Chris Messina News

Today we are taking a look at one of the most electrifying television series of all time as Season Four hits DVD and we approach the final season premiere tonight at 9 PM on DirecTV - the dark and spotted cat-and-mouse legal thriller DAMAGES, starring Glenn Close and Rose Byrne. By taking a closer look back at Season Four and its unforgettable guest starring performances by John Goodman, Chris Messina and Dylan Baker as Hewes & Associates became entangled with some Blackwater-esque military-minded wheeler dealers and mercenaries - as does Ellen (Byrne), now working for the DA's office - with, expectedly, it all culminating in copious bloodshed, perhaps we can uncover some clues as to where we will be heading in Season Five and the final ten episodes that begin airing tonight and the series comes to its conclusion. If the promos that have been airing on DirecTV and around the internet are any indication as to the titillating and terrifying thrills in store for us with new featured guest stars Ryan Phillippe, Jenna Elfman and Janet McTeer and the returns of Season Four standouts Chris Messina, Judd Hirsch and Zachary Boopth; as well as, one can assume, a spare ghost or two, too. Indeed, it has been a breathless and breathtaking trip so far on DAMAGES and it has been a revealing, rewarding and ultimately resplendently rich journey over the last six years or so to see the epic highs and lows of master attorney Patty Hewes, the (mostly) noble efforts of her attentive and intelligent protege Ellen Parsons and the various figures who populate the cold and foreboding atmosphere of a hellish New York City that permeates nearly every frame of every episode of the series - and always has; and, we can safely assume, always will.

This summer heats up with the season five premiere of the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning, critically acclaimed legal thriller, DAMAGES, starring Emmy Award-winner Glenn Close and Emmy Award-nominee Rose Byrne, tonight, July 11 at 9 p.m.

In light of this week's news of the passing of noted author, playwright, producer and director Nora Ephron, today we are highlighting some of the most memorable moments from her accomplished and versatile career onscreen and onstage. Ephron's artistic output consisted of collections of essays, memoirs, novels, screenplays, feature films, plays and producing duties on projects close to her heart, as well as a considerable amount of awareness raising for women's causes and general charitable work for the arts. While perhaps best known for her much-loved trio of romantic comedies WHEN HARRY MET SALLY…, SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE and YOU'VE GOT MAIL, Ephron also penned the screenplay for the Mike Nichols biopic SILKWOOD about whistleblower Karen Silkwood, as well as wrote and directed the recent hit comedy JULIE & JULIA, re-teaming with her friend and consistent collaborator, three-time Oscar-winner Meryl Streep. Incidentally, Streep actually played Ephron - or at least a thinly-veiled version of her - in the 1986 Mike Nichols film HEARTBURN, based on her novel of the same name. While BEWITCHED, LUCKY NUMBERS and HANGING UP may have failed to ignite, Ephron created fine films with the angelically-themed John Travolta starrer MICHAEL and the Julie Kavner vehicle THIS IS YOUR LIFE, as well as crafted indelible characters in screenplays such as COOKIE, MIXED NUTS and MY BLUE HEAVEN. Closing out her career, Ephron showcased Streep once again and rising star Amy Adams shone brightly in the fun and frothy JULIE & JULIA, ending Ephron's film output with a hit to go along with her successful early beginnings as an essayist, humorist and cultural commentator - having penned essay collections in the 1970s such as WALLFLOWER AT THE ORGY, CRAZY SALAD: SOME THINGS ABOUT WOMEN, SCRIBBLE, SCRIBBLE: NOTES ON THE MEDIA, and, more recently, I FEEL BAD ABOUT MY NECK: AND OTHER THOUGHTS ON BEING A WOMAN and I REMEMBER NOTHING: AND OTHER REFLECTIONS - who famously parlayed those skills into TV writing, and, then, her Oscar-nominated work on SILKWOOD - arguably her finest dramatic work of all in film. As far as Ephron's stage ventures are concerned, besides the forthcoming musical adaptation of SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE currently being developed under director Lonny Price and her writing of next season's purportedly Tom Hanks-headlining Broadway bow in LUCKY GUY, Ephron penned the 2002 Jack O'Brien play with music (by no less than Marvin Hamlisch and Craig Carnelia) IMAGINARY FRIENDS, starring Cherry Jones and Swoozie Kurtz, as well as the recently-closed Off Broadway smash, LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE, co-written with her sister, Delia Ephron. JFK White House intern to New York Post columnist to celebrated essayist to Oscar-nominated screenwriter, director and producer, Ephron left a significant mark on society and also crafted some heartwarming - or, should that be: heartburning - stories along the way.

The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA), an offshoot of the Broadcast Film Critics Association, today announced the winners of the 2nd annual Critics' Choice Television Awards. HOMELAND took home the prize for Best Drama Series while Community won in the Best Comedy Series category.

Citytv's 2012-13 fall and mid-season prime-time schedule, showcases 9 new comedies, 4 new dramas, 1 hit reality franchise series, the acquisition of late-night's 'it' show, and the triumphant return of award-winning journalist - and fan-favourite - Katie Couric to daytime television.

DIRECTV's AUDIENCE Network™ heats up this summer with the season five premiere of the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning, critically acclaimed legal thriller DAMAGES, starring Emmy Award-winner Glenn Close and Emmy Award-nominee Rose Byrne, on Wednesday, July 11, at 9 p.m. Get a sneak peek at the upcoming season below!

The FOX network has released a clip for its upcoming new comedy series THE MINDY PROJECT. Get a sneak peek at the new comedy below!

Peter Rice, Chairman, Entertainment, Fox Networks Group; and Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company, today unveiled the FOX primetime schedule for the 2012-2013 television season to the national advertising community during its annual Programming Presentation at the Beacon Theatre.

DIRECTV's AUDIENCE Network™ heats up this summer with the season five premiere of the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning, critically acclaimed legal thriller DAMAGES, starring Emmy Award-winner Glenn Close and Emmy Award-nominee Rose Byrne, on Wednesday, July 11, at 9 p.m.

This summer heats up with the season five premiere of the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning, critically acclaimed legal thriller, DAMAGES, starring Emmy Award-winner Glenn Close and Emmy Award-nominee Rose Byrne, on Wednesday, July 11 at 9 p.m.

The Tribeca Film Festival has unveiled films screening in its Spotlight and genre-centered Cinemania section as well as Special Screenings and its Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival lineup.

This week, I was fortunate enough to have a conversation with a Broadway and Hollywood notable also known around the world as the star of Showtime's hit serial killer series, DEXTER - the eminently gifted Michael C. Hall - all about his new feature film THE TROUBLE WITH BLISS, co-starring a colorful assortment of theatre and film actors including recent GOD OF CARNAGE star Lucy Liu, as well as Peter Fonda, Chris Messina, Christian Campbell and star-on-the-rise Brie Larson - with the film giving Hall a rare chance to show off his slightly softer side (in more ways than one). Hall candidly comments on his experiences filming the NYC-set dramedy directed by Matthew Knowles and based on the book by Douglas Light, which follows his neurotic, stasis-plagued character, Morris Bliss, who, at the ripe age of 35, embarks on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment spurred on by his relationship with a girl half his age - who also happens to be the daughter of his former schoolmate. THE TROUBLE WITH BLISS showcases not only Hall's considerable comedic expertise and his unique ability to portray contained madness and neurosis with lilt and humor, but, also, his charismatic presence as a romantic leading man, which, we can hope will be exploited in future entities - on screens and stages large and small - in the future.

Tribeca Film today announced that it will release THE GIANT MECHANICAL MAN, DEATH OF A SUPERHERO, and SLEEPLESS NIGHT nationwide via video-on-demand during the Tribeca Film Festival, which runs April 18-29. The films are each an official selection of the Festival and feature notable actors such as Jenna Fischer, Topher Grace, Malin Akerman, Tomer Sisley, Andy Serkis and Thomas Brodie-Sangster.

The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by American Express, today announced its feature film selections in the Spotlight and Cinemania sections, as well as Special Screenings and the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival lineup. The 11th edition of the Festival will take place from April 18 to April 29 in New York City.

Roundabout Theatre Company in association with Don Gregory, has announced the full company for the new Broadway production of Mary Chase's Harvey starring Jim Parsons (Elwood P. Dowd), Jessica Hecht (Veta Louise Simmons), Charles Kimbrough (William R. Chumley, M.D.), Larry Bryggman (Judge Omar Gaffney), Carol Kane (Betty Chumley), Peter Benson (E.J. Lofgren), Tracee Chimo (Myrtle Mae Simmons), Holley Fain (Ruth Kelly, R.N.), Angela Paton (Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet), Rich Sommer (Duane Wilson), Morgan Spector (Lyman Sanderson, M.D.) and directed by Scott Ellis.

Sundance Institute announced today the films selected to screen in the out-of-competition Premieres and Documentary Premieres sections of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Included in this year's line-up is Price Check, featuring Cheyenne Jackson, Parker Posey, and Annie Parisse.The Festival will be held January 19 through 29 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The complete list of films is available at www.sundance.org/festival.

Last night, I spoke to two-time Tony-winner Katie Finneran all about her new Fox sitcom I HATE MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER, co-starring Jaime Pressly, which premiered yesterday at 9:30 PM. Additionally, Finneran and I discuss her recent role in the terrific live performance film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's COMPANY, co-starring Neil Patrick Harris and Patti LuPone, and we also take a look back at her two Tony-winning Broadway roles from earlier this decade - the lauded Jeremy Sams revival of the comedy NOISES OFF, as well as Rob Ashford's revival of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David/Neil Simon PROMISES, PROMISES. Also, Finneran describes the feeling of reaching a career peak such as she has achieved this year - a new Tony Award, the COMPANY film and headlining a sitcom of her own - and also relates how her role as a new mom has influenced her participation on the battle-of-the-generations comedy. All of that - plus, reminiscences of working on DAMAGES, OZ, roles she would like to play in the future (Dolly, Mame and The Baker's Wife included) and much, much more!

Three-time Tony Award-winning actress Glenn Close will return to television for season four of the Emmy Award-winning, critically acclaimed legal thriller, DAMAGES, on Wednesday, July 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on the Audience Network. Season four, which marks the series' highly anticipated move to DIRECTV, focuses on the exceedingly controversial subject of private military contractors in Afghanistan, catapulting characters into a world of corruption and deceit, where nothing is as it seems and justice is served outside of the court room.

Three-time Tony Award-winning actress Glenn Close will return to television for season four of the Emmy Award-winning, critically acclaimed legal thriller, DAMAGES, on Wednesday, July 13 on the Audience Network. Season four focuses on the exceedingly controversial subject of private military contractors in Afghanistan, catapulting characters into a world of corruption and deceit, where nothing is as it seems and justice is served outside of the court room.

A priceless collection of Tony winners and nominees made this year's BROADWAY BARES XXI: MASTERPIECE a truly 'starry night' as they joined more than 200 of Broadway's sexiest dancers in an auction-themed burlesque show that would make any art critic blush. BROADWAY BARES XXI: MASTERPIECE, which is produced by and benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, was held, June 19, with two performances only (9:30 PM and midnight) at Roseland Ballroom (239 West 52nd Street). BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture some of the show's sexy stars backstage!