Interview with Rachel Nichols!!!

I got an ALL EXCLUSIVE interview with RACHEL NICHOLS, from CRIMINAL MINDS, who is simply made of sugar and spice and everything awesome!!!! My questions are in bold, her answers in regular font! Enjoy!

Did you watch Criminal Minds before coming on the show? Who is your favourite character?

I did watch CM prior to joining the show, but I never really had a favorite character. Actually, that's what I think makes the show great; there's something to like in every member of the cast.

Did you have to read the FBI manual or go through any training for the role?

As far as training is concerned, I was pretty well-equipped... Given my time on "The Inside" and "Alias" and "GI Joe", I had spent some serious time in physical training... but I'd love to see a manual!

Have you met or talked to the actual profilers who help out with the show?

CM has an unbelievable team of experienced individuals that helps the show be as accurate as possible. There is always someone on hand to help out and make our words and actions authentic. I'm extremely grateful for all of them.

Is there something from the stuff you guys deal with on CM that stays with you? Are you more wary now?

I'm so new to the show that I have not yet had the experience of something specific "sticking with me" although I'm sure it will happen. I've had dreams about certain episodes, but nothing that I haven't been able to recover from come sunrise.

What has been the most exciting scene for you to film on Criminal Minds?

It's impossible to talk about my favorite scenes without giving away crucial parts about future shows. The good news is that there are many great pieces to come... There is a lot happening this season and that, in itself, is exciting for me and, hopefully, the fans. Sorry for being vague... I just don't want to give away any sacred secrets!

Do the cast or crew play any pranks on you? If yes, could you tell us something they've done?

We do laugh a lot, but not necessarily due to pranks. If I get "punked" anytime soon, I'll let you know. I'm sure it has happened in the past!

What has your biggest blooper moment been so far?

I tripped. Nearly fell. It was awkward. Enough said. :)

From your tweets, we can gather that there are some klutzy moments in your life. What has been your biggest klutz adventure?

I am such a klutz. Unavoidably so. Guess I was born with that specific gene. As far as "biggest klutz adventures" are concerned... I once was a waitress on the coast of Maine during the summer and, one day, carrying a large tray filled with food I ran smack into the patio door... Guess it was so clean that I thought it was open! I smashed my head on the glass and dropped all the entrees and then I did the only thing fitting for such a situation; I took a bow, cleaned up the mess... and went to the bathroom for fear that I'd die of embarrassment! Not my best moment. Funny now. Horrific then. I never lived that down!

We can see that you've graduated with a double major in economics and maths from Columbia. With that background, what drove you to get into acting?

I was in the right place at the right time. Education always came first, but I had extremely supportive parents that wanted me to experience everything this world had to offer. Without their love and guidance, I never would've taken the chances that I did... and I wouldn't be where I am today. Their support enabled me to breathe and, in turn, discover a career that makes me happy. They always told me I could be anything I wanted to be (except a singer because I'm tone deaf) and that allowed me to trust my instincts and follow my heart. Yeah, sounds cheesy, I know, but it is the truth. I can only hope to be half as good a parent to my own children someday. They left some pretty big shoes for me to fill!

This is a list of favourites

a) Downtime snack on set: I should probably say something healthy, but, the truth is, I love Cheetos... because there's not always a barrel of cheese-balls handy!

b) Colour: When people ask me this question I always ask: "to wear or to look at"? My favorite color to wear is white. My favorite color to look at is soft, sunshine yellow... It is happiness defined by color.

c) Movie and TV Show: I couldn't possible choose a favorite movie, so here are a few: Silence of the Lambs, Withnail and I, The Sweetest Thing, Casablanca, It's a Wonderful Life, Despicable Me, The Little Mermaid, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, V for Vendetta, Beautiful Girls, Closer, To Kill A Mockingbird, and so many more. As for TV shows, the same goes, so here are a few; 30 Rock, The United States of Tara, Californication, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Alias, Law & Order, 60 Minutes... Good golly, I could go on and on...

d) Place you'd like to visit or have visited: Paris Paris Paris. All the time. Any time. Forever.

e) Award show: Impossible question to answer... :)

Disclaimer: This interview is the property of Rachel Nichols Online and Romy Skye's World. Do not reproduce or quote this interview without our permission or providing the source.

LA Vlog!!

The Good Guys interview with writer Aaron Ginsburg!!!!

Aaron Ginsburg, who is a writer on The Good Guys was very kind and let me interview him! Since I am in Bangalore, and he is in Bogota, Colombia filming the Burn Notice prequel, this was obviously an email interview! Hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I do! Remember, The Good Guys premieres tonight on Star World at 9pm!!!

Me: How did you get involved with the show?

Aaron Ginsburg: Wade McIntyre and I were developing an original series with Matt Nix when he sold THE GOOD GUYS -- At that point, we stuffed that other idea in a drawer and jumped on board with the adventures of Jack and Dan. We were hired to write one of the first two episodes before the show was officially picked up by FOX. That episode ultimately became "SMALL ROOMS".

Me: What is the easiest part about writing the show, like did all the banter come easily?

AG: Don't be fooled by breezy, funny banter - it is handcrafted, each joke over-analyzed to within an inch of its life... The show was always fun to write - but creating the complicated chain-of-events that intersect in each episode took careful planning and many days where we wanted to smash our faces against the dry erase boards... That's writing!

Me: What was your favourite episode that you've written?

AG: I love all of the episodes, including the ones Wade and I wrote. We had a great staff and a show that we all loved. As for my own work... I am very proud of VACATION - which was an idea we had wanted to write for months... and it turned out exactly as I imagined. And our final episode, COP KILLER, was incredibly fulfilling to bring to life.

Me: How long does it take for you to write an episode?

AG: Trick question... As a dear writer friend of mine always says: writing is like a gas, it can fill any space. If we have a month to write a script, it will take us exactly a month... however, if we have only two days... we somehow manage to get it done in two days... On THE GOOD GUYS, both occasions occurred...

Me: How long does it take for you to shoot an episode?

AG: Each episode of THE GOOD GUYS was shot in seven days.

Me: What is the character you relate to the most?

AG: It should be no surprise that I relate to Jack. We have many similar qualities...

Me: Have you ever written something and then someone says, no it cannot be done?

AG: Sure. That is the process. Sometimes, things can't be done because of budget. For instance, once we wrote an opening for one of our episodes where Dan intercepts a slow-speed chase on the freeway (a bad guy going only 5 miles per hour, followed by a trail of cop cars)... Turns out, a slow-speed chase is incredibly difficult to shoot, and incredibly time consuming... So we re-wrote the scene and I love what we came up with... You'll just have to guess what episode that bit was originally attached to.

Me: Have you ever changed lines on the set, last minute?

AG: Absolutely. Art is collaborative, and when the actors get on set and work with the director, the scene often grows and changes - new ideas or jokes develop in the process. I am constantly on set (as were all the writers) to improve each and every moment. If a joke falls flat, we would be there to replace it with a better one.

Me: Is it verbatim or can the actors change the lines a little, so that it sounds more natural to them?

AG: We try to write the lines so that they are natural to the actors... That said, the actors certainly make the lines their own, changing words here or there. If they change them to the point of changing the meaning, or disrupting a recurring joke that plays in later scenes, I would occasionally work with them to keep the line's intention while making the actors happy with the words themselves.

Me: Is it challenging to work with other writers, and keep the dialogue and the feel of the show consistent?

AG: Not at all - in fact, I love working with other writers. The staff of THE GOOD GUYS was packed with smart, funny, talented writers - and when we put our heads together, it was endlessly fulfilling (and hilarious).

Me: Were you involved in the naming of the series? Some of the other titles were "Jack and Dan" and "Code 58", were there any others before "The Good Guys"?

AG: The show began as JACK AND DAN, and we originally switched it to CODE 58 (which is the Dallas Police Code for "routine investigation."). Then when we realized we needed a better title, we had a contest in the writer's room and everyone pitched their best titles... I believe it was our Co-Exec Producer who won with THE GOOD GUYS...

Me: Do you prefer writing movies, plays or TV serials?

AG: TV. I love creating characters and then watching them grow and change over time. With TV, you can constantly put your creations in new and challenging situations.

Me: Tell us a little about IN SIGHT, the movie you wrote with Wade McIntyre? It's out later this year right?

AG: IN SIGHT is a psychological thriller that Wade and I wrote a few years ago. The log line is: After the grisly murder of a young woman, the ER nurse who tried to save her begins to experience the victim's chilling memories of the attack. She desperately tries to avenge the terrifying homicide before the visions of it drive her insane.
Here is a link to the trailer. We are hoping it gets out into the world this year... details to come.

Me: Tell us a bit about the Thrilling Adventure Hour and how you got involved with that show?

AG: The Thrilling Adventure Hour is a monthly staged show performed in the style of old-time radio. I was brought in to direct the madness over five years ago, and we have finally figured out how to podcast the sucker... Check it out on iTunes. I could go on and on about this amazing show, but alas, I must rest - another day of shooting tomorrow.

Again, THE GOOD GUYS, starring Colin Hanks, Bradley Whitford, Jenny Wade and Diana Maria Riva premieres tonight, Feb 12th on STAR WORLD at 9pm! Aaron and some of the cast have Twitters and you can follow them too!

Aaron Ginsburg - DrLawyerCop
Colin Hanks - Colin_Hanks
Jenny Wade - Jenny_Wade
Diana Maria Riva - DianaMariaRiva