Let’s talk about season four of The Game. Are you coming back? Fans are really hoping that Jason (Coby Bell) and Kelly get back together.

I’m coming back as a recurring [character], but that recurring could be every episode. I don’t think [they’ll get back together] this season, but I think most of the season we’ll be dealing with the fact that they’re not together. I hope they do. I hate it because I love working with [Coby]. I hope we’re in a lot of episodes. I think we’ll both be available to do as many episodes as they want. I think they were nervous because he was still attached to [Burn Notice] at first, they weren’t sure what to do with him and then what do they do with Kelly, but it was just a contractual thing.

It’s so surreal. To be cancelled for over a year and come back. All along I had a feeling that we would come back. I hear [it’s] the first of the year. I think we start shooting in November and air in January.

They’re probably the most popular characters on the show. It surprises me given that we’ve seen both of them can be pretty cruel to each other, but yet, they obviously love each other just as deeply. Why do you think people embrace them so much?

I think that they are actually really perfect for each other. Most couples can relate to the differences that we’re going through. People come up to me and tell me how much they relate to my character. I hope to see a more rebellious side of Kelly. You know, when you’re going through a divorce, you kind of revert to your twenties…I’ve talked to the producers about it.

It also has to help that you’ve had a great partner to work with in Coby Bell. Over three years, you two must be working pretty well together.

I love everyone. We have such a great cast. Working with Coby is so awesome because he’s just so down-to-earth and funny and talented and a great husband and dad to his kids.

How difficult was it to film their marriage falling apart? That final scene in the season-three finale, when Jason leaves the courtroom without her, was heartbreaking to watch. I cried right along with you.

It was really emotional for me. I take things really seriously when I’m working, and it upset me. Because Coby and I are so close, it really hurt. It was very emotional. I was imagining it happening to me. I really did not like Stacey Dash at that moment. I wanted to run across and punch her in the face.

And the same actress (Lonette McKee) who played his mom on The Game also played his character’s mother on Third Watch. Was that intentional?

No, it wasn’t, but I know when she was cast, he was all, “She’s awesome.”

For a comedy, The Game really dug into some serious issues in the last season. How was it working on a show that’s supposed to be funny but also dealing with things like divorce and infidelity?

What’s nice about the show is it’s not really slapstick-y. It’s an interesting take on a comedy. There’s some drama in it. It’s got a lot of good drama, and as an actor, that’s so much fun. As an actor, I wanted to do something where I could be funny but also exercise my dramatic skills, and this role is great for that. It’s really fun. It’s challenging. Most people think comedy is easier than doing the drama, but comedy is harder. I love how wonderfully drawn all the characters are on our show. I’ve really grown from my character.

A lot of people may not know you weren’t the first Kelly (Jennifer Baxter played the role in the backdoor pilot). How did you come into the role?

When they decided they wanted to recast her, I went in and read for them and they offered me the part. You know some roles you just read them and you’re like “This is my part”? I really felt the character and I really related to her. I loved her comedic sensibilities. I felt she was so funny in how she takes things so seriously. I related to her struggle.

I fit right on in. They were really, really accepting of me. You know, coming in late in the game you don’t know how people will react. We really are like a family. We’re so excited that we get to work together again.

Now you’re doing this new film Skyline, where Kelly Pitts gets to save the world.

It’s an alien invasion movie. Aliens coming to take over the world. We’re all trying to avoid getting killed by these aliens. I play a girl who’s a little full of herself, you see her get a comeuppance at the end. It’s really cool, though. The special effects are unbelievable. The producer-directors of this movie, we shot it in their condo and shot it for really nothing. I’m actually doing reshoots on Monday. We just finished it in March and it’s opening in November. The turnaround is really fast. I was at Comic-Con and I stepped out of the car and saw this giant billboard on the side of a hotel that said November. That’s how I found out when the movie was coming out!

It must have been different from The Game.

We cried and screamed for the entire movie, whereas on The Game I’m laughing and joking. I really think one day it’d be fun to do an action movie.

So what else do you watch?

You know what I just got into, is Lie To Me. It is so fascinating. I love It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. That’s the funniest show ever. I played a transsexual in that.

Your brother-in-law has a new series on NBC called Chase. Any chance we could see you appear on it?

I have no idea. That’d be awesome.

Or get your twin sister Cynthia and Tia Mowry’s twin sister Tamera on The Game.

That’d be great. Do a dream sequence is something. When we were shooting Skyline, I was really sick one day and they had to shoot something. I came in for a few hours to shoot my close-ups and they hired my sister to stand around in the background for the wide shots. I was like, “Wow, the benefits of having a twin!”

The Game returns for its fourth season on BET in January 2011. Skyline releases on November 12, 2010. My thanks to Brittany Daniel for an amazing interview!

From TV Overmind

Skyline Synopsis: Strange lights descend on the city of Los Angeles, drawing people outside like moths to a flame where an extraterrestrial force threatens to swallow the entire human population off the face of the Earth.

Skyline will be released to theaters on November 12, 2010. Watch the trailer below.

Apparently, the idea for this movie was born out of Paranormal Activity, and the directors thought “why can’t we shoot a movie out of my house – might sound crazy but that’s exactly what we did.” Only their house was a little bit different since the Strause Brothers were the ones in charge for the BEST special effects within the past 2 years. But more on that soon, lets talk about the amazing footage they just blew us away with…

Footage:

What a pleasant surprise. After complaining about films that had no right to be at Comic-Con, they just screened Skyline, which was meant for this audience, even though it’s not a comic book movie. This is not a film with a built in fanbase, but one created by real film “nerds” (which I say with the utmost respect) with an indie budget. It has a desire to make something great, using special effects in a brand new way, and giving us something new to experience. How perfect?!

Knowing that they made their “home” from their house — which is quite a different meaning then with others homes— they did an absolutely amazing job of stretching the boundaries. The special effects, as expected, will blow you away. The overall concept seems to be quite interesting, it’s innate interest in tragedies that’s our downfall. There’s definitely a lot to play with there.

Overall the trailer looks like District 9 meets Cloverfield. The monsters have a transformer-ery type feel, with a bit of the oily Alien texture. Kind of a mixture of all classic alien/monster movies gone by. The use of bright blue lights jump off the screen and catch your attention.

The cast is interesting all around. I for one love that they went for actors and not necessarily movie stars because it allows you to experience the film without being distracted or having too many pre-conceived notions.

Although it’s not quite clear if this will be a hit, it’s got enough to get me interested and into the theater.

After the trailer they also showed us an actual scene from the film:

Overall, it looked pretty cool. Balfour and Donald welcomed us to the beginning of the alien abduction.

It’s clear that although this film was shot out of their house, it’s not limited to any apartment, and their version of “in house” is from two of the top special effects teams responsible for Avatar, 2012, The Day After Tomorrow, Iron Man 2 etc. That being said, the film still is very independent. One of the things that make this movie so exciting is that they owned everything that they used. All the special effects were done by things they all had access to — which is a lot of cool shit. It’s like an Indie film with the best toys possible.
Panel Quotes:

The cast discussed making the film, and how it felt so big and yet indie at the same time. One of the most interesting things about this project is that they got to see a trailer with the special effects before ever even shooting a thing.

Donald: After the audition they showed me the trailer and it was amazing. Although after seeing Avatar [I was like] “I don’t care, I wanna be in this movie.” I’ve always wanted to fight against a green screen and thank goodness I got the chance.

Eric: We sat in their apartment to make this movie, we weren’t even allowed to wear shoes…

Greg: We wrote, shot, and made this movie in under 11 months.

Colin: We made the entire movie with under 20 people… one of the things that really changed it [and is the future of filmmaking] the new camera pack. The RED and what not…

Greg: It allows us to take risks and take the cool ideas which the fans respond to the most and work on an independent movie scale without putting $150 million on the line. And those risky ideas are the ones that put cool things on screens.

Eric: It also allowed them to hand us off wires of the side of a buildings without anyone saying anything. My manager showed up and asked “is this safe?” [and the thing was] there’s no one to stop us. There were only 5 people on set to make decisions and that was it.

From Screen Crave