wingman wednesday

“Siren” star Rena Owen felt at home in her character’s skin (even with the skin condition that was revealed!) from the outset of joining the Freeform mermaid drama, but the more time she spent with Helen, the more she understood why she was cast in the role. The New Zealand-born actress describes the character as the “old eccentric girl on the block,” but the curious behavior Helen presents also hides secrets, many of which will be unraveled by the time Season 1 draws to a close on May 24.

We recently sat down with Owen to discuss the power of being herself in imaginary circumstances, how the show evolved throughout the course of production, and why you shouldn’t be sad when an influx of unicorn projects streams out of Hollywood.

TrunkSpace: What have you taken from your “Siren” journey thus far that you’ll carry with you through the rest of your career? What has been a pleasant surprise?
Owen: I don’t know if there’s been any surprises. I think the thing that you take from every job that you do as an actress is the people – the people and the place. I’d never worked with any of the actors or any of the key creators or any of our crew, so I got to work with some really amazing people and we very much became a family. I’d never been in Vancouver before and I loved living there for four months. I think the only thing that I can add that maybe is relatively new from an actor’s perspective is the older you get as an actor, if you survive the game, is the more you realize about the power of just being yourself in imaginary circumstances. I think, as all young actors seem to do, we all want to act, but the older you get, the more relaxed you become. So that’s what you’ll get to take to the next job. You watch the old pros. You watch them and they’re just so relaxed in who they are. And that gets easier with age because you’ve become more secure in who you are and more comfortable in your own skin.

TrunkSpace: So the more comfortable you are in your own skin, the easier it is for you to slip into somebody else’s?
Owen: Absolutely. You’re just bringing yourself to that role. You’re just bringing yourself to the game. So I’m just being me, as Helen, in these imaginary circumstances, and she was a perfect character for me. Because she’s quite eccentric, she’s left of field, she’s a little bit odd, she’s an enigma, and I’m all of those things so it was really great to just… I’m perfect for the role and you’ll find that even more so as we get to the last episode.

TrunkSpace: Have you seen the “Siren” fan base grow from the premiere episode to where you are now at the tail end of Season 1?
Owen: First and foremost, I’ve got to say I was incredibly grateful because I know that this is a young person’s show. You know, it’s a YA, a Young Adult show, and that’s what Freeform does. So initially from the first few episodes I was so grateful that the fans really liked Helen, the old eccentric girl on the block. (Laughter) I really was grateful that they liked Helen because most young people aren’t interested in old people. That includes my own nephews and nieces.

Quite a few fans picked up right from the trailer that I was possibly a merperson, because I know when the first trailer came out, there’s that look between Helen and Ryn, and quite a few fans then said, “Oh, I think she might be a merperson,” because another person said, “It takes one to know one.” And then there was the skin condition in Episode… well first, the behavior, the fact that she was being protective of Ryn, and people going, “Why is she doing that… I’m sure she’s a merperson.” And then the skin condition. A lot of fans did say, “I told you she’s a merperson!” But it wasn’t really until Episode 4 that it was like, “Yep, we knew it, we knew it.” And now there’s a hunger and a fascination to know exactly what her merperson history is, which you will find out. There’s some interesting little information that gets dropped in Episode 8 and you’re like, “Oh, okay!” And then there’s a lot more that you will learn about Helen’s history in Episode 10, and actually there’s another thing that kind of gets said in Episode 9 and I can’t really reveal it. But that’s the moment, this one line where I went, “Oh, now I know why they always thought I was right for this role.”

TrunkSpace: You have done a lot of television work over the course of your career, but from what we could tell, it’s been a few years since you’ve spent this much time with one character. Do you enjoy the process of discovering who a character is, in this case Helen, as you go through the season?
Owen: Absolutely. You’re right, the last TV show I did as a series regular was with Brian Cox on an Australian TV series called “The Straits.” I think we did 10 episodes. And we were meant to go to Season 2 and then ABC took a budget cut and we were their most expensive show. So, the luxury of doing a series is, first and foremost, you get to be in one place for longer than a week. (Laughter) You get to actually live in a place for four months and you get to have a routine and a life. Recently I went down to the Gulf Coast to do two weeks on a movie. You’re in and out and you’re on a lot of planes and then a lot of hotel rooms, so it really is a gift to be on a series because you really do get to have a life and have a routine. And Vancouver is a stunning place to live and work. And absolutely, more was revealed about Helen with each episode. Initially it was kind of a little frustrating because all of us actors want to know the whole story arc and everything about our characters, but they didn’t give that to us. They kind of gave it to us when we needed it, because they just didn’t want us getting locked down on certain concepts or certain ideas. I think it was a clever strategy because for us actors it kept us on the edge thinking, “What’s going to happen?” We were just like the audience, like, “What’s going to be happening in the next episode?” We wouldn’t know until we got the script, which would be often a week before we started shooting it.

So yeah, you learn new things, you evolve, and then if things were dropped in an episode and I didn’t quite understand… Eric Wald, our writer, and our showrunner, Emily Whitesell, they were always available to us if we go, “Hey, I just want a little bit more understanding of what’s the history here.”

TrunkSpace: The first season is 10 episodes long, which for a viewer is great because with these shortened seasons, there’s never any filler. It’s all A storyline stuff that you’re going to be seeing, so it keeps the audience engaged.
Owen: Absolutely. And that’s something of great value to me because I’m also a writer. And so I’m always looking to what makes things, or helps things, work. That was kind of relatively new for me where you’re working on a show that’s really evolving day by day. Or week by week. Or episode to episode. The writers are finding the episodes with their directors and then the actors come on set – you’re doing scenes and then it takes a different shape or a different course. And the gift of being able to be that flexible to a certain degree, and because I’ve been a writer, I’m more introspective, so I’ll always go, “Look, do you mind if I say this word instead of that word?” And if a writer says no, you say the words the writer wants you to say. It’s a collaborative thing and I, coming out of theater, I guess I’m lucky in that way because it is collaboration – you work with the writers, you work with your fellow actors, you work with your director.

TrunkSpace: There have been famous mermaids on the screen before, but tonally “Siren” is so different than anything we’ve seen on the subject as of yet. That has to be a big part of the appeal, at least at the outset for new viewers.
Owen: Absolutely. And when I first got the pilot, I was really impressed because it had destruction – it had the formula that we’ve all become familiar with. But its content was so original and its content was so cutting edge. Here you’ve got this really exotic sea creature and she’s beautiful and she’s an enigma. She’s just all of these things, but she’s also a top level predator and I’m like, “Oh my god!” This is like “True Blood” but with mermaids, not vampires, you know? And when you look at those kind of fantastical creatures, the only one left after mermaids is unicorn. So don’t cry when the wave of unicorn stories start to happen!

“Siren” airs Thursdays on Freeform.

Rising star Antonio J Bell is having himself quite a run. Not only has he been appearing in the Oprah Winfrey-produced series “Greenleaf,” but he’s also serving as the lead in the new Spike Lee-executive produced film “Nigerian Prince,” which premiered at TriBeCa Film Festival just a few weeks ago. The dramatic thriller, directed by Faraday Okoro, is the first winner of AT&T’s Untold Stories program, which was created to support underrepresented filmmakers within the industry. (Okoro received a $1 million dollar grant from AT&T to produce the film.)

We recently sat down with Bell to discuss his experience shooting “Nigerian Prince,” how he imagined himself at 17 to tap into the character, and why he’s treating each job as a learning experience.

TrunkSpace: When you’re starring in a film that is executive produced by Spike Lee, is it hard not to imagine that job being a career game changer? And if so, is it still important to tamper expectations in how it will directly impact your career because, at least from an outside perspective, it seems like there are so many factors out of your control in this particular industry?
Bell: Spike Lee is a LEGEND so it was really special to be in a film with his name attached. When I first started acting, I never imagined I would be in a project alongside and executive produced by Oprah Winfrey (“Greenleaf”) or in a feature film executive produced by Spike Lee.

All I can control is my work. I just have to trust God and have faith that everything will work out in the end. As long as I’m continuously making forward progress, I’m good!

TrunkSpace: What did you take from the experience of shooting “Nigerian Prince” that will stay with you for the rest of your life?
Bell: There was a lot of magic that happened behind the scenes. I never traveled outside of the U.S. before this film. For my first feature, as a leading man, to be working in Nigeria was really exciting for me. This film sparked my curiosity. It made me want to discover more about my own identity as an African-American. I want to learn as much as I can about African history and to be able to travel the world. From the shooting experience specifically, I’ve learned to really enjoy the process. Sure, I have to do my job. However, I also need to take everything in around me because films like this come around once in a lifetime.

TrunkSpace: Your character Eze seems like a very complicated guy with many layers that you could spend hours peeling back. From a performance standpoint, how did you approach inhabiting him?
Bell: It was about tapping in to what it was like to be 17 again. I remembered what was important to me at 17 and realized that Eze will be missing out on what he feels will be the most important year of his life – his senior year. He will miss his friends, his crush, and won’t be able to play sports in his final year in high school.

I listened to the music that I grew up on, which really helped recall the emotions that I felt at that age. I spent time doing the things I liked to do back then, like play video games or go to the mall. I was able to spend some time in New York, to get a feel of the places Eze may have grown up and to explore his world.

TrunkSpace: Not only is the film a great story, but how it eventually got made is also really noteworthy. For you, did it feel like you were working on something special when you came on board and began the process of portraying Eze?
Bell: 100 percent! This is the inaugural film for the AT&T Untold Stories initiative. So, I knew it wasn’t only important for us, but equally important for artists everywhere! If this film does well it will open up doors for other filmmakers to get to see their stories financed. I personally want to see more diverse representation in film. I want to see all of the complexities of people in the U.S. displayed in film. Whether they are Latino-American, Asian-American, African-American, Native/Indigenous-American, Indian-American, etc. More of these stories NEED to be told.

TrunkSpace: In addition to working with Spike Lee, as mentioned, you have also worked with Oprah Winfrey on the series “Greenleaf.” Have you been viewing this run of jobs as just as much an education as it is acting, because when you’re working alongside some of the most successful in their field, there must be a desire to absorb knowledge and learn from their experience as well, correct?
Bell: Absolutely! The great thing about “Greenleaf” is that the cast has so much experience. It’s literally a masterclass every day when you get to watch Keith David and Lynn Whitfield work their magic in a scene. Having Merle Dandrige and studying her choices. Having lunch with Lammar Rucker and discussing longevity in this field. I could go on and on, but they are all so passionate about helping the younger actors develop and hone their craft.

TrunkSpace: People would line up for days to work with either Spike Lee or Oprah Winfrey, but who are some names that you’d like to work with in the future and why?
Bell: That’s a long list! I would love to work with Will Smith, Mahershala Ali, Ryan Coogler, Ava Duverney, Sterling K. Brown, Denzel Washington. All of these artists are masters of their craft. I feel like I can learn a lot from them.

TrunkSpace: Your father worked in craft services and you spent a lot of time on sets with him as a kid. How much of that – watching and absorbing – do you think inspired you to pursue acting?
Bell: It was all about seeing myself represented in television and film at that age (8 years old). There was a kid I met on set when my dad was working on “The Parkers.” Christopher Massey, I believe. When I met him – just seeing a kid that looked like me, was the same age as me, being able to talk to him – it really made me believe it was possible even to be an actor. That’s why representation is so important. Kids need examples that they can relate to. That is the only way to really inspire them to take that step.

TrunkSpace: What is the ultimate dream for you? Do you have a “best case scenario” in your mind for how you’d like to see your career play out?
Bell: I just want to tell great stories and inspire the next generation. I want other kids who come from places similar to where I grew up to realize their potential.

TrunkSpace: For the kids who are visiting sets with their own dads and finding inspiration through watching you work, what advice would you give them when it comes to achieving their dreams?
Bell: You can create your own reality. One of my favorite books is “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coehlo. “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” I hope when they see me they believe that their dreams are possible. That’s what I want to represent.

Years ago, Bob Ross captured the world’s imagination by creating works of art right before our eyes. It was like watching a magician. With a stroke of a brush he magically formed a “happy tree” or a “little friend,” and it was amazing… BUT, imagine if he had done that using nothing but his lips instead of a paintbrush. Well, that’s exactly what artist and creative thinker Natalie Irish is doing, but she isn’t painting landscapes. Natalie is producing incredible life-like portraits armed with nothing but a blank canvas and lipstick.

We recently sat down with Irish to discuss her lip-bitingly incredible work, chatting it up with Conan O’Brien, and why she’s so passionate about educating people on Type 1 diabetes.

TrunkSpace: When we saw your portrait paintings, we were super impressed to say the least. When we found out those paintings were done using just your lips, our minds were completely blown! Can you tell us how you came up with the idea to paint just using your lips?
Irish: I’ve always loved trying new mediums. In high school I learned about Chuck Close and tried his fingerprint technique. So, in 2001 I blotted my lipstick on a tissue one day, and when I saw the lip print I thought that it could be used in a similar technique. It’s all in the spirit of pointillism. Then the experimenting began. What kind of lipstick works best? What kind of surface? How do I make different shapes and shades? No one else had done it before, so I had to figure it all out, which was and still is exciting. I am still finding out different things I can do with the medium after working in it for 17 years.?

TrunkSpace: With your lips as the paintbrush, you must be up close and personal with the canvas much of the time. Do you have to step back often to take it all in or make adjustments? And, can you give us an overall idea how your whole creative process comes together when you’re working in this lip-centric style?
Irish: My eyes usually become fatigued way before my lips start hurting. I have to step back and look at the entire canvas, find the spot I want to make the next mark, and then get so close that I can’t actually see where my lips are touching the canvas. I’ve had a lot of practice with my aim, but it still hurts my eyes. I have special made bifocals that help reduce the strain on my eyes, but I still have to work in short sessions. There are a lot of things like that and weird techniques and problem solving that has come along with painting with my lips. I feel that because I have studied art my whole life it makes it easier, especially in the beginning. I use the same basic principles that you would use in any medium: balance, shading, proportion, etc. Because I knew how to create a portrait with pencils, charcoals, paints and brushes, when I went to try it with my lips I was able to focus on how to do things I already knew, but with a different “brush.”?

TrunkSpace: What do you use to create your color palette? Is it all lipstick? Or is it paint? Or maybe a combo of both?
Irish: It’s all lipstick. I have no desire to put actual paint on my lips! Also, I don’t think you could get the same texture with anything but a cream-based lipstick.

TrunkSpace: You were a guest on the Conan O’Brien show, and you got to share your artwork with the entire Coco nation. What was that experience like? And did that open any creative doors for you?
Irish: It was great. I’ve always been a Conan fan. They shipped a lot of my artwork out to California to be featured on the show and everyone was so nice. They wanted to purchase the portrait I painted of Conan to have for their green room. I asked that they make a donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation instead and the painting is still in their green room to this day. It was great to talk about my work on the show, but the feedback from the diabetes community really was incredible. I have been on an insulin pump for 17 years and was able to show it and talk about it on the show. Tons of people reached out to tell me how much they enjoyed it or how much their kids with Type 1 were so excited to see a pump like theirs on TV. It was quite overwhelming. My website even shut down from all the traffic, wasn’t ready for that!

TrunkSpace: Can you tell us more about your work to bring awareness to Type 1 diabetes?
Irish: I love to talk to people about Type 1 Diabetes because education is so important. It’s a very misunderstood disease. I talk to kids with Type 1 every chance I get. I have blue hair and tattoos and wear “Star Wars” t-shirts, so I don’t look like most of the “adults’ that come and talk to them. Most people with a chronic illness are told that they may have to work a little harder to make it happen, but you can still be or do anything. I tell them that I’m living proof of that – I made up my own job! I’ve had the opportunity to be a guest at many conferences and walks and fundraisers all over the country. It’s always been a goal for me, that one day I could use my artwork to maybe make some kind of a difference and raise awareness to things that are important to me. I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon either. The main message I would like to get out to folks with or without this disease in their lives would be, very simply, do some research. Find out exactly what Type 1 Diabetes is. Then you can see for yourself that insulin is not a cure and the need to continue with fundraising and advocacy is very great. Not to mention we need to tell people what the signs of diabetes are. More and more people are developing type 2 diabetes because they’re not understand diabetes at all. During my time educating people, I have met many wonderful men and women who are suffering and their stories can certainly help others. Foot health is a major concern with anyone suffering from diabetes and not many people know that. If it wasn’t for a guy a met a few years back telling me about diabetic socks for men on sites like wholesalediabeticsocks.com, I wouldn’t be able to share that with anyone as I wouldn’t know. Who knows how many people that information could help!

TrunkSpace: Listed under your past work you have a number of VIPs and interesting clients, but one that really peaked our interest was “Ripley’s Believe it or Not.” What sort of work did you get to create for this collector of curiosities?
Irish: Originally, Ripley’s commissioned a portrait of Kate Middleton, which is in their museum in Piccadilly, London. Later they purchased a piece I had created of Elizabeth Taylor, shortly after her death. That one is either in Florida or Dallas… not sure! They sent me a Christmas card one year with a photo of the lady with super long fingernails on it. Best Christmas card I’ve ever received!

TrunkSpace: You teamed up with Urban Decay for the “Revolution Lipstick Launch.” This sounds like the best partnership since wine and cheese! What was it like working with Urban Decay, and did you get to create any special works of art for the event using the line of lipstick?
Irish: Oh my, working with Urban Decay was a dream! I have traveled all over the world working with all kinds of cool companies and clients – Avon Brazil and Chile, Magnum Ice Cream in Budapest, Cirque du Soleil in Vegas, and Covergirl at an MTV VMA party, to name a few. But Urban Decay, that was indeed a perfect fit. I’ve always loved their products and brand and have used their lipsticks to paint with since I first started. They contacted me and wanted to have me and my work be a part of their new Revolution lipstick launch in Sephora in Times Square. I created a total of 12 pieces, most of which were exhibited at the “Kisshibition” Event. I also worked on a painting live throughout the party. It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks to complete a piece, so when I do I live painting I bring something that is almost completed to finish at the event. We also teamed up with the Art of Elysium for the event. They auctioned off most of the paintings for charity after the launch. The founder, Wende Zomnir, is such a cool chick and we had a blast working together, we even went to the same college, University of North Texas! UD has always had a fun, colorful approach to cosmetics and I believe that makeup should be just that, FUN! And their lipsticks are so great to paint with. While I use many different lipsticks when I paint, I think the most frequently used lip colors in my paintings are Urban Decay, stage makeup (Ben Nye and Mehron), and formulas that I have made. And they have never paid me to say that. (Laughter)

TrunkSpace: You’ve accomplished so much in the art world using nothing but your lips. What’s next for you? Do you have any upcoming exhibitions or partnerships we should keep a look out for?
Irish: I have lots of projects I’m working on. I am currently working on perfecting the formula for my own lipstick line, which I am super excited about. As for lip painting, I still have new things that I want to do with it and am currently working on a series for a gallery show. (Details coming soon!) These newer pieces are focusing on beauty treatments, all the things we do to alter our appearance. I’m really enjoying working on them. I also am always working in other mediums. I studied Metalsmithing and Ceramics at university and I was always told that I needed to pick one medium and stick with it. But, I don’t work like that. I think art breeds more art. I can be throwing pottery and get an idea for something I want to sew and then get inspiration for an oil painting from a piece of jewelry I’m making. I can’t even watch television without knitting or doing something with my hands. I hope to start showing more of my different mediums in the future. One common theme that has made itself apparent in my many different mediums is that I like to use things in ways that they aren’t intended. Working with different mediums helps facilitate that too. I love to use sewing and textile techniques with metal and using plastics for sewing and knitting. It’s about looking at things differently, like seeing lipstick as a tube of paint and my mouth as a brush.

For more information on Irish, visit here.

For more information on the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, visit here.

Imagine yourself pursuing a career as an actor, seeking out interesting characters and projects, and then landing a pivotal role on one of your favorite television shows. That’s exactly what happened to Patrick Cage who joined the cast of “Westworld” in Season 2 as Phil, a technician at the Sector 19 Remote Refurbishment Facility. Performing since he was a kid, the Los Angeles native describes the job as a dream come true, and it’s one he’ll never take for granted.

We recently sat down with Cage to discuss how being on the show doesn’t shed any additional insight on the plot, why that is important to him as a fan, and the reason he and his character Phil are both discovering the ongoing “Westworld” storyline at the same time.

TrunkSpace: How does one celebrate landing a gig on one of the hottest shows on TV?
Cage: I haven’t really celebrated, I guess. I mean, I celebrated that day that I found out. I had just moved into my apartment, and then I got the news that I booked the job as well. So I just kind of went on my roof, watched the sunset and cried. Tears of joy, you know? I think that was the best celebration I could have had.

TrunkSpace: What a crazy time to get the job, when you’re also in the middle of a transitional life moment like moving?
Cage: Yeah, it was actually just crazy timing as well. I was trying to move while planning a trip to Ibiza, and then it was just too much was happening. That call just kind of made everything slow down, which was great.

TrunkSpace: What kind of emotions have you been juggling with leading up to your run on the series?
Cage: I’m just hoping that the response to Phil is very positive. People can see themselves in Phil, and kind of attach themselves to him, and see themselves in the world with him a bit more. I feel like he’s kind of everybody else – he’s one of us. Westworld is made for the 1 percent elite, the people that have a ton of money, or $15,000 a day to spend at this park. Phil can’t afford to go to the park. He works in the park. I think his mindset is just someone that’s just more normal – just one of the average people in the world going through this experience.

TrunkSpace: You were a fan of the series before you landed the part. Does that make the gig all the more sweeter for you personally?
Cage: 100 percent. It’s one of those, kind of, pinch yourself moments, because it’s things you always dream up. You dream of those ideal situations where it’s like, “I’m going to be on my favorite show.” Then, when it happens, it’s like, “OK, don’t mess up, and add something great to this show. Add something, an element, that wasn’t here before, and really, just help serve the overall story.” Because the world and the intricacy that Lisa (Joy) and John (Nolan) have put into this show is so amazing, and it’s like I just want to help them tell their story.

TrunkSpace: We have to ask… being on the show, does it help it all make a bit more sense? (Laughter)
Cage: It’s actually, it’s so interesting, because… no. It really doesn’t. (Laughter) I think there’s a ton of secrecy within the show and on set, and so it was very need-to-know based. I never got a full script, I only got pages. So as I was filming, I was learning everything Phil learned, as he learned it. It was such an interesting way to go through it. It was almost better, in a way, because I’m realizing when you have the influence of knowing the plot points and where the story’s headed, it can tend to get in your head. And you can kind of put something in there, a bit of foreshadowing that shouldn’t be in there. When you’re confused, and on the same level as your character, if you don’t understand something as Patrick, Phil won’t understand it either. And that will show. They’re just very smart with the way that they play their own game on set.

TrunkSpace: Not knowing much about the future of your character, does it then make it more difficult to make those early choices with Phil?
Cage: Well, I think that was the fun about it. The introduction scene for Phil, they laid out his essence very well for me. So I got the sense of who Phil was, and so it was just about that person going through these experiences and how they would react, really. Just, what it would be like. It was really just a fun, true game of exploration with Phil.

TrunkSpace: Because the series is shrouded in spoiler alert secrecy, does it make it kind of nerve wracking talking about and making sure not to slip up and say something that you shouldn’t?
Cage: I don’t want to slip up, but more so, I don’t want to give anything away because I think it’s so fun when we all get to figure it out as a community. I think the “Westworld” community is so large, and even with the Reddit forums and all the Twitter pages that have been made, I think there’s such a great community, and such a great connected feeling when we all figure out these big puzzle pieces together. I don’t want to ruin that. Because I feel like they’ve created a lot of those throughout this season. There’s so many things I didn’t even know, so it’s fun to find things out. Episode 1 was a trip for me. I knew nothing. I knew nothing about what went on in that, so that was all crazy.

TrunkSpace: That’s what’s kind of cool about it from your perspective. You’re involved, but your viewer side isn’t having anything ruined. You still get to be the fan.
Cage: Yeah, and that’s really the best part. It’s like I do start to see, like with Episode 1, I’m like, “Oh! I see how that’s going to tie in!” I’m starting to connect my own dots. But I still don’t see the whole storyline, and I really love that because being a fan of Season 1, I get to continue to be a fan of the show.

“Westworld” airs Sundays on HBO.

Generally those with a fear of flying don’t become pilots, or those who shy away from crowds aren’t known for standing calmly in a sea of people, so it’s a surprise to learn that someone who doesn’t like fish has landed in a show about them. Well, sort of about them.

In the Freeform drama series “Siren,” a dark tale about mermaids and their impact on a small town, David Kaye plays a laid-back employee at the local marine research center who he describes as a “loyal” and “affectionate” friend. And although the mermaid Ryn (played by Eline Powell) at the center of the series is part fish, she wasn’t Kaye’s source of seafood discomfort.

We recently sat down with the Canadian-born actor to discuss why he loves working on the series, playing his character like a dog, and how his fishy fears were stoked being elbow deep in a bucket of bait.

TrunkSpace: How are you enjoying your “Siren” journey thus far?
Kaye: It has been such a wild ride. I’m having a blast.

TrunkSpace: What have you taken from your experience that you’re going to carry with you through the rest of your life?
Kaye: That’s a great question. Firstly, some of the relationships with the other actors and some of the crew members is something that has really blossomed for me. I’ve met some amazing people – super talented, super passionate – who really want to be there. And one of the things that I love about going to set, for “Siren” specifically is, everyone is so happy to be there. It’s just such a wonderful energy. And on top of that, just learning from some of the other actors and just watching them work. I talked quite a few times about how Eline Powell, who plays Ryn, is just such a powerful actor. But also Alex Roe, who plays Ben and Fola (Evans-Akingbola), they have been such a pleasure to work with and it’s really interesting watching them just kind of do their thing. I love watching them do their American dialect warmup, which is always highly entertaining. (Laughter) I’ve had the opportunity to work with just so many amazing actors, like Ian Verdun. His performance last week in episode 106, it was just mesmerizing. I hope that the series gets picked up and I get the opportunity to work with more of these amazing actors.

TrunkSpace: In a lot of ways the show has the elements of a series that could stick around for a really long time. You look at a show like “Supernatural,” which we know you guested on, and while tonally different, that’s a show that has been on the air 13 years. Are you someone who could play the same character for that long? Could you be Jerry for 13 years?
Kaye: I mean, it depends on the show… as a viewer for me anyways, it depends on the show. I’ve definitely binge-watched shows that have more than 10 seasons and I love playing Jerry… I think he’s such a fantastic character and just such a loving person, so if I have the opportunity to step into Jerry’s shoes for a decade or more, I would be thrilled.

TrunkSpace: It terms of finding him as a character, was he somebody that was easy for you to tap into or did it take some discovery?
Kaye: A little bit of both. There’s a lot of myself, I’d like to think, part of Jerry, but there were definitely some things that I had to amp up. One of the things that I really try to do, when I’m playing Jerry, is treat him like a dog – just like his presence. He’s very in the moment. He’s very loving and affectionate and loyal and he’s just always happy to see his people.

TrunkSpace: So he’s man’s best friend in human form?
Kaye: Yeah! Just a little scruffy guy, that you wanna take home.

TrunkSpace: In terms of the mermaid focus of the series, that isn’t a subject that Hollywood has really tapped into on a large scale. In an industry where it seems like everything has been done and done again, why haven’t we seen much of mermaids on screen?
Kaye: This is purely speculative on my part, but I think when you say mermaids to somebody, today, most people, their immediate response, their immediate image in their head is Ariel from Disney’s “Little Mermaid.” Some people might go straight to “Splash,” but there are some really, really iconic mermaid characters that I think immediately come to mind when people talk about mermaids. So for a show like “Siren” to come out, where it just completely turns everything on its head, like mermaids are not these wonderful, singing creatures, they’re there for adventure and exploration, they are apex predators, they are viscous, they are strong, they are highly intelligent, they have a dark, green take on it that is really fascinating, so I think there was definitely a niche to be explored and I think Freeform just hit the nail on the head with it.

TrunkSpace: We know you’re also a voice actor. Do you view both aspects of performance as separate career paths or do they both lead towards the same end goal?
Kaye: To me it’s just about telling stories. One of the reasons I’ve kept on doing this for so long is because I love telling stories. I don’t particularly care about the format if it’s on screen or if it’s on the microphone, in front of the camera, behind the camera even – I’ve done some producing myself – or theater, I just love being part of telling a story.

TrunkSpace: You have your own production company, Whiskaye Films. Where does that fit into your focus these days?
Kaye: Currently I am just working on the last, final touches on the distribution of my first feature that I produced, which is called “Prodigals.” That will be hitting theaters in June, so look out for that. That’s a project that I’ve been working on since 2013 and so it’s been a labor of love and there’s some fantastic actors in it. It’s a great story. You’ll see Sara Canning is one of the leads. She’s on “A Series Of Unfortunate Events” and in “War for the Planet of the Apes.” Kaniehtiio Horn, who’s in “Letterkenny” and “Man in the High Castle,” and David Alpay. It’s just some really, really talented people and it’s a story that I think is incredibly relatable about second chances and whether or not anyone actually deserves a second chance.

And other than that my other passion project… Season 2 is coming out shortly of “White Ninja.” That will be released on Toonstar, so you can check out the Toonstar app because that will be coming out end of May.

TrunkSpace: So does one scratch the back of the other? For example, does a high profile acting gig help on the producing side, and vice versa?
Kaye: I’m not sure yet, to be perfectly honest. I think it’s been a really interesting ride. I’ve been acting since I was a child, so I’ve got 25, almost 26 years, in the industry now. I started producing because I’ve grown up on set and in the studio and seeing all these people doing all these jobs, not really knowing how those parts fit into the overall machine, and so I took an intro to film production course in 2008, as part of my undergrad, and I was like, “Oh, this is what everyone’s doing.” And I just had a deeper appreciation for everyone on set and how hard everyone works and how integral everybody really is to the final product. So production gave me a whole new appreciation for the industry.

TrunkSpace: Finally, David, we read that you have a fear of fish, which made us wonder… was a show about a half woman/half fish really the way to go?
Kaye: (Laughter) Well, I was less scared of her, because of the whole human aspect and knowing that Eline is, in fact a human. However, Jerry feeds the sea lions and in order to feed sea lions, you need to go elbow deep in a bucket of fish, and so that for me, that was probably the most challenging thing I had to do on set and it has actually helped my fear, in a big, bad way. So I’m grateful to “Siren” for that.

TrunkSpace: But still, no 100-gallon aquariums showing up at your house anytime soon, right?
Kaye: You know what, I think I would probably avoid it if it was offered to me. (Laughter)

“Siren” airs Thursdays on Freeform.

Featured image by: Taseda Knight 

A series like “Bunk’d” means so much to the generation that is glued to their televisions (phones?) watching it. Yes, we’re well beyond the age of Disney’s targeted demographic, but it’s no different than the shows that came before it like “Hey, Dude” or “Salute Your Shorts,” scripted TV that spoke TO the audience as opposed to AT them.

With Season 3 of “Bunk’d” set to debut on Disney Channel this summer, the fictional camp is about to get a handful of new seasonal guests. One of those cast additions is Will Buie Jr.

We recently sat down with the young actor to discuss how he celebrated being named a series regular, the reason he’s called the “Bunk’d Encyclopedia,” and why he hopes his career runs parallel to Jay Leno’s.

TrunkSpace: First and foremost, congrats on being named to a series regular on “Bunk’d” in Season 3. What went through your mind when you first heard the news?
Buie: I was on a plane when I found out. Since I couldn’t jump up and down, I had a dance party in my mind.

TrunkSpace: Are you excited to see your character Finn developed out further and to see where the writers take him both in Season 3 and beyond?
Buie: Yes, I’m so excited. I have seen Finn develop over the 16 episodes, and cannot wait for the public to meet him.

TrunkSpace: Twofold question. What do you enjoy most about working on a series like “Bunk’d” and what do you enjoy most about getting to play Finn specifically?
Buie: I love working on “Bunk’d” because I have been a fan of the show since it premiered. I love being in scenes with the Ross kids and Lou, and being on the set of the Great Lawn, the woods and the Mess Hall every day. It’s so cool, they actually use a lot of real trees and bushes in the woods.

Finn is a fun character, but specifically my favorite part about Finn is his high energy and his strong desire for adventure.

TrunkSpace: Is comedy a genre you always felt comfortable with? Is it an area of performance that comes natural?
Buie: This was my first ever job in comedy, but I always have had a strong desire to play comedic roles. I don’t know if it comes natural, but I really love it and I would love to do more.

TrunkSpace: We here at TrunkSpace are mostly oldish now, but we all remember growing up on shows like “Bunk’d,” which in a lot of ways, help to define the childhood of the audience watching it. It speaks to them, not at them. Is “Bunk’d” the kind of show that you’d be watching even if you weren’t directly involved in it?
Buie: Oh yes, for sure. Actually I watched every episode of “Bunk’d” more times than I can even count before I even knew there was going to be a third season. The executive producers and everyone in the cast and crew nicknamed me the “Bunk’d Encyclopedia.” I know almost all of the details in every episode of the first two seasons, including the episode number and name. So you can imagine how much I love the show.

TrunkSpace: What are you most excited for fans of the series to see headed into Season 3?
Buie: There are three new campers at Camp Kikiwaka. We are all very different, but we become friends and we have a lot of fun and adventures together. I can’t wait for fans to get to know us and have fun with us at camp.

TrunkSpace: The Disney Channel has a long history of launching careers into the stratosphere. As much as you’re enjoying working on the series now, do you also see it as one step in a long flight of stairs that leads to your ultimate dreams?
Buie: Yes, I definitely do. I am so proud to be a Disney kid, and can’t wait to see what I get to do next.

TrunkSpace: Speaking of dreams, what is that ultimate dream? Where do you hope to see your career go? What do you hope to accomplish beyond acting itself?
Buie: I want to win an Academy Award one day for acting, and I want to be a famous car engineer and be the head of my own car company. I would love to meet Elon Musk or Jay Leno. I follow “Jay Leno’s Garage” on Instagram. My mom and dad say Jay Leno was an actor and comedian, and he’s also a car guy. I think I want to be like Jay Leno.

TrunkSpace: Are you a Marvel or DC fan, and if so, is there a particular superhero that you’d like to play down the road?
Buie: Growing up, I wasn’t a huge superhero fan. My favorite though is Marvel, because it’s a Disney company and because they have my favorite superhero movie, “Guardians of the Galaxy.” I would love to play a superhero one day, but a new superhero that doesn’t exist today. One that can fly and be invisible.

TrunkSpace: Finally, we read that you’re a big X-box fan? What are your go-to games or genres that you are most drawn to these days?
Buie: My favorite game is Forza Horizon 3. Recently I started playing FortNite, but my mom doesn’t like me playing that. (Editor’s note: Ninja aka Tyler Blevins is one of the biggest names in Fortnite gaming. He frequently streams gaming content to millions of subscribers. If you would like to learn more about Ninja’s Fortnite setup, take a look at this handy guide: www.bestgamingchair.com/ninja-fortnite-settings).

Season 3 of “Bunk’d” arrives on Disney Channel this summer.

Featured image by Storm Santos.

Disclaimer: This feature has the potential to make you feel older than you did prior to reading it.

It’s been 25 years since “The Sandlot” took us out to the ballgame. When it was first released in 1993, the feel-good film about a group of ragtag friends and their summer misadventures played our nostalgic soft spot like a baseball organ, but two and a half decades later it’s striking an entirely different sentimental chord… and it’s knocking us right out of the park!

We recently sat down with “The Sandlot” star Patrick Renna to discuss the reason the film is so special, what he remembers most about the experience, and why a group of gorgeous ladies of wrestling took up calling him Cupcake.

TrunkSpace: When you first stepped foot on “The Sandlot” set some 25 years ago, could you have ever possibly imagined that you’d still be talking about it now, all these years later?
Renna: No, I don’t think so. When we filmed it… you can always tell when something is good, you know? I’m pretty sure everything I’ve ever worked on, everyone is super pumped about it, but you can get a real feel of when it’s turning out really good, but no way do you get the idea that it’s gonna mean as much as it has for people as “The Sandlot” has.

TrunkSpace: The film was nostalgic to viewers at the time of its release just in the way the story was told, and now it’s nostalgic to people for an entirely different reason, which is pretty cool.
Renna: Oh, completely. I think what it is is generally the people that watched it in that age range of 10-20, when it came out, are now, you know, in the 25-40 range now, and they have kids, so, they’re showing it to their kids now.

TrunkSpace: If you just look at all of the other movies that came out that year, and how few of them resonated with people in the way that “The Sandlot” has – that’s a feat to have pulled that off.
Renna: It’s true. It’s great, and it’s really special to be part of something like that, and its humbling, because that’s why we do what we do. Most – and I would say even the people that you think are doing it just for the limelight – everyone does this job because they want to create a character, and be part of a film that means something to people. So, when you’re able to do that, it’s pretty special.

TrunkSpace: The film is a bit of a snapshot in time for people who grew up loving it. Do you find that fans have a hard time accepting that you’re no longer the kid they remember?
Renna: Yeah, I think sometimes people do. With me, and I hear it a lot, is that I look exactly the same. So, I think that’s probably an easier transition a little bit. Obviously I look the same, but 25 years older. I’m a character actor, and I have the red curly hair and the freckles, and so I think that eases that transition a bit.

We posted that photo of all of us together after 25 years because it’s the first time… and I think people generally liked it, but I think they’re probably, “Oh my gosh!” It’s making people feel old, you know?

TrunkSpace: Well that’s probably because one of you guys got jacked!
Renna: Yeah. That’s me. I look the same, see? (Laughter)

That’s Marty (York). Marty hit the gym a bit. He’s pretty ripped. He just posted a picture of him in a doctors uniform and it’s just been too much. We all give him a hard time. We all take shots about how buff he is, and then he looks at us and goes, “Hey, you guys could do it too.” “Yeah, screw you, man.” (Laughter)

TrunkSpace: For the end user, the audience, the finished film is usually the most memorable aspect of any project. But for the actors, it’s probably the memories – the experience. What did you take from your “The Sandlot” experience that you’ll carry with you throughout the rest of your life?
Renna: Well, I think what you take with you is the good and the bad, you know? You’re there, you’re in the summer, you’re in the heat. The good is that you’re just playing baseball and having a great time, but you are also on a film shoot, and it’s crunch time. You’re there with a bunch of adults who, this is their livelihood. You need to make a good film. So, it was a great learning experience, but yeah, I would say the things that I remember the most are almost immediately before scenes or immediately after.

We all shared this giant trailer and we all had our little section. I got a knock on my door that morning, and it was… I don’t even think it was David (Mickey Evans), I think he had someone come bring me a script, and they said, “David wants you to do this scene now.” And it was that morning, and the scene was the trash-talking scene on our field between the opposite team – the famous scene where we go back and forth. Originally it was supposed to be Benny to do that scene, but we were far enough along in the film that I think our characters kind of fleshed out, and Benny had really become a sort of legend kind of thing, and legends don’t do that. Derek Jeter is not. Maybe he is behind the scenes, but in front of it he’s more of the classy guy, and so I think he went, “Wow, this is Ham. This is Ham material.” So, I did that, and that’s what I remember most about that scene.

And then I remember the following scene, where I’m in the backstop and talking trash to each of the batters that come up. The way we filmed that is Dave, the director, was in the dugout and he had a bullhorn, and he just kept the film rolling. And this is 1992, so it was film. It was not digital, it was very expensive Kodak film, and this was not a 100 million dollar budget. He just let it roll, and I’m sure it cost a fortune that day, but he, on the bullhorn, improved lines to me. He’d say, “Say this…” and the whole cast and crew would start cracking up. And he’d go, “Okay, okay, okay, say it…” and I’d go, “Really?” All while we’re rolling. And then I’d say it, and then whichever one he liked made it in the film.

I’d love to see the outtakes that didn’t make it, because I’m sure there’s tons of insults that didn’t make it.

TrunkSpace: We talked about the film’s staying power, but the famous line that you delivered has its share of shelf life too. When you said it – “You’re killing me, Smalls” – did it feel like a line that would become a part of the pop culture lexicon?
Renna: I don’t think I knew or anyone knew that that line would become what it has become. Which, also, because I haven’t seen Tom Guiry for 25 years, until I saw him this past month, I was most excited – no, I don’t want to say most excited, but I was extra excited to see him, because of that line. I’m sure he’s grown up with it, and I’ve grown up with it, and he’s Smalls. I hung out with Chauncey (Leopardi) over the years, and we’ve remained good friends, but I hadn’t seen him so it was kind of extra special to see him because of that line. But no, I don’t think there was any way that we knew that line was gonna take off like that.

TrunkSpace: What are you most proud of in your career?
Renna: I think for anyone the first job is, and that was basically what “The Sandlot” was. It definitely holds an extremely special place in my heart, and because of what it’s become, and what it means… I think because it was my first job, it just makes it that much better.

The other ones that stick with me are the ones that are popular to people. I filmed an episode of “The X-Files,” which people seem to really like, and it was only a month of my life. Since then I’ve talked to so many people about it though, so it adds to it, and makes it more special over time. You know, projects that I’ve work on that maybe aren’t quite as special, they sort of… you forget about them a little bit. A couple years back I produced and acted in my first movie, and did it with a couple friends of mine, and we put the whole budget together, and produced, directed, and wrote it. All four of us did every aspect of it. It was called “Bad Roomies,” and that was a really special one too, just because I was on both sides of the camera.

And then I think, the latest job you work on is the most special because it’s so recent, and that would be “GLOW.” I just did a multiple episode arc on that show, on Season 2, and I’m pretty excited for it to come out.

TrunkSpace: We’re big fans of that series and pumped to get back into the ring with the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. Where does your character fall into things? He’s a super fan, right?
Renna: Well, you know, they’re pretty tight-lipped about storylines, so I’m kind of not allowed to say much. There’s some cool stuff that happens, and it would definitely give it away, so I guess I’m only allowed to say I’m a super fan.

TrunkSpace: Your character’s name is Cupcake, which we have to say, is a great name.
Renna: Yeah, and it so funny because while I was on set with the girls, no one called me Patrick. It just became this thing of, “Cupcake.” Because how do you not? And I kind of loved it. I had a bunch of beautiful ladies, gorgeous ladies of wrestling, all calling me Cupcake all day long. So, it was perfect.

Season 2 of “GLOW” premieres June 29 on Netflix.

It would be a GROSS understatement to suggest that Michael Gross expected he’d be talking about the “Tremors” franchise nearly 30 years after he first slipped into the paranoid skin of Burt Gummer. Not an immediate hit by any means, the horror/comedy mashup about a race of underground worm-like killers was a slow burn, finding an audience in the aftermarket where it lived on in VHS, DVD, and eventually, the digital domain. Now, with the release of the sixth installment, “Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell,” the veteran actor is once again hunting the relentless movie monsters, and enjoying the character’s personal journey along the way.

We recently sat down with Gross to discuss his favorite Burt story arcs, why he prefers not being John Wayne, and how we could all take a lesson from the Keaton family in these politically-divided times.

TrunkSpace: We would imagine that your “Tremors” journey has been a bit of a pleasant surprise, because when the first film came together back in 1990, it probably didn’t scream franchise right out of the gates, correct?
Gross: No. In fact, it didn’t even scream future at all, because the original film was not all that widely accepted in its first theatrical release. It was out for less than two weeks. It did not have a huge opening weekend. It caught on a little bit, but really wasn’t around very long. I had very few chances to see it in a major motion picture theater. I think I saw it twice. And it was only in the aftermarket venues, in those days, the prehistoric VHS copies, where it began to catch on and became this dirty little, private secret to a lot of otherwise normal human beings that this thing was out here. And, so, that’s when it caught on, in the aftermarket.

So, I never thought there would be a second one. Like most actors, I’m usually paranoid about never working again, and you just think of it as a one-off – a great one-off – and what fun it was, but the response was somewhat tepid, you know?

TrunkSpace: Do think the way that the industry has changed in terms of the distribution model has enabled it to go further than what anyone imagined?
Gross: Well, yes, that’s certainly a part of it. The industry in general has become so compartmentalized. When I first began television in 1982, there were three networks. Three, that’s all. There was no cable. It was totally bizarre. And there wasn’t even a Fox Television in the first year of “Family Ties” in 1982. There was NBC, CBS and ABC – that was it. And, so, now you can literally pick the channel, the world, the kind of news reports you want. You want to listen to Fox News? Fine. You want to listen to Al Jazeera? Go ahead. BBC? Have your choice. And I think it’s the same way in the video market, they can distribute things piecemeal to people in different ways and say, “Well, here’s something for you, here’s something for the rest of you, here’s this, here’s that,” and send them out. The technical changes have made all this possible.

TrunkSpace: A long-term character journey like you’ve experienced with Burt is usually something you see in television. Is it a bit of a different experience with something like “Tremors” where you’re stopping and picking back up again with long breaks in-between?
Gross: Yes. I actually like the stopping and going. Before I really entered television and film I did a lot of stage work, repertory theater work, where I was more… on “Family Ties” I played one character for seven years, and I used to tell people I felt more accustomed to playing seven characters in one year than I did playing one character for seven years. So, I love the variety. I don’t know if I could take a steady diet of Burt. That is, day in and day out, going to the set every day and being Burt. I mean, it’s fun, but I don’t know. Maybe I have a little Attention-Deficit Disorder or something, but I do like the variety, and it’s one of the things that attracts me to acting, not playing one character all the time.

For example, I don’t know that I would have cared to, I don’t know, been John Wayne, for example. You saw great films, and he was an iconic character, but the characters you saw were the further adventures of John Wayne, with a different character, maybe a different costume on. I always loved the variety… more of the Dustin Hoffman and the Daniel Day-Lewis type of people who like to submerge themselves into a role rather than have the role completely reflect them. A perfect example, in a couple weeks I’m going to do another episode of “Grace and Frankie” for Netflix, in which I play a gay man.

TrunkSpace: Which in the grand scheme of things, must be the dream… having the opportunity to slip into as many different skins as possible?
Gross: Well, yes, and I never thought of myself as a leading man. I’ve been a character actor. I was never the young leading man, I was always a guy who was somebody’s buddy, or somewhere in the background, but transforming himself into different people. So, when people ask me what’s it like to be the star of “Tremors,” I say, “I don’t consider myself a star as much as I am part of an ensemble.” I’ve always felt part of an ensemble, and that’s the secret to longevity, to me.

TrunkSpace: And we would imagine that variety also pertains to the “Tremors” franchise because each film has it’s own feel tonally. Yes, they’re part of the same universe, but they aren’t all cut from the same cloth.
Gross: You’re absolutely right. That’s one of the reason’s I’ve had a part, not the ultimate part – I’m not the ultimate decision maker – but I have had some sort of voice in the character of Burt and what he faces in some of these things. In the early “Tremors” movies, it was about Burt’s expertise as a monster hunter. You didn’t learn terribly, terribly much about him as an individual, or what his challenges are, personally. Between 1 and 2 he lost his wife, but in 3 he never spoke about that again. And in “Tremors 5” we wanted to explore the possibility of what’s it like for a man who’s a complete loner, almost misanthropic, to have to deal with someone who comes from out of nowhere who says, “Oh, by the way, I’m your blood relative, I’m your child, and I want to get to know you.” Well, nothing could be more challenging for the misanthrope than to have another human being in his life. And, so, I wanted to be in this struggle with his personal life as well as his professional life. And in “Tremors 6,” to me it’s about, without giving away all the details, it’s about a man having to give up some control. A man who always, always wants to be in control. Not only be in control, but wants to micromanage a situation. Does he deal gracefully, or ungracefully? Dragged kicking and screaming, or easily, into giving up control?

TrunkSpace: He has to learn how not to be in the driver’s seat, in a way.
Gross: How not to be in the driver’s seat! And, so, just as an actor, to me it’s always interesting in the journey a character takes in a piece, and for me that was part of his journey, which made it interesting. And should we do a “Tremors 7″… we’re already talking about ideas. Now, that could be pie in the sky, it may never happen, but we’ve already discussed where would Burt go next? What would be the next challenge for him, professionally, with monsters, but personally, with his own monsters, if you will.

TrunkSpace: Well, and at the end of the day, we would imagine that as far as a performance standpoint is concerned, that’s the most interesting part, the personal stuff he’s dealing with?
Gross: Exactly. I’ve always loved them. I’ve loved every one of them, but for me, personally, as an actor, one of the most interesting, just in terms of the journey a character takes from one place to the other, was “Tremors 4,” a man who came in from the East Coast who looked down his nose at these hardscrabble people in the middle of nowhere, who didn’t wash, who had no civilization, there was no opera house, there was no poetry to their lives, they were just… it was a subsistence existence. He disliked everything about the place, and everything about the people. And in the course of the piece he learned to love them, love the place, and think of it as someplace worth defending. That journey was the most fascinating journey I took as an actor in the first four films, just because of the changes that took place in Hiram Gummer, in the space of, you know, under two hours. And that’s always part of the fun for me.

TrunkSpace: You had mentioned that you started your television journey in 1982. If you could sit down with that version of yourself from almost 40 years ago, what would he say about how your career has played out? What would he think?
Gross: Well, I would say I’m sorry I haven’t had more of a feature film career. In some senses, I look back on “Tremors 1” and it could have been my breakout role had it been marketed a little better – had more people seen it – because, to me, it was so vastly different from what I had done for seven years on “Family Ties.” I have some regret that there’s not more of a feature film career. Not because feature films are inherently better, but a lot of people see them, and it gives you a certain cache in the business that you don’t otherwise have. It’s not that we aren’t all respected as actors, and I love having, I think, the respect of others in the business and the craft, but the most exciting thing for the actor is seeing the best material and getting a hold of a good piece of material before somebody else sees it. Those A-list people get to see the good material first, that’s all. It’s not about praise, it’s not about fortune, it’s about looking at the good scripts early, you know, before they’ve gone through other peoples’ hands. And, so, that’s why, to me, a feature film career is exciting, because you have access to material that other people don’t. That’s why I was so long a part of the stage, and still enjoy going to the stage from time to time, is it’s always chasing the good material. And that’s one of the reasons I keep coming back to Burt, because the comic genius of this character alone is worth the journey – the comic paranoia, the obsessive compulsive disorder, the utter imbalance of the man is such a pleasure to play. It can be mined for such comic treasure.

TrunkSpace: Finally, Michael, we live in such politically and socially divided times. What do you think a Keaton family Thanksgiving would look like in 2018, because they themselves had different POVs, and yet it never made the family fracture?
Gross: You know what I think? There’s a part of me that wants nothing to do with rebooting that show, absolutely nothing, because it was such fun when we did it, and it would be hard to recapture that wonderful spirit. But one of the reasons I would love to see the Keatons together again is, as divided as they were politically, they always settled things amicably. Ronald Reagan… it was his favorite television show, and he came very close to actually becoming a guest on it, but it was rejected for various reasons – security and scheduling, and it was a bit gimmicky, but it came close. There were talks about his making a cameo appearance on this thing. But those were the days, even in the days of the Reagan years, when Reagan, who had very different ideas from Tip O’Neill, from Massachusetts, two Irishmen could sit down over a bottle of whiskey, and hammer out their differences, and come up with something. Government works with compromise just the way good marriages, or good families work, with compromise. And, so, the Keatons were always able to have kids who didn’t believe what they did, yet were not sent up to their bedrooms without dinner, or dessert, because they happened to disagree with their parents. There were ways of working it out, and love conquered all. And, so, I think that would be a great dose of things to have again in this period of time, had it been rebooted.

“Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell” arrives today on Blu-ray combo pack, DVD, Digital, and On Demand.

“Tremors: The Complete Collection” is also available today on DVD.

With the 45th Daytime Emmy Awards only hours from taking place, we’re sitting down with nominee Hudson West to discuss his work on “General Hospital,” what he thought about his nomination, and why the experience is the highlight of his career thus far.

TrunkSpace: First, congratulations on your Daytime Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Younger Actor category for your work on “General Hospital!” What was it like learning that you had been nominated?
West: At first I couldn’t believe it. I was so excited, it left me speechless. But not my mom, she was running around screaming. I am so very honored to be given this opportunity. Even if I don’t win the Emmy, it is just amazing to be able to attend the ceremony on Sunday.

TrunkSpace: Does the nomination make you feel that the work you’ve been doing on “General Hospital” is appreciated in a way that maybe you didn’t even consider before?
West: When I first got hired on “General Hospital” I definitely didn’t consider submitting myself for an Emmy, let alone getting nominated. So yes, I guess my work is being recognized and appreciated more than I thought and that makes me very happy!

TrunkSpace: How much would it mean to you personally to be able to take home the award on Sunday?
West: It would mean the world to me to be able to take home the Emmy on Sunday. I always try really hard to do my best on set and in every scene and it is great to have my work appreciated. I guess it would mean my hard work paid off!

TrunkSpace: How has your time spent on “General Hospital” impacted you the most? What will you take with you through life from the experience as a whole?
West: Being on “General Hospital” has been great. I think the biggest impact is working with the other actors for two years makes it almost my second family. Going to work at “General Hospital” is like hanging out with my family and close friends. I know everyone so well, we all have great chemistry and it is really fun working and interacting with everyone. I think having special relationships and learning the excellent work ethics everyone has as well as having a sense of humor is very important in daily life. I hope to remember that and take it with me through my life.

TrunkSpace: Soap operas are known for their fast-paced shoot schedules. Do you feel like your time on the daytime series is a great boot camp for the ins and outs of the industry, both in terms of production and performance? Are you learning a lot throughout the process?
West: Soap operas are very fast paced. We do every scene only one or two times. So you better know your material before you get to work. However, I thrive in that environment. I try to be totally prepared when I get to work because I know how quickly we need to go through the scenes. I usually don’t have too many lines but most of the other actors have a tremendous amount of material every day to memorize and I don’t think they are given enough credit for that. So I have learned to be prepared, do my very best at all times because there isn’t much room for error as far as time goes. So yes, I believe I am learning a lot from the other actors as well as the production viewpoint.

TrunkSpace: Not only are there a ton of great actors on the show, but a long list of extremely successful actors got their start there. Do you feel like you’re following in the footsteps of those who came before you and what do you hope the future holds in terms of your acting career?
West: Yes, there are a lot of very talented actors on the show and I’ve learned about the ones that went on to other roles outside of soap operas. I would certainly love to continue on and do more work on other projects. But for the time being, I absolutely love being on “General Hospital.”

TrunkSpace: Can you tell us anything about your upcoming recurring role on “I’m Dying Up Here” and who Jesse is as a character?
West: The show “I’m Dying Up Here” is about stand-up comedy. And I’m not really sure if I’m allowed to expound on that so to not to get in trouble, I’m going to stop at that.

TrunkSpace: We would have to imagine that you’re pretty psyched for “Avengers: Infinity War,” which got us to thinking… if you could be cast as any superhero, who would it be and why?
West: My favorite superhero is the Hulk, however if I was to be cast as a superhero, I’d like to be Thor. Thor has a very cool power and he can control lightening. His character is just very tough and strong.

TrunkSpace: We read that you’re a big hockey fan. Who are you rooting for in the NHL playoffs?
West: I’m rooting for the Washington Capitals because they have Alexander Ovechkin. He’s super good, fast and he has amazing dekes. He’s really cool to watch.

TrunkSpace: Finally, Hudson, for you personally, what has been the biggest highlight of your acting career thus far and why?
West: The highlight of my acting career has definitely been the Emmy nomination. Because I never thought I would ever be nominated, it is such an honor and it could be a once in a lifetime experience. I just want to enjoy every moment of it.

For information on how to stream the 45th Daytime Emmy Awards live, visit here.

After a little more than a year of publishing, TrunkSpace is going through a metamorphosis. We’re taking a brief hiatus to make some changes to the site and bring new and exciting content to our readers. We’ve got lots of exiting stuff in the works, so check back on May 1st as we spread our new wings and kick off Season 2!

In the meantime, we will be dropping a few occasional features and fun things, so keep an eye out for that as well.

We’ll see you in a little more than a week!