How JAWS and Tiktok influenced Akela Cooper's writing on M3GAN
Jan 13, 2023
Show notes
Happy New Year everyone! theblerdgurl podcast is back! For my first episode of the year I had the pleasure of welcoming back to the podcast screen writer and producer Akela Cooper.
Akela Cooper is the writer for James Wan’s return to horror, Malignant, Now she’s here to talk about another collaboration with Wan, M3GAN. A horror movie out now, about a killer babysitting bot. The movie stars Allison Williams,, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng, Arlo Green, Brian Jordan Alvarez and 3 actresses who composite the murderous doll M3GAN: Kimberly Crossman, Jenna Davis and Amie Donald. The movie is a collaboration between Universal studios and Blumhouse with James Wan/Atomic Monster producing and Gerard Johnstone directing. Allison Williams of “Get Out” fame stars and produces. Akela is also writing The Nun 2 for New Line/Atomic Monster and The Safran Company due out later this year.
On the TV side, Akela was an Executive Producer on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season one for CBS All Access. And previously Akela worked on Steve DeKnight’s Netflix series, Jupiter’s Legacy based on a comic book series by Mark Millar. The Netflix/Marvel drama series Luke Cage, season six of the FX series, American Horror Story as well as The Hundred, Witches of East End, Grimm and Vee.
We spoil a LOT of M3GAN in this interview! You have been warned!
Akela Cooper worked on both M3GAN and Malignant with James Wan
Writer Akela Cooper at the M3GAN Red Carpet Premiere with a creepy crew of cosplayig M3GANS
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Simone Missick and the "Lola-Coaster" of 'All Rise'
Aug 03, 2022
Show notes
I’m convinced that actress Simone Missick is unstoppable. And if you’re a fan of “All Rise” (OWN), then you already know Missick’s character, Judge Lola Carmichael, is a force. Her star has risen quickly over the past few years, starting with Missick’s first big break as Detective Misty Knight in Marvel’s Luke Cage.
She went on to play a role in the spinoff series, “The Defenders”, and while working on “Altered Carbon: for Netflix, landed the lead role on “All Rise.” The series premiered on CBS in 2019 and became CBS’s first Black woman-led prime time show in the network’s history. Unfortunately, despite incredible writing and a loyal fanbase, the series didn’t survive the pandemic, and “All Rise” was canceled in 2021.
Last month the third season of “All Rise” debuted on OWN and included several cast and script changes along with a new onscreen credit for the actress. In this podcast interview, Missick reveals what it was like stepping into her new role as Executive Producer, what it was like joining the OWN family, and if we’ll ever see her and Misty’s bionic arm again.
Season 3 of All Rise starring Simone Missick moved to OWN
The All Rise mid-season finale airs on Tuesday August 9 at 8/7C on OWN
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Preeti Chhibber and 'Spider-Man's Social Dilemma'
Jul 26, 2022
Show notes
Preeti Chhibber is having quite a year! Not only has she just dropped the Spider-Man’s Social Dilemma, the first of a middle grade trilogy, but earlier this year she wrote her first comic, Women of Marvel #1 and in September, her X-Men book X-Change Students 101 (the third book in the Avengers Assembly series) hits stores. Needless to say, Preeti has been very busy during the pandemic and she’s this week’s guest on the podcast.
“Spider-Man’s Social Dilemma” is the first book in a middle grade trilogy by Preeti Chhibber
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Jenny Lumet on Love, Lena and The Man Who Fell to Earth
Jun 30, 2022
Show notes
In this episode I speak to Jenny Lumet, someone who I think has become one of the important Black Women in episodic franchise science fiction in Hollywood.
The daughter of legendary director Sidney Lumet and the granddaughter of the iconic Lena Horne, her love of science fiction and her contributions to television came much later in her career.
An actress before she became a writer, most people know Jenny Lumet as the writer of “Rachel Getting Married”, but her professional partnership with writer, director and producer Alex Kurtzman was what was what made her fall in love with science fiction. Not only did Lumet work on “Sleepy Hollow” with Kurtzman but she served as a producer on”Clarice” the series sequel to “Silence of the Lambs” as well as “Star Trek: Picard.” After joining the Star Trek family she went on to Co-Executive Produce “Star Trek: Discovery” and the current “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” with Kurtzman. Then the team took on the sequel to “The Man Who Fell to Earth” and stayed on when the series moved from Paramount Plus to Showtime.
This episode is dropping on Lena Horne’s birthday. And it’s only fitting that we got to talk about what her grandmother would have thought of her resilience and her success.
Naomie Harris and Chiwetel Ejiofor in “The Man Who Fell to Earth”
Naomie Harris and Chiwetel Ejiofor from THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH Image credit: Amy Spinks/SHOWTIME
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In “The Elysian Kingdom” the entire ship is taken over by an entity that turns Captain Pike and his crew into fairytale characters that suspiciously resemble Dr. Menga’s daughter’s favorite book. I spoke to Olusanmokun about what it’s been like joining this larger than life cast and what this very special episode meant to him.
Babs Olusanmokun stars as Dr. Mbenga in “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds”
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Celia Rose Gooding is even more geeked than we are that she gets to continue Uhura's legacy
May 24, 2022
Show notes
More Star Trek for you! Last week I spoke to writer, producer and “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” Co-Executive Producer Akela Cooper. This week I talk with the actress who plays to Uhura, Celia Rose Gooding. I’m not sure who was more geeked about the fact that she is playing the new Uhura, her or me! We had a lovely chat and I thought I would share the short discussion on this week’s podcast.
Not only is Gooding a Tony nominated and Grammy Award winning singer and actress, but she come by it honestly as her mom is Lachanze Gooding the incredible actress and singer who won a Tony for her role as Celie in the original Broadway production of The Color Purple.
Celia Rose Gooding stars as Nyota Uhura in “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds”
Celia Rose Gooding as Uhura and Ethan Peck as Spock of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+
If you enjoy this episode please subscribe and leave a comment over on iTunes for me if you can, it really helps me out. Or, screenshot your podcatcher and tag theblerdgurl over on IG stories with what you liked about it!
Hollywood writer Akela Cooper breaks down her writing journey from Luke Cage to Malignant to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
May 16, 2022
Show notes
I always have a blast when I talk with Akela Cooper. (as you will hear in the giggling throughout this episode. A Hollywood Writer and producer, Akela has written for “Marvel’s Luke Cage”, “American Horror Story”, “Malignant” and more! Currently, she is one of the Executive Producers on “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” on Paramount+.
If you are an aspiring writer in Hollywood, you will definitely want to listen to this one, because Akela breaks down what really goes down in writer’s rooms, and how you really have nothing to lose right now. Originally record for theblerdgurlLIVE, this discussion has been edited for clarity.
Akela Cooper is currently co-executive producer on “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds“
Are you watching Strange New Worlds? What do you think?
If you enjoyed my chat with Akela Cooper please subscribe and leave a comment over on iTunes for me if you can, it really helps me out. Or, screenshot your podcatcher and tag theblerdgurl over on IG stories with what you liked about it!
Raising Dion’s Alicia Wainwright is ready for her superpowers
Mar 05, 2022
Show notes
You may recognize Alicia Wainwright from her role as Maia Roberts on Freeform’s “Shadowhunters”. But in Netflix’s groundbreaking series “Raising Dion” she plays Nicole Reese. A mother literally raising a Black child with superpowers, while trying to navigate the world as a widowed single parent.
Last week I spoke to child actor Ja’Siah Young about what it’s like playing a dream role like Dion. In this conversation I talk to Alicia about how her character went through it this season, why Nicole deserves her own powers and how the show almost had a different ending for her.
If you enjoy this episode please subscribe and leave a comment over on iTunes for me if you can, it really helps me out. Or, screenshot your podcatcher and tag theblerdgurl over on IG stories with what you liked about it!
This episode is sponsored by Realm.FM’s new scripted podcast If I Go Missing the Witches Did It, featuring Oscar nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe.LISTEN NOW.
Raising Dion star Ja’Siah Young has the childhood we all wish we had
Feb 24, 2022
Show notes
Back in 2016, indie comic creator Dennis Liu kickstarted a comic called Raising Dion, a story about a mom secretly raising a boy with superpowers. He also created a trailer for it and we all fell in love with the little black boy who was telelkinteically waving his breakfast cereal around the room. Blowing past his original Kickstarter goal on Day 1, Liu’s project caught the attention of Michael B. Jordan’ and his production company Outlier Society who produced it for Netflix.
When Raising Dion first hit streaming, we all got to meet the adorable 8 year old star, Ja’Siah Young my guest today.Now season 2 of Raising Dion is here, and our child hero has Omega level mutant powers, gets superhero training, and is still making his mom worry.
I spoke to Ja’Siah about the new season, his favorite powers, working with Michael B. Jordan and how Naruto got him through one of his toughest scenes.
Ja’Siah Young stars as Dion Warren in Raising Dion
If you enjoy this episode please subscribe and leave a comment over on iTunes for me if you can, it really helps me out. Or, screenshot your podcatcher and tag theblerdgurl over on IG stories with what you liked about it!
This episode is sponsored by Realm.FM’s new scripted podcast If I Go Missing the Witches Did It, featuring Oscar nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe.LISTEN NOW.
Podcast: Lewis Tan and that nude love scene in Wu Assassins: Fistful of Vengeance
Feb 17, 2022
Show notes
This week actor Lewis Tan returns to the podcast to talk about his role as a lover and a fighter in Wu Assassins: Fistful of Vengeance. (Netflix). Tan is best known for his roles on AMC’sInto the Badlands, Marvel’s Iron Fist, and of course, his starring role as Cole Young, the descendant of Scorpion in the 2021 Mortal Kombat reboot.
In this interview, we discuss why Netflix decided to shorten Wu 2 to a movie instead of a series, the complexities of shooting action in a pandemic, and what it was like baring it all to film his first love scene ever, with Queen of Sono star Pearl Thusi. (I also get to the bottom of what happened to Jenny).
Tan spoke to me via Zoom from Budapest, Hungary, where he is currently shooting Shadow and Bone Season 2.
Lewis Tan stars as Lu Xien Lee in Wu Assassins Fistful of Vengeance
Lewis TanLewis Tan in action in Wu Assassins: Fistful of Vengeance
If you enjoy this episode please subscribe and leave a comment over on iTunes for me if you can, it really helps me out. Or, screenshot your podcatcher and tag theblerdgurl over on IG stories with what you liked about it!
This episode is sponsored by Realm.FM’s new scripted podcast If I Go Missing the Witches Did It, featuring Oscar nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe.LISTEN NOW.
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