The Star Wars Saga On Digital HD Tuesday April 10th

Wanna Get Away? Take A (Summer) Break from Technology In Tybee Island, Georgia – The Ultimate Southern Beach Getaway!
With summer just around the corner, I know that there are some moms out there who are overwhelmed by the idea of planning a vacation – between soccer practices and carpooling, we understand! Plus, it’s hard enough to get kids off their technology, let alone to plan a vacation that engages the whole family.
So, if you’re feeling bogged down by emails and iPads, I have a solution! Just in time for summer, Natural Retreats has launched a collection of handpicked homes with Southern Living Getaways in Tybee Island, Georgia.
Tybee Island is a perfect destination for families with young kids who need an easy, affordable vacation for the whole family. With adorable beach cottages, white sands, and the town just a bike ride away, it’s a place where everyone can really unplug – and the only reception kids will pick up is a football on the beach.
Tybee Island takes you back to a time when things were simpler. Sip on sweet tea and listen to the waves crash against the shore on the porch of your very own beach house. Go dolphin watching on a chartered boat, fish the deep blue sea, or take a bike ride through one of the multiple nature trails. If history is your thing, spend an afternoon at Fort Pulaski, a historical landmark full of Civil War history.
Don’t have time to plan the details? You can call Natural Retreats’ Xplore Team – their onsite “fun” gurus – who will schedule all of your events for free! Mmm hmm…my kind of planning ;).
Go somewhere to remember this summer, and book your trip to Tybee Island! Visit NaturalRetreats.com or call 1(844) 678-5692 and they’ll take it from there. All you have to do is pack…

So I shared with you about a month ago the big announcement from Emma Watson that she would be playing Belle in Disney’s upcoming live action version of Beauty And The Beast…I’ve been so stoked and had a few speculations on who might play the Beast & Gaston..but these two were never on my radar. I think they made pretty good choices though!
The Hollywood Reporter, reported 2 days ago that Dan Stevens, who you might know from Downton Abbey and the movie The Guest, is in negotiations to play opposite Emma Watson as the Beast.
They also revel that Luke Evans, who you know from Dracula, Immortals, & The Raven amongst others, is in talks to play the other leading role Gaston.
Beauty & The Beast continues Disney’s plan of taking some of its animated classics and turning them into live-action phenomenons. Cinderella, is the latest — it opens March 13 — and is already generating great reviews.
Last year’s Maleficent, Disney’s live-action take on Sleeping Beauty, made $758.4 million worldwide..so I guess you can say the world is in deed loving the live action fairy tales!

From writer-director Peter Horton (“Grey’s Anatomy”) and writers Adam Armus & Kay Foster (“The Following”) comes “American Odyssey,” a complex journey through global politics, corporate espionage, and military secrets involving three strangers who only have one thing in common … the truth. In this “Traffic”-like action drama, an international conspiracy explodes when the lives of a female Special Forces soldier, a disillusioned corporate lawyer and a political activist from a privileged family unexpectedly collide.
AMERICAN ODYSSEY — Pictured: “American Odyssey” Horizontal Key Art — (Photo by: NBCUniversal)
So let’s get on to what you’re here for..the interview with Yousef Sweid & EP Peter Horton!
I am so fascinated with the complexity of each of the characters and how their story unfolds, pulling threads and unraveling the bigger story of secrets and conspiracies. My question for Peter is do you think you were crossing the line by showing the US military as the bad guy as part of this? – Stephanie Piche, Mingle Media TV
You know, our intention from the beginning of this project was never to frankly pain any one group as bad or good. There certainly are individuals who have their point of view that creates all sorts of trouble. But even as you see the series go on even someone like Colonel Glen in Episode 13 has a really long speech about his point of view.
And what we’ve always tried to do is give each character a point of view. And so even though they may be doing things that seem rather bad at the time, they’ve got a reason for it. And we also never intend, as the series goes on you’ll see as well that the whole American military is bad. The idea is that there’s a seam within the military industrial complex that sort of join hands over the years – over the last couple of decades with private industry so that there’s a grey zone in between those two.
It’s Dick Cheaney being the head of Haliburton and then becoming the Vice President and us going to war.
You know it’s a seam within that’s got an agenda. That has – it has a theology that they’re implementing. And from their point of view for good, for the good. So that’s always our intention. It never was to really say by any means that the whole American military is bad at all. – EP, Peter Horton
AMERICAN ODYSSEY — Pictured: “American Odyssey” Horizontal Key Art — (Photo by: NBCUniversal)
And I have a question for Yousef. You played your character to perfection especially considering the circumstances. Why was it important for you to take this role and play this character? – Stephanie Piche, Mingle Media TV
First of all, like Shakir had to be famous. And second is well you know as an actor, I think I remember the first time I went to do makeup and hair. And another actor came inside and he said, “Wow, it’s like the dream of every male actor to play a woman.” And I think it’s one of the biggest dreams. It’s kind of – it’s a lot of freedom inside.
I love all the fun. I love – and the character itself, it’s very – she’s a very complex and has a very interesting story. So, and very deep. So of course, in every kind of aspect, it was one of the most interesting parts I ever read. So I was really, really – really, really wanted to do it. So, yes. – Actor, Yousef Sweid
AMERICAN ODYSSEY — Pictured: “American Odyssey” Horizontal Key Art — (Photo by: NBCUniversal)
American TV doesn’t have a lot of drag queen characters, regular characters at least and – we don’t have as many Arab characters as we should. Do you feel any special responsibility playing both? – Suzanne Lanoue, TV MegaSite
Yes. Of course. But not just because it’s American TV. I feel responsibility as an Arab doing these kind of characters which are very dangerous. I know there are a lot of trans-genders and drag queens which are Arabs and which there – they live in danger. Like they can live their lives maybe more if it’s more in the western world.
But also there, it’s dangerous for them. And in my life as an actor in my work, I always wish to do these kind of characters they have also kind of a message. And not only for the American, but also for me or for the Arab world. Or you know I guess there’s a lot of Arabs in the US. So for me, it’s for myself also to do this kind of message for – you know for other people.
And this is character is living – what kept me going or what I think one of the features of this character that she’s always in danger. She’s having fun. She’s happy. But she’s always in danger that something bad will happen to her. Like at any moment, can go out with a gun and kill her. And I think to see this world is special and different and interesting. – Actor, Yousef Sweid
AMERICAN ODYSSEY — Pictured: “American Odyssey” Horizontal Key Art — (Photo by: NBCUniversal)
We’ve seen Aslam’s immediate reaction to the death of Shakir. But how did this particular death effect Aslam in the long run, in moving forward? – Cody Schultz, Hidden Remote
Oh, you know it’s so – it’s such an interesting journey for him because – because you know the degree to which he is in need of family. You know his family gets pretty well wiped out in the pilot. The only family he has is his – this uncle he’s never really met who he just goes to because it’s his only option.
And then to discover his uncle is a cross dresser which at first is offensive to him. But then as you see, falls in love with him. Just gets so connected to him. And then when his uncle’s dead, the only family he has left, as a possibility is Odelle. Yet he’s trying to get Odelle home. And – which means out of Africa and into the United States.
So there’s a great sort of conflict for them both as to how – what are we going to do with Aslam? Does he go home with her? Does he stay in Africa? Does she stay in Africa? I mean it’s a – it’s a kind of very rich and emotional dilemma for them both as they kind of form their own sense of bond and family. – EP, Peter Horton
AMERICAN ODYSSEY — Pictured: “American Odyssey” Horizontal Key Art — (Photo by: NBCUniversal)
Has working on the series changed your attitude towards conspiracy theories at all? – Cody Schultz, Hidden Remote
For me, no. I don’t think so. I never really went to deep inside of these theories because it’s sometimes too complex. And it’s not for me. I want to be a you know a simple human being who works and loves his work. And I just – you know sometimes it’s fun to get into these kind of things. But I don’t go to deep. Anyway, so it didn’t actually change. – Actor, Yousef Sweid
I think for me, it’s – you know all of this conspiracy theory was born out of you know the headlines, out of what’s going on in life right now. Obviously, we’ve taken it to an extreme, but not very far. We didn’t have to travel far to get to a conspiracy theory. You know, the sort of market value being the primary value in the world even over the value of human life is prevalent is real.
Like I said a little bit before, the collusion between or the sort of grey zone, the relationship now between representative government and industry is braided together in a way that I don’t think it ever has been before. You know so you start asking the question the series basically fundamentally asks is do we and the representative government still have power to stand what we believe is right?
And so the conspiracies that evolve around that really do come from – in a way it’s a cautionary tale like because it comes from what’s actually going on. So in that sense, I suppose it has. I don’t consider myself a conspiracy theorist. I don’t. I think a lot of conspiracy theory is based on sort of knee jerk paranoia. And I don’t consider myself a paranoid individual. But I do find myself concerned with what I see going on in those areas. So it’s – to the degree that it’s made me lend some credibility to conspiracy theories, then I guess in that sense. – EP, Peter Horton
Peter, do you know when you’ll find out if we get a second season or not? – Suzanne Lanoue, TV MegaSite
Boy, I’ll tell you. I’m sitting on pins and needles. You know obviously hoping against hope that indeed we’ll get that. You know, they – everyone at NBC really loves the show and really, really wants it to go. We just need some more people to watch it.
And I think we’re all hoping that over the next few weeks, we’ll get a bit of an uptick and give everyone a reason to say – to say, “Yes”. But we’ve pitched a second season to them. And everyone is you know just really onboard with that. So it’s just a matter of again what’ll unfold over the next couple of weeks. – EP, Peter Horton
Peter, for you, I’m wondering can you tell us about what’s coming up in the next few episodes without being super spoilery which I’m sure you’re not even allowed to do. – Kara Howland, TV Goodness
There’s a few more people dying. You know it’s – the main thing to know is that each season of this show is going to have a beginning, middle and end. So there is – it isn’t one of those things where you know you’ll be left not understanding things and having to wait until next season to understand them. They’ll be a sense of completion this year.
But you know the journey just starts getting more and more poignant really I think you know as the stakes build towards a climax and towards a conclusion. The story becomes a little more poignant and I think a little more emotional and meaningful as we go. So it’s going – it still has the – you know the feel of our show has always been tension.
But I think the add mixture starts leaning a little bit more towards emotion as we go. – EP, Peter Horton
I hope you got a little more insight into the show! If you could have asked a question..what would you want to know?
You can catch American Odyssey on NBC Sundays 10/9c
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You can also read my interview with Actor Jake Robinson