1 a.m. and hearing all kinds of genres and inspirations. Live music is literally everywhere. We’ve played on a boat in Lake Austin, on bar tables, in a comedy show, 100 degree parking lots… we love playing, and it’s made us pretty tight both on stage and off.

TrunkSpace: What is the most memorable show Sour Bridges has played to date and why has it stuck with you?
Pucci: We played UtopiaFest a few years ago. It’s out in the beautiful middle of nowhere, lots of friends came from out of state to see us. We opened up the music festival and the weather was gorgeous; it was a blast. The skies filled with black on our last song and it literally flooded for the rest of the night. The fest went on! We were hanging with great bands in 12 inches of mud and pushing on Dr. Dog’s tour van to get it out of the parking lot. Best show so far, but I expect more to come.

TrunkSpace: Is there a particular type of venue or show format that the band prefers to play at and why?
Pucci: We’ll play anywhere. But it’s always nice on a Saturday night to be on stage with the lights and your closest friends playing tunes. I find what really fuels the Bridge’s fire is a good crowd. People running around singing, calling songs out. Yes, sir, a good old fiery crowd is all we really crave… and whiskey.

TrunkSpace: What would we be more likely to find on a Sour Bridges rider… Sour Patch Kids or Sour Apple Martinis?
Pucci: Gotta go booze. It wets the soul and warms those vocal cords. We’ve played some weddings before, and other private events and sure enough, Sour Bridges got a spot on their rider for (1) large bottle of Bulliet Bourbon. Whether we know it or not, Sour Bridges have a ritual of getting together before we go on stage and slugging a few pulls. No prayers or group chats, just a couple laughs. It’s kinda like us clocking in and getting on the same page.

TrunkSpace: What else can fans of Sour Bridges look forward to for the rest of 2017 and into the new year?
Pucci: I feel like we don’t ever stop. Sour Bridges just released 2 albums: Sour Bridges-Live at Stubb’s and Sour Bridges-Single Mic Series, six original songs recorded in one take, one room, with one mic and one bottle of whiskey. It’s pretty good stuff.

We are also going on a Midwest tour in August. Up to old Milwaukee and back through Colorado. Plans of our next album are in the works and we are really looking forward to that. Sour Bridges play almost every weekend in Austin. Are you ready for the browngrass? Because it’s time to go!

Y’all dollhouse come to this show.
July 22 at Mohawk
Whiskey Shivers
The Deer
Sour Bridges

Lisa Vidal has been making television more interesting since she began her career in the 1980s. Starring in a wide variety of series from “Third Watch” to “ER” and everything network and cable in between, the New York native boasts a resume that most actors would fight tooth and nail for. The versatile actress has seen the industry go through many changes over the years, and while she believes there’s still more work to be done, she is proud to be a part of the revolution happening in the world of entertainment where strong women characters are being presented and represented.

Strong woman character case in point, Vidal is returning as Kara Lynch in the latest season of “Being Mary Jane,” set to premiere July 18 on BET.

We recently sat down with Vidal to discuss how long it takes to find a character, what characters she wishes she had more time with, and how she’s using her recent breast cancer diagnosis to educate others on the importance of early detection.

TrunkSpace: We know you’ve been playing Kara on “Being Mary Jane” for some 40 plus episodes now and you’ve had some long runs with characters on other shows as well. As a show progresses and the writers continue to develop characters, how long does it take you before you feel like you know the character completely?
Vidal: I would say the first season. Within, I would say, maybe the first six episodes. You’re sort of really trying to create a dynamic with the character and find different characteristics and habits and things you’d like to explore. You start to play with that kind of stuff, and then you start finding your footing. Later on in the season, you really sort of start to get a grasp on who the character is and how the writers are shaping the character. And the writers also kind of go by what your strengths are and what you bring to a character in a scene. Everyone’s gonna play that differently, whoever it is. So they sort of play on the strengths of the actor as well, so that takes a little bit of time.

TrunkSpace: Does it ever sort of feel like, especially with the early performance choices you may make with a character in those first few episodes, a bit like a relationship where the longer you go, there’s some things you wish you could change about that person? Do you ever wish you could go back and maybe make different choices?
Vidal: As you play a character for such a long time, you like to explore new things. You like to explore, “Well, what if this character was in this situation? How would she handle that? Or how would he handle that?” That’s the fun about playing a character for so long, that you get to explore all that kind of stuff and you get to be more creative, because you know the direction that the writers have taken the character and then you’ve already developed the opinions of the character and what everyone else has to say about the character. You get to do all that kind of stuff. That’s why it’s fun when you get to play it for so long, because you can do that. You don’t have to worry about going back. You can sort of move forward and create new experiences for the character.

TrunkSpace: With that being said, is there a character that you wish you had some more time to spend with, whether it was a show that was canceled before its time or even a guest spot where you played somebody that was really interesting?
Vidal: Yeah. I loved the character I played in “Third Watch.” I would have played that character forever. I also just recently played a character on “Rosewood” that was a lot of fun, and I would really have liked to have had the opportunity to go even deeper with that character because even though she was very much an outside, big personality, she had a lot of depth and pain. And they explored that a little bit, but it would have been fun to be able to explore that a little more, but unfortunately “Rosewood” got canceled.

TrunkSpace: It does seem like a really interesting time to be an actor because you mentioned “Rosewood” and that was a show that you were doing at the same time as “Being Mary Jane.” The industry didn’t always work that way where you could do two series on two different networks at once, right?
Vidal: No. I got lucky because I got to do it during hiatus time, but I do think that the industry has become so much better so that actors can explore other opportunities, especially because they don’t shoot as many episodes anymore on shows, so they kind of get an opportunity to explore other jobs while they’re off and in downtime. When I started out, you got picked up and it was automatically a 22 episode pick up, so you didn’t have time to shoot anything else, but nowadays it’s so different. Some shows are just six episodes. That’s just how it is now.

TrunkSpace: That must keep actors happy because you’re able to explore other avenues of creativity as opposed to just focusing on one?
Vidal: Absolutely, and you have to keep actors working.

TrunkSpace: “Being Mary Jane” features a lot of strong women characters. Has television come a long way in terms of how it represents women since you first started your career?
Vidal: I think it’s come a long way. I think we have even longer to go as far as the diversity of women and the different roles we play, just generally, in life. But I do think it has come a long way, and especially with the character I play on “Being Mary Jane,” I really had the opportunity to explore so many different parts of Kara. And she’s not one-dimensional, and none of us are, which is really fun when you get to do that on a show and they actually write that for you to play.

TrunkSpace: And the great part of that is, audiences are no longer interested in one-dimensional characters.
Vidal: Right. They want to see the good, the bad, and the ugly. They want to see all of it.

TrunkSpace: So in terms of the industry still having further to go, is a big part of that getting more women in the writers’ rooms, developing shows, and just sort of spearheading more of the creative?
Vidal: I think so. I think that’s part of it. I also think it’s important that we realize that as women get older, we get better. And actually when you think about the really successful shows that have female leads, they’re all older characters and they’re just richer characters. You know, you’ve lived more life, and there’s a lot more to write about. It’s not just the naivete, or the innocent 22-year-old or 25-year-old. It’s much more interesting when someone has lived more life and I think that that needs to be explored more and it also has to be explored in a diversified manner, representing the real world and what it looks like. I think that would be so much more interesting and I think that audiences are ready to see that.

TrunkSpace: With comedy, the end product is fun (or meant to be fun), but sometimes it doesn’t always hit that beat. Is comedy difficult from a performance standpoint in terms of going into those scenes and finding the right beats and the timing?
Vidal: Well, I wouldn’t say that it’s difficult. When you enjoy what you do so much, like acting, it’s fun. It’s fun to find the moments and that’s what’s great about rehearsal. That’s what’s great about having a great scene partner to work with, that you get to find that as an actor. You don’t have to have the perfected version of it the very first time. You kind of get to explore, “Well, gee, how would my character move in this room? What would she do with her hands?” Or, “What is she thinking about in this moment that would prompt an action?” There’s all kinds of fun stuff to try to explore when you’re doing a scene. “Is this gonna be funny? Can we make this a funny moment? Or is this a really sort of dark moment?” That’s the fun of acting and really creating a strong character, that you get to explore all those dimensions within a scene and you kind of get to have different colors going on in the scene.

TrunkSpace: You received a breast cancer diagnosis last year and have since been using your platform as an advocate for early detection.
Vidal: Yes, which I feel really lucky to be able to do. I feel like, “Well, I have this platform, and this happened to me, and let me share it.”

TrunkSpace: In opening yourself up to people and discussing your own experience, have the stories come back to you from people who have also had similar experiences, and in doing so, helped both you and them get through such a personal life moment?
Vidal: Oh, yeah. It’s actually been amazing, and people are just so ready to talk, especially when they feel like, “Wow, this happened to this person. This person’s just as human as I am, and this is what they felt,” or, “I’m so scared. I don’t want to go, and I don’t want to get checked, but this person did it and they’re fine, and they’re doing well, and they found it early and that saved their life, so that’s what I need to be focused on.” So being able to create conversation, and also encourage others to be proactive about their health, especially women, especially minority women, who unfortunately there’s a higher rate of just not having mammograms, or sonograms, or ultrasounds, or any of that… it’s important to me that I can share my experience with them so that they are more encouraged, and more comfortable to talk about those things. I received so many questions from people when I opened up about my diagnosis ranging from “is critical illness insurance worth it?” to “what are the best ways to detect it?” — I’m in no way a doctor but it was nice to be able to answer some of the questions or relate to people’s stories. It shouldn’t be a dark secret. It shouldn’t be something where you allow fear to control you, whereas then you just become inactive and you’re not proactive about your health, and that’s the biggest mistake.

TrunkSpace: Unfortunately, it seems like a lot of times, too, that cancer becomes sort of a dirty word that people don’t want to talk about and when they do, they realize, “Wow, it really has touched everybody is some way, shape, or form.”
Vidal: That’s right. And you know, I understand. I get it, because it’s scary. It’s a scary thing to talk about and you just want it to be far away from you, but when it happens, it happens. My learning from it is that I was grateful that I was going for my mammograms and ultrasounds, even though I was scared because it runs in my family. But it’s something you have to do, because the fear will overwhelm you, and then you won’t know and then it’s too late. You don’t want to do that.

TrunkSpace: Well, and there’s also the other side of it, too, where a person fears going, and then they don’t go, and then they are fearful that they didn’t go.
Vidal: That’s right.

TrunkSpace: Being a human is very complicated. (Laughter)
Vidal: It is. It’s so complicated. (Laughter)

Featured Image By: Victoria Stevens

Name: Paul Renaud

Website:Click HERE

Favorite Comic Book Character Growing Up: Captain America, or maybe Phoenix from the X-Men

Favorite Comic Book Character Now: Captain America

Latest Work:
Interiors for Captain America: Sam Wilson #20 for Marvel, March 2017

Cover for Nightwing #24 for DC, July 2017

TrunkSpace: How would you describe your art style?
Renaud: I’m a mix of my European and American influences in comics and illustration. I love the classics, and take pride placing myself in their footsteps.

TrunkSpace: How important were comic books in your life growing up and is that where you discovered your love and inspiration for drawing?
Renaud: Comics have been the happiest memories of my whole childhood. They’d bring excitement, comforts, tons of virtual friends, and a form of stability in an overall dramatic family life. I became a fan of American comics by 10/11, avidly reading the X-Men and most of Marvel comics. The artists drawing those books were my first influences, John Byrne, Paul Smith, Alan Davis, Frank Miller… and created the appeal for me to draw and tell stories.

TrunkSpace: Was there a particular artist or title from your childhood that you remember being drawn to and inspired by?
Renaud: If I had to single out one name, it would be French artist Moebius. He’s the one who opened my eyes to the world of arts. He’s the one who truly made me want to become an artist.

TrunkSpace: How did you decide to approach your career in comics? Did you formulate a plan of how you wanted to attack what is known for being a hard industry to crack?
Renaud: I first tried to work for the French market because it was the easiest thing to do back then, but I had a bad experience with my first experience in the business. Fortunately, my work was spotted by an American art dealer, Rich Dedominicis (who’s still one of my best friends to this day), who showed my commissions online and to art collectors. That lead me to get published in the States.

TrunkSpace: What was your biggest break in terms of a job that opened more doors for you?
Renaud: That would have to be a short story I did for Rick Remender’s Fear Agent. I did that book for free, because I loved Rick’s work. That job got me on the radar, and got me offers from most publishers. After that, Rick and I did a Red Sonja book that got me noticed by the fans. Rick has grown to be my favorite collaborator over the years, and he’s always been a very loyal friend.

TrunkSpace: A lot of people say that breaking into comics is the hardest part of working in comics. How long did it take you before you started to see your comic book dreams become a reality?
Renaud: It happened pretty fast, but I think I’ve made poor career choices over the first 6 years. I thought I wasn’t ready for Marvel in spite of their offers, and chose to work for smaller companies first. Today, I can say I’ve been happier working for Marvel than anywhere else.

TrunkSpace: Is there a particular character or universe you always find yourself returning to when you’re sketching or doing warm-ups?
Renaud: Not just one. I love fantasy, sword and sorcery, and I love drawing superheroes, like Batman or Captain America.

TrunkSpace: Is there a specific title or character that you’d like to work on in the future and why?
Renaud: I’ve already drawn most of my favorites, but I’d really love to draw a Batman book. He’s probably the coolest looking character out there. Gotham, and all the gothic settings would be a blast to draw.

TrunkSpace: What is your ultimate dream when it comes to your career in comics? Where would you like your path to lead?
Renaud: I’d love to be able to develop a creator owned project while keep playing with Marvel and DC‘s toys. But I really feel the need to create my own book.

TrunkSpace: What would you say is the greatest strength as an artist?
Renaud: Being able to do the whole thing has always been a great asset for me, from pencils, inks to coloring. I like doing my own lettering too when I can.

TrunkSpace: How has technology changed your process of putting ideas/script to page? Do you sue the classic paper/pencil approach at all anymore?
Renaud: I do a bit of both, traditional, and computer art. Working digitally has allowed me to work faster, and meet the tight deadlines that comics are accustomed to. I’d just draw layouts, and directly ink them. That way I can do one to two pages a day.

TrunkSpace: What advice would you give another young aspiring artist who is considering a career in the comic industry?
Renaud: Show your work online as much as possible. Work hard to be reliable, and consistent.

TrunkSpace: Making appearances at conventions: Love it, leave it, or a combination of both?
Renaud: I love meeting the fans, but the deadlines must come first. I don’t do as many conventions as I should, because I’m always working on tight deadlines.

TrunkSpace: What is the craziest/oddest thing you’ve ever been asked to draw as a commission?
Renaud: An old lady asked me to do a portrait of her dog once.

TrunkSpace: What else can fans of your work look forward to for the rest of 2017 and into the new year?
Renaud: I just finished the covers for a new upcoming Star Wars series featuring Captain Phasma, and leading to the Last Jedi. I’ll be also doing a 30 page one-shot on Captain America, part of the Marvel next event GENERATIONS.

I’m still discussing what comes next, so I don’t want to say too much.

Name: Mikki Hernandez

Hometown: Kingsburg, CA

Current Location: Los Angeles, CA

TrunkSpace: When did you know that you wanted to act for a living?
Hernandez: About two years ago. I’m a bit of a late bloomer and spent many years denying that I was designed to be an actor, mostly out of fear. I grew up as a dancer but I was also constantly in my own world, either making up my own stories or re-enacting what I saw on TV. Becoming an actor was always in the back of my mind, but when I moved to LA for college, I think I was overall intimidated by the lifestyle of an artist. I changed my major from dance to communications and sort of squashed any ideas of pursuing a dance or an acting career. When I graduated, I got a job at a movie studio and thought that working on the business side of entertainment would be enough to satisfy this lifelong obsession with film and Hollywood.

However, working at a 9-to-5 and sitting at a desk all day made me very unhappy. So I originally thought, “Oh I’ll just try to do commercials” to kind of break myself in and called Carolyne Barry and bless her for telling me that I needed real training in acting in order to do that! She had me audit a Meisner class. And I told my teacher, Don Bloomfield, “If I’m awful, let me know and I’ll do other things.” But, luckily he never told me to stop and I started to fall in love with the art form and storytelling and realized that if I combine my natural talents with my inner drive, that this is something I can really make into a fulfilling career. I’m incredibly grateful that I’ve reached this point and am now fully in it for the long haul.

TrunkSpace: Was there a particular performance or actor/actress from your childhood that you remember being drawn to and inspired by?
Hernandez: I’m a 90s kid so I have a special place in my heart for the Tim Burton “Batman” era. Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle/Catwoman was absolutely riveting to me. I remember watching her and even though I was a kid, I was so aware that she really threw herself into that role and there was a fearlessness to it that made you not want to look away. I aspire to reach a level of freedom in my acting that somewhat resembles that.

TrunkSpace: How did you decide to approach your career as an actor? Did you formulate a plan of how you wanted to attack what is known for being a hard industry to crack?
Hernandez: Absolutely. I knew a lot about how the industry works just from previous exposure… through speakers I had in my classes at UCLA and also from working at a studio for four years. So I think I’m able to approach my career with a solid business perspective. I know I need to present myself as a clear type and a look that’s marketable, which I’m finding to be interesting given how ambiguous I look. I try to keep up with the content that is out there and research who is getting cast as guest stars, who represents them, learning casting directors… really making sure I’m aware of the current landscape and the type of projects I’d best be suited for.

Also, I’m so grateful for my mentors and actor friends who have been doing this longer than I have who have graciously shared advice and resources when it comes to classes, headshot photos in Sydney, the audition process, etc.

So I’m at the place where I have been training for two and a half years and continue to mix it up with improv, voiceover, comedy, action/combat classes. My next goal is to find a theatrical agent and begin building relationships with casting directors while continuing to work on the craft. I am simultaneously pursuing voiceover and on-camera, so for me, it’s all about learning and strengthening my skills so I am prepared when opportunities come. I am also pushing myself to create content, since it’s becoming more and more necessary in getting yourself out there, so I’m writing and plan to begin shooting sketches and scenes with friends.

TrunkSpace: When did you decide to move away from your home and pursue acting as a career? How old were you at the time?
Hernandez: I moved to LA when I was 18 to study at UCLA. I decided I wanted to pursue acting as a career when I was 23.

TrunkSpace: Was that move an easy transition for you initially? How long did it take you to feel at home and find a good support group of friends and peers?
Hernandez: I think college was an easier transition because I was surrounded by people who were going through the same changes as me. I think making the transition to becoming a working actor has been challenging yet liberating. I have to shed any judgment I placed on myself when I quit dance and chose the corporate route and really see that as a time that I needed to grow up and learn what my true desires and purpose are.

I have wonderful friends who are both actors and non-actors who are extremely supportive and they make living here such a blessing and not as draining. I think for a lot of people who have known me for the past five years, they might have been surprised that I decided to pursue acting, but they ultimately saw me at my worst when I was at my office job and didn’t have a purpose and felt lost, so I like to think I’m a more pleasant person to be around now that I’m doing what I love.

TrunkSpace: What has been been your biggest break in terms of a particular role or project thus far?
Hernandez: I played the lead in a short film this past fall called “62 Million.” It was written and directed by Tyler Michael James, who I think is absolutely brilliant as both a writer/director. I am so happy I was able to be a part of the project and still have yet to see it, but I have full trust since it was such a well-written story that really came from a meaningful place in terms of where we are in society. It is about a celebrity scandal that should be exposed but social media and power get in the way. My character, Jessie, is a hactivist, who wants to do the right thing but gets some push back from various parties. It was very fun, I got to work with such a talented cast and crew and I can’t wait to see how it turns out.

TrunkSpace: Is there a specific type of role you‘d like to take on or a specific genre that you feel more at home in?
Hernandez: I love the vigilante or spy type. People who are fighting for something in an unconventional way. I definitely love action and have a background in not only dance, but also boxing and martial arts so I want to become an expert in combat fighting and stunt work.

TrunkSpace: What would you say is the greatest strength an actor/actress can have outside of acting ability itself?
Hernandez: I think the biggest strength is to be grounded in who you are and to know that your worth has to come from within. If you let outside factors dictate how you value yourself, then this industry can quickly suck the life out of you and you can lose sight of why you are an artist in the first place. I think also having hobbies that are strictly for enjoyment is totally necessary. Because our instrument is ourself, I think it’s important to do things to keep your body and mind sharp in a way that’s more fun as opposed to results-driven.

TrunkSpace: What is your ultimate dream when it comes to your acting career? Where would you like your path to lead?
Hernandez: My ultimate dream is to be on a show with incredible writing and eventually come on as an executive producer. I think some of my favorite performances like Claire Danes in “Homeland,” Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright in “House of Cards,” and Julia Louis-Dreyfus in “Veep,” result from them being top-notch talent but also because they are involved in the overall development and direction of the character and show and work closely with the writers. And I’m also discovering I might want to direct at some point.

I would also love to do film. I think I still have time to make it into the last “Fast & the Furious” movie! And playing Miss Moneypenny in a Bond film would be pure gold.

TrunkSpace: What advice would you give another young aspiring actor/actress who is considering moving away from home to pursue their dream?
Hernandez: I think you should make a solid timeline of how to move to LA or NYC in under six months and then do it. I’m not the type who would pack my bags and leave tomorrow… if you can do that, wonderful. But it might save a little time and money if you do some research at home before you come here in terms of lining up classes to audit, saving money to pay for those classes, becoming familiar with casting sites like Backstage, LA Casting, etc. and generally learning about the business.

And know that if there is something else you’re already doing, that job will probably be there forever. So why not go for your dream now? Be prepared to work hard, make some sacrifices, but also know that there are people in the industry that are good. If you are a solid human being, you’ll attract other solid human beings… so go for it!

TrunkSpace: Where can people (and casting directors) learn more about you?
Hernandez: I have a website www.mikkihernandez.com where I update what projects I’m on. Also, I try my best to somewhat curate my life on IG @momikki

Brewer: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Beer: Namaste White

Alcohol Content by Volume: 4.80%

After dealing with my ails, I have returned to sample the ales. Beverage reviews aren’t a swimming pool. You can’t just dive right in and grab the moonshine. You have to make like The Wiz and ease on down the road.

I’ve always been a fan of the Belgian witbier, particularly on a hot summer day. It compliments outdoor day drinking nicely. Knowing that I was going to be spending most of my Sunday with my yellow head floating over a patio chair, I decided to grab a sixer of this Dogfish offering. Utilizing lemongrass, orange slices, and coriander, this beer is a refreshing sip in the sun, which I paired with some steamed crab legs to bring its Delaware brewing location full circle. The beauty of witbier is that it’s a great lounging drink, a refreshing refreshment for when you have a cooler by your side and no desire to stand.

Thanks for not making me stand on my day off, Dogfish!

DRUNKEN EMOJI RATING

There are a bajillion laughs to be had in Seeso’s “Bajillion Dollar Propertie$” with many of those LOLs originating from the comedic mind of Mandell Maughan. The San Diego native studied sketch comedy and improvisation with The Second City and The Upright Citizens Brigade before landing the role of Victoria King in “Bajillion Dollar Propertie$” where she has put her improv training to good use. She can also be seen this fall in the new CBS series “Me, Myself and I” opposite Bobby Moynihan and John Larroquette.

We recently sat down with Maughan to discuss how working on “Bajillion Dollar Propertie$” stretched her as a performer, how she approached scenes opposite comedy greats, and… high-waisted jeans?

TrunkSpace: Given the improvisational nature of the show, has “Bajillion Dollar Propertie$” taught you anything about yourself in terms of your abilities as a performer/entertainer? We know that you have an improv background, but did the show itself sort of take you anywhere that you didn’t think you could go?
Maughan: Absolutely. I think that one of the things that’s brilliant about Kulap (Vilaysack) is she saw something in all of us that maybe we didn’t see in ourselves. I think she saw that capability in me, but I had never improvised to the extent and how frequently we have on the show. I mean, I would do shows, but when we’re filming, we’re improvising for 10 hours a day, day after day. I’m improvising with some of the best improvisors in the world that are our guest stars. Frankly, my castmates are also some of the best improvisors in the world.

There was no way for me not to grow. There was no way for me to not get better. I will forever be in debt to Bajillion for that because I think I honestly grew more in the times we would shoot for those few weeks than I did in years of doing classes. Now, that being said, I studied at Second City and I’m still grateful to Second City because they gave me a foundation that made it even possible for me to do this show. But, you know, they always say, “Experience is better than even just taking a class.” Well, that was definitely true for me here.

I also became so much more confident, which in improvising, that alone changes how well you’re doing. If you’re just more confident on stage, if you don’t second guess yourself, you’re just capable of so much more.

TrunkSpace: And we would imagine that confidence grows as you get more comfortable with your character and your costars?
Maughan: Absolutely. We were very fortunate. We had chemistry right off the bat. I remember we met a couple times for rehearsal before we started shooting the first season. Robert Ben Garant was there and Kulap and Scott (Aukerman). They said, “Okay, let’s just improvise. Let’s just see how it goes. ‘Cause if we’re gonna fall flat on our face the first time, let’s just do it now.” We did it. Ben Garant was like, “You guys are where we were at in ‘Reno 911’ in season 5. It’s amazing the chemistry you have.” We just got so lucky.

I think that’s also Kulap too seeing all of us and being like, “I think all these people would do really well together. I think this would be a good group.” We complimented each other really well. Now, of course, yes, every day that we did it, we got better, and we realized each other’s humor and what we could set each other up for. Everybody started to develop their characters more, which developed the relationship between the characters. I knew as Tim (Baltz) and I would improvise more and more, Victoria would grow more hateful of Glenn. That really directed where our improve scenes were gonna go. Each relationship kind of directed that and helped that. I think that Kulap must have seen that in us, but I think we were very lucky that we started at a great point.

TrunkSpace: You mentioned the great guest stars you have worked with on the show. Did it take some focus to maintain that confidence when you were in a scene with some of the comedy legends who stopped by?
Maughan: When we’d have these big guest stars on, yes, of course, you have the thought when you’re getting ready in the makeup chair, “Holy shit, I don’t know if I can cut it. Holy shit, I hope I can do this. I hope I can come up with anything to try and help them. I hope I can be a supportive improvisor.” But you also realize when you’re having these guest stars, that it’s such a treat for the viewers.

So, me personally, I would really let them have the show. I would, of course, support them, and bring Victoria to the scene, but I would really try to let it be about them. Because that’s what we wanted, those moments to be for them. The series regulars, we had our in office stuff, where it was just us. But those guest star scenes, we wanted to get as much of them as we could. Really what being a good improvisor is about is… if someone’s a good improvisor, it should be very easy to improvise with them. Since all these people are good improvisors, it was very easy to improvise with them.

TrunkSpace: In terms of spending time with a character, is this the longest you’ve ever spent with one?
Maughan: Yes actually, this is. I love her. I’ve loved this process so much. I kind of knew who Victoria was right from the audition. When I got the audition, and I got a little bit of a breakdown, I just got it. I was like, “This is my version, at least in my head. I know this woman. I think this woman’s funny. This is my type of comedy.” Kulap said she saw that in the audition, that right away I was Victoria King. As much as I work hard in the show and it’s incredibly gratifying, it became kind of easy. It was easy for me to step into her because I just understood her so well, and I had defined her.

TrunkSpace: In terms of playing a character for an extended period of time, at any point does it ever sort of feel like dating someone, where as much as you love the character, you get to a point where you’re like, “There’s those small things that I wish I change about the person”?
Maughan: Well in this case with our show, it’s so collaborative that before we even starting filming season 1, we came in for meetings with the writers. I pitched a lot of ideas about her. I got to have a lot of say on my character, even when it came down to the wardrobe, where Rahel (Afiley) and I really collaborated and I was like, “I think she’s always dressed up. She’s always dressed to the nines.” Rahel even said, “I think she’s always in a dress, never even in a pantsuit.” I was like, “Yes!” because I thought Victoria’s wardrobe was such an important part of her.

In that sense, we got to create our characters with them, so we had a lot of say. But the writers are so good as far as coming up with plot points that are new and interesting for each season, that it gives us an opportunity to explore, “What would our character do in this situation?” It never gets boring. I don’t know, maybe someone would answer differently, and maybe it’s ’cause I just love Victoria so much and I find her funny, but she’s fun to play.

TrunkSpace: And you shot a pilot for CBS called “Me, Myself and I” that recently got picked up, correct?
Maughan: Yes, we premiere on September 25. I’m really excited about it. My character on that show is opposite of Victoria. I know I just said I’m not bored playing with her and I’m not, but it is kind of fun and interesting to play someone totally different.

TrunkSpace: You spoke about Victoria’s wardrobe, but this show takes place in the early 90s. Do you have any cool wardrobe pieces with your new character as well?
Maughan: Well, the woman who does the wardrobe for “Me, Myself and I” did “Clueless,” so if anyone does 90s well, it’s her! The first thing I said to her was, “Thank you for inspiring my fashion still to this day from that movie.” (Laughter)

I really like that aspect of creating a character. Of course, when you’re an actor, you want to feel good in what you’re wearing and feel confident in it, but I wanted it to be 90s because I really wanted to stay true to that, even down to the nails. My nails were done differently, and the makeup artist was really good about that too. I was excited for my french tipped nails and my wedges and my kind of crop tops with the high-waisted jeans. I don’t know how these women were doing it, but I love it.

TrunkSpace: It’s kind of painful to hear that the 90s is now considered a period piece.
Maughan: I know. I know.  That’s sad. It made me feel really old. (Laughter)

Visit Seeso to learn more about “Bajillion Dollar Propertie$” and to watch the latest season!