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The story behind ’80s sci – fi thriller V has a modern – day relevance, writes Michael Idato..

WANTED: actress willing to eat a rat.. The job ad didn’t quite read that bluntly but actress Morena Baccarin, who plays the alien leader in the inVasion – conspiracy thriller V, admits an appetite for rodents was most assuredly on the wish list when she walked into the casting room..

Scott Peters, the writer – producer of the remake of the 1980s science – fiction thriller V, has promised his redux will touch on some of the iconic moments in the original, including the skin – crawling scene in which the leader of the invading aliens consumes a living rat..

” I don’t feel great about eating a rat,’‘ confesses Baccarin, who is playing the alien leader Anna in the remake..

At the time of our conversation, only a handful of the one – hour episodes have been produced and while no rats have yet been harmed in the making of this television series, Baccarin knows it is coming..

” I’ve been asked if I have any problems with rodents.. I don’t have a huge problem but I don’t really want to eat one..”

The remake, much like the original, opens with the unexpected arrival of enormous alien space ships over 29 major cities around the world.. These ” Visitors,” through the charismatic Anna, claim to come in peace, offering scientific and medical knowledge in exchange for much – needed resources.. But the smiling face of peace masks a more sinister intent: global conquest..

Set against the alien inVaders are a handful of rebels, including FBI counter – terrorism agent Erica Evans ( Elizabeth Mitchell ), who discovers alien infiltration into government, business and religious organisations has been going on for decades; Ryan Nichols ( Morris Chestnut ), a Visitor sleeper agent who is working against his own people; Catholic priest Father Jack Landry ( Joel Gretsch ) and journalist Chad Decker ( Scott Wolf ), who is caught in an ethical abyss between information and propaganda when, in search of an exclusive, he, in effect, does a deal with the devil..

The centrepiece of the show’s marketing is the same as that used to launch the original series almost three decades ago – an iconic image of a huge alien space ship over a city..

Baccarin says the image is powerful because it highlights our vulnerability.. ” It’s so very vulnerable to have something looming over us in the sky, and then Anna appears for her people, out of this looming, destructive thing, and appears to calm everybody down, saying she’s going to help you, to nurture you and everything is going to be fine..”

Which, of course, it won’t.. Those old enough to remember the original mini – series, which aired in 1983, and was followed by another mini – series V: The Final Battle ( 1984 ) and finally V: The Series ( 1984 – 1985 ), will know that behind the smiling facades of rubberised skin is a race of reptiles, intent on stealing the Earth’s resources to replace its own depleted stocks and to remove the human race into frozen storage..

While some of those elements, in broad – brush terms, appear in the remake, the detail is quite different.. Baccarin says the producers deliberately sought to give the new show its own identity..

” I knew about the original V, so I knew what the show was about.. We had a conversation about the character and his initial thoughts were not to make her inhuman or alien but as nurturing and as human as possible,” she says.. ” It was great to get that perspective on it, to know that it wasn’t going to be a certain kind of show, that it was going to be grounded..”

The series has won rave reviews in the US.. The Hollywood Reporter called it ” clever enough for a cult following ” and USA Today ranked it one on its list of top 10 new shows in 2009..

” I would like to say that I have a healthy amount of cynicism,” cautions Baccarin, but ” I’m very excited about the show.. I love the buzz around it. I think people are going to love it, because I love it, but if they don’t, they don’t and there is nothing I can do about that.. We’ve done the best we could and I really stand by the show..”

Much more than its own antecedent, which is largely remembered for its camp touches, including bitchy verbal interplay between the female Visitor commanders, the remake of V owes a greater debt to the 2003 remake of Battlestar: Galactica, which turned a 1970s science – fiction franchise into a contemporary political thriller almost without peer..

The original V played on an allegory of fascism and borrowed some themes – including the marginalisation of scientists and the removal of citizens to internment camps – from Nazism and World War II.. The remake takes that a step further, rolling religious fanaticism and terrorism into the thematic mix..

Baccarin is cautious to brand the show a political drama.. ” The politics isn’t the heart of the story and in a way I think people are tired of politics, a little tired of television making big statements. Television is entertainment, at least the way we’re doing it,” she says..

” That said, these are wonderful characters and character stories, and there are political statements which deepen the show and make it about something..”

Posted on - 10-03-2010
Categories: ABC, Actor / Actress, Advertisment, Articles, Cast, Character, Interview, Morena Baccarin, V: The New Series, V: The Original - Author: madbeeotch - Comments: Leave a Comment -

Posted on - 07-03-2010
Categories: Actor / Actress, Cast, Character, Elizabeth Mitchell, Joel Gretsch, Morris Chestnut, Pics, V: The New Series - Author: madbeeotch - Comments: Leave a Comment -

American Way Magazine recently did an article in which they interviewed Elizabeth Mitchell ( Erica )..

Posted on - 06-03-2010
Categories: Actor / Actress, Articles, Cast, Character, Elizabeth Mitchell, Interview, Pics, V: The New Series - Author: madbeeotch - Comments: Leave a Comment -

Cast and crew have gone back to the sets to film the rest of Season One of V: The New Series.. They made their back to Vancouver, where the Winter Olympics has just finished up with the Closing Ceremonies.. During the course of the Closing Ceremony, there was a V connection made.. Even a memorable appearance by the legend Captain James T. Kirk, William Shatner..

The Montreal born Shatner also has ties with V.. Shatner is the father – in – law of V star Joel Gretsch ( Father Jack ).. Gretsch is married to Shatner’s daughter Melanie, and have two daughters together.. Zap2It got to recent chat with Gretsch..

” The whole family was in town.. We got to see a few events together.. It’s such an honor, the Olympics … come on, you’re part of the Olympics, representing your country, that you grew up in, it was a beautiful moment.. I was happy for the family to be able to share it with him..”

When Gretsch was asked whether Shatner will be making an appearance on V, Gretsch said he can’t guarantee he’ll ever appear on V..

” Yeah,” Gretsch says, ” I’ve got an in.. He’s so busy.. He’s got 50 different projects going on right now.. I think its unlikely, but if a role comes up, and they would ask him, if he’d be up for it … He’s just one of those guys, you know?”

The V Files has caught hold of a rumor that a big celebrity will be coming into the show at some point.. Could Shatner fit that role? He wouldn’t be the first Trekkie to join V.. As we reported earlier, Jonathan Frakes, best known for his role as Commander William T. Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation, will be beaming aboard the crew as Director.. Frakes is directing Episode 1.06 for V: The New Series, which went into production on the 16th February, and will continue through til the 25th February, which will be aired on Tuesday 6th April 2010..

Posted on - 06-03-2010
Categories: Actor / Actress, Articles, Cast, Joel Gretsch, Rumors, V: The New Series - Author: madbeeotch - Comments: Leave a Comment -

Jane Badler has a new movie out, called ” Needle..”

A college student inherits an 18th Century machine with deadly supernatural powers.. When the machine goes missing and his friends start dying, the student must team with his estranged brother to find the thief and stop the killings..

Posted on - 05-03-2010
Categories: Actor / Actress, Jane Badler, Update - Author: madbeeotch - Comments: Leave a Comment -

First still from the upcoming episode 1.05..

Posted on - 02-03-2010
Categories: Actor / Actress, Cast, Character, Elizabeth Mitchell, Episode, Exclusive, Pics, V: The New Series - Author: madbeeotch - Comments: Leave a Comment -

V: The New Series ” Embrace Change “ latest promo which includes short interviews with the cast and crew..

Posted on - 27-02-2010
Categories: ABC, Actor / Actress, Advertisment, Behind the Scenes, Cast, Character, Crew, V: The New Series, Video - Author: madbeeotch - Comments: Leave a Comment -

Posted on - 17-02-2010
Categories: ABC, Actor / Actress, Cast, Character, Pics, V: The New Series - Author: madbeeotch - Comments: Leave a Comment -

TheVFiles has learned that Jonathan Frakes, best known for his role as Commander William T. Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation, will be beaming aboard the crew as Director.. Frakes will be helming an upcoming episode of the series.. Frakes is directing Episode 1.06 for V: The New Series, which went into production today, 16th February, and will continue through til the 25th February.. The episode called for the casting of a new character ” John May..” The episode is slated to air Tuesday 6th April 2010.. The episode is being written by V co – executive producer Charles Murray and Natalie Chaidez, a former exec producer on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, who recently joined the crew of V..

Posted on - 15-02-2010
Categories: Actor / Actress, Behind the Scenes, Crew, Jonathan Frakes, V: The New Series - Author: madbeeotch - Comments: Leave a Comment -

John May Lives! During the first ” Pod “ of V: The New Series, John May has been a total mystery, until now.. BSG’s ( Battlestar Galactica ) Final Five Cylon, Michael Trucco, has been cast as the mysterious Fifth Column Leader..

John May was described recently as very rugged and handsome.. Possessing leading man qualities with a charismatic, strong presence.. A lean, strong Resistance fighter..

John May is believed to be the leader and founder of the Fifth Column, an underground group of rebel Visitors that Ryan ( Morris Chestnut ) and Erica ( Elizabeth Mitchell ) have been attempting to resurrect..

TVGuide.com caught wind today that Trucco, will appear in Episode 1.07, which is slated to air 13th April 2010.. He’ll most likely be joining the cast as a recurring Guest Role..

Posted on - 13-02-2010
Categories: Actor / Actress, Cast, Character, Michael Trucco, TV Guide, V: The New Series - Author: madbeeotch - Comments: Leave a Comment -