NBCUniversal Upfront: Stars Tell Us Their Favorite Shows
When you do a red carpet at an event, there are some standard questions you can ask the stars as tehy make their way down the line. The NBCUniversal upfront on Monday morning was no exception.
While talking to the stars about their new or returning shows, we also asked them what they like to watch right now. Scroll through for their answers, plus some bonus quotes.
William Jackson Harper, The Good Place
What is it about a Mike Schur show that makes it different from other comedies?
A lot of the crew already knew each other. And the cast came in and we were the new kids, but everyone was super kind and super even-tempered.
What do you get from veterans like Ted Danson and Kristen Bell?
Basically, you get gold. They show you how it’s done. I have a lot of scenes with Kristen and watching how alive she is and how relaxed and funny she is, it’s a clinic.
What are your favorite shows on TV right now?
Brooklyn Nine-Nine, obviously. Bob’s Burgers, been watching a lot of that lately. I just finished the second season of Daredevil and nerded out.
Ian Ziering, Sharknado
What did you think when you got the very first Sharknado script?I thought there was a lot of holes in the script to be filled by visual effects. Having a micro-budget doesn't really lend itself to having a quality product. So I was hesitant, almost resistant to being a part of it, but at my wife's behest, I wwent back to work. (Laughs) Fortunately, the effects artist really filled in all those holes beautifully. Now I'm much more trusting in making these movies because they deliver.
In all the movies, which was the guest spot that blew you away the most?
I was really happy we worked with Judd Hirch in S2. He played my taxi driver.
What's your favorite show on right now?
Game of Thrones, Walking Dead.
Sarah Wayne Callies and Josh Holloway, Colony
What are your favorite shows on TV right now?Callies: I'm obsessed with Mr. Robot right now. I think it's f-----g genius.
Holloway: Robot is genius, and you turned me on to Peaky Blinders; that's fantastic.
Callies: I'm also watching Daredevil for [former Walking Dead co-star Jon] Bernthal, and I think he's f-----g killing it. He is so good.
Dennis Haysbert, Incorporated
How is this role different than some of the other ones you’ve played?
I am openly a torturer; I do bad things to bad people. I’m head of security [for the coporation], and I’m part detective, part grand inquisitor. I’m going to ask you the tough questions, and I’m going to see if you’re lying, I’m going to see if you’re stealing from the company.
What are your favorite shows on right now?
Banshee is a guilty pleasure. Jessica Jones is wonderful. House of Cards. I can go on and on, there’s so many really great shows. I love Blindspot, The Blacklist, Daredevil. I wasn’t expecting that question (Laughs), but I’ve given you an array of shows.
Francois Arnaud, Midnight, Texas
What's your favorite show on right now?I've been catching up on a lot of British TV lately. I watched Broadchurch and I started watching Happy Valley. The acting in that is just tremendous.
Carl Weathers, Chicago Justice
What do you think it is about Dick Wolf’s shows that connects so well with the audience?
I think what he manages to do is deliver really complex topical issues with a certain kind of simplicity. And as that happens, you’re also being entertained. To me, when you don’t have to figure out what people are talking about, and you can sit there and actually experience it while you’re being entertained, that’s golden.
What did you think of the success of Creed?
I thought it was brilliant. Ryan Coogler did a spectacular job, and Michael B, [Jordan] did a spectacular job, and Sly hit it out of the park. It was the best work he’s ever done. He was great in all those [Rocky] movies; I happened to be there with him, side by side watching him perform and being a part of it. But he went someplace with Creed that I don’t think a lot of actors of his stature would allow themselves to go. It was so sensitive, playing in a way a guy who’s broken. I was moved by that performance.
What are your favorite shows on right now?
I love Better Call Saul. It’s a funny, funny show, but a really dark show. All the Chicago shows are really well executed; and with such large casts, to be able to have those stories interwoven so beautifully, that’s always a challenge.
Andrea Martin and Briga Heelan, Great News
Andrea, what do you look for in a project, considering you’ve been in so many great shows and movies?
Martin: First an offer. That’s good. It starts there. Honestly, the script was insanely funny. In fact, I think there was a couple of lines changed from when we first read the first script. That never happens; it’s always 70 rewrites. It’s unbelievably organic comedy, with Tina [Fey] and Robert [Carlock] at the helm.
Briga, how did you juggle working both Ground Floor and Undateable last year?
Heelan: There was only one or two weeks [where they overlapped], and the stages were right next to each other [on the] Warners lot, so I could walk from one to the other.
What are your favorite shows right now?
Heelan: I just was able to get through the end of Kimmy Schmidt and I was blown away by the show, and I would say that even if we weren’t in the company we were in. But I just thought it was incredible what they did, the sort of psychological turns they did with those characters. Really touching and reflective and dark but hysterical.
Martin: I watch a lot of news programs, so 60 Minutes is my favorite program ever. I was with my sons in LA the other day and I said, “Gosh, we have to hurry because 60 Minutes is on.” They said, “Mom, that never happens anymore, because everyone tapes their shows. It was refreshing to hear someone say ‘We have to hurry because a show starts at 7.'”
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