[she.is.not.you]

this is my fav J/A scene too Ruby I love everything about that scene , it's perfect , and the song during this scene

[Lazy]

Great icons! I snagged some

[Ruby_Slippers]

Here is an interview with Wilson Cruz:

'My So-Called Life' Lessons Oh my, has it already been more than a decade since ABC's My So-Called Life warmed our crusty hearts with some of the most moving, thrilling depictions of beflannelled teen angst? The nuanced, casually paced MSCL practically pioneered the mingling of adolescent doldrums with such weightier topics as substance abuse and sexuality on modern TV, all without ever meandering into hokey after-school special territory. Since its debut in 1994, the show's 19 episodes have left a mark on everything from Party of Five to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to The O.C. Claire Danes took the lead, starring as the awkward Angela Chase — a 15-year-old forever crushing on Jared Leto's taciturn hottie Jordan Catalano — who was buoyed by a remarkable cast of misfits, among them tortured gay teen Rickie Vasquez, played by Wilson Cruz. To mark the DVD release of My So-Called Life: The Complete Series (see the EW review), EW spoke with a wistful Cruz, now 33, about how Rickie's coming out touched on his own life, his ''gay child,'' and how he feels all these years later about the show's abrupt cancellation. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Your character's coming out had a lot of resonance in your personal life. WILSON CRUZ: Yeah, you know, when I look back on that experience, it was really fortunate: Not only was I able to play that amazing part, but I got to relive all of those horrible experiences. [Laughs] And then walk away from them. It was really cathartic. Were you out prior to the show? I had to come out prior to the show, because I knew the question was going to come up playing [a gay] character. I didn't tell my parents until after we got picked up as a series. The whole point of that character was he was on this journey of self-acceptance, and if I wasn't on that journey as well, then I would be sending out the wrong message. I came out to my dad in Christmas of '94. It did not go well, and he kicked me out of the house. I ended up living in my car and some friends' couches.... I would call [my mom] during those few months, and tell her I was okay. But I never told her where I was. There was really very little she could do. What did your dad say? Uh, ''Get out.'' He couldn't deal with it. He didn't want to deal with it. And was disgusted with the whole thing. But it was actually because of [MSCL] that we reconciled. He ended up watching it and calling me. Which was about...exactly a year later. By the time he knew that what he did was wrong, I was already doing my own thing — and I wasn't ready to talk to him. [Laughs] I am my father's son, after all. On the show, Rickie was also kicked out of his house. Was this inspired by your experience? [Creator Winnie Holzman] and I recently talked about this. We can't remember if I told her first, or if she wrote it and then I told her that it happened to me. A lot of stuff happened like that on that show. It's bizarre. The school-dance episode could've been taken out of my life as well. You mean that scene at the dance when Rickie totally cut a flamboyant rug? The thing about me and school was that as much as I felt that I didn't belong, as long as I was on a stage or dancing, that's where I excelled the most, felt worthy. So that episode, where he takes off [dancing] and just doesn't give a damn about anything was a celebration. Completely liberating. For a brief moment, I'm just throwing caution into the wind. Did you also have straight girls awkwardly crushing on you in high school? [Laughs] Yeah, but you know what? I was still figuring it out. I had crushes on straight girls, too! That was such a sweet crush on the show. That moment at the very end of the series, when I tell [the character Delia] that I'm gay, and say it for the first time out loud, is so perfect. And she says, you know, that she knew. And it says a lot about what those relationships are like with straight girls and gay men. There's a bond there. Do you have a favorite scene? I do love the last scene when I finally say out loud that I'm gay. And I love the little scene with Jared in the Christmas episode. I run into him at the grocery store, and he asks me if I need to go somewhere. We have this scene in the car where he tells me his father hit him once, and we have this moment. Here is Rickie at his darkest moment, and here's someone else telling him about his darkest moment. Yes, what made the show so great were the hot-button topics. Rickie was abused, he was gay, he was also Latino. It's still pretty rare. I guess you've got Grey's Anatomy... And then there's Ugly Betty — which, by the way, is in the same time slot that we were in. And when I see that little boy on that show... Gay Justin! I think he's my gay child. Or Rickie's gay child. Although they haven't even said he's gay yet. That's interesting. My So-Called Life depicted a tragic gay teen, but now we're seeing an adolescent who's sort of celebrated for being presumably gay. Yes! In the very first episode, there's a shot of him with his hand on his hip, and we see him from behind watching the football game, like, ''What is this?'' I fell on the floor laughing so hard. He's a brilliant character, and I think [Mark Indelicato] is doing the most amazing job. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: My So-Called Life never got the ratings, but why do you think pop-culture-wise it's still relevant? WILSON CRUZ: It definitely took place in the '90s — we can watch that and know that — but the issues that we were dealing with, the emotions, were very universal.... When you were a teenager, everything's kind of drawn in primary colors; everything's big, and everything's life or death.... We could've placed that [series] in the '70s, and it would've been the same show. I also love the way Winnie incorporated the adults into the show. You also saw that even though these teenagers were dealing with these issues, when you grow up you're still going to be dealing with them. Like Angela's mom. Right. Having Angela's mom be insecure about the way she looks around the same time that Angela was insecure about her looks — I loved that. We all think that we grow out of these teen emotions, but we don't. We just deal with the same issues all over again, in different ways, as adults. Then why didn't people watch the show? It was too honest. I think people come home, and they turn on the TV and don't necessarily want a mirror in their face. They want to escape. Where do you see the impact in TV shows today? I see definite hints of it in Friday Night Lights, which I love. Where? In the writing. In nuance. In the performances. First season, they were so subtle. And [My So-Called Life alum] Jason Katims is writing on that show. It just feels like the Texas cousin to My So-Called Life. The way it's shot. Just the angst of it all. A lot of your cast was starting out career-wise. Was it a little like deer-in-the-headlights on set? It was very easy to shoot. It was probably the most efficient set I think we'd ever been on. And it's because we knew how good it was and wanted to live up to the material. Everyone was taking it seriously, but it was still fun. Were you friends? Oh, absolutely. We'd have sleepovers at Claire's. And Devon Odessa [who played Sharon] and I would always hang out; she was my buddy. We'd always end up at A.J. Langer's [Rayanne] house and her mom would cook for us. It was like being in high school. Do you keep in touch with anyone? We all run into each other. I ran into Jared Leto at restaurants around town. Claire and I ran into each other at an awards ceremony. It's like running into old war buddies. 'Cause there's only six other kids in the world who would understand what it was like to be on the show. There was all that talk of Claire not wanting to renew her contract. How did that feel when it was going down? The thing is, the producers kept all that from us. We didn't know if that was true or not. We just kinda knew that the ratings weren't great. I actually didn't find out that was true until an article, I think, in your magazine. Up until that point it was all speculation. But even as speculation, didn't it bum you out? Absolutely. I was angry, I was disappointed. But, you know...she was 15. It's a lot of pressure to put on a 15-year-old girl. And everyone was telling her she was going to be a movie star. What would any of us do? You mentioned in EW's MSCL oral history that they'd pulled the plug so many times that when it actually happened you were prepared. We weren't sure. We really weren't. Then there was a rumor that MTV might've picked it up. We talked to Winnie periodically. I think Devon and I had lunch with her and she let us know [when] it was definitely over, [that] we had to walk away and move on to other things. Yeah, like nerd Brian Krakow becoming a rapist on Felicity! Right. That's it! Now it's done! One thing that still bugs me and many fans is that we never fully got closure from that last episode. No? At the very end, when Angela takes off with Jordan, even though Brian secretly wrote that love note to her. Oh, Nisha, you got closure. But Brian wrote that letter! Not Jordan! And Angela knows it. In that last moment when we see her looking out the window of Jordan Catalano's car, she's not looking at Jordan, she's looking at Brian. And she still drove off with Jordan. Mm-hmm. But that's the best part.

[she.is.not.you]

thanks for posting this Ruby

Where do you see the impact in TV shows today? I see definite hints of it in Friday Night Lights, which I love.

I agree with this FNL is one of the best shows right now

[Arbogast]

Yes please add me

[Ruby_Slippers]

NP! I love interviews with the cast.

Added buffygirl_uk !

[Lelly]

Even today, Jordan Catalano still makes my heart beat a little faster. I can't help but love everything about him. Even when he's pressuring Angela to sleep with him, even when he cheated on her, somehow I still love him. My favorite JCat line has to be when Angela signs him up for tutoring and when she comes to ask how he's doing he respond with this gem: "If you had sex with me... I would feel alot better." *She starts laughing* "So that's a no?"

AW. I miss MSCL! Angela/Jordan FTW!

[Ruby_Slippers]

Lelly , woujld you like to be added?

even when he cheated on her

Did Jordan really cheat on Angela tho? They weren't together. It was def. a betrayl but...

I still shipped them too. He was so sorry.

[keep the starlight]

One of favorite scenes of the series was the scene with Angela and Rickie outside the dance.

Rickie: "The other half is, like, you know, the tough half." Angela: "Which is?" Rickie: "Which is, like, just... You know. That I belong nowhere, with no one. That I don't fit."

I totally cried.

[*PassionateJ*]

OMG one of my favorite shows Jordan Great OP!

Can I be added?

[Lelly]

Yes, I would love to be added! And good point, Ruby Slippers, JA were only together for one episode and the whole Rayanne//Jordan thing happened later. It really wasn't cheating, which is probably why it didn't bother me!

[Ruby_Slippers]

Added you both!

I love that scene with Ricky- he was so vunerable and sad.

Thanks jessica3311 ! It's still a work in progress.

Lelly, I really felt for Angela tho. And I wanted her and Rayanne to be friends again. The good thing about it tho- is that we got to see how much Jordan really did like her.

[V-Nessa]

Add me please?

[Ruby_Slippers]

Added!

I had no idea there were so many MSCL fans on . It warms my heart.

[Ruby_Slippers]

MSCL got #4!

The 20 Greatest High School Shows Of All Time: 10. The Degrassi Series When it ran: 1983 – Present Starring: Various Canadian Actors….none of which you would probably know! Kevin Smith and Alanis Morissette did both make appearances! The Plot: We began at Degrassi Junior High, where we followed a group of real-life teens through their everyday teenage problems. After the Junior High was burn down, following a dance, we moved onto High School. Degrassi tackled serious issues, such as a teenager’s decision to pursue an abortion, divorce, homosexuality and AIDS. Several Canadian-episodes were censored in the US, these episodes followed the character Erica to an abortion clinic. Degrassi: The Next Generation still airs with new episodes and truly has spanned to a new generation of viewers. It airs in the US on The N Network. The Series recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary. 9. Buffy the Vampire Slayer When it ran: 1997 – 2003 Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan and David Borneauz The Plot: The series follows Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) as she is the current, in a long line of young female vampire slayers. Slayers are chosen by fate to battle against vampires, demons and other forces of darkness. Like previous Slayers, Buffy is aided by a Watcher, who guides and trains her. Unlike her predecessors, Buffy surrounds herself with a circle of loyal friends who become known as the “Scooby Gang”. Buffy also generated a spin-off “Angel” starring David Boreanaz. 8. Dawson’s Creek When it ran: 1998 – 2003 Starring: James Van Deer Beek, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Michelle Williams The Plot: We follow the stories of Dawson Leery, Joey Potter, Pacey Witter and Jen Lindley as they discover themselves and grow-up with each other. Tormented by her relationship with Dawson, Joey’s constant them was always Dawson or Pacey? The Creek was great until they graduated from high school…then like most high school-based shows it did stall a little. These 4 actors have all gone on to have strong careers…apparently they didn’t want for their lives to be over….Now you can’t stop singing it! 7. That 70’s Show When it ran: 1998 – 2006 Starring: Topher Grace, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Laura Prepon, Wilmer Valderrama and Danny Masterson The Plot: : A group of friends muddle through life growing-up during the 70s. Oh and they live in Wisconsin! That 70s show with a GREAT ensemble cast made us laugh at loud every week! From their fabulous bell bottoms to their infamous show-ending “circle” That 70s show launched its cast into the limelight. Topher Grace, Ashton Kutcher, Laura Prepon, Mila Kunis, Wilmer Valderrama and Danny Masterson all became fixtures in today’s PopCulture because of the success of That 70s Show!! 6. Saved by the Bell When it ran: 1989 – 1993 Starring: Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Dusin Diamond, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Lark Voorhies, Elizabeth Berkley, Dennis Haskins The Plot: Trouble maker Zack Morris made every day comedic at the fictional Bayside High. Set in California, Morris was aided by his buds Screech, Kelly, Jessie, Lisa, and “frenemy” AC Slater in stirring up trouble for Mr. Belding (Dennis Haskins) in Bayside’s hallowed halls. Saved by the Bell went on to college (Saved by the Bell: College Years) and back to Bayside (Saved by the Bell: The New Class), but fans and ratings proved that nothing would ever top the original! We wouldn’t be doing Saved by the Bell justice if we failed to mention the theme song. How many of you know all the words? One of the BEST TV theme songs! 5. Beverly Hills, 90210 (The Original) When it ran: 1990 – 2000 Starring: Jason Priestly, Shannon Doherty, Luke Perry, Jennie Garth, Ian Zering, Tori Spelling, Brian Austin Green, Gabrielle Carteris The Plot: If you were in high school in the early 90’s you wanted your zip code to be 90210! When the series first started we meet Brandon and Brenda Walsh who have relocated from Minnesota to the Sunny-life of Beverly Hills! The series followed The Walsh kids and their close group of friends’ experience all that high school has to offer! You could always count on your 90210 hour to be filled with lots of drama! 90210 did tackle some serious issues along the way and always kept teen themes in the forefront of each episode. In the later years the show become a revolving door for the actors and they did replace some characters but NOTHING will ever take the place of the original, Brandon, Brenda, Donna, Kelly, Steve, Andrea, Dylan and David! 4. My So-Called Life When it ran: 1994 – 1995 Starring: Claire Danes, A.J. Langer, Wilson Cruz and Devon Gummersall The Plot: A cult-classic that for some reason was canned after only ONE season, My So-Called Life was a GREAT teen drama. Dealing with common issues of the mid-nineties like AIDS and Gay-rights, “Life” also dealt with sex, alcohol and parental relationships. The show portrayed the teen years as difficult, fun and sometimes filled with irrelevant experiences! Great show….not really sure why it was canceled after one season?! 3. The Wonder Years When it ran: 1998 – 1993 Starring: Fred Savage, Jason Hervey, Danica McKellar, Dan Lauria, Alley Mills, Josh Saviano The Plot: Ahhhh…Winnie Cooper? Do we need to say anything else? Set in the late 1960s, The Wonder Years, tackled the social and political issues of its time, all through the eyes of Kevin Arnold. He also deals with the typical family drama of any American teenager! We are granted the wisdom of being older and wiser as the series was narrated by the “Adult” Kevin (Voice provided by Daniel Stern). The Wonder Years was won 22 awards, was nominated for an additional 54 and created the comedy-drama that we know today! Again…like many other shows on the list a GREAT theme song! 2. Freaks and Geeks When it ran: 1999 – 2000 Starring: Linda Cardellini, Jason Segel, Seth Rogan, James Franco The Plot: Long before Pineapple Express, James Franco, Seth Rogen and Jason Segel were stirring up laughs. Freaks and Geeks, offered a new twist on the regular adolescent woes, sex, drugs, alcohol, and acceptance. Focusing on two main groups of students, the “freaks” led by Linda Cardenllini and the geeks, led by John Francis Daley, the show was a big hit among fans and critics. After it was cancelled after only 12 episodes, although 18 were filmed, a huge cult following formed! 1. Friday Night Lights When it ran: 2006 – Present Starring: Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Zach Gifford, Mika Kelly, Taylor Kitsch, Gaius Charles, Scott Porter, Adrianne Palicki, Jesse Plemons, Aimee Teegarden The Plot: Do you love football? Then you SHOULD be watching and loving Friday Night Lights. Based loosely on the Book Friday Night Lights, this fantastic ensemble cast brings to life the town of Dillon, Texas. A small West-Texas town obsessed with one thing and one thing only: Dillon Panther Football. Lead by Coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) we have seen the Dylan Panthers be devastated with the loss of their star-quarterback, Jason Street, pick up the pieces with Matt Saracen, run the ball with the phenom Brian “Smash” Williams and drink and party with Tim Riggins!! While these characters are fantastic don’t forget the ladies of Dillon, Tami Taylor hot wife of Coach Taylor, the vixen Tyra Collette, the cheerleader Lyla Garrity and the All-American girl, Julie Taylor. In our opinion here at Sugarslam, there is no better High School show! Remember, Clear Eyes, Full Hearts Can’t Lose!