Archive

Ask AfterEllen.com (June 17, 2009)

Want to know the status of a particular movie, TV show, or band? Wondering what a certain actress is up to these days? Send your entertainment-related questions to [email protected] – with your first name, city and country – and we’ll try to answer as many as we can.

Before we dive into answering new questions, I have an update on another question I answered recently: In a previous edition of Ask AfterEllen.com, a reader asked about the upcoming film Les Passages, starring Mary-Louise Parker and Julie Delpy. In my response to the question, I indicated that the film didn’t include lesbian content. Well I’ve never been more thrilled to be wrong.

Director Donna Vermeer recently sent me this message:

Just wanted to correct some misunderstandings in what you may have thought the storyline was. Mary-Louise Parker plays Catherine, a New York filmmaker, who falls in love with Anna, the actress she casts to play the role of her mother in the autobiographical film she is shooting. But she is a lesbian from the start ÔÇò the story opens as she moves to Paris to get over a painful breakup of a long-term relationship (backstory, partner is a woman) ÔÇò and it is her 18 year old daughter, Claire, who falls for the guy on the motorcycle, not Catherine.
I wish I had the privilege of breaking good news about lesbian film and TV more often!

Question: When will the new season of Exes & Ohs start?

ÔÇò Amanda B.

Answer: And now for the Bad News portion of our column. We’ve just learned that the premiere of Season Two of Exes & Ohs has been pushed back to 2010.

I asked Exes star Michelle Paradise if she had any soothing words for all of the now heartbroken fans who had hoped to see the show start up again this summer, as originally planned. This is what she said:

Thank you all so much for your patience — and for your continued support of the show. We really appreciate it, and I promise that season 2 will be worth the wait!! Questions will be answered… new questions will be raised… lips will be locked… beds will be rocked… “rules” will be learned… Xena will triumph… and coffee will still be served at everyone’s favorite cafe. We’re all incredibly excited about the new season and can’t wait for you to see it!
While I had her in my grips, I also asked Paradise what she’s up to these days. She told me, “I have two new TV projects in the works, just finished a feature film script, and last week I shot a commercial in which I got to wear high heels and a lab coat — then I went home and watched Band of Brothers in my sweats and floppy socks. Life is good.”

Question: I haven’t seen much of Dreya Weber since The Gymnast, and that is truly a shame. She is one hot woman! Will she be doing a movie anytime soon?

ÔÇò Betsy T.

Answer: You, and probably quite a few others, are going to be very happy to hear this. Weber is not only shooting a new film right now, it’s a lesbian film about the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell military policy in the U.S. The film, A Marine Story, began shooting this month in Los Angeles, and stars Weber and out actress Paris Pickard. Here’s a summary of the plot from the film’s official website:
A decorated Marine officer unexpectedly returns home from the war and is quickly recruited to help a troubled teen prepare for boot camp, but when the true reasons for her return become known it threatens the future for both of them.

Dealing with an issue that now has tremendous relevance as American troops are stretched to the breaking point, A Marine Story highlights the absurdity of the military ban on gays through the personal story of one courageous woman.

A Marine Story is written and directed by Weber’s husband, Ned Farr, who also wrote and directed The Gymnast. The filmmakers are hoping to debut A Marine Story at the next Sundance Film Festival. In the meantime, they’re documenting just about every aspect of production online, and you can follow along on their blog, Facebook page, and on Twitter. The “Daily Production Blog” posted by cast and crew should be of particular interest to anyone fascinated by the complex (and rarely glamorous) process of making a film. Here’s an excerpt from a recent post detailing the shooting of a bar scene:
It was refreshing to note that we had fog machines this time instead of having to fill an entire bar with cigarette smoke (as compared to last week). Even though we didn’t get real alcohol, we did get refreshing “fakes” such as club soda and ice tea to tide us over.

And the best part, we got to end the shoot with a real dance party. And dance we did. Dedicated extras Jessica Bair and Sami Hepburn even “artistically stretched” themselves for a hot makeout session for camera.

So despite what production lacks in glamour, it appears to make up for it with other opportunities.

Question: I loved Keri Jo Chapman in It’s in the Water but can’t find much information on her. What can you tell me about her? Is she working on anything new? I also heard a rumor a couple of years ago that a sequel to It’s in the Water might be made…any word on if that’s a possibility?

ÔÇòAlicia, Austin, TX

Question: I would like to know if there will be a sequel to the movie It’s In The Water. I really enjoyed that movie and I once heard they were making a sequel but now I’m not so sure.

ÔÇò Andrea, Chicago, IL

Answer: We’ve been asked many times about a sequel to this film, so I tracked down the writer/director, Kelli Herd, and asked her if it’s something we might ever see. She told me, “I have written a sequel to It’s In the Water, but as you know, funding is tight. I have several projects in development at this time and I’m working toward production in 2010.” She promises to let us know as soon as she has a new project in the pre-production stage.

I also asked her about Keri Jo Chapman, as I was having no luck in trying to track her down myself. Herd told me, “Keri Jo Chapman is no longer acting. After It’s In the Water, she married her longtime boyfriend and Houston producer Blake McCrory. She is working on a family with him and they have a 4-year old son. She’s always happy to hear about her fans, but doesn’t participate in the industry today.”

I know a lot of women who would be thrilled if Chapman came out of retirement to participate in the sequel if it ever sees the light of day.

Question: So I know it was kinda trashy, but what happened to Gimme Sugar? Will it be back for another series?

ÔÇò Lauren, England

Answer: We all have our guilty pleasures, and LOGO’s hysteria-fueled reality show about a group of lesbian club girls certainly fits the bill. The new season, also known as Gimme Sugar: Miami, premieres Monday, June 22. This season, Charlene is shipped off to Florida to open a Truck Stop night in Miami. In the teaser clip for the show, she calls it her “dream job” and just hopes that her new friends’ dramas don’t get in the way of making Truck Stop a success.

If the preview is any indication, there is plenty of intrigue, as well as lot of kissing, screaming, crying, swearing, and dirty dancing. Just another day at the office for Charlene!

We won’t be running episodes of Gimme Sugar here on AfterEllen.com this season, as the series is now geo-blocked to U.S. viewers only, but we will keep you updated on all the juicy developments as they unfold.

A special thanks goes out to AE reader TruMischief for her invaluable research assistance with the Ask AfterEllen.com column.

A new edition of Ask AfterEllen.com is published every other Tuesday. Have a question for us? Email it to [email protected]. For more entertainment news, read previous editions of Ask AfterEllen.com, and check out AfterElton.com’s weekly entertainment Q&A column, Ask The Flying Monkey.

Lesbian Apparel and Accessories Gay All Day sweatshirt -- AE exclusive

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Back to top button