E!’s The Arrangement evokes Cruise, Holmes comparisons
McCarthy explains Spicer transformation
NEW YORK, March 25, (Agencies): “The Arrangement” may remind viewers of rumors about the effect of Scientology on the marriage of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.
The drama series, which airs Sunday on E! Entertainment, stars Christine Evangelista as Megan Morrison, an up-and-coming actress who meets A-list actor Kyle West (Josh Henderson) on an audition. He’s instantly smitten, and a lunch date leads to an overnight in Mexico.
Everything seems to be progressing until Kyle offers Megan a marriage contract arranged by his self-help group, The Institute of the Higher Mind. She’s offered an Instarelationship and the money and perks of being with one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
“When I first read the script I was very intrigued by the premise and it caused me to ask myself what I would do and I found that to be interesting,” Evangelista said.
“I also liked how this young girl, her life, changes overnight and she’s faced with situations and decisions and tests and is she able to endure them, and I think it posed a lot of moral questions ... for her and I thought that was very interesting. In one way her life changes in a very exciting way overnight. With the other it’s like at what cost? What’s the expense? And it definitely comes at a price.”
That price includes the glare of the spotlight, jealous friends and a loss of freedom, thanks to Kyle’s self-help group.
“The Institute helps “people find what’s been holding them back, search for their own happiness,” Evangelista said. “How they go about that is in a very manipulative way. It sort of makes people almost ... a prisoner to them.”
Evangelista, who appeared on “The Walking Dead,” is aware of comparisons to Scientology and Cruise and Holmes, who divorced in 2012 after five years of marriage, but emphasizes that the show is fiction.
“Of course we want people to be intrigued by what we’re doing, but The Institute is a totally fictionalized group,” she said. “These are fictional characters. Megan is a waitress when we meet her. You know that’s not really like anyone we know.
“People want to know what happens behind closed doors and behind the curtain in Hollywood and it’s intriguing.”
LOS ANGELES:
Also:
Chris Brown will guest star on ABC’s “Black-ish,” and the network has released the first look at the musician in character on the sitcom.
Brown, known for both his music talents
LOS ANGELES:
and highly-publicized controversial behavior, will appear next week on the episode airing Wednesday, March 29.
He will play a rapper named Richard Youngsta. The episode, aptly titled “Richard Youngsta,” is about Dre (Anthony Anderson) who is excited about doing a campaign with a popular rap star, but becomes conflicted when Bow (Tracee Ellis Ross) and Ruby (Jenifer Lewis) provide feedback suggesting it plays on stereotypes. Meanwhile, Bow is determined to get the family to stop eating so much takeout food, but realizes the family may be too accustomed to eating whatever they want.
“Black-ish” marks the second role on a scripted broadcast show for Brown, whose TV acting credits are limited, but include an arc on “The O.C.” On the film side, he’s appeared in “Stomp The Yard,” “Think Like A Man” and “This Christmas.”
Although Melissa McCarthy’s impersonation of White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on “Saturday Night Live” seems like it was a role made for her, she was initially flabbergasted at being asked to fill the role.
During and interview with husband Ben Falcone on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” McCarthy revealed exactly how she came into the role.
“‘SNL’ called and Kent Sublette, one of our old friends from the Groundlings, who is one of the head writers there now, called and he goes, ‘I hear you’re in New York. Do you have any interest in coming in and doing Spicer for us?’” McCarthy said. “I was like ‘What?!’”
LOS ANGELES:
After having her songs performed for years on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Lady Gaga finally makes 5 debut on the show’s Season 9 premiere.
But instead of a separate entrance, Gaga pretends to be one of the queens competing in the drag competition. She glides into the workroom with her face partially obscured by a headpiece.
“That a damn good Lady Gaga impersonator,” declares contestant Charlie Hides.
Another contestant, Alexis Michelle, says, “So this is the Derrick Barry of this season,” referring to the Britney Spears lookalike that competed on Season 8.
Gaga even recorded a segment as her male alter-ego “Ronnie,” before revealing her “true” self. “Ronnie” happens to be the name of one of her guard dogs.