Author => Diane

Interview with Matthew Grant Godbey by @Phillydi

@David Carlson

Matthew Grant Godbey plays our favorite recurring LAPD Detective Dan Evans on NCIS Los Angeles…. after Marty Deeks that is! Godbey has guest starred in three of the most popular fan favorite episodes Blye K, Stand Off and Missing. He returns this year for the 100^th episode, Reznikov, N. to reprise his role as Detective Evans working alongside Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J. I had a chance to talk with Matthew about his varied career as an actor, writer and filmmaker. As with most creative people, it’s no surprise that he has other creative talents especially as an accomplish painter who has had his paintings shown in galleries in Los Angeles, New York and Amsterdam. Matthew always has a great time returning to the set of NCISLA and we got a chance to find out more about his career and his time spent on set with the cast and crew. Welcome Matthew to the NCISLA familia!

It seems your creativity has no boundaries and you wear many hats: actor, producer, writer, designer, and artist. Is there one area where you began your artistic journey?

I was always an artist. I had that talent from as long as I can remember as far as being a painter and drawing. I always thought that was what I was going to be from an early age. I’m from Cincinnati and locally I dabbled in acting and modeling as something fun on the side. I got a late start in acting professionally because of working locally but I started to do some theatre for fun and fell in love with the collaborative aspect of art whereas the painter works alone in a studio and it’s kind of a lonesome pursuit. I still do both and I’m very serious about both but I really enjoy getting out of the studio and collaborating with other people. I was probably close to 30 before I considered myself a professional actor or a union actor.

Do you wear a lot of those hats at the same time or do you go in phases?

I go in phases because it just depends on what I have going on and this year is a perfect example. I had an art show was running through most of last year and into 2013 and then I booked a couple of acting gigs and my show closed down as well and then all of a sudden I got some commissioned art work to do and so I was involved in that very heavily. After I finished this work I went back to the acting. I did a film and then this episode and had done a short film and now I started taking it to some festivals and got into the producing side of things. I get consumed with one thing at a time but I jump back and forth.

What area do you enjoy the most?

I find acting the most enjoyable. It’s play to me….especially after I studied the craft and I knew what I was doing and I wasn’t out there guessing. At that point it becomes freedom to play. I do my work prior and then when I’m on set it becomes play time. I enjoy the acting process. In terms of producing the reward factor is very high because it is the most difficult thing that I do. It’s rewarding to see something through and it’s a pretty cool accomplishment and it’s a collaborative art and get to feel a satisfaction of working together with other people.

Your art work is very striking….I love your use of color. How did you develop your style?

I think it just came from thousands of hours in the studio; it just came to discover my style through accident and experimentation. I think I started the style I’ve become known for around the late 1990’s and stuck with it and trying to push it to its limits.

@Jacqueline Nivens

Let’s put on your actor hat…. You are returning as Dan Evans in a recurring role that spans over 5 episodes since season two. Other than the stars of the show, this is a rare occurrence. What changes have you seen over the course of the show?

The biggest thing I’ve seen from my limited time on set is the friendships and relationships between the characters and the show not primarily focusing on the procedure at hand of catching the bad guys. These relationships of these main characters have developed and their love for one another. There is so much more humor involved in the show today than there was five years ago. I’m also happy to be involved in the 100^th episode that Shane (Brennan) wrote which made me feel very grateful and very proud that he chose me to be in his episode and it was an honor.

It must have been very electric on set for this episode?

Everybody was excited and in a good mood. They had a party with cake and even at the read through there was so much excitement and the most applause I ever heard at a read through. Everybody was definitely excited and excited that Shane wrote it. It really does come from the top down because he is such a great creator and leader of his people and makes everybody feel appreciated and part of a family.

What’s it like working on the NCISLA set?

It’s definitely more of a family atmosphere. People are not running to their trailer between takes or opening a book or their iPad. They talk…. they joke. Chris and LL are constantly cutting on one another and having a good time. Those two get a kick out of rousing one another and it’s just a really loving, fun atmosphere. They make everyone feel welcome. It’s the type of thing that makes you want to be in the industry and a part of it.

@Jacqueline Nivens

Can you talk a little about what your character will be doing in his return and do you have any stories you can share?

I’m a liaison getting to the crime scene which is usually the case, prior to the NCIS crew and so I’m briefing them prior to what’s going on before them going in the crime scene. Sometimes, there are more personal things going on like in a past episode Deeks and I have a history and I’m telling him it’s not a good idea and he threatens me because he apparently saw me messing around with the chief’s daughter. So he kind of blackmailed me into having access. So sometimes it’s more involved and sometimes it’s letting them know what took place, informational wise.

This time I’m in the scene working with Miguel and Todd but I have heard rumors they want to delve into Deeks’ past with the LAPD and there may be stuff coming up that involves me with that. I think it would be a good avenue to explore in regards to his past and find out how he came to this point today.

We don’t get to talk much about Miguel Ferrer, what was it like working with him? I hear he is a very sweet guy.

He is so sweet and we talked forever. I know his cousin George Clooney too. He use to visit Cincinnati all the time and I’m from there. He use to spend a lot of his childhood in Cincinnati and still has relatives there.

We also have memories of Coney Island and of the amusement park and going to the racetrack and we talked forever about it. He was a joy to work with, a very nice, pleasant person.

I was standing there with Miguel, Todd and Chris, getting ready to do a scene and Chris walks up to Miguel and says, “Please just don’t look me in the eye.” And I said to Chris, “What about me?” And he said, “You just can’t talk to me!” He was playing the super star, who demands only green M&Ms….he was playing the diva with all of us so it was kind of funny.

I spent time with Chris and Todd, Eric, Daniela and Renee and all of them socially. They are all so easy to get along with because I have hung out with them socially on more than one occasion and they are just terrific and love to joke around like that and they are fun, good people who help create a great atmosphere, who Shane, from the top down creates as well. Chis and Todd are so present with you they are so engaged with you. I told one of the crew members that you need to appreciate this because this is one of the best atmospheres you may ever have on a television show. Chris and Todd, who are the number one and two people on the set are just such good, genuine people to work with in the business.

What was it like working with the director, Tony Warmby?

Tony is very warm, easygoing. He’s very precise with his direction. Nothing was abstract and I could tell exactly what he wanted. He would give you direction in a very personal manner which makes you feel special and a part of it all and he knows what he wants. He’s talented and has been around the block. He’s a pro and things just go so quickly because he knows what he wants and he gets it right away.

Tell us about Blood Moon? Is it still being shown at festivals?

Yes, I’ll probably continue making the round of festivals for the remainder of this year. It’s a very dark film about this normal guy and his transformation. His wife and son have been abducted by a serial killer and he is frustrated with the police and he decides to start looking for the killer himself. He comes across other serial killers and starts to kill them the same way he is killing their victims. So it’s all about his transformation and can you turn the good guy into the bad guy and do circumstances cause that? It’s a 30 minute film and Linda Hunt narrates in the beginning of the film. I’d also like to do a feature version from the short.

What’s up next for you?

I just did a film a few months ago that I can’t talk about yet. But I’m auditioning and getting ready to go back into the studio and do some painting. I’m looking into do a show. I visited some galleries in Los Angeles, Chicago and I’m looking in New York. Probably early next year, February or March.

A big thank you goes out to Matthew for joining us to talk about his time on set. We had a fun talk and really look forward to his return on the 100^th episode again as Dan Evans!

You can find out more about Matthew by visiting his web site: http://matthewgodbey.com, or IMDB page. He’s also on Twitter: @MatthewGodbey

Exclusive Interview

Decidedly Deeks Mini Fan Fic!

@DeeksFreak

Bummed

by Sweet Lu

They smelled him before they saw him. He limped into the bullpen and Sam was the first one to cover his nose and mouth and retreat, followed quickly by Kensi and Callen. Deeks pulled the watch cap from his head and reached out to grab the edge of Sam’s desk. Callen quickly noticed that his signature “Homeless Guy” outfit was not only filthy, but torn and bloody and he moved to help him, steering him over to the couch.

“Don’t you sit down until you take off those disgusting clothes,” Sam instructed. “I like that couch and if you sit on it the way you smell, it’ll have to be fumigated.”

Deeks laughed, wincing as he shrugged off his oversized coat, a shredded scarf and a stained sweater vest, finally left standing in a worn t-shirt and ragged jeans.

“If you want my pants off, I’m gonna need help,” he said, but no one made a move, even Kensi, who still had her nose pinched shut.

Sam rolled Deeks’ desk chair over and pointed at it and Deeks sat down and groaned.

“What happened?” Callen asked.

“This is embarrassing,” Deeks said as he examined three nasty looking scratches on his left arm. His bloody right knee was showing through his ripped jeans and he sucked in his breath as he touched the darkening bruise on his forehead.

“I’ve been feeding this feral cat while doing surveillance and today he got stuck up on top of some wooden pallets. So, I climbed up to rescue him.”

“Are you crazy?” Sam asked.

“I grabbed him, but he started fighting and scratching,” Deeks said sheepishly. “I slipped and the stack of pallets collapsed and I crashed into the side of a dumpster.”

Sam edged over and lifted his chin, checking his eyes.

“You landed on your head, didn’t you?” he asked. “You’ve got a concussion. Because of a cat.”

“Why didn’t you call?” Kensi demanded.

“Other than being too embarrassed?” he asked. “A few of my homeless buddies took advantage of the situation and mugged me. They got my phone and your Twinkies. Besides, you probably wouldn’t have let me in your car.”

“The cost of a new phone will come out of your paycheck, Mr. Deeks,” Hetty said sharply. “Now we have a problem. Someone will have to take your place. We still need that intel.”

She looked from Callen to Sam and then at Deeks, whose face suddenly broke into a broad smile.

“No, no, Hetty. Not one of us,” Sam said quickly. “We’re Special Agents.”

“Mr. Deeks, I’ll need your expertise,” Hetty said. “Which one of my ‘special agents’ would make the better bum?”

“You’re serious,” Callen said, backing away.

“Who’s it to be, Mr. Deeks?” she asked.

Both agents turned to look at Kensi, who immediately left, leaving the two men staring down at a smiling Marty Deeks.

“Not sure about either one,” he said seriously, cocking an eyebrow. “Sam’s built and doesn’t look like he’s ever missed a meal while Callen looks too clean cut. We’d have to muddy up their teeth and both would need to rub some dirt into their skin and under their fingernails, maybe douse their clothes in cheap whiskey to hide their fresh, dainty smell.”

“I’ll send someone to the local thrift store for a couple of outfits,” Hetty said. “They can both dress up and strut their stuff. Then you can decide.”

“America’s Next Top Model meets Bum Dynasty,” Deeks laughed.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Callen asked.

“Oh yeah,” Deeks said, grinning. “It’s not as easy as I make it look.”

decidedly deeks

Decidedly Deeks Developments – Impact (5×2)

Deeks_Developments_5.02
>> read the text version of the post here <<

Interview with Patti Yasutake by @Phillydi

Patti Yasutake and Jonathan Frakes go way back or should we say far into the future? This week the two former colleagues reunited when Patti guest starred on Impact, the latest episode of NCIS Los Angeles, which was also directed by Frakes. Yasutake and Frakes once worked together on the long running series, Star Trek the Next Generation where she played Nurse Alyssa Ogawa. This time Frakes was behind the camera and we had a chance to talk to Patti about her experience on the NCISLA set and working again with Frakes. Patti has had a long career in television and film which includes her work on The Closer, Bones, Grey’s Anatomy T.J. Hooker and Star Trek. Patti has recently come full circle upon returning to the stage after a long hiatus. Let’s find out more about her career and the time she spent on set. Welcome Patti Yasutake to the NCISLAfamilia!

You have been quite busy throughout your career working in both film and television. What pulled you towards the performing arts and how did you get started in the business?

I have always felt profoundly connected to the performing arts, because they can reveal, illuminate and most uniquely share our humanity like nothing else can. As both a woman and person of color, I felt limitations, so the need to express was all the greater. I was a bit of a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ and didn’t seem to have a passion for one particular thing. But I found the performing arts invited using everything you could possibly bring to the creative process, and so that process became the passion. I had graduated UCLA Theater Arts with honors, but didn’t see a professional future. I ended up working on the business side of entertainment for major managers and producers. I missed theater, so I returned to it at night with East West Players, the premiere Asian American theater and now longest running professional theater of color. I quit my day job and for 6 years worked with them, doing everything from acting in over a dozen shows to doing staff, crew and Board work. All the opportunities they provided to gain experience and network helped me obtain my professional footing. I earned my union cards through them, which led to working for top regional theaters, and in film and television.

You are best known for your role on Star Trek TNG as Nurse Ogawa. (Always a reassuring presence in sickbay!) What are some of your memories working on that series?

Feeling humbled by spandex! Not so much the padded bras, but definitely the spandex. When they realized I was coming back often enough to warrant a personal uniform – zipper in the back, not in front anymore – I got such a custom fit, I almost passed out the first day I worked in it. I also remember it became my own curiosity to see how many other places besides sick bay my character would appear. I never got transported, but maybe I would’ve ended up the one who didn’t come back, so perhaps just as well. I’ll always remember my first day working on that show – when I entered the soundstage, even though I first saw all the sets from behind, it was still wondrous and exciting to walk around to the front of them and realize I was on the Enterprise.

Can you tell us a little bit about your character on NCISLA? Which members of the cast do you work with on screen?

I play Chief Howard of the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board), who’s in charge of the crash investigation. My main scene was with Callen, who’s conducting their investigation. Chris O’Donnell was so nice, and I appreciated how he looks to enhance each moment creatively.

What was your experience like on the NCISLA set? Can you share any fun stories about your time on set?

It was fun, and I enjoyed it. Everyone from cast to crew was warm and supportive. On such a pleasant set, it was easier to ignore things like how hot it was. It was amusing that some of the crew were surprised to see me cast in the role, because their expectation of “Chief Howard” was a tall, older Caucasian male. I love when casting sees and reflects how diverse people really are, especially when they inspire and challenge what is possible.

What was it like reuniting with Jonathan Frakes as director? What is his directing style like?

I LOVE working with Jonathan Frakes! Pretty full circle, since the first scene I shot for Star Trek TNG I was acting with him, and the last TNG scene I shot was directed by him. It had been years since I saw him, but at the audition he gave me a big wonderful bear hug! He epitomizes the everlasting TNG family feeling. I always enjoy seeing something he’s directed because in his storytelling he mines the personal connections between characters, especially with humor. And there always seems to be an energetic rhythm in his work, which seems to reflect his calm efficiency and focus coupled with his playful enthusiasm and creativity, which is wonderfully infectious.

What’s up next for Patti Yasutake? Tell us about your next project?

After many years, I returned to the stage. I’m in the last 2 weeks of an Asian American version of “Steel Magnolias” at East West Players in Downtown Los Angeles. I’m playing “M’Lynn”, whom Sally Field portrayed in the film. The play has a very different feeling than the film, because it all takes place in the beauty shop. The audience is like a fly on the wall to the sanctuary of the shop, where the women can be their most raucous and personal selves. In fact, our most vocal responses have been from the men enjoying being privy to that world. What most people don’t know is that there are a great many Asian Americans living in the South, so this version is grounded in the truths of that experience. It’s another full circle event for me, given that I started my career at East West Players. The company’s big goal back then was to have a professional union house, and now I’m playing it. It’s been a joy to be back in the theater exercising the full range of comedy to drama, which this play wonderfully provides. It brings me back to what I love about the performing arts – sharing our most heart-felt humanity

Many thanks go out to Patti for taking the time to drop by NCISLA Magazine and answering a few of our questions. You can find out more about Patti by going to her IMDB page.

Exclusive Interview

Impact (5X02) Review by Phillydi

@cbs

IMPACT (5X02)

WRITTEN BY: Sara Servi and R. Scott Gemmill
DIRECTED BY: Jonathan Frakes

Last week’s episode was an emotional roller coaster rider for most fans of the show. If I had to go by the comments from my last review of Ascension, I would say you were all pretty taken back by all the raw emotions (or lack thereof by certain team members) that were displayed on screen last week. But frankly, Deeks’ reaction to the violence he encountered hit a nerve with everyone on that team, even if they all had different ways of showing it. According to Shane Brennan, Impact takes place four months AS (After Sidorov) and Deeks is not handling the ordeal any better than when Kensi first found him in the Mission carrying that box around in a dazed stupor. It’s time to bring in the big guns, and Nate Getz returns to grace the Mission halls once again in order to help the team get back on its feet. But will it be enough?

But life goes on and the team has to concentrate on their new case…the death of a former maverick Navy Admiral and journalist who were killed in a plane crash. Sam feels ready to take on the new case but Hetty has sent in Nate for one finally screening of the durable Sam Hanna who is tired of shrinks and ready to serve. But Hetty knows the downside of not being fully vigilant when taking care of the body and convinces Sam to meet with Nate. Sam wants the whole thing to be over and done with and feels uncomfortable by how nice everyone has been to him….actually too nice. Nate tries to explain how trauma works but Sam is a practical man. To survive is to let go. Although he fears what any future damage can do to him….for now the hard part is over. Not so with Deeks.

Hetty has a little visit with the off the grid Deeks and tries her best to understand what horrors he is still reliving. (Will somebody please tell me what she was doing hiding behind those curtains?) In the end she has to lay her cards on the table. She needs Deeks back or the team will have to go on permanently without him. But Hetty is worried and realizes there is a violent storm going on in Deeks’ head. He’s going to need more than relaxation tapes and Hetty doesn’t want him back if he can’t return as the Deeks we all know and love. That could be a tall order.

Meanwhile, Kensi is partnered with Callen at the scene of the crash and laments that she can’t get through to Deeks, even leaving cronuts on his doorstep. Callen tries to reassure her but neither of them really knows the full toll the violence has taken on their respective partners.

At the crash site, the plane’s black box is missing. Nell discovers that there was also a journalist (Jason Carter) on board who had been writing about the war in Afghanistan and was also the ghost writer of the Admiral’s memoirs. Eric is right….someone doesn’t want this book published. Callen and Kensi finds Carter’s apartment has been burned and gutted and his stunned girlfriend has no answers as to why someone might want him dead. Eric discovers that all of Carter’s virtual information has been erased leaving the man a ghost of his former self. On top of that, the block box was stolen proving that the crash was sabotage.

A digital recorder is found in the plane debris with talks of cover ups and war crimes by people who would kill to keep those kinds of secrets. The culprits were able to sabotage the tower’s communications systems and the jet’s instrument systems. Even Eric is amazed by their tech savvy. Callen decides to bait the killers by using the media and Carter’s girlfriend as the source for further damaging information. No surprise the killers take the bait and the sting is a success. I loved Callen being able to read the mind of one of the assassins…he must have been right on by the look on the guy’s face! The raid caught the small fish which hopefully will lead them one day to the larger fish and ultimately those responsible for the crime.

Solving this crime was just the backdrop to the larger issue of trying to get the team back on it’s feet again as a working unit. After Sam, Nate knows he had his work cut out for him. The conversation been Deeks and Nate was real and very raw. Deeks knows he’s in big trouble and has no faith in Nate’s help because he can’t even help himself! Deeks has always been able to survive on brains and instinct his whole life but this is a different ballgame. The trauma is bringing up everything now, even events that go back to his childhood days. The Post Traumatic Stress is kicking in big time and Nate tries to explain how it works and how long it will last but his explanation is not very comforting to Deeks. Nate tries to draw Deeks into talking about his partnership with Kensi and what it means to him. It seems finding the answer to that question may be Deeks way out of the long dark tunnel he’s in. Is he too close to return to Kensi? Why? Is he ashamed as to what happened? Is this what this is all about? It was a heartbreaking conversation all around.

Food, horror movies and cronuts…the recipe that finally gets Deeks to sleep. I assume Nate later encouraged Kensi to visit with Deeks and Deeks took Nate’s conversation to heart as well and opens his front door to let her in. But why didn’t Kensi think to do this a whole lot sooner?? She might have saved the poor man months of sleepless nights! There were so many great lines between the two of them here…too many to record. The most important thing was Kensi was able to reestablish the trust that was lost between her and her partner, allowing Deeks to relax and drift off into sleep. This was probably the sweetest scene ever filmed between the two of them and it warms the heart. Such a huge contrast to the last few episodes. But don’t let this fool you. Deeks still has a long ways to go…and there’s a long season ahead of us too. So what happens next? I hope it’s a love story but at least for now we can all take a big breath in and exhale.

Show Highlights:

Eric trying to walk in big boy pants had me reliving an old Monty Python sketch. So much fun!
There was a lot of tough love going around in Hetty’s heart-to-heart with Deeks. More of a maternal talk than supervisor, wouldn’t you say?
Eric certainly does have a death wish after calling the cam hidden in the garden gnome a Hetty cam! Miss Lange was not amused!

Best Lines for the Show:

Deeks: Hetty! What are you doing?

Hetty: I thought I would brave the monsoon to come check on you?

Deeks: Storm sounds make it easier for you to fall asleap..so…

Hetty: Are you having trouble sleeping?

Deeks: Yeah, I’d say I have a little case of insomnia.

Hetty: Probably all that clenching and releasing. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, you’ve been busy!

Hetty: Always eat your carrots, Mr Hanna!

Eric: This is some serious voodoo. I’m talking black bag, Kung Foo, ninja warrior assassin black bag.

Callen: Do you have any idea what he’s saying?

Kensi: I really don’t but I think it’s bad.

Callen: Either that or his motherboard is fried.

Sam: I want a job where it’s an accomplishment to leave my pants on.

Eric: I have sensitive thighs.

Callen: He has sensitive thighs.

Bromance Moments:

Glad to see the banter is back and in full force with Sam and Callen:

Callen: What did Nate have to say?

Sam: Same old shrink mombo jumbo

Callen: If you ever had sexual fantasies about your mom, do you ever wear her clothes when she’s not home, that sort of thing?

Sam: What? What the hell are you talking about? He asked you that kind of stuff before?

Callen: Yeah, but that’s normal shrink stuff?

Sam: Are you messing with me?

Callen: I’m not messing with you!

Sam: Don’t be messing with me on my first day back!

Densi Moments:

So what’s going on with Kensi? Is she really thinking of dating and did she already forget Deeks’ kiss or words of endearment from four months ago? Kensi is a complicated woman, and you can’t judge her by her outward actions. The real stuff is hidden deep under all that emotional armor. Besides the abandonment issues leftover from Jack and her father, Deeks has also told her he just wants to get away from everything and everybody. Kensi is probably thinking… oh boy, here we go again. So, she forgets the kiss ever happen and marches on like a good little soldier instead of getting hurt. What complicates Kensi’s actions even more is that she is also a federal cop who keeps the world safe by being invulnerable. Vulnerability equals death…so most law enforcement officials armor up, both mentally and physically in order to go out and perform their jobs affectively. When loves enters the picture, it’s sometimes hard to remove that cloak of invulnerability but in Kensi’s case she wraps it around closer, shuts down and isolates herself from all emotions. Kensi finds it easier to push back on Deeks’ declaration of love… his vulnerable side, than to go to that scary place. She will have to learn that to wake up every day and love someone is a very soul bearing thing to do and she is just not able to make that happen yet. In the last scene, Kensi takes a bold step forward in removing that cloak of invulnerability. If the two are ever to have any chance of love story together she has to continue to let Deeks see that other side of her that she keeps hidden deep inside. The question is… is it too late for any hope of a relationship due to her inability to express her love or is Deeks too damaged to accept it? And the speculation continues…….

Neric Moments:

How cute was Eric sneaking his head around the post to try and listen in on Nell and Kensi’s dating conversation? Is Nell trying to make Eric jealous or is she having a hard time convincing herself that there’s a future with her colleague in Ops?
When Eric continues the interrogation of Nell’s dating habits in Ops, the two come close to taking that first step towards a date, but Eric chickens out… afraid of what answer he may get. This is going to take some time folks!
Eric and Nell are starting to behave like an old married couple. Nell has no problem calling him on the whole pants ordeal:

Nell: Eric, they are pants. People have been wearing them for thousands of years.

Eric: Oh, no….not my people! The Beals of the clan McBeals…

Nell: Now you’re Scottish?

Eric: As heather and haggis!

Nell: So why don’t you wear a kilt?

Eric: I do, I did, I used to until this little incident with Hetty. It’s easy to forget how short she is…her eye line is lower than you think….

Nell: I got it!

@cbs

It was great to find Jonathan Frakes behind the camera again. Check out our interview with Impact guest star, Patti Yasutake who reunited with Frakes in this week’s episode. Patti played Nurse Agawa on Star Trek, The Next Generation and she has some warm memories regarding working with Jonathan on the STTNG set and now together on NCISLA.

Come back next week for my review on Omni (5X03). See you then!

I can be found on Twitter: @Phillydi

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