Tonight - 11/Jun/2009

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Growing the love at home
June 11, 2009
By Zane Henry

I’d seen the Brothers and Sisters box-set at the DVD store every time I reached past it to grab the latest season of House or Lost.
I’m not sure why I never took it, but there always seemed something better to cuddle up on the couch with.
So when my colleague asked me to interview two of the cast of Brothers and Sisters before the launch of the third season in August, I had to bone up quickly.
One night and two seasons later, I was completely enmeshed in the tangled lives of the Walker clan.
Sure, the show is a glorified soap opera but which family isn’t? The writing is sharp, the acting is great (Sally Field, Rob Lowe, Rachel Griffiths: hello?) and the vibe is warm.
I arrived at 12pm at the One & Only Hotel V&A Waterfront, burnt out and bleary after the all-night Brothers and Sisters binge the night before.
When I was ushered into the presidential suite for the interview, I nearly hugged Dave Annable (Justin Walker) and Luke MacFarlane (Scotty) like long-lost brothers. I didn’t. But I wanted to.
They themselves were a little bleary after a night out around Cape Town and close encounters of the Stellenbosch pinotage kind.
Still, they’re scarily good-looking and I’m careful, for the sake of my ego, to not stand too close to them.
Hey guys. Welcome to Cape Town (Did I just say that?)
DA and LM: Thanks man.
Just so I know, which questions are you guys most tired of being asked?
DA: First of all, I love that question! Listen, ask whatever you’ve got. You’ve got a job to do and we’ll try to keep it fresh and interesting.
A question I do get asked a lot is what is it like to work with Sally Field.
She’s amazing, obviously.
She’s an unjaded professional while being a total mom to us on the set.
Seriously, I get emails from her checking if I’m drinking enough orange juice.
LM: I often get asked what it’s like working with such a great cast. And the answer is that it’s, well, great.
How did you guys end up here on the tip of Africa this morning?
DA: I got an email asking if I’d like to go to South Africa to promote the show and before I’d finished reading, I was like, definitely.
With our job come these amazing perks where we get to travel all around the world and talk about what we love doing.
LM: It’s the first time M-Net has had anyone from the show down here so we need to set a good precedent so that everyone else will get to come.
We’ve had some time to sight see and we’re completely in love with this place.
What can viewers expect from your characters in the third season?
LM: Well, we have a married couple on the show now, Scotty and Kevin, and the third season sees them having to deal with marital issues.
Scotty starts earning more money than Kevin and this puts some strain on the relationship, leading to some important lessons.
DA: We left Justin at the end of the second season just after that smooch with Rebecca.
The third season has him figuring out what his relationship with her is.
It’s a complicated situation.
How much of your characters do you take home with you?
LM: A lot. I have tremendous respect for Scotty. He’s a little more patient than I am and I often wonder how he puts up with Kevin.
DA: Justin and I definitely have laziness in common.
I don’t know if I brought it to him or he brought it to me but we both are kinda sloth-like.
My wife wants a small family. I want a big one. Who’s right?
LM: I’m an advocate for big families.
Tell her that when she’s old she’ll have lots of people to take care of her and dinner conversation will be so much more interesting when there’s more people around the table.
DA: I say this before changing a million diapers but I want a big family.
I want lots of kids running around and coach the little league team.
Just keep adding to the love.
• The third season of Brothers and Sisters airs on August 13 on M-Net.

Beeld - 10/Jun/2009

Source(http://jv.news24.com/Beeld/Vermaak/Nuus/0,,3-2109-2110_2528418,00.html deleted)  

Afrikaan online publication. Google translation (Afrikaan -> English).

‘Swaers’ maak harte oop
Jun 10 2009 04:37:05:813PM – (SA)

Luke Macfarlane en Dave Annable (Scotty en Justin in Brothers & Sisters) tydens hul besoek aan Suid-Afrika verlede week.

Dis die bobbejane en die twee oseane wat Luke Macfarlane en Dave Annable die meeste van Suid-Afrika sal onthou. Amanda de Lange het met dié twee akteurs van die TV-reeks Brothers & Sisters gesels.
As ’n mens skielik en onverwags die geleentheid kry om met Brothers & Sisters se twee swaers, Justin (gespeel deur Dave Annable) en Scotty (Luke Macfarlane) te gesels, dan los jy alles net só en laat spat om betyds te wees.
Jy kners op jou tande oor al die rooi verkeersligte en stopstrate en motors wat voor jou aankarwei teen 30 km/h en gee nie om dat jy skoon windverwaaid en uitasem is wanneer jy by jou bestemming aankom nie.
Dit is immers Justin en Scotty!
Só warrel ek verlede week by M-Net se kantore in ná ’n blitsige uitnodiging om tien minute met dié twee akteurs te gesels.
Annable staan en gesels met ’n klomp gaste in een van die raadsale toe ek daar aankom.
Macfarlane is nêrens te sien nie.
Die jong donkerkop strek sy arms vriendelik uit toe ek aan hom voorgestel word en vou my in ’n lekker drukkie toe.
“Wonderlik om jou te ontmoet. Welkom hier. Welkom by M-Net, welkom by mý M-Net,” lag hy.
Hy begin vooruitstap na die kantoor waar die onderhoud gaan plaasvind. Hou die deur galant vir my oop.
“Ek weet nie hoekom ek vooruit loop nie,” lag hy, “dis nie asof ek weet waarheen ek gaan nie …”
Ons gesels ’n bietjie op pad na waar ons Macfarlane gaan ontmoet. Annable blom oor die Suid-Afrikaanse vriendelikheid en die plekke wat hulle in Kaapstad (vanwaar hulle pas gekom het) gesien en die mense wat hulle ontmoet het.
“Dis heerlik hier. Wonderlik.”
Ontmoet jy Macfarlane is die ontvangs ewe warm. En dis sy mooi, diep blou oë wat jy eerste raaksien. Onder die wakende oog van hul publisiteitsbeampte kan die onderhoud begin.
Wat kan julle ons vertel van jul onderskeie karakters in die derde seisoen? Wat gebeur?
Annable: In hierdie seisoen wentel Justin se hoofstorielyn eintlik maar om Rebecca en of hulle ’n romantiese verhouding gaan hê of ’n platoniese vriendskap.
Ek dink dit is hul reis: Om uit te werk wat ons is en waarheen ons gaan. En is jy regtig nie my suster nie of is daar nog ’n draaibal aan die kom later in die seisoen?
En is Justin nou klaar met die weermag?
Wel, ja, vir nou. Maar jy hou nooit op om ’n veteraan te wees nie. En dit is ’n belangrike ding wat ek graag sou wou hê ons program in gedagte moet hou.
Ná Justin se beserings was daar ’n dwelmprobleem. Is dit nou iets van die verlede?
Dit is ’n stryd wat jy jou lewe lank voer en jy moet besluite neem op grond van die keuses wat jy in die verlede gemaak het. Justin sal altyd daardie stryd hê, maar nee … daar is nie middelmisbruik in die derde seisoen nie.
Luke, vertel ons van jou huweliksgeluk.
Macfarlane: Aaaah. Huweliksgeluk. Ja, wel, dit is nogal snaaks omdat daar tot dusver in die reeks deurentyd spanning in Kevin (Matthew Rhys) en Scotty se verhouding was. Maar in hierdie seisoen word hulle ’n baie stabiele paartjie.
Hulle het nogal ’n wankelrige begin gehad …
O, hulle het ’n báie wankelrige begin gehad. Hulle was saam, het uitgemaak, was saam, het uitgemaak. Hulle (die vervaardigers) was nie seker of ek in die reeks sou bly nie. Hulle het my getoets, my ge-oudisie. (Hy lag lekker).
Noudat ek daar is om te bly, is dit happily ever after. Maar daar is ’n bietjie van ’n vraagteken daar. Kevin was altyd die broodwinner. Hy het al die geld verdien, maar miskien begin Scotty bietjie meer verdien. Daar is beslis ’n magsdinamika daar wat gaan verander.
Jy speel ’n gay karakter. Is dit vir jou moeilik of is jy self gay?
Ek is gay.
So dis nie vir jou moeilik nie?
Nee, ek het die besluit geneem om oop oor my seksualiteit te wees. Dis net ’n aspek van my lewe soos enigiets anders. Net omdat ek gay is, beteken nie ek en Scotty is enigsins dieselfde nie. Ek het wonderlike ondersteuning van al die karakters gehad en veral van Matthew, want hy speel my man en hy is beslis nie gay nie. Maar hy is so oop en nooit ongemaklik met enigiets nie. Dit is ’n ware getuienis van sy vermoëns as akteur.
Was jy ooit bang om as ’n gay karakter gestereotipeer te word?
O, ja. Daar is beslis daardie vrees. Maar ek dink dis belangrik om dit tersyde te skuif, want dit is ’n belangrike kwessie van ons tyd. Gelykheid vir gays is die laaste 30 jaar ’n belangrike stryd in Amerika. So, natuurlik is ek bang om gestereotipeer te word, maar ek moet daardie vrees opsy skuif.
Vertel my van jul mede-akteurs? Julle speel saam met groot name: Calista Flockhart, Rob Lowe, Sally Field, om maar net ’n paar te noem.
Annable: Dit is ongelooflik. Ek dink vir sulke jong akteurs soos ons om in ’n reeks in te kom en hierdie soort van groot “onthullingspartytjie” te hê. Om by hierdie akteurs te leer … dis soos om elke dag skool toe te gaan. En ons is so gelukkig, want hulle is so gewillig om ons te leer. En te gesels – oor enigiets.
Macfarlane: En om heeltemal eerlik te wees. Ons gebruik hul roem om ons s’n aan te help. En om Suid-Afrika toe te kom. (Lag).
Hoe het julle gevoel toe julle die rolle gekry het?
Annable: Ek was die eerste een in die rolverdeling, so ek het nie geweet al hierdie groot name gaan aansluit nie. En toe hou ek aan om al hierdie oproepe te kry, soos Calista Flockhart het geteken. Calista Flockhart! Rachel Griffiths! Rob Lowe! (Hy gil met elke naam). O, my aarde, ek gaan beroemd wees. Dit was soos ’n droom wat waar geword het. Maar hoekom was dit so opwindend? Omdat dit so ’n goeie draaiboek is. Daar was vir lank nie ’n goeie gesinsdrama op Amerikaanse televisie nie en ek dink ons het dit teruggebring.
Macfarlane: Dis vir my ’n bietjie anders omdat ek eers later deel van die rolverdeling geword het. Ek het reeds geweet wat om te verwag. In die algemeen vir ’n akteur, en vir albei van ons, het ons gewerk aan heelwat verskillende reekse wat nie … (Annable beweeg sy hand soos ’n vliegtuig wat val.)
(Laggend) Ja! En Brothers & Sisters was heel aan die begin nie die sukses wat dit nou is nie. Maar ons het weekliks die kyksyfers gesien en dit het net beter en beter geword.
Hoe stem jul eie gesinslewe ooreen met dié in Brothers & Sisters?
Annable: My familie is presies dieselfde en dit is hoekom die skrywers so goed is. Ek het by my ?jonger suster uitgevind my ouer suster is swanger terwyl my jonger sus op die foon was met my ma.
En toe my ousus my bel om my te vertel, toe sê ek ek weet reeds. En sy sê: “So what? Is ons die Walkers?” Maar dit ís wat hulle geskep het. Hulle het regte gesinsverhoudings geskep.
Macfarlane: En baie van die skrywers het gesinne en hulle neem ervarings daaruit en skryf daaroor. Die hele storielyn met Scotty kom van een van die skrywers wat gay is. En hy en sy lewensmaat is, wel, Kevin en Scotty, om eerlik te wees! (Lag.)
En daarmee is die tyd verby en die twee Hollywood-sterre op hul pad uit. Maar nie voor daar nog drukkies en goeie wense uitgedeel word nie.
“Dis die mense wat vir my uitgestaan het,” vertel Annable. “Ek en Luke het daaroor gepraat, oor hoe wonderlik al die mense was die hele tyd wat ons hier was. Ons is soos koninklikes behandel,” sê hy.
“Ons het spesifiek ervaar die Suid-Afrikaners is baie op die man af. Hulle is ’n bietjie meer reguit as Amerikaners, wat ons baie verfrissend gevind het,” las Macfarlane by.
En ’n hoogtepunt van wat hulle hier gesien het?
“Bobbejane,” laat Macfarlane dadelik hoor.
Hulle lag.
Annable vertel van die voorreg om by Kaappunt te staan en die twee oseane ineen te sien smelt. “Ek het nooit gedink ek sal daar staan en dit sien nie.”
• Brothers & Sisters se derde seisoen begin in Augustus op M-Net.
Walkers  se wee
Brothers & Sisters is ’n Amerikaanse dramareeks wat in September 2006 op die ABC-kanaal afgeskop het. Dit handel oor die Walker-familielede en hul lewe in Los Angeles, Kalifornië.
Sally Field het in 2007 ’n Emmy gewen vir haar rol as Nora Walker, terwyl Rachel Griffiths vir ’n Emmy benoem is as beste vrouebyspeler in ’n dramareeks. Daar is reeds in April vanjaar aangekondig dat daar ’n vierde seisoen van Brothers & Sisters op pad is.

The Times - 04/Jun/2009

Source (http://www.thetimes.co.za/Entertainment/Article.aspx?id=1012576 deleted)

‘Don’t ask about topless kiss’
  Jun 04, 2009 Gabisile Ndebele

Aunty M-Net protects US soapie stars from media’s embarrassing questions
M-NET has secured two of the stars of the hit US drama Brothers and Sisters to trumpet the series’ third season in South Africa, to start in August.
They are Dave Annable, who plays the role of the youngest brother, Justin Walker, and Luke MacFarlane, who plays the lover of the middle brother, Kevin Walker.
But reporters were forbidden by the broadcaster to ask the actors personal questions, at least one of which would have been about the recent scandal involving series co-star Balthazar Getty, who ditched his wife — fashion designer Rosetta Millington, with whom he has four children — for British starlet Sienna Miller.
In 2008, paparazzi snapped Getty kissing a topless Miller on holiday in Italy, soon after his wife gave birth to their fourth child.
Getty and Millington have since separated but have yet to start divorce proceedings. London’s Daily Mail reported that Miller dumped Getty last month for having “too much baggage”.
Also last year, Getty was reportedly booted out of the series as a regular character. This followed a reported fall-out with other cast members about his affair, but the show’s producers cited plot lines and budgetary factors for their decision.
Annable and MacFarlane have put up at Sol Kerzner’s luxurious One & Only hotel, in Cape Town.
MacFarlane says he is “dying to meet” retired archbishop Desmond Tutu for the second time. He first met the Nobel prize winner in Canada when he was 13.
“He was such a wise and inspiring person, so to meet him while I am visiting his country would be such an honour again,” he said.
MacFarlane says that, unlike his character, he is neither gay nor long-suffering.
Annable — an admitted “goof ball” and video game junkie, who says he is neither “intense” nor a drug addict like his character — said he couldn’t wait to return to the US to tell all his friends and family what a “beautiful country South Africa is, and how the people are so generous and friendly”.
Brothers and Sisters revolves around the upper-crust Walker family, who discover that their late father had a lengthy affair and that they have a younger sibling.
The show also stars two-times Oscar winner Sally Field and Calista Flockhart. Annable said working with them was “like a dream”.
“I feel like asking them for autographs every day we are at work in case my job doesn’t work out — then I can just sell their signatures on e-Bay,” he joked.
Annable and MacFarlane arrived in South Africa on Monday and will return to the US tomorrow.
They have already visited Cape Point, and will visit the Sabi Sabi game reserve, near the Kruger National Park.
“Its such a pity that we couldn’t get to Table Mountain because I have heard so much about it. We tried to go yesterday but were told it was closed,” Annable said.
“But I am going to come back in summer to this beautiful place, just to go to that mountain.”

TVNZ - June, 2009

[Source]

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Interview: Matthew Rhys and Luke Mcfarlane

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Brothers and Sisters
Matthew Rhys  - Kevin Walker
Luke Macfarlane - Scotty Wandell 

The divide widens
 
tvnz.co.nz's Kate Marshall caught up with Matthew Rhys and Luke Macfarlane from "Brothers and Sisters" about life on the show, holiday time and pork pies.  

Matthew Rhys oozes charisma and charm as he sits in a suit jacket and jeans and swivels in his chair.  I'm enthralled as, in the dulcet tones of his native Welsh accent, he holds forth on what it's like being a part of Brothers and Sisters' famous Walker family (as Kevin), and the conflict that comes with it.

Rhys acknowledges of his character that being fired by your brother isn't exactly ideal and if this had happened to him, he'd probably react  much worse than Kevin did: "You know, I think that was sort of a fantastic opportunity for real conflict within the family. I would have shouted a lot more and broken things, but I think that's why I'm an actor."
 
Although he has no insight as to how things will pan out, he hopes fans will see Kevin and husband Scotty (played by Luke Macfarlane) less uptight since they got married.  "Usually Scotty has to go, 'It's all right, it's all right. Good pony. Good pony. I'll make some soup.'"  And as with any family conflict, each member is forced to take sides and that includes the audience.  For this incredibly hot and married gay couple, the divide becomes greater. "It's placated in areas, but it still comes back in a way to that sort of initial action." 

Even though conflict plays its role in the Walker family, it's the iconic Sally Field - as Nora the matriarchal mother to all - who provides the glue that holds the family, and Macfarlane says this is true both on screen with Nora and on-set with Field  "I remember one specifically we were on set," he says. "There was a lot of chatter& It was a late night, and she kind of stood up and was like 'Everybody be quiet.' And everyone was quiet. So she definitely - she makes you sort of step up."

Rhys admires Field's ability to always be on cue, no matter what: "She's always the one who doesn't move from the camera, is always word perfect. In fact, usually in the big dinner scenes when they have to get everyone's perspective and they take days to shoot - a full day to shoot one scene. They'll shoot Sally last because they know she'll absolutely be the same. She won't drop a line or show any signs of fatigue, and that's a real testament to her."

As well as holding a huge amount of respect for Field, Rhys is also in awe of those who put the show together (some regularly work until 4 O'clock in the morning), particularly with the scenes that incorporate the entire family.   He applauds those who are able to get everyone in the same room at the same time and deal with the staunch opinions,and Macfarlane agrees: "And then of course just the technical aspects of all those cameras, all those shots, all those angles when you have that many people in the room. I don't know how they keep track of those things."

Macfarlane says he's touched that fans will take such time and care over their letters.  For them, they go to work and forget the show is out there for millions to view each week so they sometimes lose track of the impact their jobs can have on the public.  Given their onscreen relationship, Rhys claims he probably receives more mail from boys and at least the feedback is heartening and very flattering.  Macfarlane on the other hand gets as much mail from girls as he does from boys, so they are both equally happy.

Rhys says he has mixed feelings as he heads into filming the last few episodes of the season. "We shoot for a long period of time. I think the crew more than anyone are very relieved because we work so extremely hard, and we're very lucky because there's so many of us killed by the schedule by any stretch of the imagination. It's always nice to come to an end to have a break and then recharge and back into the fight.'  Macfarlane feels its "fun too because you get to kind of think about your character and you get to sort of imagine what they're going to have in store for you next season."

So with a few weeks off to chill out and reassess their character, how are they going to spend their time?  Macfarlane is going camping to the Sierra Nevadas for his hiatus and becomes animated when talking about venturing outdoors.  So what about Rhys?  'I'm going to go to Argentina. First to Patagonia to do a tiny little movie for a few weeks, and then I'll go home [Wales] and eat fish and chips."

This isn't the first reference to home and Rhys' stomach.  He still loves to go back to his motherland and eat pork pies and is a keen rugby supporter.  He did consider joining a team in Santa Monica but decided against it on the advice of UK actor, Johnny Miller who had "got mashed a few times."  So they just watch instead.

Rhys the suddenly proclaims "maybe we're doing something right." of Brothers and Sisters - now into its third season.  Any one of the millions of homes who tune in to the show each week would certainly have something to say about that.  It might just be a sneaky yes. 

Full episodes of Brothers and Sisters will be available free online 12 hours after the show has aired on TV2. Click here to view episodes Ondemand.

AfterElton - 11/May/2009

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The 2009 AfterElton Hot 100
Posted byAfterElton.com Staff on May 11, 2009

3. Luke MacFarlane

Rank last year: 3

The twinkling blue eyes of our #3 entry have inspired AfterElton.com readers to come together every Sunday night hoping to get even just a glimpse of those dimples on ABC’s Brothers & Sisters.

It was on B&S that readers first fell in love with this Canadian-born actor who portrays half of the show’s gay supercouple and one of the only same-sex male couples on television. Luke is Scotty Wandell to Matthew Rhys’ Kevin Walker and together last fall, they had the first primetime gay wedding on U.S. television between regularly recurring characters. On top of that, they have the unusual distinction of being the only functional relationship on the entire show. Score one for gay marriage!

While AfterElton.com readers are adamant that there’s still just not enough of Luke on the show, the shy, out-and-proud actor keeps himself busy by having recently starred in the Canadian miniseries Iron Road as well as on stage in The Jazz Age as F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Luke also inspired many with his decision to come out last April, which propelled him to the 3# spot on last year’s list. Who knows? If Brothers & Sisters gives Scotty and Kevin a bit more screen time next season, a certain Canadian might just come out on top!

AfterElton - 26/Apr/2009

[Source]

The 2009 AfterElton Hot 100: Out Gay Men
Posted by AfterElton.com Staff on April 26, 2009

3. Luke MacFarlane

Hmm, we’re starting to detect a theme here. You folks really like these three gay men a lot, don’t you? Or perhaps you simply like to show how cosmopolitan you are by picking a Yank, a Scot and a Canadian again and again.

At the risk of repeating ourselves, we also suspect that, as with John Barrowman and the BBC, Luke might have had a shot at the top spot if ABC’s Brother & Sisters had featured him a bit more prominently. Things were so promising last fall when his character Scotty Wandell married Kevin Walker, but ever since then it’s been a case of diminishing returns.

Might we suggest Luke trying bribing the ABC writers to get a bit more facetime? That just might be what he needs to push him over the top next year.

AfterElton - 06/Apr/2009

[Source]

Ask the Flying Monkey! (April 7, 2009)
Posted by Brent Hartinger on April 6, 2009

Q: Who is Luke Macfarlane dating? -- Anonymous

A: Sadly, the Flying Monkey doesn’t know. Luke has been linked with T. R. Knight, Charlie David, and a certain TV actor who is not out. But he’s been very circumspect about his personal life. He’s also declined repeated invitations to do an interview with AfterElton.com

Luke Macfarlane