An Interview With British Actor Cai O’Leary

How about another interview?  I was happy to get to talk to a multi-talented young man recently.  Cai O’Leary has several appearances in TV series under his belt, including Blodau, Deep Cuts and more, along with several short films like Johnny Oneline and a film he wrote, directed, produced and starred in entitled Man Is Beast, which is a Chinese language film.  Let’s get to know a little more about Cai, shall we?

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1)  How did you get into acting?  Did you always want to be an actor?

I was 19 and had just returned from a gap year in Australia where I was coaching rugby at a school.  I had deferred my place at University in the UK where I was due to start a Law Degree, in order to travel.  When I got back I told my father that I would prefer to pursue my childhood dreams of becoming an actor.  Luckily, my father is an artist so he was over the moon with this decision and I have not looked back since.  I think coming from a small quarrying vilage in North Wales, becoming an actor didn’t even seem like an option that was open to me.  I had never even heard of drama school.  Apart from a run in the local drama club (there was only three of us there) there was zero opportunity.  It was only when I was in Australia and I met some actors out there that I realised I could make a living out of it.

2)  Tell us about your latest project…

My latest project Is another short film, which I wrote.  This time it is a love story between a homeless couple on the streets of London.  It follows the story of ‘Ariel’, a transwoman who is used to the hard knocks given to you as a homeless person.  She finds love and this comes in the shape of ‘Paul’, an Irish man.  It is quite different to Man Is Beast, more poetic and I have tried to dig into how society has a way of placing people.  Actually in saying that, I guess it is quite similar to Man Is Beast.  There is a hierarchy in Society whether you are human or an animal.

Other than this I am currently penning my first feature film.  A Chinese language action Thriller which takes place in China and London.  Much more light hearted and easy to watch!

3)  You wore many hats in Man is Beast:  Actor, Director, Producer and Writer.  Which hat was the hardest to wear, and why?

The producer.  100%.  Mainly because I have no interest whatsoever in becoming a producer.  However, needs must and in the wonderful world of short film you sometimes have to wear more than one hat!  But from now on I am concentrating on my writing and acting only.

4)  If you could be in any existing film playing any character, which would it be?

Jason Bourne.  I love action films and for me the Bourne films are the best.  Obviously Bond is huge as well and has now caught up but for me the earlier Bourne films led the way.

5)  I know that you’re a skilled martial artist.  Could you be the next Chuck Norris?  (On the lighter side – What’s your favorite Chuck Norris joke?  Mine is:  Before he goes to bed every night, the Boogey Man checks under his bed for Chuck Norris.) 

Ha, yes.  No I don’t think I am the next Chuck Norris.  I am more of an actor who happens to have a lot of experience in martial arts.

Quotes… oh there are so many… urm, I think I will have to go with ‘Why are there no Chuck Norris lego’s?  Because no one can take Chuck Norris apart.’

6)  If a film was made about you, what would it be called and who would play you?

Oooh, tough question.  I guess because of my single parent upbringing (my father) and where I grew up, It would be something along the lines of Billy Elliott.  There are a lot of similarities there to my upbringing.  Except I got into acting, definitely can’t dance!

7)  What can we expect from you in the rest of 2016?

Hopefully I can get my Chinese feature film into production.  I also have a couple of projects closer to home on the horizon.  And as a writer look out for my short film ‘Ariel’ which is currently running the festival circuit.

8)  Tell us a fun fact about you, something that our readers might not already know about you…

I am trilingual, I speak the worlds three most influential languages.  English, Mandarin Chinese and… Welsh 🙂

9)  And, last but not least, do you have any advice for young, up and coming actors?

I have a lot of advice actually.  But the main thing for me is don’t wait for things to come to you.  Hopefully they will (it does happen)  but most of the time it doesn’t.  Make films, write, hook up with other filmmakers and be creative.  The film festivals are great but very expensive.  Post your work online, create a buzz – you never know who’s watching!

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For more information about Cai, check out Cai’s IMDB page here. Don’t be shy go say hi, check out Cai on twitter here and tell him ‘Skatronixxx sent me’.

An Interview With American Actress Erin Stegeman

It’s time for another interview on http://www.skatronixx.com , this time we chat with ‘modern day triple threat’, Erin Stegeman. She can act, write and produce films and was previously a stand up comedienne.

Erin is one of our followers on our twitter account and I approached her for an interview after reading her bio. I thought her wide array of talents would be an interesting read for you. After a couple of emails and getting to know Erin an interview was agreed.

Let’s find out some more about another insanely talented and awesome member of our #SkatFamily Erin Stegeman !

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1) Wow you’re certainly a triple threat, can you tell us how you got into acting and film making?

A: Well thank you. I’m so honored to hear that! It’s a weird adjustment to really sink into this idea of multi-tasking because, for a long time, I felt like I was pretty crappy at most of those things. I never studied screenwriting or film directing formally, so most of my training has been on set literally doing it. I’d write and perform plays with the neighbors. I always wanted to do everything back then too, mostly because I was the oldest and I was a ten-year old with a vision! The kids all revolted one day and called me bossy. I believe they’re all in computer science jobs anyway…

So my mom put me in piano, dance, theater – anything to keep me from running around the house and dancing in the living room next to breakable objects. I’m from the Midwest, and I was a class clown for sure, but sort of nerdy and introverted, and I was also a bit of an athlete. I felt really unclear as to what I was – there was a lot of pressure back then (and still today) to be defined by what you do and like. I loved a lot of things – which can appear unfocused and indecisive, especially when it came time to pick a major in college and then pick an area in the entertainment industry to pursue. When I was strictly acting in NYC and LA, I was miserable. Even though I loved performing, there was something missing for me. Being happy was an uphill battle. Then, one day I just decided to start doing more things that I truly enjoyed, whether they were acting-related or not. I started experimenting with Twitter and writing. I quickly fell in love and opportunities began to come easily. I found a comedic voice, but also a reunited love of genre content. Instead of fighting the divide I started blending it all. Now I approach things project to project as opposed to this title of what I do. It’s much more from a place of “how can I best serve this idea?”, which feels more like who I am.

There was this moment though in college – I was presenting a scene for my theater directing class, and I had selected one of the witch sequences from MACBETH. I added a dance routine, the Harry Potter theme song, special effects, modernized it, and made Macbeth a female…I just went all out. To this day one, it’s still of the best moments of my life. When that scene ended, I knew I wanted to direct. I still have the feedback sheet from my professor from that.

2) You are well known from ‘Once Upon A Time: The Rock Opera’, can you tell us how you got involved with the project and how the idea came about? Also are you a fan of the TV show?

Back when the show first aired, a few friends from Facebook started posting the show’s poster on my feed and asked if that was me. I had literally just dyed my hair back to blonde from red after being compared to Emma Stone at every single audition. Life is super ironic and you just have to go with it. I checked out the show and became addicted quickly…it was around season 2, I had just started writing and Youtube was booming. I wanted to do something, so I came up with this idea of these fairytale characters not yet seen on OUAT in a 12 step support group in Storybrooke, led by Emma. It was written, shot, and up in less than a week. We had an amazing response to the video which allowed us to make a few more episodes. I want to be clear – this wasn’t poof and now life is easy! It meant launching social media, networking in the once community, and taking daily actions to stay relevant. But, I loved it, so it was easy to stay motivated.

I started exploring making short films and wanted to go in a different direction with the series. I love films like ROCKY HORROR and DEVIL’S CARNIVAL, that are much more of an audience experience, sort of merging movies with convention culture. I wanted to mirror the same, so we decided to go with a rock opera. I had no clue how to write music and even hired another director because I’d never done a feature. As fate and scheduling would have it, I ended up doing both.

3) You even got to perform at Comic-Con what was that like and did you see many famous faces watching your performance?

COMIC-CON WAS AMAZING. Truly a bucket list experience. I don’t think it sunk in for us until we all went back to our rental house afterwards. My cast just sat in the living room together and we kept saying, “one milestone down”. You can’t really beat singing songs you wrote, on a pirate ship, with your best friends, in front of a shit ton of people in cosplay. I owe it all to my friend Brandon, who I met at another con. He invited us to perform and I will never be able thank him enough for that opportunity. I love when I go to other cons and people come up and say, “I saw you perform at Comic-Con!” That’s nerd gold.

4) Your first short film you wrote and directed was ‘Meet The Tweeds’ how did this come about?

Honestly, I was so jealous of my husband and his friends who were making all these horror films and having a lot of success with them, that I sort of invited myself to the party. We both have a lot of connections in the horror space, but I had never written anything. So I saw an opportunity to get a team together and possibly get some exposure. I love sickly dark comedies and satire, which is essentially what it was – this super conservative family who eats children.

The night we shot it, I thought I was going to die. It was so unbelievably difficult for me, and I was miserable. It’s very technical compared to directing theater, and when you have a lean mean team and you’re the weak link – it’s just awful. My husband sliced his arm open on set, we had 3 kid actors, we went way overtime…I thought for certain I would never direct again. Then it went up on Dread Central’s home page on Halloween, and I thought I just need to keep practicing. Maybe it will get better. Honestly it’s still awful, but enjoyable-awful.

5) You have a background in journalism, how did you find this prepared you for your very versatile career?

I was that kid that preferred to do essays instead of multiple choice growing up. Journalism was very natural for me. I had already been blogging on my personal site for about a year when I was offered a couple gigs with LA WEEKLY and THE HOLLYWOOD JOURNAL through friends of friends. The LA WEEKLY stuff was focused on reviewing web series, which absolutely trained me for everything. I interviewed successful creators, saw what they did versus others, started to cultivate relationships at YouTube and at Sundance, and really learned everything behind the scenes of content creating. I was unattached to the job, so networking became fun again. I highly recommend sinking your teeth, however you can, into the world you want to be a part of. I interviewed celebrities that I would NEVER have the courage to approach, but because I had this fancy PRESS badge on, it gave me courage…and contacts for future projects.

6) Is it true you have been in over 50 commercials? If so could you tell us what some of these were for?

I’ve not been in 50 commercials – just a handful, but I have been in over 50 films, shorts, and tv shows. I’m currently the customer in that musical commercial for Amazon Prime. That was one of those incredible coincidences because I filmed that just a couple days before shooting the rock opera. Such a learning experience – I don’t think I ever left the set.

7) What’s this I heard about you winning a ‘Pig Roast Pie Eating Championship’????

My agent made me take that off my resume lol. At my college (Stephens College in Columbia, MO) the theater majors spend one summer in Okoboji, IA, performing at a local theater. It’s a crazy experience – I even wrote a screenplay about it. To break up all the stress, the theater puts on this festival called the OKOBOJI PIG ROAST. You can enter with a team and compete in these ridiculous obstacles. One of my events was pie-eating contest. I’m like a really fast eater. Impressively fast. It’s been a concern to my parents on numerous occasions. I freakin nailed this. You compete with a teammate and mine started to vomit – it was a whole cherry pie, which is the worst kind of pie. So I picked up the slack and won by a landslide. My husband (although not at the time) was on another team and he and his partner didn’t even make it through. I bring that up from time to time. My team won the entire event and I got MVP – also one of my favorite life moments.

8) What can we expect to see from you in the 2016?

The Rock Opera will be doing a screening and convention tour in the spring and early summer (indietix.net). Depending how that goes we may extend into early fall. I’ve partnered with another production company and we’re rebranding my YouTube channel (erinstegeman), so you can expect more sketches and content that expand past OUAT at a higher production value. My company is slated to direct a Sci-fi pilot this year as well, and I’m in pre production on two features – a psychological thriller and a horror fairytale musical. Aiming to start shooting the first in the late fall/winter. I have seriously never been this busy, but I honestly love every second of it. It’s been over ten years in the making to have a year like this, so I’m just gonna drink a lot of green tea and enjoy the ride.

9) Tell our readers one fun fact about yourself that they may not already know?

I love these questions and can never think of anything remotely cool enough. I climbed into the chamber of a volcano on my honeymoon. I’m a certified personal trainer. My aunt dated Brad Pitt. I didn’t get cast in any musicals in college. I see ghosts (seriously).

10) Finally what advice would you have for an upcoming actress?

I think the biggest hiccup for me was trying to be like everyone else. Be a Kate Winslet type, be a funny girl, lose 20 pounds, be younger….but YOU are a brand new thing, it’s evolutionary. Spend time really getting to know yourself. There’s no rush – I’ve had more success in my 30s than in my 20s. Have a ton of fun. Give up the diet. Self-improvement is a total myth. There’s only self-discovery – which is presenting to the world who you’ve always been. And it is so, so powerful. When you can really tap into that, there’s no stopping you.

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Wow what an interview! I for one wish Erin all the best and am sure the musical will be a huge success. If they are lucky enough to tour the UK I for one will be there supporting them!

Check out Erin’s personal webpage on erinstegeman.com and find out more about the ‘Once Upon A Time: Rock Opera’ including where to buy tickets and tour dates on  on onceuponatimespoof.com

Don’t be shy go say hi and follow ‘Once Upon A Time: Rock Opera’ on Twitter @ouatspoof and Erin’s personal account on Twitter at @erinstegeman and tell her ‘Skatronixxx sent me!’

Shortcut to Fame? Just bypass Character Building

Hello and welcome to my first blog entry.  For my ramblings this month I’ve decided to reflect on the music industry and the recent dominance of televised talent shows. I’ll resist the urge to simply write them off as glorified karaoke: after all, they entertain millions of people each week. However, what concerns me is the effect on the next generation of budding musicians and how, for many, their aspirations have changed from ‘(long term) success’ to ‘(short lived) fame’.

“When the blue pill of instant fame is offered, it’s hard to decline in favour of the red pill of reality.”

When I first picked up a guitar twenty years ago, TV shows like the X Factor didn’t exist. My first interest was to learn my instrument and join a band. After that, I worked hard to develop my craft and work with other people to write songs. I learned to perform by playing gigs – tons of them – many of which were to practically empty rooms. Days spent in practice rooms. Hours crammed into a van travelling the length of the country. Ninety-five percent of the time it led to disappointment or an anticlimax, leaving me to question whether it was all worth it. But for those five percent of amazing gigs, it really was.

I achieved some success with my female-fronted rock band, Signed In Crimson: we signed with a label, released an album, made several music videos and toured the UK. We never quite made it to the top, but if we did I am certain we would have been ready. As a band, we were a battle-hardy, gig ready group of workhorses.

“You come out of the other end as someone with something to say, and knowing exactly how to say it.”

I doubt the majority of young, aspiring musicians (particularly singers) see the above route as an ideal one. Why go through all that hard work and pain when you can take one audition and play your first gig on live TV in front of millions? When the blue pill of instant fame is offered, it’s hard to decline in favour of the red pill of reality. Let’s forget about the hundreds of thousands who never make it through the audition process. We can even disregard those lucky enough to make it onto the live shows. Just focus on the ‘winners’ and see if you can name more than a few who go on to have repeated success with multiple album sales, tours, etc.

By taking a shortcut to fame, these young musicians are bypassing the most important aspect of the ‘journey’ we hear quoted so often in their VTs. The weeks/months/years spent working the local and national circuit is crucial to building character: it enables you to develop your craft and personality. You come out of the other end as someone with something to say, and knowing exactly how to say it.

If you’re interested in music, immerse yourself in it. If it leads to fame and fortune, that should only ever be seen as an unexpected bonus, never the ultimate goal.

An Interview With Former Wrestler ‘The Patriot’ Del Wilkes

It’s time for another interview on http://www.skatronixxx.com ! This one really excited me, this is someone who I grew up watching on tv, when I was younger, so when I offered him the chance of an interview and he said yes, I literally fell off my sofa.

As you know I started a Wrestling & UFC section on the site and reached out to various wrestlers, who I remembered seeing on tv when I was younger. As I thought an interview with someone who’s graced the squared circle would be an awesome launch pad for the section. Plus it would give todays younger fans a chance to learn more about the legends of the golden era of wrestling aka the 1990’s.

Del agreed to an interview and I’ve gotten to know him, and would say he is an awesome guy, who shoots straight from the hip and is not afraid to mince his words. He actually reminds me of myself in a lot of ways.

But that’s enough spoilers from me, let’s find out about the man behind the mask!

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1) How did you get into wrestling?

After college football and two attempts in the NFL,  I decided to give pro-wrestling a shot. A buddy of mine that had graduated from The Citadel went with me to a wrestling school in my hometown of Columbia, S.C. We paid our $1,500 and embarked on our career’s as wrestlers.

2) You are more widely known to wrestling fans as ‘The Patriot’ how did this idea come about?

The Patriot idea came from Joe Pedicino and Bill Edie. They were booking talent for the GWF, which was an upstart company that was on ESPN Monday-Friday at 4p.m. The U.S. Military had gone to war with Iraq, and they thought a patriotic character in wrestling could really get over with the fans, thus the birth of The Patriot.

3) Is it true you were trained by wrestling legends Verne Gagne and Fabulous Moolah? If so what was it like training under such stars and do you have any interesting stories?

Moolah’s school was where I was trained. The school was really geared for women wrestlers, but at least I was able to learn the basics of wrestling. Didn’t actually train under Verne Gagne, but he gave me my first big break in the business by bringing me to the AWA and putting me on ESPN as The Trooper.

4) I remember you watching you on TV when I was young as part of the tag team ‘Stars and Stripes’ in WCW, what was it like being in a tag team with Buff ‘The Stuff’ Bagwell?

I had known Bagwell since our GWF days when he worked as The Handsome Stranger. Marcus is a great guy,and our time in WCW together as Stars and Stripes was very rewarding. On two occasions we were WCW tag team champions. After the arrival of Hulk Hogan in WCW,the focus of the company was now all about Hogan and his buddies. I felt like Marcus and I were just not in the plans, so I left the company and went back to All Japan Pro Wrestling Co.

5) Later in your career you wrestled in the WWF (now WWE) where when you debuted you were immediately put into a feud with Bret Hart. What was it like being inserted into such a high profile feud upon your arrival?

My entering the WWF couldn’t have been better timing. Bret Hart was now the top heel in the company and was on this anti American campaign, and along comes The Patriot. It fit like a glove. Really enjoyed working with Bret, he is a legend and a true pro in every sense of the word. Great angle between the two of us with some awesome matches that the fans really got behind.

6) You retired from wrestling when you suffered a broken collarbone, how did you find it transitioning from life on the road to a more 9 to 5 lifestyle.

My career actually ended because of a very serious tricep and knee injury. As a result of these devastating injuries, I was unable to continue to wrestle. It was very tough to have my career come to a sudden halt.

7) Do you watch any wrestling shows these days, if so what ones and which wrestler impresses you the most?

I watch some of the current product, but do not like what I see. I very much respect the men and women that are performing today, but not what they are asked to do. They cant even do a heart felt promo. It is all scripted for them and that’s a shame.

8) What can we expect to see from you in the 2016?

The year 2016 is off to a great start. My daughter just gave birth to my first grandchild. A beautiful baby girl born on Feb. 20th. Her name is Abigail, and I am so proud to be her granddaddy. I have a wonderful wife, Cathy, that helps with my bookings and website, which by the way is www.DelThePatriotWilkes.com. Fans can purchase my documentary there along with pictures, mask,shirts and cards. They can also track my appearances at the website.

9) Tell our readers one fun fact about yourself that they may not already know?

Fun fact about me is that I love following politics, history, current events and I am scared to death of roaches, lizards and rodents.

10) Finally what advice would you have for an upcoming wrestler?

My advice for upcoming wrestlers is to take care of and protect your body, it is your money maker!! Treat it well. Also take your career seriously, it is not about the party. Being a pro-wrestler is an honor therefore honor the business.

The Patriot, Del Wilkes.

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There we are readers, Del Wilkes aka The Patriot. Don’t be shy, go say hi and tell him ‘Skatronixxx sent me’. He’s on twitter as http://www.twitter.com/delwilkes .

An Interview With The Newest Member Of Skatronixxx.Com ValiantAngel25

Due to the recent expansion of http://www.skatronixxx.com we had several vacancies for additional people to join our ‘Merry Band Of Misfits’, one of these was for a GAMES REVIEWER.

Matt was recommended to me by our resident vlogger Aly aka The Little Librarian, so I decided to give him a shot. I was impressed by not only his writing style but also gaming knowledge and I am pleased to have added Matt to the team.

Let’s  find out more about him below!

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1) How did you get into writing, and what can we expect to see from you on http://www.skatronixxx.com ?

I’ve been writing for quite some time. In 8th grade, my teacher gave us an assignment to write creatively and use as much description and detail as possible. When I submitted mine for review, she raved at my use of narrative and greatly encouraged my continued writing. Since then, I achieved my degree in Medieval European History and occasionally write a short story or poem when the mood strikes.

2) Do you have any interests or hidden talents outside of blogging? For example are you a secret jewel thief or ninja samurai warrior?

My hobbies include playing Raven Guard on the tabletop in games of Warhammer 40,000, writing stories, running my bi-weekly Pathfinder game for my hopeless players to enjoy, and experiencing a wide variety of video games in their numberless genres!

3) What’s your top 3 fandoms? For example mine are Doctor Who, Ghostbusters and anything to do with Captain America (he’s like me but American!) Language!!!

Fandoms have a unique trait; men and women from all walks of life can join a fandom and share similar interests when he or she could not have done so anywhere else. To this end, I adore the Warhammer 40,000, the tabletop roleplaying, and many video game fandoms (I really don’t think I could choose one).

4) What’s the most famous celeb you have met? For example I’ve met Jason Momoa, Danny Glover, Lou Ferrigno and Ernie Hudson. How about you?​​

Unfortunately, I haven’t met any famous celebrities. I would, however, like to change this.

5) If a film was made of your life, who would play you and what would the film called?

No one wants a film made about my life. We would call it ‘Boring Nerd Decides to Write.’ Alternatively, if we did make a movie about my life, I would demand that Vin Diesel star as me just so I could meet him.

6) Ghostbusters remake, will it surprise us or disappoint us?

I am cautiously optimistic about the Ghostbusters remake. Though I do not hold the same passion for the first movie that others do, I still greatly enjoyed it and would like to see this remake succeed.

7) What’s better Star Trek or Star Wars?

Star Wars. Sorry my Trekky friends.

8) Who’s your favourite Doctor Who and why?

I actually don’t watch Doctor Who.

9) Have you got any goals for 2016?

My goals for 2016 involve finishing the book I’m writing, finding a better job, and getting more involved in the writing community through the wonderful Skatronixxx.com!

10) Finally it’s time for the ultimate question! If you had to pick one and you couldn’t have the other ever again, what would you pick, bacon, cheese or time travel?

Time travel. Bacon and cheese compliment my pallet incredibly well, but to have the incredible ability to traverse through time and see how the world existed in the past and how it can progress into the future utterly astounds me. Such a vast power could give one man or woman the unique honor of actually watching history unfold.

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So here we are, our games reviewer @valiantangel25 welcome to the gang Matt !

An Interview With Actress Robin Shelby (Slimer)

It’s time for another interview, this time it’s with Hollywood Royalty YES Holloywood Royalty! The one and only actress Robin Shelby. Robin is best known to us as Slimer, yes Slimer, from the Ghostbusters franchise. Those of you who have followed me for a while know that I am a HUGE Ghostbusters fan. So this is a massive coup for the site, and I am so happy to say that I can count on Robin as another celeb member of the #SkatFamily !

Although I am a huge Ghostbusters fan, I wanted to give Robin the chance to talk about herself, her past, present and future. Let’s find out more about the incredibly nice actress that is Robin Shelby 🙂

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1) How did you get into acting?

I started doing children’s theatre in Northern California when I was about 11.  My first role was…wait for it…a Munchkin in ‘The Wizard Of Oz’.  I was hooked from that moment on.  By the time I was 16, I was getting my first pay check doing what I loved to do.

2) You achieved a cult status in the film Ghostbusters 2, playing Slimer, how did this come about and do you have any interesting stories from your time on set?

At the time I was working on Ghostbusters 2, I knew I was stepping into some pretty big shoes with this character that was loved by many.  I tried to put that out of my mind and focus on the job at hand and what they needed from me to get what they had envisioned for the character.  The people at ILM are really the best of the best, and being in that atmosphere and learning from these ultra-talented people was such an incredible experience.  A fun fact, I really was not able to eat while in costume.  (Yup, Slimer was unable to consume food while working!)  ☺  It was safer to avoid food because of the time it took to get in/take off the costume.  If I had been working and swallowed something that went down the wrong way, it would have taken some time to get out of the suit…so no food for the spud.  ☺

3) What’s your thought on the new Ghostbusters film?

I’m hoping the fans will love it, and it will turn out to be a fantastic addition to the Ghostbusters franchise.  I have a positive open mind because they have some very talented people in the film and behind the camera.  I’m hoping to laugh and be swept away with everyone else this summer. ☺

4) You were also in 80’s film ‘Willow’, how did you find this experience and with the spate of 80’s films being remade do you think a remake of Willow could work?

I was able to be thought of to audition for Ghostbusters 2 because of working on ‘Willow’.  It was truly my first opportunity on a larger scale to work in the industry, and was an incredible experience.  The first day of work, I woke up with the stomach flu and running a fever.  My Dad packed me into a car that day and drove me to ILM.  Had I called in sick, it’s very possible I never would have been thought of for ‘Slimer’.  I’m a lucky girl.  

I think ‘Willow’ is such a special, sweet film the way it is.  I’m sure in the right hands an updated film would work, however, I know what the film means to me and it will always have a special place in my heart.

5) If a film was made of your life, who would you want to play you and why? And what would it be called?

I am a huge fan of both Cheri Oteri and Patricia Heaton, and people have told me that I have reminded them of both of these actresses.  I would be over the moon if either one of them were to portray me.  It would probably be titled “It’s not easy being green”.  ☺

6) Could you tell us about ‘Far From the Tree’ ?

‘Far From the Tree’ is a web series that I created, and my husband, Sean Spence, wrote and directed.  It’s loosely based on people I know and love, just taken to a much more intense scale. ☺  I am very proud of the episodes that we shot, and the cast and crew we had were all amazing.  

7) What can we expect to see from you in the 2016?

We’re developing a new Web Series, I have two projects (‘Demonic Attachment’ and ‘The Gloaming’) that will be coming out soon, and you never know, there could be some unexpected new projects.  Stay tuned to http://www.robinshelby.net as I always put any news on my site so people know what I’m doing. ☺

8) Tell our readers one fun fact about yourself that they may not already know?

When I was about 8, my older brother said he didn’t think I could fit inside a suitcase, and dared me to try.  Not being one to turn down a dare like that, I curled into a ball inside the suitcase to show him I could fit.  He then shut the suitcase with me in it, and carried me around.  He realized he then needed my Dad to let me out.  

9) Finally what advice would you have for an upcoming actress?

If you can be happy doing anything else, do it.  If you can’t and it’s your passion, don’t let anyone tell you not to go for your dream.  It really is possible to get work, just be prepared so you’re ready when the opportunities come.  Take workshops, classes, network with other people in the industry.  If you don’t have a lot of credits, consider doing student films to get some experience, meet some new and upcoming directors and get some film on yourself.

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There you go readers, Robin Shelby

Follow her on Twitter she’s http://www.twitter.com/actressrshelby and tell her ‘Skatronixxx sent you!’

An Interview With The Newest Member Of Skatronixxx.Com The Little Librarian

Wow two welcome interviews in a week! I told you 2016 was going to be a big interview for Skatronixxx.Com and I wasn’t wrong . This time it’s the turn of our vlogger and blogger The Little Librarian.

Those of you who have followed the progress of this site closely, know that I have been on the look out for a vlogger pretty much since this site went live way back in 2015. The reason why I wanted a vlogger is because I wanted to bring your news in another format as well as articles.

I reached to vloggers in the past but sadly things either fell through or they didn’t seem to mesh with us here at http://www.skatronixxx.com. They say that each cloud has a silver lining and that is more than true in the case of The Little Librarian , when I approached her and she said YES!!

I stumbled across her videos by chance actually but I was soon drawn in by her awesome bubbly personality and keen interests that matched our own here at http://www.skatronixxx.com.

That’s enough spoilers from me, let’s find out more about the newsest member of the team below!

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1) How did you get into writing, and what can we expect to see from you on http://www.skatronixxx.com ?

Most my content will actually be in video form. I have my own YouTube channel and I’ve been on there for a little over a year now! I got into it because I had a blog discussing books and I felt I could convey my emotions and feelings better through video rather than writing. In my videos I talk about everything from Books, Gaming, and anything nerdy!

2) Do you have any interests or hidden talents outside of blogging? For example are you a secret jewel thief or ninja samurai warrior?

Wow! I actually am a ninja! Just kidding, Outside of my videos about reading and gaming I actually do make up on the side for weddings, prom, and other events! I also used to be a dancer but I haven’t danced in years though. I also play piano and violin. I played in a hockey league for 8 years but I’ve played since I was 7. I also wakeboard, water-ski, kneeboard, and barefoot; I learned how to ski when I was 3 years old and have never stopped. That’s about it. My parents thought it was important I was a well rounded child and got me into everything!

3) What’s your top 3 fandoms? For example mine are Doctor Who, Ghostbusters and anything to do with Captain America (he’s like me but American!) Language!!!

This question is literally the hardest on this list! I guess I have to say Disney (I’m probably cheating here by saying all of Disney but I can’t pick just one!), Fairy Tail (My Favorite Anime!), and I’m going to have to pick two book fandom’s actually, The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare and Uglies by Scott Westerfeld! I just can’t pick between the two.

4) What’s the most famous celeb you have met? For example I’ve met Jason Momoa, Danny Glover, Lou Ferrigno and Ernie Hudson. How about you?​​

Well, I’ve met a lot of authors… not too many celebs. Probably the closest to meeting them, and by meeting them I mean standing within 20 feet from them, was Tom Felton. I fangirled so hard… He was probably the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. One author I met is also an actor which was Chris Colfer. However, I’ve met big authors like Scott Westerfeld, Kimberly Derting, Kiera Cass, Kelley Armstrong, Danielle Paige, and a lot more.

5) If a film was made of your life, who would play you and what would the film called?

If I could have anyone I’d totally pick Emma Watson, Kiera Knightly, or Emily Browning. I honestly have no clue what it would be called, maybe The Nerdy Adventures of Aly. Hah!

6) Ghostbusters remake, will it surprise us or disappoint us?

Hopefully surprise us! They have a fantastic cast and all the pictures look amazing! I’m really excited for it.

7) What’s better Star Trek or Star Wars?

Not going to lie this is a tough one. I watched Star Trek growing up and even attended conventions at the tender age of 4. However, I think I’m more into the Star Wars universe. It’s really a tie for me but I think I lean a little more towards Star Wars.

8) Who’s your favourite Doctor Who and why?

TEN! For one, I LOVE David Tennent, he’s a fantastic actor and can play just about any character. I also love his overall story. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking (All you Whovians know what I’m talking about). Allons-y!

9) Have you got any goals for 2016?

Well, I’d love to reach 1K subs on my channel. I’m also getting married this year and that’s a goal I’ve always wanted to reach. I also want to get into grad school and hopefully find a job in a library! My final goal would be to read 100 books this year, I set it on Goodreads so fingers crossed I can make it!

10) Finally it’s time for the ultimate question! If you had to pick one and you couldn’t have the other ever again, what would you pick, bacon, cheese or time travel?

I think I would honestly pick time travel. I love bacon and cheese but I’m lactose intolerant and I could live without bacon. Plus TIME TRAVEL?! I mean hopefully that comes along with me getting to fly around in the TARDIS and hang out with the Doctor!

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So here we are, our new vlogger and blogger extraordinaire writer The Little Librarian! Don’t be shy go and say hi and tell her ‘Skatronixxx sent you’. Add her on twitter now @alyjoshaver

An Interview With Musician Samantha Scarlette

It’s another one of the #SkatFamily talented members Samantha Scarlette

It’s time for another interview, this time it’s the turn of multi-talented and multi-awesome Samantha Scarlette, Samantha is another one of my verified tweeps who, I reached out to for an interview and she accepted! I love it when people are up for itnerviews 🙂

After a few back and forth emails and getting to know Samantha I found her to have many multi talented layers, but that’s enough from me. Let’s find out about musician, fashion designer, all round awesome lady Samantha Scarlette 🙂

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1) How did you get into music?

I watched far too much MTV as a kid. Back when the M still stood for music. I’d watch TRL every afternoon and envisioned myself on there getting interviewed by Carson Daly or having the #1 music video. Unfortunately that will never happen as MTV did away with TRL (and music programming all together) in 2008…. Sometimes when I’m in Times Square I go up to the second level of the Aeropostale store… There’s weird observation room in the north east corner of the store in front of the picture windows, most people don’t realize it but that room is where MTV studios/TRL was. So I’ll sit in there and think of all the amazing talent & performances that came through there.

2) How would you describe your musical style to the casual listener?

I refer to myself as a soft grunge artist. I started doing this before soft grunge was actually considered a music genre; I was shocked to recently find out this is a real genre now mainly defined by tumblr & 90’s imagery. My first EP, “Into The Darkness” had a definite grunge influence; especially on songs like “The Demon”. My album “Violent Delights + Violent Ends” had less of a grunge vibe to it and more of a goth rock bent. Lyrically my stuff has always had a gothic imagery as I’ve always tried to evoke darkness. The only song with a grungy vibe on the album is “Death Of A Dream”, it was definitely Pearl Jam inspired. When figuring out what tempo to record it (“Death Of A Dream”), Hiili (Hiilesmaa, the producer on “Violent Delights + Violent Ends”) and I actually like were looking up what tempo “Alive” (Pearl Jam) was in. Haha My next album that I plan to record very soon, which is tentatively titled “My So-Called Life” will return to the grunge/90’s alt influenced sound. I’ve pretty much exclusively listened to early 90’s rock for the past year or so. I also associate myself with being soft grunge based on my imagery. The clothing I wear and music videos are based on a 90’s esthetic. All my music videos, though shot in HD are made to look like film grain in post production(it’s way too expensive to shoot on film). My music video for “Forgiven Sins (From Dusk To Dawn)” is probably the best example of this. I got the idea for that video after constantly seeing these super old RHCP videos on while on the treadmill at the gym.

 Let’s check out Samantha in action now

3) I heard you also produce a line of clothing can you tell us more about this?

MK-ULTRA 90! The name comes from the alleged government mind control program MK-ULTRA and the 90 is because I was born in 1990. Right now it’s mostly t-shirts with tarot card/satanic/illuminati imagery on it, accessories and marabou feather robes (the one out of place item). People freak out thinking I actually worship Satan; I don’t believe in God let alone the devil. To me wearing a Leviathan cross, unicursal hexagram or a pentagram is no more evil than wearing a shirt with a pumpkin on it. There is no power to it. Anyway I hope to expand out to a fuller range of actual clothing items, it just takes a lot more capital to do so.

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 Samantha knows her fashion for sure

4) is it true you have EVERYTHING pierced? If so what’s your favourite piercing and why?

Not everything. I’ve had my ears (I used to wear plugs), septum, nose, lips, labret, nipples, naval, and an unmentionable. I’ve had all of them done multiple times; I get bored and take them out. Currently I only have my nipples & naval pierced. I guess those are my favorites. I’m not really a fan on facial piercings. Septum are fine because you can wear them hidden & they don’t scar. Most facial piercings really scar. Also I don’t suggest unmentionable piercings, the benefits are a myth.

5) If a film was made of your life, who would you want to play you and why? And what would it be called?

I’d totally play myself like how all the rappers did in those early 00’s fictionalized biopics like “Get Rich Or Die Trying” and “8 Mile”. I’d want it shot like a Sofia Coppola film with a rad soundtrack of 90’s music. Or maybe something really avant-garde and film it like Nosferatu or some silent epic. Name wise the movie of my life would be called “The Shining”.

6) If you could duet with any one person dead or alive who would it be and why?

I don’t know. Honestly. That’s really a hard question. I always see myself singing alone on records. I’d rather collaborate with a skilled guitarist or something rather than a vocalist.

7) Do you have any tours lined up soon? If so are you going on tour with anyone else and where can we expect to see you play?

No. Right now I’m looking at recording another album. Maybe I’ll tour for that. Touring is extremely expensive though.

8) What can we expect to see from you in the 2016?

I have a music video for “Gothic Queen” coming out probably in a week or two. That should be the last single from “Violent Delights + Violent Ends”. I’m going to start recording “My So-Called Life” soon. I wrote all the songs last year. I’ll be doing more stuff with my clothing line. More music videos when the cd comes out. Also I’m hoping to start my paranormal radio show/podcast back up sometime this year, I’m looking for a live format where I can take call in’s.

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 A woman of many talents is our Samantha

9) Tell our readers one fun fact about yourself that they may not already know?

I’m half Nigerian.

10) Finally what advice would you have for an upcoming musician?

Find a different profession if you can…

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There you go readers, Samantha Scarlette

Follow her on Twitter she’s http://www.twitter.com/SammiScarlette or Facebook on https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaScarletteMusic and tell her ‘Skatronixxx sent you!’ If you want to find out more about Samantha you can below:-

Links

http://www.samanthascarlette.com

Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/SammiScarlette

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaScarletteMusic

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0F4KI81FoVUkUJVqc4wSDw

Itunes -https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/samantha-scarlette/id447101959

An Interview With The Voice Of Gorilla Grodd, David Sobolov

 David and his alter ego Grodd

Wow two days, two intervies, what are the odds? Someone who I really to interview was one of my verified followers the voice over legend that is David Sobolov. His resume reads like a who’s who of the cartoon world, Shockwave, Robocop, Drax, Gorilla Grodd.

Not only do I regularly watch most of these shows, the characters that David voices are my fave too, so when the oppertunity came for an interview with David, I could not pass up the chance.

As you know I get chatting to the people I do interviews with before I do them, and David is a down to earth guy who actually looks at this site  (and has given me feedback on it!) woop woop.

Let’s find out more about another awesomely talented member of the #SkatFamily David.

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1) How did you get into voiceover acting?

Around 1993 I was working doing stage shows and singing in Vancouver and an agent heard my voice and thought I’d be good for villains in cartoons.  I started going out for auditions and booking a few jobs and I was on my way.

2) You were in The Flash as Gorilla Grodd, how did you find this experience and have we seen the last of Grodd?

I really enjoy being the voice of Grodd.  The producers of The Flash really want the show to be great and we spend a lot of time trying out different ways for Grodd to express himself.  The creative team decides which take to use for each line, then we meet again to go over the choices and to try to make it even better.  I hope we haven’t seen the last of Grodd, but I can’t say for sure!

 David you’re looking rather hairy here!

3) You also voiced Drax in the cartoon version of ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’ and Stone in Netlfix’sDaredevil’, do you have any interesting stories to share with us from your time on these shows?

When I worked on Daredevil, the character was so secret that they wouldn’t even tell me the name of it while we were working!  And on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, we’re really having a fun time recording all the episodes.  We’ve recorded 30 of them so far!

 Skatronixxx Jr loves this show 🙂

4) You’ve been in DC and Marvel shows, I have to ask are you Team Marvel or Team DC, or both?

How could I not be on both teams?  I have current shows running for both Marvel and DC.

5) If you could be in one existing film, what film and character would you choose and why?

Batman… If Kevin Conroy ever retires.

6) I read online that you are a French horn player, and toured in an acapella group, what was that like and do you still play/sing today?

That was a long time ago… I still sing on occasion.  My first animated series, Vor-Tech in 1995 let me know I was cast during a tour of our a cappella group in a remote area in Northern British Columbia, Canada.  I had to pay out the salaries of all the singers for the week and hire a private plane to pick me up in a little airstrip in the forest.  It was worth it.  I’d like to do more singing.  The last time I played my horn was in the pit orchestra for a production West Side Story in 1995.  I finished the last show and never played again.

7) Some experienced gamers will know your name from such popular games as Halo, Mass Effect and Unchartered, how different is it providing voices to games rather than shows?

You continue to hear my voice on episodes of The Flash as Grodd, and in the first season of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy animated series as Drax.  I have been working on several video game project and a whole new animated series, but I’m not at liberty to discuss those yet.

SMXLL

 The many characters of David, how many can you spot?

8) Tell our readers one fun fact about yourself that they may not already know?

I collect antique product packaging from the 1880s through 1960s… you’ll find unusual items like a 1943 box of Ritz Crackers and a 1952 box of Tide Detergent.  I started when I was 10 years old and never became bored with it.

9) Finally what advice would you have for an upcoming voiceover actress or actor?

My advice for anyone starting out is to make sure you have a way to make a living that has nothing to do with acting while you’re pursuing your dream.  Don’t let anyone squish your dreams, but also don’t end up not eating because of them.  Also… learn about ACTING, not just doing funny voices.  We have to both believe you and understand the story you’re trying to tell.  To me, a character voice that doesn’t entirely come out of the emotions in the part is nice and often essential, but it’s just icing on the cake.

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There you go readers David Sobolov! Be sure to follow David on twitter he’s https://twitter.com/volobos don’t be shy go say hi and tell him ‘Skatronixxx Sent Me!’

 

An Interview With 2003 Star Search Winner Vickie Natale

Loving the retro look Vickie

It’s been a while since my last interview for Skatronixxx.com as you know I’ve been going through a few things offline but as I said in my last article I am going to continue with the site and make 2016 the biggest and best yet.

I like to think I have a good relationship with my tweeps and regulary communicate and reach out to people, who I think would be good on the site. One of those people who responded was Vickie Natale. We spoke for a while and Vickie agreed to an interview, and here we are!

After doing a bit of digging not only did I find Vickie to a really nice person but she is also a talent show winner! Vickie was the 2003 winner of Star Search but that’s enough spoilers from me.

Let’s find out a little more about Vickie Natale a fast rising star in the music industry.

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1) How did you get into music?

I think music found me in some way.  As a kid I always felt deeply and I was always writing about my teenage sadness and woes in a journal.  It felt pretty natural to put those woes to music.  I connected with the R&B that I heard on the radio and I would listen to songs over and over.  I joined any chorus or audition I could find.  Music was my emotional outlet and I needed it.

2) How would you describe your musical style to the casual listener?

I would say it’s soulful, jazzy, gritty and honest.

3) You are well known to the public after winning CBS’s Star Search in 2003, how did you find that journey and experience of being on the show?

I don’t know if I would say I am well known.  I have a decent following whom I love and I do hope to see my listening family grow.  I feel I have so much more to share with my listeners.  Star search gave me an opportunity to be heard on a mass scale to millions of viewers.  It was a great experience but it didn’t have the outcome I thought it would.  I was pretty young and it was the remake of the original TV show.  I got to hang out with some really cool folks in the music and entertainment industry who were very encouraging.  One of the coolest experiences was going to lunch with Arsenio hall after the show and him telling me to never stop singing.  I actually wrote a song with that title “Never Gonna Stop” which was inspired by his encouragement. Another cool experience was Naomi Judd Giving me the Star earrings she wore on the show and encouraging me as well.

 It took some digging but here’s Vickie on Star Search

4) You performed at Carnegie Hall in 2004, what was that like?

This was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.  Carnegie hall is such a beautiful space to sing in.  I sang one of my favorite songs “God bless the child” with the New York Pops Orchestra which is a 77 piece Orchestra! The sound went right through my bones.  It was amazing because at the time I was teaching at Mark Twain Middle school and they had all of my music students sitting in the audience and my high school music teacher Maxine Patarini who is like a second mom to me was so proud at the end of the show… She gave me a big hug with tears in her eyes.  It just was a happy and inspiring moment for me.

5)  You auditioned for the test pilot for the show ‘The Next: Fame Is at Your Doorstep’, do you have any interesting stories from this show?

I was casted for the test pilot which was never aired (Bummer) but I did get to hang out with Gloria Estefan for 3 days and get mentored by her.  She met my mom, my sisters and my cousins and we even had a big italian dinner which was a blast.  The show arranged for her to surprise me while I was giving a singing lesson.  Can you imagine that??? You are giving a singing lesson and Gloria Estefan walks in.  We all freaked. She was really sweet and caring.  I got to sing for her a whole bunch!

6) If you could duet with any one person dead or alive who would it be and why?

Allen Stone, Amy Winehouse or Aretha Franklin.

7) Do you have any tours lined up soon? If so are you going on tour with anyone else and where can we expect to see you play?

Currently I am booking for the spring and summer season.  Any venues, events (private or public) and music festivals can inquire about bookings at vickienatalemusic@gmail.com.   To keep updated on my shows the best way is to join my mailing list on http://www.vickienatale.com

8) What can we expect to see from you in the remaining months of 2015 and into 2016? 

I have been working pretty hard so I will be taking a short break and then I will start live broadcasting on my periscope account! I’ll be performing live, up close and personal versions of songs from my current album “Time Machine” which is available on itunes.

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 I’m going to get this are you?

9) Tell our readers one fun fact about yourself that they may not already know?

Well I just love adventure!  I am always day dreaming about a fun and crazy thing that I can do to quench my adventurous thirst.  I’m thinking I’m due for a skydive or a good mountain climb.

10) Finally what advice would you have any advice for an upcoming musician?

My advice to an upcoming musician would be to educate yourself as much as you can.  Learn about your craft and don’t be afraid to help others in the process.  It’s not about the fame.  Don’t let the fame get to your head or let your ego get in the way of your true purpose which is to make great music and do the best you can on the path you are on.  Find out who you are and don’t be afraid to be that and sing, write and play about it.   It’s going to get tough at times, feel the emotions, write about it and then pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep going.  If you build it they will come.

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There you go readers, Vickie Natale.

Follow her on Twitter she’s http://www.twitter.com/vickienatale or Facebook on www.facebook.com/vickienatalemusic and tell him ‘Skatronixxx sent you!’ If you want to find out more about Vickie you can below:-

Links

http://www.vickienatale.com

http://www.twitter.com/vickienatale

http://www.facebook.com/vickienatalemusic

http://www.youtube.com/vickienatalemusic

http://www.periscope.tv/vickienatale

Itunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/vickie-natale/id6384389

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