Debra Messing News

Broadway, television, and film acting veteran Brian d'Arcy James admitted he was pumped to finally perform a show of the 1980s pop songs he loves. The two-time Tony Award-nominee made a seemingly effortless transition from the Broadway stage to a nightclub stage, proving to be an energetic, engaging, enthusiastic, and effervescent concert performer with on-stage charisma and self-deprecation to spare during his first solo concert show at the new 54 Below nightclub.

Megan Hilty talked to the Canadian Press about her role in the upcoming season of Smash on NBC. She will be back, probably causing a lot of drama, she says, but she hopes life gets better for Ivy this season. Watch the interview below!

On Monday, June 25th, The Trevor Project honored Academy Award® winner, Susan Sarandon with the Trevor Hero Award, presented by Stanley Tucci. President of MTV, Stephen Friedman also was hand to accept the Trevor 2020 Award for MTV at "Trevor Live" in New York. This high-profile annual event benefits the life-saving, life-affirming work of The Trevor Project, providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) teens and young adults. The show was directed by Tony Award® winner, Michael Mayer. On hand to celebrate were Stanley Tucci, Debra Messing and Eric McCormack, Anthony Rapp, Thomas Roberts, and many more. BroadwayWorld was on the red carpet to speak to the stars about this important initiative and shares their insights below.

Tonight, Tuesday, June 26, Tony Award nominee Brian d'Arcy James launches his New York City solo concert debut with his show "Under The Influence" at 54 Below. New York knows him from Broadway's Time Stands Still, Next to Normal, Shrek, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, The Apple Tree, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Titanic, among others; television audiences know him from NBC's "Smash" and HBO's Game Change, but now 54 Below audiences will have a chance to see him in his brand new musical offering during its inaugural month.

On Monday, June 25th, The Trevor Project will honor Academy Award® winner, Susan Sarandon with the Trevor Hero Award, presented by Stanley Tucci. President of MTV, Stephen Friedman will also be on hand to accept the Trevor 2020 Award for MTV at "Trevor Live" in New York, (Pier 60, Chelsea Piers). This high-profile annual event benefits the life-saving, life-affirming work of The Trevor Project, providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) teens and young adults. The show will be directed by Tony Award® winner, Michael Mayer. Trevor Live is presented by Audi of America, Pfizer and Wells Fargo and features fun., Stanley Tucci, Debra Messing and Eric McCormack, Anthony Rapp, Thomas Roberts, and many more.

Tonight, June 25th, The Trevor Project will honor Academy Award winner, Susan Sarandon with the Trevor Hero Award, presented by Stanley Tucci. President of MTV, Stephen Friedman will also be on hand to accept the Trevor 2020 Award for MTV at "Trevor Live" in New York, (Pier 60, Chelsea Piers). This high-profile annual event benefits the life-saving, life-affirming work of The Trevor Project, providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) teens and young adults. The show will be directed by Tony Award® winner, Michael Mayer. Trevor Live is presented by Audi of America, Pfizer and Wells Fargo and features fun., Stanley Tucci, Debra Messing and Eric McCormack, Anthony Rapp, Thomas Roberts, and many more.

Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy-winning actress-singer Jennifer Hudson ('Dreamgirls') will appear in a multi-episode arc on NBC's 'Smash' beginning with the second-season premiere when the musical drama returns to the NBC schedule.

Debra Messing begins filming soon for the second season of NBC's SMASH, and according to a recent interview with the Hollywood Reporter, her love of Broadway existed long before she was cast as Julia. Check out what she had to say about how she came to love theatre by clicking below!

On Monday, June 25th, The Trevor Project will honor Academy Award® winner, Susan Sarandon with the Trevor Hero Award, presented by Stanley Tucci. President of MTV, Stephen Friedman will also be on hand to accept the Trevor 2020 Award for MTV at "Trevor Live" in New York, (Pier 60, Chelsea Piers). This high-profile annual event benefits the life-saving, life-affirming work of The Trevor Project, providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) teens and young adults. The show will be directed by Tony Award® winner, Michael Mayer. Trevor Live is presented by Audi of America, Pfizer and Wells Fargo and features fun., Stanley Tucci, Debra Messing and Eric McCormack, Anthony Rapp, Thomas Roberts, and many more.

On Monday, June 25, 2012, the band fun. will be the headlining musical act at "Trevor Live" presented by Audi of America, Pfizer and Wells Fargo at Chelsea Piers (Pier 60) in New York.

Deadline.com reports that Chris Diamantopoulos has joined the cast of the upcoming film EMPIRE STATE. The actor joins previously announced cast members Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Emma Roberts and Liam Hemsworth.

The past couple of days have been full of announcements about 2012 television pickups. NBC's SMASH will be back, but not until January 2013 with an all new season 2. The cast just attended 2012 upfronts, where they performed pieces from the show. Check out photos, as featured on their Facebook page, below!

The new featured song from last night's season finale of NBC's musical drama series SMASH (Mondays, 10-11 p.m. ET), is now available from NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products and Columbia Records on the iTunes store.

The past couple of days have been full of announcements about 2012 television pickups. In addition to the return of SMASH in January 2013, NBC's upcoming fall line-up will include new shows GO ON, starring Broadway's Laura Benanti and THE NEW NORMAL, starring THE BOOK OF MORMON's Andrew Rannells. GLEE will of course be back on FOX, but next season on Thursday nights!

Last night NBC aired the season finale of SMASH! In the episode, Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing) raced against time to save the show, while Derek (Jack Davenport) made a decision that changed the lives of Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Ivy (Megan Hilty) forever. Ellis (Jaime Cepero) revealed his true colors. But when he finally made his move to save "Bombshell," would it be for or against Eileen (Anjelica Huston)? In the midst of it all, another bombshell went off - this one is in Karen and Dev's (Raza Jaffrey) relationship. Check out the season 1 finale below.

The words we've all been breathlessly waiting to hear - "You're going on as Marilyn tonight," - were finally uttered by the director of the show-within-the-show, Derek (Jack Davenport), on SMASH's "Bombshell" season finale last night: Karen Cartwright (Katharine McPhee) nabbed the coveted role. Despite seemingly all of the bets being placed early in the season against Karen by viewers and critics alike insofar as her likelihood in donning the peroxide wig and beautymark - she seemed a Norma Jean but rarely an expected choice for Marilyn; certainly no match in the classic idea of the screen siren as far as the vivacious and curvaceous Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) was concerned. While many were quick in giving Ivy Lynn the upper hand - or upper skirt, as the case may be - it was evident from the first moment of the series that Karen, the underdog, is who we were largely meant to be rooting for above all others; the naive Iowa girl singing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" on a stage of glitterring stars, so close and yet so far away. Ivy surely made a fast and furious impression soon thereafter with "The National Pastime" in SMASH's pilot, but Karen had already been quite clearly established as our most central protagonist - perhaps with Julia (Debra Messing) equally as prominent. As the fourteen subsequent episodes have progressed, SMASH has revealed itself to be a true ensemble piece with the emphasis on the collective journey of all of the characters and how that has had an effect on the burgeoning Broadway musical at the show's core, but Karen and Julia still have remained the two given the most screen-time and exposure. Megan Hilty has nonetheless emerged as a force to be reckoned with and her performance in the role is the finest of all on the series, outshining all in her songs and scenes. The various highways, byways and alleyways by which we have journeyed on the road of SMASH from the beginning to last night has unquestionably been leading to the BOMBSHELL first preview performances and the reveal of who would ultimately win the part of a lifetime in the show-within-the-show - and, on that count, the SMASH season finale bared all. And, as if all of that were not enough - cameos from Broadway heavyweights Bernadette Peters and Nick Jonas, too!

Estamos de enhorabuena. Al fin podemos disfrutar de Smash en nuestro país. El canal de pago AXN White sirve de plataforma para el lanzamiento español de la serie, estrenada en la NBC el pasado 6 de febrero con una audiencia superior a los 11 millones de espectadores en su primer capítulo. Se trata de una producción de DreamWorks Television (con el mismísimo Steven Spielberg al mando) creada por Theresa Rebeck y con canciones, especialmente compuestas para la ocasión por Marc Shaiman y Scott Whitman. A día de hoy, en que se emite el último capítulo de la primera temporada en Estados Unidos, sabemos que hay renovación para una segunda. Y si esto sigue así, podemos asegurar que tendremos Smash para rato.

In a follow-up to Part 1 of our in-depth with Brian d'Arcy James, one of Broadway's favorite leading men for nearly two decades, Brian gets candid about his theatrical career, including TITANIC, SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, NEXT TO NORMAL, SHREK, and more. For all of Brian's fans, the star will be taking the stage at the new cabaret venue, 54 Below on June 26, 2012, in his first New York City solo concert appearance. For all of Brian's fans, the star will be taking the stage at the new cabaret venue, 54 Below on June 26, 2012, in his first New York City solo concert appearance. This week-long engagement runs through June 30, 2012. CLICK HERE to re-visit Brian's thoughts on his new concert act and click below to follow him through his celebrated career!

In a special two-parter, we bring you an exclusive chat with Smash star and Shrek himself, Brian d'Arcy James, one of Broadway's favorite leading men for nearly two decades. In Part 1, featured below, Brian gets candid about Smash, his early days starring in industrials, and his upcoming concert at the brand new Manhattan performance space, 54 Below. Be sure to tune in soon for Part 2, as Brian takes us through his theatrical career.