If you pursue the pop-culture thing and indulge yourself in it, go to all the events and get yourself on the cover of Us Weekly every week, that fame is fleeting,It's not a road you can navigate for a long time. People get tired of you and you burn out. Ben Mckenzie
Ben McKenzie goes “In Front” to meet the stars of NBC’s new shows at Universal Studios Hollywood on Tuesday (May 12) in Universal City, Calif.
The 30-year-old actor’s series Southland is just one of four returning series picked up (the other three included Heroes, Parks and Recreation and the addition of six new episodes of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday).
Ben McKenzie, Joel McHale, Chevy Chase, James Tupper, Dax Shepard, Peter Krause, Maura Tierney, Derek Luke and more will be at an NBC luncheon today talking about their TV shows -- and "Extra" is taking you inside!
Click on videos and then go to "playlist". there's a long long list. scroll down near the very end to "Various at Parc 4 8 07".
Shawn Hatosy and Nikki Reed are also in the video -- Shawn is talking to DJ Qualls (this is Nikki Reed's boyfriend. maybe ex boyfriend now). and then you see Ben opening the door for his friends, and Paul Wesley closes the door. then later Ben signs autographs and poses for pictures and then you see him joining his party and holding hands with that girls from the pictures.
havent got time to update cus my weekend had been really busy/happening/awesome!!!
will update tis weekend. meanwhile, Ben McKenzie is probably the most charming guy on earth. Woooohooo. i wana watch The OC again, and feel infatuated all over again. i cant believe i talked to him over the phone!
Wednesday's Talk Shows
1. Good Day L.A. Ben McKenzie and Regina King ("Southland"); Wolfgang Puck. (N) 7 a.m. KTTV
2. Jimmy Kimmel Live Matthew Fox; Benjamin McKenzie; Ciara performs. (N) 12:06 a.m. KABC
Talking about old-school filmmaking, the virtues of TV, and the scent of film
You started in television. Do you think TV is still a good training ground for filmmakers?
TV is a good training ground. I think the best writing today is being done for television, with some exceptions in the motion picture side of things.
Any particular shows you’d point to?
Anything David Kelley (LAW’83) touches. Aaron Sorkin’s years on The West Wing. This was Paddy Chayefsky–level writing. I love watching cable movies. I love watching network series that are well written. I always watch Mad Men. I watch the new show Southland that John Wells does, which I think is genius. The other thing is I watch a lot of reality television. It’s a guilty pleasure. My favorite show on the air right now is Deadliest Catch.
Ben interviewed over the phone by the local paper in Singapore
Also in this awesome cast? Ben McKenzie. Unfortunately for him, he has to share most of Cudlitz’s scenes, but he actually does a great job of holding his own. I did not know of this actor before this show. Apparently he was quite famous from that Fox show The O.C., which I did not watch previously, but now I’m considering Netflixing it because this guy is really very good. I mean, think about that. This guy is so good on Southland that I’m actually considering Netflixing four seasons of a Fox teen soap opera starring the unbearable Mischa Barton. Clearly he impressed me.
this is from the actress who plays the DA on Southland. she's the one who tells Sammy there are no funds to put Janila in the witness protection program.
Execs also heralded the return of freshman series Southland and Parks and Recreation, which it lauded as upholding the high comedic bar set by 30 Rock. (The series' Aziz Ansari and Ben McKenzie, meanwhile, were on hand to open the event and introduce Mike Pilot and Ben Silverman.)
Ben and his brother Nate will be conducting a workshop for theater arts students in NY
HALTOM CITY — Rachael Ybarra has an actor’s game plan.
The 18-year-old Haltom High School senior has been accepted to the New York Conservatory of Dramatic Arts and aims to land acting work after the two-year program. And today, Ybarra is among 75 middle and high school theater arts students from Birdville schools attending the ultimate career day for wannabe actors.
The students will visit with brothers Nate Schenkkan, a theater actor in New York City, and Ben McKenzie, star of the television shows The O.C. and Southland, during a workshop at Haltom High. The event, which is closed to the public, will include a question-and-answer session with the actors.
"I’m so excited," Ybarra said. "It’s a good experience for those of us who want to get in the business. We get to see that it can happen."
The workshop is a parting gift from Ellen Bell, the district’s associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction. She also happens to be the actors’ aunt. Bell, who is leaving the district to pursue consulting work, wanted to give students an in-depth look at the profession.
"We are hoping they will learn the reality of making it in a very competitive profession," she said.
Key themes expected to emerge today are the need for perseverance and preparation. The young actors need to know about head shots, agents, interviews and tryouts. Bell said they also need to have a backup plan.
"How are you going to eat while trying to make it?" she said.
Brad White, the district’s director of fine arts, said the program will delve deep into acting.
The two actors’ role?
"They will actually be the teachers," White said.
Renee Norris, theater director at Haltom High, said it’s rare to get celebrities to talk with theater students.
"This is an elite situation for us because we do have a great deal of students who will major in theater and film," Norris said.
Ybarra said the students want to ask a variety of questions, including:
Who are the actors’ favorite directors?
Is it better to major in film or theater in college?
"It’s amazing," Ybarra said, adding that the actors can offer a snapshot of working in theater and Hollywood.
Hey! I just worked with Ben a few weeks ago, on the new NBC cop drama, Southland! He's a sweetheart, and a goofball! I sat and ate dinner with him and the other actors and the director that night- we had such a blast on the set, filming in a gorgeous mansion in the Hollywood Hills! Hardly felt like we were working, haha! The episode airs next Thursday, 4/23!
More pics from the 'Terminator Salvation' Premiere:
The very cute Ben McKenzie, going by Ben these days because "Benjamin sounds like you're either 12 or 60," is a welcome sight on series TV again. He's in the new NBC cop drama, "Southland," a far different look at Southern California than his previous show, "The O.C." "I was hoping to branch out," he says. McKenzie, 30, tells us he purposely stayed low-profile between gigs, turning down the "many teen horror movies" that came his way. "I want to have a longer career," he says. In fact, McKenzie didn't start acting until he was at the University of Virginia studying foreign affairs and economics. "I wanted to meet a girl, and I fell in love with [acting]."
Well, I have started a little late, but I figure this is a better way to let you know what's going on with my trip, rather than sending emails and forgetting someone, as I always seem to.
I left oz on the 3rd of May, which seems a while ago now. My impression of Qantas did not improve during the 15 hour flight. I don't know why they bother sometimes, although I guess the food was marginally better than China South West. I flew to LA and stayed for a few days in a hotel where there was a chair in the shape of a hand in my room (I think it is meant to be funky). I saw famous people's houses...but Orlando Bloom did not come out to play unfortunately. I was very very touristy, jumping on stars on the Walk of Fame, seeing Hollywood stuff (including a famous guy, Ryan from the OC, whose real name still eludes me), Universal studios (which was awesome! I have some secret childish love of theme parks. How embarrassing to walk in and think it's exciting to see some guy dressed up as a life size version of Shrek. Anyway, moving on.).
If you pursue the pop-culture thing and indulge yourself in it, go to all the events and get yourself on the cover of Us Weekly every week, that fame is fleeting,It's not a road you can navigate for a long time. People get tired of you and you burn out. Ben Mckenzie
I heard that Marvel casting directors were looking for an actor to play Captain America and that Matthew Moconoughay (spelling?) was asked first, but wasn't interested until the idea of it grew on him, but now they're more interested in casting somebody that they feel represents America better with much less of an ego and who's not a ridiculously famous big shot and Ben McKenzie came to their mind so they asked him and told him they were interested in him playing the role. Whether this is true or not... I have absolutely NO idea! Nevertheless, the idea of him playing Captain America is growing on me. At least he'd get to be shirtless,
But is it something formal or is just fans gossip that you read in a gossip blog or a message board?
I remember that someone said on Ben's page on IMDB that he would be a good fit for the role. But that was just someone's opinion and that's the only time I heard it mentioned.
Don't remember where the other source was that I saw it, but they also said that Ben was approached about the role. And yeah I also saw that that you were talking about on imdb, but like you said that's more pertaining to people thinking he'd be good for the role.
Thanks for the link. It's nothing formal or reliable, but I do hope it's true.
If you pursue the pop-culture thing and indulge yourself in it, go to all the events and get yourself on the cover of Us Weekly every week, that fame is fleeting,It's not a road you can navigate for a long time. People get tired of you and you burn out. Ben Mckenzie
Ratings news for Saturday. Unfortunately they're not particularly good compared to previous Saturdays.
Quote:
Elsewhere (and there wasn’t much else), NBC’s encore combination of Law & Order: SVU (Viewers: #3, 3.37 million; A18-49: #4, 0.7/ 3), Southland (Viewers: #4, 2.76 million; A18-49: #4, 0.6/ 2) and Law & Order (Viewers: #2, 4.52 million; A18-49: #3, 0.9/ 3) resulted in an overall finish of third in total viewers and fourth among adults 18-49. ABC capped off this bland night with repeat theatrical Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire at just 3.52 million viewers (#4) and a 1.2/ 4 among adults 18-49 (#2) from 8-11 p.m.
I think ER's lowest ratings for the final season were 6.9 million, and the highest was the finale at over 16 million. There were a few 10+ million episodes towards the end but most others seem to have been between 7.5 and 9.5 million. Not sure if they had a Saturday repeat as well though, like we do. Southland's average is around 7.5 million per episode right now, just for the Thursday episode.
Sorry, I lost track of a couple of people's responses to comments I had made before! Thank you for your responses, whoever you were, LOL!
I still maintain my stance that, despite the recent low ratings, NBC would be foolish to kick Southland to the curb this early in the game. Compared to their other recent new shows, it has done very well. Keep the faith, ladies, keep the faith!
I am astounded that last week's episode had such "weak" ratings. I felt it was the best episode yet, very well done and compelling...It certainly had ME on the edge of my seat! I guess there is no accounting for taste these days, hmmph!
Last edited by meganoster : 05-18-2009 at 05:40 AM.
Reason: extra smiley!
We may see plenty of the Bilson and the Barton out and about, but it makes a refreshing change to see one of the lovely Orange County boys on the red carpet. Looking a world away from on-screen bad boy Ryan Atwood, Benjamin McKenzie made a rare public outing to check out the latest film in the Terminator franchise, which is directed by McG - who coincidentally is the same man behind The OC.
'Southland' (10PM, NBC) 1st season finale
The cop drama's been given a second-season greenlight, so it's worth it to get further invested as the season wraps with the murder of a gang member. Cooper, Brown, Dewey and Sherman ('O.C.' star Benjamin McKenzie, who's won us over again with his latest TV role) find the body of a Marta's Avenue gang member in the trunk of a car outside Dodger Stadium, which is going to keep them wrapped up with an investigation, while Salinger continues to fret over his increasingly strained relationship with his daughter. And with Bryant (Shawn Hatosy) worried about his ability to keep teen witness Janilla safe, he convinces Lydia (the already Emmy-worthy Regina King) to let her crash at her house.
Another article on Ben from another Singapore (online) paper.
CS: You're currently attached to direct a story that every college sociology freshman learns, Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment. This is another fascinating, iconic historical event, dealing with issues of authority, power, and obeying orders. What specifically attracted you to it?
McQuarrie: I got involved in it through a friend of mine, Tim Talbott, who's a writer, oddly enough wrote for "South Park." He was attached to this project and asked me to come on as a producer. I knew very little about it going in. Like most historical subjects I just have the kernel of the idea. I went from developing it with him to writing it with him, and finally they asked me to direct it. I was about to go off and do that movie when "Valkyrie" happened. A few years later I'm able to think about getting back to it.
CS: Again there's the issue of relevancy. Are you going to draw parallels to things like Abu Ghraib or do you think the audience can find those contemporary connections themselves?
McQuarrie: I'll put it to you this way: A guy with a smock that barely covers his crotch and a bag over his head… do I have to draw a parallel? I don't think so. (laughs) You literally don't have to make one allusion to it for people to say, "Oh my God, this is Abu Ghraib." What's amazing is that Zimbardo actually went and testified on behalf of one of the guards at Abu Ghraib and basically described how you can't put human beings in this situation. In these conditions they will behave in one of three ways. They will become one of three types that the guards in the prison experiment were. I don't care who you are, and I say it about myself: put me in those conditions I would become one of those three people, and I'm just terrified to know which of those three I would be. That's really what the movie says, it forces us to ask ourselves, "Who would you have been in this experiment?" You would have been somebody, you wouldn't have been yourself anymore. What's really unfortunate is there is no one in the experiment you can look to and say, "I hope I handle it like him."
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If you pursue the pop-culture thing and indulge yourself in it, go to all the events and get yourself on the cover of Us Weekly every week, that fame is fleeting,It's not a road you can navigate for a long time. People get tired of you and you burn out. Ben Mckenzie
I 
Ben!!!!!!! 
there is so much that you can do in an elevator 
