Author: Melissa Sanchez

Music enthusiast. Dog lover. Horror movie fanatic. Artist. Writer. Obsessed with Gremlins/The Monster Squad/The Lost Boys. Disneyland Passholder. Basically I'm just obsessed with pop culture. Oh yeah, and I have Arthrogryposis. I've written for HM Magazine in the past, did design work and art for various record labels and bands, and watch way too many shows and movies. I think John Cusack said it best in High Fidelity: "Books, records, films - these things matter."

Lauren Ridloff’s Casting In Marvel’s ‘The Eternals’ Is A Huge Win For Disabled Representation In Film

by Melissa Sanchez

On Saturday, July 20th, Marvel’s president Kevin Feige took the stage at SDCC (San Diego Comic Con International) to announce the much awaited Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Among the numerous projects slated for release the next few years are Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Widow, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Also being developed is a handful of TV shows like Hawkeye, Wanda Vision, and Loki created for the upcoming Disney+ streaming service (set to launch in November), with most of the original actors from the films reprising their roles. What caught our attention the most though is the movie adaptation of Jack Kirby’s 1976 comic series The Eternals.

Arguably including lesser known superheroes than its Marvel predecessors, The Eternals is about a group of celestial beings with superpowers who are sent to Earth to protect mankind from the Deviants, a destructive alien race. At the much anticipated Marvel Studios panel in Hall H, the upcoming cast for the movie adaptation was unexpectedly announced and presented to thousands of screaming fans. With a mixture of big A-list actors and smaller names, Angelina Jolie (Thena), Richard Madden (Ikaris), Salma Hayek (Ajak), Kumail Nanjiani (Kingo), Brian Tyree Henry (Phastos), Lia McHugh (Sprite), Don Lee (Gilgamesh) and Lauren Ridloff (Makkari) took the stage as the titular characters. For us, the most exciting casting announcement came with newcomer Lauren Ridloff who will take on the gender-swapped role of Makkari, a speedster with super strength. 

Ridloff, who you might recognize from the most recent season of AMC’s The Walking Dead as Connie, is a Deaf American actress. A former teacher and Miss Deaf America (2000-2002), she’s been nominated for a Tony for her Broadway performance in the revival of Children of a Lesser God. With an already diverse cast, Lauren’s inclusion in The Eternals marks not only the first deaf superhero in the MCU, but also the first disabled actress to star in a mainstream superhero movie. In the original comics Makkari is not deaf, so the fact that they cast a deaf woman because of her talent and not her disability is a huge step for Marvel and the film industry in general. Marvel’s parent company Disney is no stranger to inclusion and diversity in its TV shows with openly gay characters (Andi Mack) and people with disabilities (Raven’s Home) being series regulars and making guest appearances. Even this Summer’s Toy Story 4 featured a little boy with a cochlear implant. 

Less than 2% of characters in movies and television are disabled. It’s not due to the fact that there’s a shortage of disabled actors, there’s plenty, but rather it’s the industry’s unwillingness to give the chance to those actors, to showcase their talents and abilities despite their disability. To complicate the situation more, disabled actors are rarely even cast in disabled roles! Heartbreakingly, 95% of roles that feature characters with disabilities are played by able bodied actors. Take in point the controversy in Bryan Cranston playing the role of a person in a wheelchair in 2017’s The Upside. This was a huge issue in the disabled community because once again instead of first offering the role to a capable disabled actor, Hollywood went for a big name draw instead of authenticity and accuracy of telling the story. Cranston himself saw no issue in taking the role comparing it to “playing a gay character as a straight man or a poor character as a wealthy person.” His argument was that an actor’s job is “to act”, to play a role of which is not your norm. While technically he is correct, the point is he took a role that could have potentially went to a disabled actor, which he was well aware of, yet defended his choice as purely a “business decision.” Yes, actors play different people in different roles, but think about it this way: Bryan Cranston, an able bodied man, is playing the role of a man in a wheelchair, but say for example if Daryl Mitchell (NCIS: New Orleans) a wheelchair bound actor, went in for a role and they wanted him to play a man who could walk, then what? There is no physical way he could do that! Disabled actors are limited to the roles they can play already, so when Hollywood casts an able bodied actor in a disabled role it makes it that much harder and scarcer to find work.

Currently, 1 in 4 Americans live with a disability, yet are the most overlooked minority because they are not as vocal as other groups. Disability Representation in film and media is important. In 2015, actress and singer Ali Stroker became the first woman in a wheelchair to star on Broadway. Micah Fowler, who has Cerebral Palsy, starred for three seasons in ABC’s Speechless which also featured comedian Zach Anner – who also has CP –  as a writer for the show. And we can’t forget the extraordinary Jamie Brewer from American Horror Story who was born with Down Syndrome. Things are starting to change! Think about how many people went to go see Avengers: Endgame or Black Panther? Now imagine how many people are going to see The Eternals when it comes out because of it being a Marvel film?! Millions of movie watchers are going to be able to see Ridloff on screen kicking ass in a role that primarily goes to able bodied actors. Makkari from The Eternals is a white male with no physical disability being played by a half Mexican, half African-American deaf woman! Can we just take a minute to applaud Marvel for looking past disability and purely casting on talent alone? Which is really how it always should be. Whether they know it or not, The Eternals is going to bring awareness to actors with disabilities and how they can do just as an amazing job as any non-disabled actor, despite their limitations.

That is why representation matters. That is why Ridloff being cast in The Eternals is a huge deal. This is a giant step for Disabled America. Most importantly, think of all the young kids who are deaf and hard of hearing who will see Makkari on screen and see themselves! We’ve already witnessed the positive effects of movies like Black Panther giving strong newfound role models to so many people that may have felt unrepresented. Compared to a few years ago, Hollywood has come a long way with diversity, but how many on screen heroes and heroines are there for a little boy in a wheelchair with Spina Bifida or the pre-teen girl who uses a walker because she has a rare muscular condition? None. In an interview with NowThis Entertainment, Ridloff states “I feel representation is so important whether it’s in real life or on TV or on the big screen. We need to see other people who are like ourselves to help us define who we are.” Lauren Ridloff is paving the way for Hollywood to include more disabled actors in major blockbusters for years to come. We are excited to see what she brings to the character of Makarri and once again we applaud Marvel for looking past the disability of a person, but at their abilities. *cough* Now we just need Disney to make a princess in a wheelchair *cough*.

The Eternals is currently in production in London and will kick off Phase 4 of the MCU. Be sure to mark your calendars for Friday, November 6, 2020 when The Eternals is expected to open worldwide.

We Recap The First Ever East L.A. Comic-Con!

by Melissa Sanchez

It was 11:06am and already 92 degrees out as a horde of people wrapped around the corner of Cesar Chavez Ave. on a Saturday morning. To most passerbys, one would assume the line was for some sort of event a neighboring church was having, but in fact the crowd of both young and old were in line to enter the first ever East LA Comic Con.

An idea in works for well over a year from Peter J. Mellini, the owner of Nostalgic Books and Comics in San Gabriel Valley, this event was meant to showcase the talent and culture of the community of East Los Angeles. With well known cons like SDCC and WonderCon, and smaller cons popping up every day it seems, what makes East LA Comic-Con any different? Boasting a large Latino demographic in East LA, this freshman convention aimed to spotlight the vendors and talent, as well as bring out the attendees that make up a fair portion of this community. Represented were your expected comic book vendors, local artists, a few rare sellers of collectibles and something that is not common at most comic conventions, a modest Lucha Libre (Mexican wrestling) presence.

There were three rooms attendees could enter to visit vendors; two small narrow rooms and one larger more spacious square room. For someone in a wheelchair like myself, it was difficult to navigate especially because some areas had steps which made my browsing limited. I often found myself very sardine-like (but to be honest we all feel this way at every con, right?!) or head on with a stroller trying to make my way through the aisles. While most of the staff and attendees were polite, I don’t think much thought and preparation was put into accessibility and crowd control. The event capped after I was let in and people had to wait until others exited before more could be allowed entrance. I’m not sure was the capacity for El Gallo Plaza where the event was held is, but I heard well over 3,000 people showed up for the free event throughout the day.

The artwork and merchandise itself as stated before was not typical of what you would see at most comic conventions. Very heavily Latino influenced, one could find anything from a print of Darth Vader in a Zoot Suit to Frida Kahlo drawn as a Chola caricature. Holding a presence at the convention was Lil’ Libros, a company who sells bilingual children’s books with tales of infamous Latino icons like Zapata, Frida Kahlo and La Llorona. A big hit though were cosplayers Monkey Monsters Cosplay, aka Han Cholo, Princess Loca and Artudito. The family is infamous for their Star Wars cosplay with a Cholo twist. As for general cosplaying, I didn’t see many when I was there, but I did spot a Wreck-It-Ralph, Pikachu, Deadpool and a Ghostbuster. Though definitely a unique experience, I also would have liked to seen more variety. All in all it took me less than 45 mins to go through the whole convention, and I took my time!

I give East LA Comic Con an “A” for effort, the intent was there but it lacked tangibility. Again the addition of more vendors and panels would have strengthened this — I know a lot of vendors and artists were turned away because of space, which is understandable, but the amount present felt a little underwhelming. Panels were announced to have taken place during the day but were cancelled last minute, which would have been a nice and interesting atmosphere. A bigger space and accessibility next year is a necessity and an actual vendor list and booth/table numbers would have been helpful instead of just randomly stumbling across vendors.

For first time convention goers I do think this was a great small community based event to attend, especially for those who know nothing about this world; and making it free is guaranteed to draw in more curious minds which is a smart play on Mr. Mellini’s part. But for experienced con goers like myself I felt the event was a bit lackluster and can only hope they learn from this year and make next year better by moving it to a bigger space and including more diversity. And if we’re lucky, maybe Geekscape’s own El Chucho will make an appearance at next year’s con!

ABC’s ‘Speechless’ Gives A Voice To Those Without One

by Melissa Sanchez

The first time I saw a character on television or in the movies that I could somewhat relate to was Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale) on Glee. I was ecstatic that there was someone in a wheelchair on primetime television who wasn’t just playing the token disabled person, but had a vital role in the show’s storyline and was treated as part of the gang by his peers. Of course as soon as I found out McHale was an able bodied actor and not actually a real life wheelchair user a part of me was disappointed.  Over the years Hollywood has overcome adversity in television and movies with the inclusion of more minorities and gay/lesbian characters casted in prominent roles, but what still seems to be lacking is the representation of the disabled community on the big screen.

There are more than 56 million Americans with disabilities in the US and 95% of disabled roles in movies and television go to able bodied actors. When I was 9-years-old I went on an audition for a popular children’s show and even though I got rave reviews at my read through, the director decided to cast an able bodied actor to play the role because i didn’t look “normal” enough because of my physical disability. Sure since then shows like American Horror Story, Breaking Bad and The Middle have cast actors with actual disabilities like Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Osteogenesis Imperfecta in prominent roles. Reality TV has even gotten on board as well with shows like TLC’s Little People, Big World and Sundance’s Push Girls, but that’s still such a small percentage of working disabled actors compared to our able bodied counterparts playing the roles meant for us. With the exception of shows like Freeform’s Switched At Birth (a drama that predominantly features deaf and hard of hearing actors) there hasn’t been a show on television that focuses not only on the  disability, but the person living with it…until now.

ABC’s new comedy Speechless starring Minnie Driver and Micah Fowler is a story about a family who moves from town to town searching for a school that can provide a full time aid for JJ DiMeo (Fowler), who has cerebral palsy and is non verbal. Maya (Driver) is his overbearing mother fighting for the rights of her son to give him as normal a life as possible. What makes it real is Fowler himself actually has CP and gets around with the use of a walker and wheelchair (however unlike JJ, Micah is able to speak). To add to the authenticity the show’s creator Scott Silveri has loosely based the sitcom off his own life living with his older brother who also has CP, so he gets it. The show shies away from strictly assigning the stereotypical disabled character as an inspiration and instead shows Fowler as a normal 16-year-old boy who’s into girls and likes to curse.

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In the opening scene we see the DiMeo’s pull into a handicapped spot only to be yelled at by an older woman complaining there’s no handicapped placard on their van. The joke’s on her when JJ comes down his ramp in his chair and the woman angrily drives off. Across the lot are some snarky teenagers staring at the boy and his family to which JJ responds by flipping them off.

When JJ arrives at his new school we find out that the wheelchair accessible ramp is located in the back of the building and is actually a ramp for janitorial use. Maya becomes infuriated that the school is not accessible which reminded me all too much of my own mother and the battles she had to fight to give me as normal a life as possible while living with a physical disability. Words like “crippled” are used nonchalant by other characters in the show and corrected by Driver as this is felt to be a derogatory term in our community. More accurate and familiar moments come when JJ’s class welcomes him to the room with a standing ovation for being an inspiration just because he’s in a chair. The teacher then introduces a student to JJ saying “Zachary’s cousin is deaf so he gets it.” Yeah. I hear that line about once a week. My favorite was when a girl came up to me at a show and said “I totally get what you’re going through because I was in a wheelchair at Coachella once when I broke my leg.” Um I know you’re trying to sympathize but no you do not get it. JJ feels the same way and thinks it’s ridiculous the school sees him as inspirational and want to make him class president. His response to this, “Eat a bag of dicks.”

Other laugh out loud moments come when school staff run in fear from Mama DiMeo and when the janitor tells her “These people know who you are. They even had a big meeting on how to handle you.” My own mom who was watching with me laughed hysterically because every one of my schools feared her as well, and held numerous meetings of what to do when she came in. Once JJ gets rid of his fairy godmother sounding aid whom he hates, he asks Kenneth the janitor if he’d be his voice since JJ thinks he sounds cool. Kenneth seems to get JJ’s sense of humor and wit immediately, throwing out lines for JJ like “Back off jackass! Do I look like a mailbox to you?!” And while Speechless does a good job at showing the person, not just the disability, it also is nice  that the show doesn’t just focus on JJ but the whole DiMeo family and what it’s like living with a special needs individual. JJ and his siblings Dylan (Kyla Kennedy) and Ray (Mason Cook) seem tight and while they are aware of his special needs they seem to treat JJ no differently than any other brother and sister would. The show presents real moments of exhaustion and frustration from Maya and her husband Jimmy (John Ross Bowie) that come from constantly fighting a battle for their child that seems never ending. It also explores how sometimes the siblings of a special needs child can feel left out at times because of all the extra attention the disabled child needs. We see this with Ray as he feels his mom isn’t paying enough attention to him and what he wants. This can happen often with other children in special needs families and it’s important to remember while someone like JJ needs assistance more than his brother and sister, Ray and Dylan need just as much attention from their parents as well. The most heartwarming moment comes at the end of the show when JJ comes to his brother’s aid and gets up on stage at the school fair with the help of his new voice to tell his peers he accepts the nomination for school president so that his brother Ray can stay at their new school. JJ sacrifices his happiness for the happiness of his brother.

If Speechless teaches us anything it’s that people with disabilities are just like everyone else, we have actual feelings, wants and needs just like the rest of mankind. JJ’s character is just another clever and sarcastic teenager into girls that loves his family and hates school; he just happens to be in a wheelchair. This show is important in today’s day and age with the onslaught of open mindedness and individuality this decade’s millennials possess and it hits close to home especially for me because I am part of this community. To be honest I was expecting this show to be like all the others throwing either the “your disability is an inspiration” or “if i was disabled like you I’d kill myself” storyline around Speechless does neither, and I thank Silveri for that.

Just in the last few years people with disabilities have been breaking down the stereotype throughout the entertainment industry. Ali Stroker became the first person in a wheelchair on Broadway in Spring Awakening. Jillian Mercado who has Muscular Dystrophy was offered a modeling gig with Beyonce’s clothing line Formation, and Peter Dinklage whom we all know as Tyrion Lannister (who has a form of Dwarfism) has won both an Emmy and Golden Globe for his work on Game of Thrones. It’s time for Hollywood and the rest of the world to stop looking at us like the freak or treating us like the butt of the joke, but to start respecting us and recognizing our talents despite our limitations. We’re no longer hiding in the shadows but making our voices heard and Micah Fowler is a part of this revolution.

Speechless airs Wednesdays on ABC at 8:30pm EST/PST

Melissa Sanchez is a Illustrator and Graphic Designer from Los Angeles who was born with a rare condition called Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita. It affects the joints and muscles and leaves her in chronic pain on a daily basis. She gets around with the use of a walker and wheelchair. Despite her disability she lives as normal a life as possible; she graduated from USC, has worked at record labels and loves to go to punk concerts often, considering 75% of her time is filled with doctors appts and hospital visits. She’s also obsessed with horror movies and Disneyland.

‘Salute To Supernatural’ Was An Incredible Fan Experience! Here’s What You Missed!

by Melissa Sanchez

This past weekend was Creation Entertainment’s Salute to Supernatural convention at the Pasadena Convention Center. The weekend consisted of exclusive panels with cast members, photo ops, a concert, and tons of official Supernatural merchandise for sale. Though I was unable to attend all three days, I did make it out on Sunday, the last day of the event (and arguably the best).

Sunday morning began with Coffee with the Kostermans, offering attendees a preview of the upcoming 10 episode series and an exclusive Q&A with the show creators. Those who wanted to wake up bright and early were able to enjoy this event and get a glimpse of what the Supernatural fandom is really like. VIP ticket holders were also treated to a private panel with Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles (Sam and Dean) that morning, while the main convention opened its doors later on that day. Programming for Sunday began at 2pm, but I arrived early to scope out the scene. Upon entering the convention center and checking in, I headed to the vendors area to see all the available merchandise for sale. Though small, the vendor’s area had a decent amount of official and unique merchandise sure to please any Supernatural fan. There were Funko Pops of the boys along with buttons, magnets, T-shirts, and more. Some vendors offered custom jewelry related to the show like angel wing earrings and character specific charm bracelets. I even snagged myself Castiel’s grace! (A necklace that glowed like angel grace from the show). People took pictures with life size cardboard cutouts of Dean and Sam as well as a pretty cool looking custom made Castiel puppet. Also cool was a 13” replica diecast of Dean’s 1967 Chevy Impala that too could be yours for the low price of $70. After I picked up my grace and did a double walk through of the vendor’s area, I made my way to the theatre since the programming was about to begin.

Castiel
Yep. Pretty lifelike.

Around 2:15pm Rob Benedict (Chuck) came out with his band Louden Swain and Master of Ceremonies Richard Speight Jr. (Trickster/Gabriel). The band treated the attendees to a mini concert with Speight occasionally taking on lead vocals. Fans cheered as the Los Angeles rock band played loudly and frontman Benedict ran around the room. Speight and Benedict then proceeded to sing to the crowd the rules and regulations of the convention to the tune of My Generation. After a fun energetic few songs it was time for the first guest of the day.

With the recent announcement of his upcoming role on The Walking Dead, Jeffrey Dean Morgan aka John Winchester was welcomed to the stage with a roar of applause. He expressed how excited he was to be there before taking fan questions from the audience. Morgan played the character of John Winchester, Sam and Dean’s dad in the first two seasons of Supernatural. He spoke about how much John meant to him being one of his first big opportunities acting and crediting it and his role of Denny Duquette on Grey’s Anatomy as really launching his career. However not before inviting a fan onstage who got cut off from asking her question at the Las Vegas convention. JDM talked about his upcoming role of villain Negan on The Walking Dead and said that when his agent asked if he was interested in auditioning for the role Jeffrey asked “Is it for fucking Negan?” and his agent said he didn’t know.  He then went on to say  “It is fucking Negan! I’m fucking doing it!” A fan then asked him what he thought Supernatural would be like if John Winchester hadn’t been killed off and was still on the show today? Morgan felt the show would be drastically different saying “It’d be like The Waltons” as he laughed, only to then follow by stating the crowd was probably too young to even know of the 70’s drama. On the subject of his favorite episode, Morgan stated it was Shadow (Season 1, Ep. 16), where father and sons come together and the audience’s introduction to the yellow-eyed demon Azazel who kills John’s wife/Sam and Dean’s mom Mary Winchester was his favorite. Fans continued to ask him more questions like “What was your favorite scene?” and “Would he do more conventions in the future?” Morgan spoke about how he would want to play Negan (The Walking Dead) or The Comedian (Watchmen) in the Supernatural world before his TV sons came out and crashed the stage to greet Morgan with a hug.

Louden Swain rocking out!
Louden Swain rocking out!

A sea of camera and phone lights and screams erupted as Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles took the stage. They bid Morgan a fond ado and then took their seats preparing themselves for the next hour of questions and story telling. Long lines of fans formed on both sides of the room with mostly females anxiously awaiting to get the chance to ask the TV brothers their questions. Ackles and Padalecki answered things like “What was the most emotional scene you had to film?” and “What was the sexiest scene to film?” in which Jensen replied Baby, episode 4 from this past season which is told entirely from the impala’s perspective. Jared answered a question about how his hair has changed over the seasons and Jensen joked “Yeah Jared, did you want to go from skater boy to fashionista?!”. Both spoke about their biggest fears, with Padalecki telling the audience he was afraid of snakes and bears while Ackles expressed not being able to get to his family in a time of crisis is his biggest fear. More creative questions were asked like “How would Sam and Dean handle themselves if they were in a horror movie?”, more specifically the remake horror movies each men starred in  2009, Friday the 13th and My Bloody Valentine. Jared exclaimed “Jason would be dead!” if Sam Winchester was in Friday the 13th, while Jensen said if Dean was in a tunnel and ran into a man with an ax Dean would blow his head off. They also joked they would end the zombies on The Walking Dead.

Fans continued with asking the guys what their favorite season finales were. Padalecki cited the episode Sacrifice at the end of Season 8 in which Sam and Dean finish the trials to close the gates of hell and Sam has to make a huge decision. Ackles chose the episode Swan Song (Season 5, Ep. 22) where Chuck tells the history of the Impala and Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino) uses Dean as a vessel, as well as the season 9 finale Do You Believe in Miracles? where Dean deals with The Mark of Cain and we find out more about Metatron. The duo talked about the use of contact lenses in the beginning the series used for demon eyes versus now using CGI to create those same effects.

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Each of the men spoke about parenthood including the joys and difficulties of being a dad. Jensen told a story to the crowd about how a friend of his sent him a meme that said “Guns don’t kill people, dads with pretty little girls do.” and how he looked at it and said “Yup!” (Ackles has a 2-yr-old daughter). Padalecki recently becoming public with his deals of depression and creating his Always Keep Fighting campaign that assists others with mental health issues, said he hoped his children would never give bullies’ negativity worth and value.  When asked if the boys could be any other character on the show who would they be, both answered Cas being that Misha Collins’ schedule isn’t as demanding as the two main stars, with Jared adding Rowena (Ruth Connell) as well so that he could give Mark Sheppard (Crowley) a hard time. Another creative question from a fan was “If there was a Supernatural theme park, what would it consist of?” Jensen insisted that the roller coaster cars be modeled after his character’s infamous Impala and there also be a nutcracker stage where you can get your nuts cracked. Jared said there would have to be lots of salt circles and joked that a Crowley impersonator would be walking around talking nonstop in which that experience would be called “hell”. One of the last questions was “If each were not an actor, what would they be?” Padalecki said he would probably be an engineer while Ackles said he would have went to college and got a degree if he wasn’t acting. The duo’s panel closed with them bringing out Cain (Timothy Omundson) to answer who his favorite guest star was. Louden Swain played as the crowd left the theatre while Jensen Ackles sang on the first song.

Mark Sheppard closed the evening taking questions from fans and talking about his character Crowley.  He even went out into the crowd and interacted with the fans while taking questions. Sheppard spoke about fan fiction and what happened between Dean and Crowley during their bromance in Season 10, as well as what’s in store for Crowley in the future. Louden Swain then took the stage to end the night by singing “It’s the end of the con as we know it.” to R.E.M.’s It’s The End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine).

Though small and lacking a good amount of vendors, Salute to Supernatural is a must do event for any diehard fan! It allows the audience to get more up close and personal to the cast versus a larger convention like Comic Con. Next year’s convention returns to the Burbank Marriott in Burbank, CA and Jared, Jensen, Misha, Mark and Osric are already confirmed.

For more information on Creation Entertainment’s Salute to Supernatural, head here.

Supernatural airs on Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW.

‘Supernatural’ Fan In Pasadena? The Official ‘Supernatural’ Convention Returns Next Weekend!

by Melissa Sanchez

It’s that time of year again! No I’m not talking about stuffing your face with turkey or even standing in line at your local Best Buy to get the latest cool gadget released for the holidays (though that’s all cool too). It’s time to get out your salt and lighters and wear those trench coats as Creation Entertainment‘s Salute to Supernatural once again rolls around. The cult TV show is currently in its 11th season and follows brothers Sam and Dean as they rid the world of demons, vampires, witches and all things that go bump in the night.

Taking place this year at the Pasadena Convention Center on November 13-15th, the three day event brings us everything Supernatural with exclusive panels, costume parades, karaoke, auctions, meet and greets and more. Who doesn’t want a chance to take a picture sandwiched between some of the best looking demon hunters on TV?! All the major players will be there including the Winchester Bros (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) and everyone’s favorite angel Castiel (Misha Collins), as well as fan favorites Crowley (Mark Sheppard), Kevin Tran (Osric Chau) and The Trickster/Gabriel (Richard Speight Jr.), with the latter also doubling as Master of Ceremonies.

Supernatural fans can enjoy a karaoke party Friday night with Young John Winchester (Matt Cohen), Chuck (Rob Benedict)  and The Trickster (Speight). Fans are encouraged to dress up for this fun filled event but it’s not mandatory. On Saturday night after your day of meeting with like minded SN diehards and attending Misha’s always entertaining panel, check out Louden Swain (musical act featuring Benedict). You never know who might drop in for a song or two, as some of the cast have participated in the past. There will also be plenty of vendors with Supernatural merch and memorabilia so don’t forget your wallets! Sam and Dean will take the stage Sunday which no doubt is the most popular day of the convention, but perhaps more exciting than the brother’s appearance is that of their TV dad played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who is set to make an appearance Sunday as well. Also set to appear are Ruth Connell (Rowena), Kathryn Newton (Claire Novak), Kim Rhodes (Sheriff Jody Mills), Travis Aaron Wade (Cole Trenton) and Briana Buckmaster (Sheriff Donna Hanscum).

Whether you’re a newbie hunter or seasoned pro,if you love Supernatural this is one event you don’t wanna miss! I know I won’t! We’ll see you there!

For more information visit www.creationent.com. Tickets for Salute to Supernatural start at $30 and can be purchased at the door on day of the event. Supernatural airs on Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW.

4"x6" Post Card Template
4″x6″ Post Card Template

SDCC 2015: Nerd HQ’s ‘Supernatural’ Panel Featured An Incredible Donation!

by Melissa Sanchez

Popular CW show Supernatural returned for another year to Conversations for a Cause on Sunday. It was the second to last panel for Nerd HQ and arguably one of the most anticipated. The small room that holds 200 was so packed that some fans had to stand against walls as they waited to see actors Jared Padalecki (Sam Winchester), Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester) and Mark Sheppard (Crowley) take the stage, with Aisha Tyler (The Talk) as the moderator. Absent from the panel was everyone’s favorite gullible angel, Castiel, played by Misha Collins. Jensen tried to FaceTime him during the panel, but he did not pick up.

At the start of the panel, Tyler told the crowd that Padalecki is a fun drunk and that he was dancing around the room an hour prior to the panel starting. Padalecki then explained that he was only having fun since it was a solo trip with his wife and kids at home.

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The Q&A portion of the panel began with a donation to Operation Smile in Padalecki’s honor for his birthday. An out of country fan announced to the room that she had been collecting donations from Padalecki’s fans and raised $1,400 which she presented to him as a check. Padalecki was overwhelmed with appreciation and came down from the stage to give the woman a hug.

Padalecki wasn’t the only one to leave the stage and jump into the crowd. Sheppard came down as the next fan asked if the cast could wish his wife a Happy Birthday. The woman received a hug as well and “sexy dance” from Sheppard while her husband watched and the crowd laughed.

The next audience question was more directed to the cast. Since Ackles had recently taken the directors chair, did Padalecki or Sheppard have any plans to direct future episodes? Padalecki expressed that directing does interest him, but he simply can’t commit the time to it with his family responsibilities and his current role on Supernatural. Sheppard on the other hand, replied that he would love to one day get the chance to direct, but he’s not sure if it will be soon.

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Another fan asked, “What ideal universe would you live in?” To the crowd’s applause, Jared answered Stars Hollow (the fictional town from the show Gilmore Girls where Padalecki played good guy Dean Forester). Ackles answered Salem 2040, while Sheppard would like to live in his own fictional sitcom coincidentally titled Oh Crowley.

Another question was “Who inspires each of the men to ‘Always Keep Fighting?” This was in reference to Padalecki’s foundation with the same name to help those struggling with depression. Padalecki cites his family as his main inspiration, as well as the support from the fans. He also adds aside from the fantastical elements, Supernatural is just a show about two guys doing the best they can to survive. Sheppard states he believes the show is an allegory for life’s struggles and that is something he and everyone else can relate to. To him, things that are done with love and a helping hand during dark times is what inspires him. Ackles agreed with both his cast mates adding that the interaction and strong connection to the fans is one of the biggest things he is inspired by.

The moderator points out an audience member dressed at The Doctor (Doctor Who) for the next question. Sheppard jumps down into the crowd to greet the noticeably tall fan and straighten his bowtie, claiming he gets to do this since he has appeared on Doctor Who. Padalecki then goes into the crowd and stands next to The Doctor, who happens to be surprisingly taller than the 6’4” actor. Sheppard shouts, “Jared, welcome to my world!” as the crowd claps and laughs. Aside from being taller, Padalecki also points out that the fan has longer hair than him as well.

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The crowd’s laughter continued as the next fan to come up to the microphone was wearing a unicorn head. The unicorn’s mouth got stuck in the microphone as she asked her question, resulting in many ‘That’s what she said’ jokes. The crowd and cast finally settled and she was able to ask her question.

Padalecki and Sheppard later recreated a scene per a fan’s request with Ackles directing. The panel continued by discussing the absent Collins’ GISHWHES scavenger hunt and whether or not they’ve submitted challenges. Since Misha Collins was not present, the guys told stories about pranking him and throwing pies in his face. At this point, Zachary Levi came out and joined the cast briefly talking about his new show Heroes: Reborn. He also spoke about Operation Smile and how much it means to him that there have been so many donations.

As if the panel couldn’t get any funnier or weirder, a young girl dressed as Harley Quinn asked what the weirdest fan encounter each of the guys has had. Jensen told the audience he has had spells sent to him with foreign soils and bones among many other creepy things. Mark told a story about how he went to New Zealand and had an encounter with an excited fan. Upon trying to calm her down, she told him “I’m just trying not to shit myself!” The room erupted into laughter.

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The entire panel was full of silliness and fan interaction, leaving the audience anticipating the eleventh season of the show.

Supernatural returns with its eleventh season to the CW on October 7, 2015.

For more information on Jared Padalecki’s organization Always Keep Fighting visit represent.com/jared

For more information Misha Collins’ GISHWES and how to join visit gishwes.com

For more information on Operation Smile and how to donate visit operationsmile.org

SDCC 2015: ‘The Maze Runner’ Cast Talks Budget, Gender-Swapping, And More!

by Melissa Sanchez

Saturday night’s biggest panel at Nerd HQ was with the cast of Maze Runner, back for their third year in a row. Lead actor Dylan O’Brien (Thomas) was joined by cast mates Ki Hong Lee (Minho), Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Newt), Rosa Salazar (Brenda), Giancarlo Esposito (Jorge), director Wes Ball and Maze Runner author James Dashner. The panel opened with a woman asking if she donated a smile to Operation Smile (the charity which Conversations for a Cause benefits), would the cast take a photo with her niece? They happily obliged, raising even more money for the charity. Zachary Levi, the owner of Nerd HQ and moderator of the panel, thanked the woman and her mother stating they have given at least 50 children smiles from their attendance over the last five years.

Veterans to the franchise, O’Brien and Lee were asked if they had any advice on running for the newbies in the movie? They laughed it off, responding that they have enough trouble themselves and the others picked it up quickly. Another fan asked each panelist what they geek out about themselves since they are at Comic Con? O’Brien answered the Mets, Lee replied pizza, Brodie-Sangster chose Star Wars (the originals), Salazar picked Batman, Esposito likes Flash Gordon, Ball added Star Wars as well, and Dashner stated Game of Thrones, Star Wars and Breaking Bad. Someone asked how much Dylan has gained from his character Thomas,  the cast sang Happy Birthday to another fan, and they also spoke about Maze Runner composer John Paesano and how the cast grew from the first film to the second. For the actors, they spoke about the transition from TV to film such as getting into a character and the time restrictions between the two.

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Levi got more in depth with the cast about how much has changed from the first to second movie, not only in regards to the casting additions, but locations and budget. Director Wes Ball cited that he wanted The Scorch Trials to be epic. The palette of the film changes from the dark maze and the glade to a “sand-filled, rusty, scorched world.” The film took 58 days to complete in comparison to 43 days for the first. Because of the success of the first film, Ball exclaimed how excited he was to receive a bigger budget to play with on The Scorch Trials, adding bigger and better scenes. Dylan threw in his praise for Ball for his dedication and passion to the film and in return Wes thanked the cast for their commitment.

Next, a fan asked about the theme of the sacrifice for the good of the group versus the good of the one, and how Dashner’s role as a parent impacted the book? James responded that, though his number one goal is to entertain the reader and help them escape their world for a while, his personal life and things that are important to him seem “to naturally bleed into the story.“ He added that the important message of the books has always been about friendship, loyalty, and sacrifice. Another question asked was, “if you could play any other character in the film who would it be?” Half of the cast answered Newt, for his wisdom and being the glue that holds the group together. They joked around on stage with Salazar stating her character Brenda doesn’t “Fuck around!” The silliness continued when an audience member asked if the cast could make up their own slang like in the books, what would it be? O’Brien holding his mic upside down then switching it over answered “Meshuganah”.

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Another fan asked about a scene shown in the movie’s Hall H panel the previous day. Since the majority of the crowd let the cast know they were not able to get into that panel, the same clip was then played for the Nerd HQ audience. After the clip was shown, Wes talked about how the scene was lit with nothing but flashlights to make it look more terrifying and authentic. Also discussed were who the influential people each character’s name came from (ie: Thomas for Thomas Edison, Newt for Isaac Newton) and who Minho was named after since the reader still does not know. James responded that Minho actually is the name of his niece’s husband and as for the influential person he will be in the future, it can be left open to interpretation. Lee said he would like his character to actually cure cancer in the future and be his own influential person.

The panel closed with the question of, “if each character could be gender swapped, whom would each actor like to play their respective characters? The panelist, stumped for a minute, finally got an answer from Giancarlo saying he would like Selma Hayek to play his character. Ki added Angelina Jolie for him while James chose Taylor Swift for Dylan’s character Thomas. O’Brien joked it wouldn’t work due to Swift’s long legs which would probably cause her to get tripped up while running. Rosa chose Tony Revolori from The Grand Budapest Hotel. Thomas stayed in thought while his cast mates threw out names like Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence. A crowd member in response to the Lawrence suggestion replied “No, too sexy” which caused the whole room to laugh. Levi bounced back with saying about Brodie-Sangster “Do you see how sexy that man is?!” causing Thomas to blush and the crowd to go wild.

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Before leaving the stage, the cast greeted the fans and took several selfies with the crowd.

The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials comes out September 18th via 20th Century Fox.

For more information on Operation Smile and how to donate visit operationsmile.org

SDCC 2015: Nerd HQ’s ‘Sherlock’ Panel Was A Total Blast!

by Melissa Sanchez

It was the second day of Comic-Con, and the first panel of the morning for Zachary Levi’s Nerd HQ. Fans anxiously lined up at the New Children’s Museum in San Diego to see the Sherlock panel, which would feature writer Steven Moffat, producer Sue Vertue and actor Rupert Graves (DI Lestrade). Attendees were first treated to a short new clip of the show, which garnered screams for Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock Holmes) as he took to the screen, and chuckles as interactions between Watson (Martin Freeman) and Mrs. Hudson (Una Stubbs) took place. After the clip, the three panelists then came out and were introduced by Levi.

Fans asked the panelists questions, such as the thoughts between Moriarty and Sherlock’s mind palace, as well as similarities and differences between Sherlock and Moffat’s other show Doctor Who. Another audience member asked how one is able to fake a hand and trigger and shot to the mouth (in reference to the show’s season two finale where Moriarty performs the exact scene). Audience and panelists erupted into laughter as Moffat finally said, “It’s utterly unfakeable.”

Rupert was asked what his favorite and most difficult scenes were to film, and he answered that, aside from when Lestrade first sees Sherlock, he thoroughly just enjoys his lines on the show. He then added that it was a treat to finally act in a scene with long time friend Una Stubbs (Mrs. Hudson). Another audience member cited being a fan of married couple Moffat and Vertue and asked how much of the real life couple was in the characters Susan and Steve from Coupling? Sue noted that a lot of it is based on truth. The three were then asked if they were more of a Sherlock or Watson, to which Moffat answered Watson, claiming that he wasn’t nearly as intelligent as Sherlock. Rupert reported he wasn’t even intelligent enough to be Watson, he’s just Lestrade, while Sue confidently cited she was definitely Sherlock. Moffat then added he can confirm his wife is the closest thing to a genius sociopath while chuckling.

More questions were asked such as what is Lestrade’s ideal date? And how has the relationship between Sherlock and Lestrade changed over time? Moffat gave insight to his thoughts and intentions behind what he wanted the viewer to feel in season three’s finale His Last Vow, saying he just wanted people to watch and want more of the series. Other such questions included if there were any plans to include more family members into the series (with Steve and Sue’s son Louis Oliver making a cameo as a young Sherlock in the episode His Last Vow)? How does Moffat decide what Sherlock stories to focus on? Does Moffat know where the end of each episode is going? Rupert delivered his characters infamous line “You bastard” upon a fan’s request. Additionally asked was will the “other one” make an appearance? Do any stories written with intentions for Sherlock end up showing up on Doctor Who and vice versa? And how does this show’s Lestrade stand out from previous depictions of the character?

Moffat and Vertue talked about the writing and dialogue of the series as well as the comedy of the show. The relationship between Sherlock and Mycroft was also discussed and how the latter is the smarter brother. The panelists answered what has surprised and delighted them from the fans in response to the show, which included a large female fan base and the fan fiction and art that is created. They talked about whether or not it is difficult to get back into shooting and writing since the series is so spaced out, and how much supporting character involvement in the show is decided for each episode. The development of a character over time and what the best man and maid of honor speeches were like at each panelist’s wedding were also topics of discussion. The panel closed with a fan asking Moffat whether or not he would make a cameo on Sherlock as the character Moffatt since they share the same name? Moffat responded, “I’m really shit at acting” and would not fit in very well.

Though fans have to wait quite a bit to see a new Sherlock episode, this Nerd HQs panel seemed to hold them over despite the absence of the main stars.
Sherlock’s fourth season is expected to return to BBC America sometime in 2017 with rumors of a Christmas special later this year.

For more information on Operation Smile (the charity Conversations for a Cause benefits) and how to donate visit operationsmile.org