‘Cobra Kai’ stars talk friendship, representation, and what to expect for season 5

Posted on January 11, 2022 by Danielle Long and Matt Wolfe

(NOTE LANGUAGE) With Cobra Kai season four continuing to dominate the binge-side of life on Netflix, two of its stars are talking friendship, representation, equal footing and dropping a few hints for what to expect in season five.

When it comes to off-screen relationships, Vanessa Rubio who plays Carmen Diaz, and Courtney Henggeler, who plays Amanda LaRusso, tell ABC Audio that their friendship is as real as it gets — even though it didn’t develop until two seasons in when they realized they had “weird little things” in common, including their closeness in age.

“I think between the younger cast, the older cast and then us…we’re like ‘You’re the only one that I can really go out with so let’s go and have fun!'” Rubio expresses.

Meanwhile on-screen, Henggeler says that the secret to Cobrai Kai’s success lies in its creators and how they keep the playing field level for everyone.

“It was never like…the girls are going to this, and the boys are going to do this, it was just like the bad-a** is going to do this, the other bad-a** is going to do this,” she explains. “I so respect that they never throw us the generic girl-parts.”

Keeping things level also includes Latina representation and empowerment, which are at the forefront of Rubio’s character.

“Just the ability to see your type of physicality and self represented on screen is a big deal,” Rubio says.

Another big deal is season five, which Rubio reveals is already filmed. So what can fans expect?

“Let’s just say that maybe the Valley gets…smaller,” she laughs. “The stakes are up!…I’m always rooting for Johnny and Carmen. I’m always rooting for them and I hope they make it! We’ll see.” (AUDIO IS ABC 1-ON-1)

Cobra Kai season four is streaming now on Netflix.

Piper Perabo is stirring up trouble on ‘Yellowstone’

Posted on December 3, 2021 by Danielle Long and Matt Wolfe

Life on the Dutton Ranch is about to get sticky. Again.

Piper Perabo has made her official debut on the hit cable TV series Yellowstone playing animal rights activist Summer Higgins — who comes into direct conflict with Kevin Costner‘s character John Dutton’s livestock practices on the Dutton Ranch. Piper tells ABC Audio, that Summer and John do have one thing in common –a concern about conservation and the preservation of land.

“I think there are a lot of issues like that you know, that we can all see eye to eye on even if we don’t all have the same ideas on how to get there,” says Perabo. “When it comes to the big picture? We agree more than we disagree.”

Perabo adds that Summer’s hard exterior is about to be changed as the series moves ahead.

“I think his way of life, and the way of life on the ranch is not something that she’s really not been exposed to before,” Piper explains. “And though she doesn’t agree with everything about it, it changes her to know this family.”

The Dutton Ranch scenes are filmed at the real-life Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby, Montana, which, according to Piper is “almost like Disneyland, you know, like, as an adult it’s so cool to see something real!”

Speaking of movie sets, you may remember Piper dancing on the bar in the 2000 film Coyote Ugly. There’s a lot of buzz lately about a possible reboot, and Piper is on board — with some exceptions.

“I would be very nervous to get back up on that bar? It was dangerous when I was in my 20s! So it could be more dangerous now!

Yellowstone airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount Network.

‘The Story Of Marvel Studios: The Making Of The Marvel Cinematic Universe’ book includes “personal stories,” authors say

Posted on October 22, 2021 by Danielle Long and Matt Wolfe

Got Marvel? The first fully authorized, all access history of Marvel Studios is in bookstores now!

The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a two-volume hardcover collection that details the rise of the studio into an cinematic force, chronicling all 23 films that make up the beloved “Infinity Saga,” featuring talks with the actors, producers and creatives — including Marvel Studio head Kevin Feige.

Feige, who started as an associate producer on X-Men, shared the invaluable lessons he learned during his early days.

He tells ABC Audio one of those takeaways was decision-making, and recalled some of the “risks” X-Men took, “like casting a six-foot-three Hugh Jackman to play the five-foot-two Wolverine and ultimately saying…embodying the spirit of the character that is more important than getting your ruler out and matching it perfectly to the comics.”

Feige also learned the importance of having the right filmmaker for the job, despite experience level, because “they have a story to tell and a vision of how to tell it in a unique and different way.”

The Story Of Marvel Studios was a years-long effort by co-authors Tara Bennet and Paul Terry — but don’t think this is just a book chronicling the exploits of on-screen superheroes.

“There’s so many personal stories,” Terry said. “We see the spectacle of the movies but these are human beings with ideas! And those ideas evolve and become the MCU that we love.”

Speaking of Marvel, Bennet pointed out that what makes Marvel Studios different is their ability to retain and grow talent.

“This is a place where people have stayed,” she said, noting how people who “started out from getting people coffee… [to] now being an EP on Endgame.”