September 2007 News Archive (Page 4)

You'd think the most original depiction of the modern American family since The Sopranos would reel in countless viewers and a big sack full of Emmys.

Not so for Friday Night Lights.

Despite developing into the most dynamic, heartwearming drama on the small screen and garnering glowing praise from swooning critics and passionate fans alike, this gem still hasn't attracted the ratings or awards it deserves.

However, for what it's worth, Friday Night Lights has won Salon.com's Buffy Award, the fourth annual, given to the most underrated show out there (past winners are The Wire, Veronica Mars and Battlestar Galactica).

But don't take their word for it - or ours. Ask anyone who watches Friday Night Lights and you'll see it in their eyes how madly in love they are.

While so many programs mutate into the realm of perky, overstyled, bantering professionals - a shiny, idealized picture that either feels too giddily happy or too heavy, Friday Night Lights shows real Americans living real lives.

Week after week, they endure the indignities of frustrating jobs, grapple with narrow minded co-workers or neighbors, usher up laughter in spite of family arguments, and do the best with what they have.

While the Dillon High School Panthers football team wins or loses, the true heart of the story lingers, like life so often does, somewhere in between.

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In anticipation of Season Two of Friday Night Lights, we're taking a closer look at each of the primary cast members, most of whom you probably do not know all that much about (and might like to).

Yesterday, we profiled the young talent that is Gaius Charles (Smash). It's time to go a little older today as we profile Connie Britton, who has received widespread acclaim for her portrayal of Tami Taylor.

Connie Britton (birth name Constance Womack) was born on March 6, 1968, in Boston, Massachusetts. When she was a child, her family (mom Linda, father Allen, and sister Cynthia) moved to Lynchburg, Virginia.

She majored in Asian Studies and spent a semester living in China while at Dartmouth College, where she graduated in 1989. Upon graduation she moved to N.Y. City, where she spent two years at the Neighborhood Playhouse studying with Sanford Meisner and two more years at off-Broadway theatres.

She moved to Los Angeles after the success of "The Brothers McMullen." She eventually got the role of Nikki Faber on ABC's Spin City, the Michael J. Fox comedy that won many awards from 1996-2000.

Connie Britton also starred in Lost at Home (2003), while her other TV credits include The Fighting Fitzgeralds with Brian Dennehy, a recurring role on The West Wing and a recurring role on 24, during its fifth season, as Diane Huxley, the landlady of Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland).

Interestingly, Connie played the wife of the head coach in the movie adaptation of Friday Night Lights before being cast in the TV series of the same name. Britton's character has a different name, Sharon Gaines, in the film.

Perhaps most amazingly, despite being known for her tremendous acting as the mother of teenager Julie (Aimee Teegarden), Britton, 39, has no children.

Connie is divorced, but still uses her married surname, Britton, as her stage name. Residing in New York and L.A., she likes hiking, yoga, and volunteering.

From the video archives comes this great, emotional scene from the 17th episode of Season One of Friday Night Lights, "I Think We Should Have Sex."

Tami (Connie Britton) confronts Julie (Aimee Teegarden) about that subject, and the teenager is none too happy. However, through pure strength and will, a worried mother pleads her case. What a good show. Check it out:

At Friday Night Lights Insider, we're just starting starting to put together our video section. If you have a suggestion for a clip we should post, or want your own fan video added to our library, use our Contact Us form and let us know!

There isn't much here that we don't already know, just an official synopsis from NBC regarding the Season Two premiere of Friday Night Lights.

Called "Seasons of Change," the episode begins with the summer coming to an end and the defending state champion Dillon Panthers looking to continue their gridiron success despite a great deal of change in the air.

Most notably, Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) has begun his career as the head coach at Texas Methodist University and is faced with mounting adversity and hardship not only on the field, but in being separated from his family.

Accentuating this theme is the fact that Tami Taylor (Connie Britton, pictured) is on the verge of going into labor with their second child.

Meanwhile, Tyra Collette (Adrianne Palicki) receives a visit from someone in her past that will alter her life - an event hinted at in the network's first official Season Two promo.

Best friends Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) and Landry Clarke (Jesse Plemons) both confront new lifestyles that neither seem ready for.

All this and plenty more will unfold just three weeks from tomorrow. We are counting the days until the return of Friday Night Lights.

In anticipation of Season Two of Friday Night Lights, we're taking a closer look at each of the principal cast members, most of whom you might not know too much about. And you should, because they rule.

Yesterday, we profiled the adorable Aimee Teegarden. Today, we'll tell you a little bit about 24-year-old Gaius Charles, who plays the brash, star tailback Brian "Smash" Williams on Friday Night Lights.

A 2005 graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Gaius received his B.F.A. in drama, graduating magna cum laude. He performed in productions such "The Wild Party," "Candide," and "Spunk," the first all-black production in the conservatory's 100-year history, while at Carnegie Mellon.

Gaius Charles also appeared in the Princeton Shakespeare Festival productions of "Romeo and Juliet," as Mercutio, and "A Comedy of Errors." He also wrote, performed and produced a one-man show, "Meet Me in Iraq." In television, Charles guest starred in the short-lived NBC drama Book of Daniel.

Despite playing a star running back on TV, Gaius Charles gave up the track team in real life to devote more time to the school theater in high school.

He sprained his foot getting in shape for his Friday Night Lights audition and wound up in the ER, which, ironically, gave him extra time to prepare and he nailed the audition a week later, landing the role of Smash Williams.

Off the field (and TV set) Charles has a passion for aviation and hopes to become a licensed private pilot one day. He is also heavily involved with Youth Ministry, and has been for the past decade.

Gaius Charles was born May 2, 1983 in New York City, and raised in Queens, New York and Northern New Jersey. He currently resides in Teaneck, N.J.

In this shocking preview for Season Two - which isn't really a preview, but part of an actual Friday Night Lights scene - Tyra Collete is confronted by someone familiar who she would just as soon not have ever encountered again. Landry Clarke is there this time, however, and things get ugly. See below ...

According to TV Guide, Friday Night Lights came this close to moving out of the Lone Star State for year two of NBC's critical darling.

"Texas didn't follow through on some of the rebates promised when we based the production in Austin," reports Aimee Teegarden, who plays Julie.

"NBC said, 'we're going to move.' It was talks about money. Arizona and New Mexico were both anxious to have us and offered incentives, so I was expecting our show was going to leave Austin."

"Aimee's right," executive producer Jason Katims confirms, noting that the cast of FNL is now back in Austin.

"We were scouting new location bases and were courted by the other states' film commissions, but eventually the network and the appropriate people in Texas settled things. I can't provide specifics, but it worked out so we could remain here."

And what did Aimee Teegarden get out of this?

"I got a new apartment in Austin," replies the Southern California native. "There was no reason to keep my original place when I heard we might move to New Mexico or Arizona."

Teegarden celebrates her milestone 18th birthday on October 10, five days after the launch of Friday Night Lights' second season. We're glad she and her cast mates remain in Texas as they film the series.

In preparation for the second season of Friday Night Lights, we'll take a look at each of the 10 principal cast members, many of whom you might not know too much about. And you should. They're awesome!

Aimee Teegarden (born October 10, 1989) is terrific as Julie Taylor, the teenage daughter in constant conflict with her dad, Dillon High School head football coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler), in the hit NBC series.

We've gotten to know Julie well in the last year, but not too much about Aimee, pictured here on the set with co-star and on-screen boyfriend Zach Gilford. Well, here's what we dug up.

Born in Downey, Calif., and raised in Southern California her entire life, Aimee Teegarden never doubted her desired career path - this starlet grew up knowing acting and modeling were her passions.

She began modeling and acting at the age of 10, and since then has modeled for campaigns including Old Navy, Tommy Hilfiger, Alltel, and the national print campaign for Hollister.

Aimee Richelle Teegarden soon graduated to television appearances in her teens, including parts on The Bold and the Beautiful, Cold Case, Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide and Disney Channel's Hannah Montana.

In her personal life, this is one fun-loving girl. On her MySpace page, Teegarden describes herself as "a very adventurous person who loves the out doors and loves to try new things" and who "loves to shop.... A LOT!"

She's a natural for the role of a football coach's daughter. When she's not acting or modeling, Teegarden is a big time sports enthusiast, enjoying surfing, snowboarding, rock climbing, boxing, soccer, baseball and many more.

Aimee also enjoys hangin' with the love of her life ... her dog Gizmo.

Her favorite movies are The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Wedding Crashers, You, Me and Dupree, Sleepover and Meet the Parents. Musically, she digs Fall Out Boy, The Killers, Modest Mouse, Jack Johnson and many other bands.

On August 24, 2007, Aimee Teegarden acted as the panelist who questioned Miss Teen South Carolina 2007, Lauren Caitlin Upton, at the Miss Teen USA 2007 pageant - leading to an epic meltdown that will live in YouTube infamy.

We look forward to seeing more of the terrific Aimee Teegarden and her fellow cast members when Friday Night Lights returns in October!

Sure, we're pumped that NBC renewed Friday Night Lights for another year, but there's no guarantee it'll play its junior season unless we get it out of the ratings basement and contending for the division title.

We at Friday Night Lights Insider aren't sure whey more people don't watch it. Filmed in a documentary style, it showcases teen relationships with realistic, dramatic story lines as well as hard-hitting, gridiron action.

And if that's not enough for you, it's got Minka Kelly. See below.

Yeah. You don't find cheerleaders this hot on Heroes. Well, okay, so you do. But look at this girl! Minka Kelly plays Lyla Garrity, a spoiled cheerleader with a good heart, but who managed to cheat on her star quarterback beau... after he was paralyzed in a game ... with his best friend.

Point being: Between its deliberate pacing, brilliant acting, scandalous drama and hot actors and actresses, this is not a show to miss. Posing in front of a poster of the cast, the lovely Minka Kelly clearly wants you to watch.

Do not let her down. Tell your friends about Friday Night Lights. Today!

NBC has drafted one of its MVPs - one responsible for the greatness that is Friday Night Lights - to tinker with one of its new shows, Bionic Woman.

According to sources, Friday Night Lights executive producer Jason Katims has agreed to lend a helping hand on NBC's highly touted redo as a series consultant. The Peacock expects big things from Bionic Woman, and adding this veteran producer to the brain trust can only help.