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Interview: Demetria McKinney of Motherland: Fort Salem

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Demetria McKinney is known for her time on Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, The Rickey Smiley Show, SyFy’s Superstition, and most recently, A House Divided. With those credits to her name, she is also an singer and songwritter and her two singles (“Happy” and “Easy) from her first album “Oficially Yours” charted at #4 at the Adult R&B Songs. Demetria is also starring on FreeForm’s Motherland: Fort Salem in which she plays as Anacostia Quartermaine who is the drill sergent of that military. I recently got the chance to speak with Demetria McKinney to talk about her role on the series in this exclusive interview!

How has life been for you within the last few years going in between music and acting?

DM: “As an artist, you want to give your full attention to whatever you’re doing. And I’ve been blessed in the sense that I’ve been working pretty consistently for the last 15 plus years so when it gets to getting into the studio, I want to make sure that I put down the music properly. If I’m playing Anacostia Quartermaine and I’m a drill sergeant and I’m yelling at soldiers all day, then I really don’t have a singing voice to sing at that moment. I’m writing down all of the lyrics to my music on my free time, but then being in Vancouver for 6 months, I can’t properly promote it. It’s been i kind of a test, but it’s like a champagne problem because on one hand, you’re winning, and you’re working, and you’re staying active in one part of your passion. And then, once I get the chance to kind of get a 10 minute break, I can really kind of concentrate on this over here. It’s been a balancing act I have to say.”

What kind of trainig did you had to endure to prepare yourself as a drill sergent? And will we see some of the characters go through PTSD since this series has a military theme to it?

DM: “My mother was in the military so the discipline and the militant nature that she possessed, I kind of honed in on that a bit. As far as the physicality as we were there a month early to do physical training, we have to learn how to use a weapon none of us had ever heard of before. We also had to go into vocal training because, the details that were given to us about our characters. I learned a lot of what I knew as a vocalist and really concentrate on the craft person the beauty of it. And then on top of that, I had to adjust changing my mind set because, this is set in an alternate-America in the present day where women are in power, and women are at war. Women are not necessarily raising the baby here as there is magic in that military too. there’s just so many differences from what I was used to in the conventional stories that we see here, and know that every day, that I really have to kind of re-route and that was a great trip. The dicipline that my mother had, was passed down to me and I use it for Anacosita!

but at the core They are still women, they were still human, they still wanted love, they still had their feelings, they still long for family, they still wanted that connective tissue to one another, they still had their history in the past. You will see everyone go through it in their own way in each episode. All of them going through all that stuff, without question there’s definitely some moments that you see them go through PTSD.”

Who designed your costume? And did you have any input on what you wanted Anacosita to look like?

DM: “It was a collaborative effor andt they definitely have a costume designer but I think that it was pretty cut and dry. It’s not your traditional whitch stories, so there was no gowns and cape, brooms and things like that. It was military style so we really wanted to capture that aesthetic. They really did a great job with that and just making sure that everything seemed correctional, practical, and functional, but still had that little bit of a twist to it when it was necessary. We wore hoods which I think is just kind of a departure from what you see in the military. But it’s kind of a cool interaction between the military, and witchcraft so they’ve really went out of their way here to make sure that we look as militant as we need to but we still have the space to have the magic.”

How did you react to when the show was pitched to you?

DM: “I thought to myself that I think I got the holy ghost (laughs). I’m very into the magic phenomenon. I love X-Men, I love Mystique, I love all of that. I also love that they have the reality of war on Motherland. Nothing could come at a better time like getting to be a part of something so innovative, and so very detached from the cliche war story. Im really honored because I actually get a chance to live in that world. It’s been a ride and it’s been a blessing.”

What kind of relationships or bonding with other characters can we expect from Anacosita?

DM: “I don’t think that she intends to getting really close to people. She intends on teaching them, she intends on protecting them through with the knowledge and preparation. There’s something about them (the soldiers/witches) that catches her, and a lot of other people that they’ve got a spark to them that they hadn’t seen in quite awhile. So I think that she unintentionally gets involved with them because, I think she also see bits and fractures of herself within each of them and you know, in an effort to really come serve what we have is a precious resource of the military. Like we need everybody here and I think that she gets close to them unintentionally and it leads to some other stuff to transpire. But that’s really really cool so you’ll see a little bit about it.”

What is your favorite episode that you have been part of that you have interracted with the cast the most?

DM: “I think it’s episode 7 because if I remember correctly, it’s one of the big turning points from my character and we start to see a little bit of the fabric that’s been kind of wrapped around her.Raelle is one of my favorite characters on the show and General Sarah Alder (played by Lynn Renee), she’s an absolute badass and she comes in and learns her mother tongue. She speak all these different languages, and she’s absolutely stunning and once you put the uniform on and they yell action, You see that side comes out of her. On top of that, I get to watch her transform into something that is completely opposite of her. Scylla, (who is played by Amalie Holm) she is just a siren and she has this magic and this death and it’s so dark, but it’s so beautiful when she plays as her. Everybody’s been amazing, but as far as my interaction with people, those be my 2 favorite to work with.”

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @julianexcalibur for more content. Contact me at julian@alternativemindz.com

The Walking Dead Season 10, Episode 12 “Walk With Us” Recap

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Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 12 – Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC

As last week’s episode ended with The Whisperers shooting flaming arrows to Hilltop, everyone over there are caught in a very sticky situation. How will they get out of it? You will find out right now as I review the newest episode of The Walking Dead titled “Walk With Us.”

The battle from the previous episode continues as everyone is now behind the gates of Hilltop fighting off Walkers and Whisperers that tried to attack the members of the group. The ones with the shields try their hardest to hold the walkers back including the flaming ones. There is also fire everywhere at Hilltop and even some explosions happens too. The key moments that happens in this battle sequence is Carol using her arrows to take out the front walkers, Earl and Alden using a catapult, Lydia telling Mary that she will not walk with Alpha ever again, Ezekiel gathering the children and also looking for Judith as an explosion occured behind him, and Daryl using his morning star weapon to take down walkers and Whisperers. When Yumiko was about to use her bow, she sees Magna within the horde as Magna covered herself with walker blood. Carol looked at the destruction and burning of Hilltop all around.

In the morning of the aftermath of the attack, The Whisperers and Negan are walking around the outside of Hilltop and Negan seen one of the soldiers that is in severe pain and is dying. Negan kills him with his Lucille 2.0. Him and Alpha then talk and Negan thought it was a victory, but Alpha does not think so yet. Beta comes in and told Alpha that he will not stop until Lydia is home since they did not find her. Negan told Beta that he is at his service and Beta showed no interest. Negan then said “such a dick” as they seperated. Negan goes deeper in the woods and there was one walker that passes by him since he had a Whisperer mask on. More walkers are coming and Negan decided to take that walker down out of boredom. Negan also noticed that Lydia was walking and was very weak. Aaron was dragging Luke’s body and also found Negan as Negan was running. Negan tried to tell him that it would be stupid to kill him right there and Aaron draws his sword and told Negan that he will not listen to his nonsense. More walkers are coming and Negan leaves and Aaron takes down those walkers. Negan seen Lydia on her own and captures her.

Angel Theory as Kelly- The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 12 – Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC

Kelly, Alden, and Mary are walking in the woods with Adam as Adam is crying and Alden is trying to calm him down. Kelly tried to help and then Mary, but Alden refused Mary’s help until she instructed him on what to do. Alden then finally lets Mary watch over Adam and Mary got Adam to remain calm. Alden asks about Mary’s sister and Mary told him that Adam meant the world to Francis and that Francis should be there right now holding Adam and not her. Mary then senses that someone is coming and she told both Alden and Kelly to start moving. They go to an abandoned minivan as walkers were coming and they struggled to open it until Mary used her knife. She lets Alden and Kelly in with Adam and closed the door. Mary then lured the walkers away from the minivan and killed them by the lake. Then out of nowhere, Beta stabs Mary at the stomach. She tried to fight back and even ripped a part of his mask off as he told her to walk with him and she said “never.” Beta continued to stab Mary until she passes out and dies. Beta then dragged her body to a tree and Beta waited for her to turn. A Whisperer found Beta and even recognized who he is under the mask. Beta then proceeded to slash that Whisperer as he killed him. Mary then turned and Alden puts her down by shooting an arrow from a distance and Beta ran away.

Carol finished refilling her water canister and Eugene tried to fix the radio. Also with them, are Magna and Yumiko. Magna explained what happened in the cave and how she and Connie escaped the cave. But she also says that she lost Connie within the horde and has not seen her since. Carol, not wanting to listen to this anymore, decided to leave right there and Yumiko told her that she owed her an apology for putting her and everyone else through everything that happened. Carol was insensitivie about it and did not apologize and Yumiko punched her right at her mouth. Magna and Yumiko then continued their conversation and she did not want Yumiko to punch Carol. She also brings up that Yumiko had a right to kick her out the last time they talked. Carol then sat on a log and a walker rised from the ground that was buried under tree leaves. That walker tried to reach to Carol, but Carol toyed with that walker at first until she put that walker down. Eugene comes to talk to her and the topic of this conversation is having nothing for show who they are even though they want something so bad. Eugene also brings up his meeting that he will have within the next week and Carol told him that he should do it since it will be worth the risk. Carol also found Lydia’s staff while she was walking through the woods.

Cailey Fleming as Judith Grimes – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 12 – Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC

Daryl, Rosita, Jerry, and the rest are walking and looking for the kids at a cabin. As they reached the cabin, there were a few walkers there and one got shot down with an arrow by Dianne. Daryl realizes that the children are not there and Jerry assured Nabila that he will make sure that they are found. The children are in another cabin and Earl is giving them all water. Judith asks Earl if they are safe and he told her that they all are. Earl goes to the other side of the cabin and is visibly weak. He rolls up his sleeve to reveal that he has a walker bite. He revealed it after he hammered a spike on the table. Judith noticed the bite and asked Earl why he lied to her. He gave his explanation and also told her to tell Alden to watch over Adam. Daryl and Jerry return to Hilltop and found Ezekiel as he was under a debris from the aftermath of the battle. He lets Daryl and Jerry know that Earl is with the children. Earl proceeded to kill himself by smashing his head into the spike. Judith found his corpse and Earl turned and grabbed Judith. Daryl, Ezekiel, and Jerry arrived and opened the door to let the children out. He asked for Judith and found her sitting down on the floor crying as she had to put Earl down. Daryl hugged her and sat right next to her.

Negan meet up with Alpha and told Alpha that he has found Lydia. We also see that Lydia is tied up in a chair in a cabin. Alpha told Negan that she wants him to be her lion. Negan told Alpha that he does not believe that Beta would be the “Alpha” and then Alpha told Negan to walk. While Alpha and Negan is walking to the cabin, Lydia is starting to make her escape. Negan brings up his history with his wife and how she died of cancer. Alpha told him that her death set her free and that being here right now with Alpha is his strength. Negan told Alpha that she is pretending and does not really think that her way is the right way. Negan also tried to talk her out of killing Lydia and asked her if she loved her. Alpha says that she still loves her, but she has to do it because she loves her. As Alpha reached for the door, Lydia also reached for the door and Lydia escaped. It is then here we realize that Lydia is in a different cabin and that Negan lured her here. Negan sliced Alpha’s throat as she turned around in which it killed her. He also kissed her as she was dying. Negan then brings Alpha’s head to Carol as Carol told him that he took long as it seems like that they are both satisfied that Alpha is dead as the episode ends.

Cailey Fleming as Judith Grimes – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 12 – Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC

I cannot remember the last time that I have given high praise to The Walking Dead three episodes straight. This one started with the continuation of the battle from the last episode and showed us the aftermath of the battle that the group lost. That battle was worth the one week wait and I am so glad that there was zero music during the battle as the focus needed to be on the battle itself. Cailey Flemming was great in this episode as she showcased how it feels to not only have your character kill someone for the first time at a young age, but to also put down a loved one or family member. I compare that to the Telltale Games series when Clementine had to do it. Also, we got three major deaths on this episode and Alpha’s was the biggest. Samantha Morton brought that character to life from the comics and she will be missed. I love Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan, but Samantha Morton as Alpha really brought out the terror of The Walking Dead that needed to return after a while of not having that feeling. She is a high ranking on my list for villans of the series. Also, bonus points to Beta for killing that Whisperer and Daryl going medievel with his morning star mace once again!

There is one critisim I have to make even though I love this episode. Why did Carol put the group on a high risk mission when she knew that she got Negan out of jail to kill Alpha. I think that the idea of using him as a backup incase if her plan did not work would have worked if she did not do these plans at the same time. It just did not make any sense and that punch Yumiko did to Carol was well deserved as that felt like what we as the viewer felt this whole season about Carol.

This backhalf so far has been amazing and I am interested to see what will happen for the rest of the season. Danai’s last episode as Michonne is one week away so we have to have our tissues ready for her exit and I am not ready for it.

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @julianexcalibur for more content. Contact me at julian@alternativemindz.com

Interview: Cassady McClincy Breaks Down The Current State of Lydia

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Cassady McClincy as Lydia – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 7 – Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC

One character of The Walking Dead that has been intriguing since her debut is Lydia as she has suffered too much trauma in her past before and after the apocalypse while she was with Alpha. Lydia has went from fearing Alpha in season 9, to fully going against her in season 10 as she grew to be more of herself as we seen during the current season. Lydia has gained a positive reception among the community of The Walking Dead and Cassady McClincy, who portrays as Lydia, breaks down everything about Lydia within the last few episodes in this exclusive interview!

The battle at The Hilltop on the most recent episode is some of the best battles and cinematography I have seen especially since it has also came from the source material. Can you share me some of your memories being part of that battle?

CM: “Well, I can say that it was very hot, sweaty, dirty, and a lot of fun! One of the things that I loved the most about shooting the battle scenes was that most of the cast were all together on those days, and even though it was hard work, it was just so great to all be together. Because TWD has such a huge cast and there are so many different story lines going on at once, it’s very rare to have everyone all together like that, so when it happens, it’s just really awesome.”

I have not seen the behind the scenes footage of the battle yet, but can you tell me how all of the fire was controlled if you know?

CM: “Honestly, I wasn’t there to see them set all of that up, but Greg Nicotero was directing the amazing tech/pyro team and I know a lot of planning and direction went into that. They work really hard to make it look so fantastic and realistic!”

The dynamic between Lydia and Alpha has been a great topic of discussion ever since the both of you debuted in season 9. And now we are here in season 10. I would like to know what has Samantha Morton learned the most of you and what have you learnedmost of Samantha Morton?

CM: “Ahhh it has been SUCH an honor to get to work with Sam! She’s just a beautiful person, inside and out and pours so much of herself into bringing Alpha to life in the most incredible way. I’ve learned so much from just watching her! Every subtle movement, facial expression, and even moments of silence; all are every bit Alpha and she just kills it!”

Negan had a good plan in mind when he got Lydia to safety while he was going to kill Alpha. Do you believe Lydia will forgive him?

Cassady McClincy as Lydia, Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 4 – Photo Credit: Eliza Morse/AMC

CM: “Lydia feels very hurt and betrayed by Negan and she has no idea of his plan or actions. I think she has a lot of emotions to work through about everything that has happened and it will take awhile for her to face what she is feeling and what her relationship is with everyone, including Negan.”

Now that Lydia has been fully accepted into the community and no longer defined as a Whisperer, is it safe to say that Lydia does not have much to fear anymore as she did when she was with Alpha?

CM: “I wouldn’t say that Lydia is fully accepted into the community, but I do think that by fighting in the battle against the Whisperers, she was able to prove to many that she stands with them. She still has a lot of fear and mistrust to work through, but it’s a lot different than what she felt as a Whisperer. Being a Whisperer forced her to become numb and push any feelings and emotions aside to survive, so when she joined the community and saw how they lived,  it was overwhelming for her and I think it still is.”

I noticed the “H+L” sign that Lydia looked at before she had her talk with Carol. Do you remember whose idea it was to make that sign there? And do you have any Melissa McBride stories you would like to share?

CM: “That was in the script, so it was most likely the idea of the writers, Julia Ruchman and Vivian Tse! They are fantastic and really “get” Lydia and are able to convey the feelings and actions of what a girl like Lydia would actually be going through. I loved it when I read it, because I felt like that is something that Lydia would have definitely done. She’s learned to read and write in the community and is also still a young teenager and it’s such teen thing to do to express themselves and young love. Melissa McBride! Words can’t even describe how much I love her and enjoy working with her! We just have a lot of fun when we get to be together, and she has the BEST taste in music! She’s so down to earth and sweet and I just feel really honored to get to spend time with her.”

Lydia’s hair in the comic book series is blonde, and on the tv series, her hair is black. When you were casted for Lydia, was there any discussions for you to dye your hair blonde for the role, or was Lydia’s hair on the show was going to be black the entire time?

CM: “It was never mentioned or discussed, at least not with me? So maybe production discussed it prior to my first day, but luckily for me, TWD is flexible when it comes to casting!”

When Lydia seen Alpha for the final time on 10×10, it was one of the most emotional scenes I have seen in some time. How did you and Samantha Morton prepare for that scene?

CM: “Sam was actually injured when we first shot that scene, so we had to reshoot it a few weeks after. It was a difficult scene to shoot with the awkward angles and dream like feel, but working with Sam is always just so amazing and once the cameras start rolling, she just “becomes” Alpha, so it’s very easy for me to be Lydia with her. Sam is a legend, and even when shooting emotional, crying scenes with her, I can’t help but to still be incredibly happy for the opportunity to be working with her.” 

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Interview: Ashley Nicole Williams on Her Role on FreeForm’s Motherland: Fort Salem

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FreeForm’s upcoming drama series Motherland: Fort Salem is days away from making their premiere. Motherland is highly anticipated and the premise of the series involves a good blend of women who are training in the military while they are using magic. It is also set in the future and I recently got the chance to interview one of the stars of the series and she is Ashley Nicole Williams. We talk about her upbringing, how she got the chance to be on Motherland, her favorite memories in Vancoover from where the show was shot, and much more in this exclusive interview.

What was it like for you when you grew up in Dallas, TX? 

Ashley: “Dallas is definitely home. Even though I consider myself an L.A. girl now, I absolutely love Texas. So I was born and raised in Dallas. It’s not country, but it’s also like you have that Southern hospitality a little bit.”

You have been acting since you were younger and you also have brothers and a sister. How did they feel once you started to pursue a career in acting?

Ashley: “I have two older brothers and one older sister and I’ve been acting since I was 5. It’s been a long time coming for a really, really big role. But they were all just over the limit for me because, they know how hard I worked. And they’d been there throughout the journey and throughout the rejections. It was just exciting for everyone, the whole family. And of course, my parents, because they’ve been part of my journey in my whole life.”

How has your life been within the last few years while you are going back and forth between acting and modeling?

Ashley: “I modeled I’d say a little bit. But I’m also in college. I go to Baylor, I modeled before I went to Baylor and then a little bit throughout my freshman year. But it kind of got hard to do both school and modeling. So then I did school at Baylor up until my first semester of sophomore year. And then I moved to L.A and I then continued online classes. So I am going to be graduating in May on time, which is amazing. But I moved out to L.A. I lived here for a while and then we filmed in Vancouver and then I went right back to school. It was like my last week of filming overlapped with my first week of school. So I was thrown right back into it. But I’m getting the degree and getting it done and that’s really cool that I can do both.”

You are playing as Abigail on Motherland. Tell me more of who Abagial is and what can we expect from Abigail

Ashley: “Abigail is a very alpha-female driven queen bee intelligent. She comes from a very high power in the military families and she also comes from a long lineage of lieutenants and generals and she has a lot to prove and has a lot to live up to. Abigail is thinking “Hey, I’m the best. I trained my whole life in this way” and she needs to realize that she has to work with other people that she thinks is in her way to get to where she ultimately needs to be. Literally, when I read the script and the pilot they sent me over, I ran to my mom and told her that ‘I have to be part of this because this is so fraking cool’. I had an instant shock to it and I cannot wait for everyone to see what Abigail will do on Motherland.”

Since Demetria is playing as a Anacostia, who is the sergent, will we see both of your characters in a power struggle since she is a high ranking member of that military?

Ashley: “Abigail definitely challenges Anacostia. I think they just dropped something else right now on the Motherland page. I saw it on Facebook, but it literally shows a sneak peek of one of our little towers. It’s about Anacostia. And you can see me charging at her with the the spear. Yeah, it’s definitely Abigail. She’s like, I am about whether I came for this. I know what I’m doing. Abigail is like ‘I know what I’m doing and why are you trying to tell me what to do?’ There definitely will be a power struggle during this season.”

Can you run down some of the stunt work you and the cast have done while you were all acting our your scenes?

Ashley: “We definitely had a stunt coordinator who we trained with, and so prior to filming the pilot, we trained for three weeks. As you see in some of the trailers with whips in our hands, that becomes our first weapon, which is called the surge. So definitely we had to train and learn how to use that. It’s freaking awesome and it was also hard because sometimes you hit yourself in the face and that’s not fun. But we definitely train and we have a lot of fight scenes during the week and on the weekends, we have a little break. We also learned the choreography, fight scenes and stuff later. So we did some training. And I hope it shows because that that was some fun!”

While you were in Vancouver, did you had time to explore the area when you were not on set?

Ashley: “Yes. So I went to Squamish, which is almost an hour away from Vancouver. Basically, it’s just like all these beautiful mountains and they have a gondola there too. You see all the water, the snow, and the beautiful landscapes and stuff like that. It blew me away and I am a sucker for beautiful views.”

Photo Credit: @ashleynicolewilliams

What are some challengers and obstacles will we see Abigail go through during the season?

Ashley: “She has her inner struggles as well as her outter struggles with her mom. And her mom, of course, puts that pressure on her in a sense. She keeps letting Abigail know that she cannot fail this family. If she failed the family, she’ll be the first to know that she will feel like a failure about how has to live up to her name. And I think also, that put a lot of pressure on Abigail herself, because if she fails, she also fails in herself. And I think that is kind of a perfectionist way of how she thinks. She put so much pressure on herself to be the best and I don’t think she necessarily believes that she is the best because she has a lot of experience, which is kind of where that persona and the big ego get put out there to the field because she’s still so unsure.”

Actress Ashley Nicole Williams arrives for the 2nd Annual Freeform Summit at the Goya Studios on March 27, 2019 in Los Angeles. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) (Photo credit should read VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images)

What are some goals you would like to accomplish within the next few years?

Ashley: “I definitely hope Motherland goes like a kajillion seasons if we could. I hope we go really far and I hope the world loves it as much as we do. And I also want to venture out into the movies and things of that nature. Maybe some drama and stuff like that. I love a good drama. I love the good cry being a good person. And in the meantime,when i’m just honing in on my craft and really working at it so I can get to where I want to be ultimately.”

Julian: “That’s really good because I hope I can see you within the next few years especially on the red carpet.”

Ashley: “Oh yes, that would be awesome. Then we’ll look at each other. We’ll be like, ‘you remember a few years ago when we did our first interview for Motherland season one?” (Laughs)

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @julianexcalibur for more content. Contact me at julian@alternativemindz.com

The Walking Dead: World Beyond to Make Their Debut at WonderCon 2020

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For the last few years, Fear The Walking Dead has had a panel at Wonder Con with the cast and crew taking the stage to talk about the season. This year, there will be a change as AMC will not bring Fear The Walking Dead to WonderCon this year. Taking Fear’s place at WonderCon will be the second spinoff series, The Walking Dead: World Beyond.

World Beyond is a limited series that takes place ten years into the apocalypse in Nebraska. The series will feature two young female protagonists and focus on the first generation to come-of-age in the apocalypse along with more members of the communituy that they are all in. The walkers in this series is referred to as “empties” and there is a reason that they are referred to that as we will all find that out on the first episode.

One of the main drawing points of the series is that the CRM Helicopter group that has taken Rick Grimes, and Heath, and traded more people for supplies will be heavily featured on this mini series. CRM has connected the main show and Fear in the past and it seems like World Beyond will be the series to not only be the third connection to bring every series in the franchise together, but to also lead in to the Untitled Walking Dead Rick Grimes’ movies as well. I believe some those questions will be addressed at WonderCon. As far as Fear The Walking Dead goes, I believe the next time everyone will see the cast and the debut trailer will be sometime before San Diego Comic Con season!

No details have been revealed yet on which cast members will be in attendance at the panel along with which day the panel will take place, but AMC and WonderCon will release that information weeks before WonderCon begins.

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The Walking Dead Episodes 10×12 and 10×13 Airdates Revealed

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Danai Gurira as Michonne, Cailey Fleming as Judith Grimes – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AM8

The back half of the tenth season of AMC’s The Walking Dead has returned last weekend and one episode everyone is looking forward to is the final episode Danai Gurira portrays Michonne. That episode will premiere within the next month.

A representative of AMC confirmed to me that 10×12 and 10×13’s airdates have been switched so Michonne’s final episode that was shot as the twelth episode, will air as the thirteenth episode and vice-versa for the other episode. The synopsis of that episode titled “What We Become” is the following: “Michonne takes Virgil back to his island to find his family; in exchange, Virgil offers weapons.” Little information is known about the episode besides what has been shown in small teasers and trailers. This will also most likely be the episode where Michonne wields Negan’s Lucille too.

The other episode that was shot as 10×13 which will now premiere as 10×12 is titled “Walk With Us” and the synopsis is “With Negan’s help, Alpha and the Whisperers attack Hilltop.” Since The Whisperer War adaptation of the TV series is starting soon, this must be when The Whisperers burned Hilltop to the ground with the flaming arrows as it happened in the comic book series.

The last time this happened for episodes that swapped airdates was back in season 7 as “The Cell” and “The Well” were swapped.

Also, both episodes will premiere on AMC Premiere two days before the live airing on that sunday.

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What Would a Daryl and Connie Date Look Like on The Walking Dead

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Today is Valentine’s Day and everyone around the world are celebrating love all day long. When love is in the air, it is a great feeling to see couples embracing that they are together and even yourself if you have a significant other. In the world of The Walking Dead, nobody knows when Valentine’s Day arrives since many people in the post-apocalyptic world does not keep track on what month it is depending on where they are located. In The Walking Dead, Daryl Dixon and Connie are not officially in a relationship. But due to their chemistry together, fans have wanted them to be together (including Angela Kang) so much, that they were unofficially called “Donnie.” But what would a normal date between these two would look like in the world of The Walking Dead?

Crossbow Training

Daryl wields a crossbow and it has been his signature weapon since the start of the show. In fact, he has had three different crossbows during the series. We have yet to see Connie use Daryl’s crossbows during their time together, so these two can go in a quiet area, tie down a walker to a tree, and use that walker as a target for all of the crossbow bolts to pierce. Maybe Connie could turn this into a game to see who gets the most points. Side note, why have I not seen the PSE Fang model that Daryl temporary had from seasons 7-8? It is my favorite crossbow model!

Carnival

If Rick and Michonne could have a date at the carnival while trying to save a CGI deer, then so can Daryl and Connie as they can both go to that abandoned carnival that Rick and Michonne were once in. Connie could also most likely get Eugene to turn on the power so that way, they could enjoy the rides and games that are over there!

Fishing at The Oceanside

Daryl and Connie could not only enjoy the beach area at The Oceanside, they could also enjoy fishing over there too. Maybe Connie would also come up with a good idea to borrow one of their boats so that way, her and Daryl could be alone and away from every walker on land and away from the daily drama that stresses both of them out. Plus, not only would this date be good, but they would also bring home more fish for everyone.

Costume Party

I know that this would involve almost everyone at every community, but the thought of Daryl and Connie playing dress up for a party would be interesting. Who knows, maybe Connie might joke with Daryl and tell him to put on the Savior prisoner jumpsuit and Daryl could respond by telling her to put on a Whisperer mask or Negan’s jacket before they go to a costume party at Alexandria. Fun for a thought would you think?

A day in the park with Judith

Daryl, Connie, and Judith at the park would be a great day as this would be bonding time with all three of them. In fact, maybe add RJ to the mix too along with all of the children in each community. Daryl and Connie could watch them all play kids games that they used to do when they were their age and before the world went bad. Of course, Judith would not play tag with any walkers at all. Speaking of which, We need more scenes with Connie and Judith on the show!

These are some of the ideas I had in my head and I am sure that there are more that I can think of after this article is published. I also asked everyone on twitter who is their favorite The Walking Dead couple and the responses have been more Donnie in favor of the others. To be fair, Before Donnie existed, the fans were either Caryl (Carol and Daryl), or Beth and Daryl. I do like these responses however!

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My Non-Spoiler Preview of The Walking Dead Episodes 10×09 and 10×10

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Last fall, the mid-season finale of the tenth season of The Walking Dead ended with some of our fan favorite characters stuck in a cave as Alpha lured the group into a deadly trap. The mid-season premiere of The Walking Dead is in a matter of a few weeks away and I got a chance to watch the first two episodes of the second half. Here are my non-spoiler thoughts of The Walking Dead season 10, episode 9 titled “Squeeze” and the following episode “Stalker.”

10×09: “Squeeze”

The Daryl and Carol scenes on this episode were done really well and I am glad that the writers acknowledge that Carol is claustrophobic which was first mentioned a long time ago in the earlier seasons. Now that Carol is in a life and death situation, she had to overcome her fear of it during this episode. The scenes of everyone going through the tight spaces of the cave made me claustrophobic myself just by watching it. Daryl was the lead of the escape of the cave, but everyone played a good part of coming up with ideas on how to escape while they were trapped down there.

There were also times where two characters got into a near death experience in this episode and one of them happened at the middle of the episode. I was convinced that this person was going to be gone due to the very tight space. However, not everyone makes it out of the cave as the fate of some characters were left unknown after the escape. I wish I can say who it is, but I cannot so you will have to wait until the episode airs. Also to note, there is a head-shaking (and also tense) moment involving Carol in this episode that would make you question why would she do that in the first place. I have praised Melissa McBride in my past reviews with Carol’s mental state following how much Alpha put her through. But this time, I just hope that the payoff would be worth all the questionable decisions she has done so far this season. I know that previous characters were put in thye same situation as her and I called it out, but it is frustrating to see it happen with Carol episode after episode.

The Negan and Alpha scenes were very good and some of the dialouge were straight from the source materiel (Issues #155 and #156). There is one moment however that will be talked about through The Walking Dead community after this controversail scene will be shown to the world. In fact, I believe it will be the most memorable scene of the entire season as far as shock value it will be. I will also warn everyone to not watch this scene with your children too. I will give it a slight praise since it fits who Alpha is as a person and as the leader of The Whisperers.

Overall, “Squeeze” is a great episode and it does not waste any time to get back to where it left off. And Kudos to Beta for just being there towering over everyone.

10×10: “Stalker”

I have to get this out of the way right now, Beta in this episode is fantastic! Not only does he stalks from within like he is Michael Myers, but he also does brutal killings in this episode. Also, he is involved with two of the three fights on this episode. Also, I noted on my review of 9×13 that Beta has armor under his clothes during his fight with Daryl which is a detail that mostly everyone missed at the time, but it will be useful again in this episode too (Side note, my review of 9×13 is shorter due to me traveling that week). Gabriel will also get high praise from me on this episode too as his advice from Negan earlier this season is starting to really showcase for him especially his conversations with Gamma. Speaking of Gamma, you will all love it when Rosita does what Rick did to Aaron when he first meet him.

Daryl has a fight in this episode with Alpha and I not only loved that scene, I love how the VFX team used the blood on the cameras for Daryl’s eyesight during that fight. Alpha also has a great scene later in the episode as she is finally able to accept what she could not earlier this season. There are also spooky moments that happen at night on this episode too that I cannot give away, but the theme of paranormia returns on this episode too and Rosita will experience that on this episode. I wish I can say more of the episode, but it will be more spoilery than the last episode, but I liked this episode over “Squeeze” and it felt like the first half of the season was the buildup like a bomb fuse being light up and the beginning of the second half is the explosion.

Be sure to check out my full review of “Squeeze” on Feburary 23rd after the episode airs.

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Interview: Jessie Ennis, Imani Hakim, and Danny Pudi of Apple TV’s Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet

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Apple TV’s newest comedy series Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet debuted not too long ago and it follows a team of video game developers as they navigate the challenges of running a popular video game. Co-created by Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Megan Ganz, Mythic Quest has a strong cast and of the cast, I got the chance to interview Jessie Ennis, Imani Hakim, and Danny Pudi as they given me the details on their roles in this exclusive interview as you can check out the key highlights below.

Jessie on the limits of her character “Jo.”

Jessie: There is a lot of times where they wanted me to explode, like we see in the pilot when I say “you’re a dick.” I remember being like “Is that funny” (laughs). And then it was really surprising at the screening to hear people laugh for that cause. I mean, I just I kept thinking this is too big, but it was such a blast to get to do. But no, Rob [McElenney] was really the one turning it up to eleven when it came to how much my character can say.”

Danny on playing as a villian.

Danny: “I’ve always wanted to be a villain. Like ever since I saw The Hunchback of Notre Dame, that bishop was like my inspiration on playing a villian. It was so it was awesome. It was a great time. I get a chance to explore something different. I always dreamed I’d get to work with Murray F. Abraham. I never thought I would be in that capacity. But yeah, in terms of the show, it’s been fun to just bounce around. The cast is incredible and to play a character that there’s just tension with him and the creators. It’s a lot. It’s great for comedy and fun for me.”

You each have these super strong characters, and they are what they are. If you want to pick a celebrity to play your character, who would you pick?

Jessie: I’m not letting anyone take this for me. I’ve got my teeth sunk into it (laughs) and it’s my favorite thing to do so I would not share it.

Imani: “I would chose the mother of my character for this question. I think I would say Jada Pinkett Smith. She would be a fun Mother to Dana. I’m attached to my character Dana too.”

Danny: I would say my real life uncle. I think he’d be really fun in my role as a celebrity. And Helena Bonham Carter would be a great second choice.”

What surprises or challenges come your way when all of you started your scenes for the show?

Danny: “For me, I hadn’t worked with Rob. I’d worked with Megan on Communities so I was really excited to work with her again. I think she’s incredibly talented, but I didn’t know Rob at the time yet. It feels like friends making a show together. And I think there’s a similarity there to how we created the show. Every scene was us coming together, building something together, collaborating, improvising, adding things. Rob would suggest something and add build a new thing in the scene. So there were multiple writers and actors in the show. And so that was a different perspective for me, a chance to work with people who are in the process of creating the show in the writers room. But also on set and in the scene. And that was really unique and I think it brought a different element to the show.”

Imani: “I saw surprises. I think that as an actor, you just hope that you get to go to work and get along with your cast mates and the people that you work with. So I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this dynamic just works so very, very well. I look forward to going to work even on the days where I’m off and they’ve created such as safe space and like Danny said, is a very collaborative effort where we get to pitch in and chime in and have fun and freedom to improvise and to have to create our own voices for our characters.”

Jessie: “I’ve been lucky enough to come and visit the writers room for season two, and I’ve learned so much from Megan Ganz about breaking story and the structure of an episode. So that’s really the thing I feel is the newest to me. And it’s really inspiring to watch how our writers collaborate.”

It’s really fun to watch the clash of art and tech and business in these wonderful personalities inhabited the whole gaming culture. So I was just wondering if you could each talk about like your role in that. 

Imani: “I didn’t know much about the world, but it’s really cool to play someone who portrays the one that’s very passionate about the world where she just loves nothing more than gaming. She plays all day at work. It’s literally her job. And then she goes home and she plays Mythic Quest. So it’s really cool to portray her well like that and also work with Ashley. But she was very much in the world of gaming and Ubisoft being very hands on and on set with Jason and Danielle. So I’m learning a lot. Being able to pick their brains. And if we have any questions that pop up like they actually track our eyeballs, that is a fun fact that I learned on set.”

Jessie: “I didn’t know much, but I was really lucky to work with Jason and Danielle from Ubisoft. I was curious if there was a Joe in their offices and was shocked to hear that there were people like that and unapologetically trying to get as much power as possible. Women who love having an ego and enjoy following their dreams. And I was just really thrilled to get to bring that to light.”

Danny: “I love videogames. I would play Zelda and I want to live in that world. You know, I wish I could just sit there and live in Hyrule. But I didn’t know how much went into the creation of videogames. And for my character, I play the head of monetization. I didn’t know anything about that. I also didn’t know about the tension of micro-transactions and Lootcrates and how that brings up a visceral response. And so that was kind of new and interesting for me to learn. I actually met with the head of monetization. He was always great about letting me talk and ask questions about how that works. And especially for Brad is a fun character to play because I get to operate as the sort of silo where I’m walking around bouncing off people. But there is this tension between creative and business. But ultimately, we have to work together to build this product, you know. And now I know how important it is because my son will pick up my phone and be like, ‘can I get this new skin for $4.99 dad?’ most times now.”

How did you all react when you first seen the trailer at E3 2019 since this was the first time that a television show trailer was shown at E3?

Imani: “Well we’ve been sitting on this project for over a year now. So now we’re moving into the space where it’s being released into the world. So it’s super exciting for us because we’ve been out having to keep a secret for so long and not being able to talk about this wonderful project that we got to be a part of. So now now that we get to talk about it openly, it’s it’s it’s super thrilling.”

Danny: “it was awesome to see and we didn’t get to see a lot of it before E3 2019. And this is a new experience for me to be on a streaming service where everything comes out at once. And so all the trailers and everything, it’s been it’s been a little while. So it’s like new for us to see it. We didn’t get to see a lot of the VFX, all the stuff that Ubisoft’s doing too. So we loved that it premiered on the biggest gaming convention of the world last year and that it was viewed by the millions that were in attendance.”

Imani on the toxic side of the video game community and Dana’s obsticles

Imani: “I think we do a really great job at touching on how the obstacles that comes with being a woman and gaining territory only way. So for Dana, she’s it very much in love with gaming. And as she finally lands something that she sees herself excelling in the streaming world. And then for that to be taken away, and and people calling her out and saying that she’s big and she’s not a true gamer when that’s all she wants to do. And it’s really cool that we get to highlight that. And I think it will follow Dana because she’s in her early 20’s and she’s trying to figure out exactly where her footing is in the company. And she’s going to try new things and she’s going to fail and she’s going to try to fit this. So that’s was really fun. Like with Danning saying it’s a story about the characters that happens to be in this video gaming world.”

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New York Premiere Celebrating ABC’s New Drama ‘FOR LIFE’ EP’D by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson

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FOR LIFE – The creative team for ABC’s new drama “For Life,” including Creator and Executive Producer Hank Steinberg, Executive Producer and star Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, series lead Nicholas Pinnock and co-star Joy Bryant, and EPs Isaac Wright, Jr., Doug Robinson and Alison Greenspan sat down for a panel discussion at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall on Wednesday, February 5, 2020. The conversation was moderated by CNN and #cut50’s Van Jones. “For Life” debuts on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11 at 10 PM ET/PT on ABC. (ABC/Arturo Holmes) HANK STEINBERG, CURTIS “50 CENT” JACKSON, ISAAC WRIGHT JR., NICHOLAS PINNOCK, VAN JONES

The red carpet was held at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York, followed by a screening, panel discussion and a cocktail reception featuring DJ Max October. Attendees included executive producers Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, attorney Isaac Wright Jr. (“For Life” is inspired by Wright’s story), Hank Steinberg, Doug Robinson and Alison Greenspan, along with many of the series’ talented ensemble: Nicholas Pinnock, Joy Bryant, Tyla Harris, Mary Stuart Masterson, Boris McGiver, Timothy Busfield, Glenn Fleshler and Dorian Missick. 

The panel discussion, moderated by CNN Anchor and #cut50 Co-Founder Van Jones, sparked a powerful conversation with the cast and executive producers around criminal justice reform and how Isaac Wright Jr.’s insurmountable story inspired the series. When asked how this project came to fruition, 50 Cent said, “Isaac was pitching a movie idea and I was like yeah, but it’s not a movie. It’s a TV show because it would only allow me two hours to tell the story and the story is too now, too current to what’s going on, so I put the team together and made it happen.”

FOR LIFE – The creative team for ABC’s new drama “For Life,” including Creator and Executive Producer Hank Steinberg, Executive Producer and star Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, series lead Nicholas Pinnock and co-star Joy Bryant, and EPs Isaac Wright, Jr., Doug Robinson and Alison Greenspan sat down for a panel discussion at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall on Wednesday, February 5, 2020. The conversation was moderated by CNN and #cut50’s Van Jones. “For Life” debuts on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11 at 10 PM ET/PT on ABC. (ABC/Arturo Holmes) NICHOLAS PINNOCK, CURTIS “50 CENT” JACKSON, HANK STEINBERG, VAN JONES, ISAAC WRIGHT JR., LOUIS REED, ALISON GREENSPAN, DOUG ROBINSON, JOY BRANT

Wright Jr. shared, “Coming up a few decades later to where I’m at today, the thing that stands out for me the most is the thing that hurt me the most and that was when I came home I knew that I was leaving thousands of people behind that did not have the divine gift that I’ve had and so now with this show, I became millions of people at the same time. And so this show is a representation of the inspiration and the hope that I had, that I now can give to billions all at once. … I think more than anything else, it epitomizes not only where I came from, but where I am, and what I would like to devote for the rest of my life to the general public and that is health, hope and inspiration.”

Louis Reed (#cut50 National Organizer) also weighed in, “Isaac’s story is something that I’m all too familiar with and so, while I was absolutely guilty of what I was convicted of, however there are hundreds of thousands of people in the United States of America who have genius that is languishing in our state and federal prisons who were not guilty of the things by which they were convicted of. And I just want to say this. Yesterday, there was something poignant that happened during the State of the Union. The entire chamber stood up when Trump started talking about criminal justice reform. And in my mind, that is how America is supposed to be standing up for people like Isaac people, such as myself and people such as Kenneth Richardson. So again, big shout out the 50 Cent.”

Other notable attendees included: Mary Ann Wolf (VP of Current Programming, ABC), Lainie Gallers (VP of Network Drama, ABC), Jeff Frost (President, Sony Pictures Television), Jason Clodfelter (Co-President at Sony Pictures Television), Lauren Stein (EVP, Drama Development at Sony Pictures Television), Andrew Plotkin (SVP, Drama Development at Sony Pictures Television), CNN Anchor and #cut50 Co-Founder Van Jones, #cut50 National Organizer Louis Reed, COMPLEX editor-in-chief Damien Scott, Byron Pitts (ABC Nightline), Michael Blake (Assemblyman, Advocate for Criminal Justice Reform in NY), Kenneth Richardson (#FirstStepAct and #cut50 beneficiary) and Tom Murro (TV Personality). 

About FOR LIFE

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson executive produces this fictional serialized legal and family drama. “For Life,” inspired by the life of Isaac Wright Jr., is about prisoner Aaron Wallace (Nicholas Pinnock), who becomes a lawyer, litigating cases for other inmates while fighting to overturn his own life sentence for a crime he didn’t commit. His quest for freedom is driven by his desperate desire to get back to the family he loves – his estranged wife (Joy Bryant) and daughter (Tyla Harris) – and reclaim the life that was stolen from him. “For Life” will also, through the window of his ferocious struggle and his complicated relationship with a progressive female prison warden (Indira Varma), examine the flaws and challenges in our penal and legal systems.

The series is from Hank Steinberg, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson via G-Unit Film & Television, Doug Robinson and Alison Greenspan of Doug Robinson Productions and Isaac Wright Jr. The pilot is directed and executive produced by George Tillman Jr. (“The Hate U Give”). “For Life” is a co-production of Sony Pictures Television Inc. and ABC Studios. ABC Studios is a part of Disney Television Studios, a collection of studios comprised of 20th Century Fox Television, ABC Studios and Fox 21 Television Studios.P

About COMPLEX NETWORKS:

Complex Networks, formed from the acquisition of Complex Media Inc. through a joint venture by Verizon and Hearst, is a global lifestyle brand and media company and one of the most influential voices in popular culture today. Complex Networks’ digital channels, which include Complex, First We Feast, Pigeons & Planes, Sole Collector and more, is a Top 10 publisher in the U.S. for social engagement on channels like Facebook and YouTube. A diversified and profitable media business with premium distribution partners such as Netflix, Hulu, Pluto TV, Roku, and iFlix, Complex Networks’ original content exemplifies convergence culture, exploring topics that span across popular culture from music to movies, sports to video games, fashion to food.

Complex Networks develops and distributes original programming for its channels and through output deals with premium distributors. The company cultivates content that spans across popular culture from music to movies, sports to video games, fashion to food, reaching the coveted 18-24-year-old male audience. In 2016, the company launched ComplexCon in Long Beach, California, to bring the “Internet to life.” The annual event attracts over 200 culture-shifting brands and over 60,000 digitally savvy attendees to the two-day cultural festival.

About #CUT50:

#cut50, an initiative of The Dream Corps, is a national bipartisan effort to smartly and safely reduce America’s incarcerated population by 50 percent over the next 10 years. #cut50 uniquely connects “ground up” ability to educate and mobilize people with “grasstops” media and influencer reach, filling the gap between the expertise and work of leading criminal justice reform organizations and top-tier media and influencers. By humanizing the narrative and pursuing transformative legislation, #cut50 is uniting the political machine of Washington DC, the financial reach of Wall Street, the innovation of Silicon Valley, and the cultural dominance of Hollywood to roll back the incarceration industry.