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What Is Up With Rob Lowe's Face? The Actor On His Crazy 'Candelabra' Role

2013-05-25T00:49:18Z

Rob Lowe thought the script for "Behind the Candelabra" was great and he jumped at the chance to work with stars Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, who play Liberace and his lover Scott Thorson in the glitzy, perceptive movie, directed by Steven Soderbergh.

But Lowe's character in the HBO film, plastic surgeon Dr. Jack Startz, looks like a cat. A cat with shiny skin and lustrous, early '80s hair. The absurdity of the situation was not lost on Lowe.

"There were days when I would go, 'This is the end, for sure, of my career,'" Lowe said in a recent interview. "When I walked on the set and looked at Michael with his fat suit and caftan, Matt in his velour, butt-hugger shorts and Farrah wig, and me as Startz -- I said, 'It’s over for all of us. This is it.'"

The film is not a career-ender for anyone, certainly not for Damon, Douglas, Lowe and fellow cast members Debbie Reynolds, Dan Ackroyd and Scott Bakula. (Many will be drawn to "Candelabra" by the spectacle of Liberace's lavish shows and his gaudily appointed homes, but for me, the sight of Bakula's magnificent mustache was more than worth the price of admission.) Still, as Lowe said, the fact that no major studio would make the film, which follows the progress of Liberace and Throrson's glittery but secret relationship, is a sad comment on the state of the modern movie industry. As the actor noted, if the script for "The Outsiders" -- Lowe's first major film -- surfaced today, no studio would want to make it unless all the characters were zombies.

There are no zombies or vampires in the tale of Thorson, Liberace and their strange-looking plastic surgeon, but there's quite a bit of subversive commentary on the toxic nature of celebrity and the ways in which both fame and secrecy can distort intimacy and corrode good intentions. Startz may look odd, but he thinks he's actually helping his clients, and Lowe handles the strangeness of the man and the excesses of the era with the kind of light touch he also displays on NBC's "Parks and Recreation."

Below, Lowe talks about "Candelabra's" glittering surfaces and surprising depths, about how he transformed himself into the tight-faced surgeon and about the kind of LA guy he modeled his character on.

The following interview was edited and slightly condensed.

My first reaction on watching "Behind the Candelabra" was to think it was smart and interesting and fun. And my second reaction was wanting to speak to you, because you certainly made an impression in that role. Dr. Jack was a trip.

Thank you. I'm so glad to know that that character could punch through all of the amazing elements that are in that movie.

Can you talk a little bit about how you actually transformed into that character?

The makeup, as difficult as it was in terms of the pain level of getting my face pulled around and trying to find the look, was really tough, but we had a great visual team on the movie. I think that's the gang that Steven works with all the time, and they did a really good job.

But finding the character was more important even than the look, because I'm coming in to this after [the rest of the cast and crew] has been up and running, and the tone of the movie is so specific -- anybody could slip off the edge really easily. The tone is pushed right to the edge without going over the edge. Matt and Michael were there every day and had the ability to really get comfortable. I was just jetting in and jetting out, so I was a little concerned about fitting in to the movie in the appropriate way, if that makes any sense at all.

That makes a lot of sense. And I think that you make an excellent point, because I the character is kind of comic relief, but the concerns that these men have about their appearance, and the fragility of their egos -- that's one of linchpins of the movie. I think you found the right tone, I guess that's what I'm trying to say.

Well, it's such a great screenplay, number one. So a lot of the battle is done for you by Richard [LaGravenese's] amazing screenplay. But my inclination was to lean in to the absurdity of it and the hypocrisy and the funny of the entire situation. That's the tone [in one scene] when I'm sort of looking at [Scott] like an alien. [Another director might] take you aside and go, "You know, I think that might be a bit much." And Steven was really game for bringing the comedy out.

There are definitely comedic moments, but you also feel sorry for these people, because it seems as though they're beautiful and wealthy and untouchable, but ultimately they're very insecure and they turn to drugs and plastic surgery to keep up a façade. So there's pathos there as well.

Right. That's what's so great about Michael's and Matt's work in this, and I tried to do it on my own end -- they're real people. They're not caricatures and they're not cartoons, and all of the things that could potentially make them freaks don't stand in the way of people being able to understand them.

When you talk about the specific things that were done to create that look, were there any prosthetics that were applied? Or was it a matter of pulling things around, as you said?

It was matter of pulling things around. I had new teeth that I used and they did this very specific type of makeup. There weren't any photos of Dr. Jack Startz at that time -- no one in the research department could find a great photo of him when we started. So we sort of swung blind at it, and all we had to go on was the two lines in [Scott Thorson's] book, "Behind the Candelabra," that say Dr. Jack Startz was -- I think the quote is "face pulled extremely tight and skin so shiny it made him look like a doll." The shiny skin was a great concoction of a very particular type of makeup.

Then as I was doing the camera tests, spending time in the makeup [allowed me to] discover interesting things, like when your eyebrows are pulled up like Jack's are, your eyelids are inclined to open. So with my eyebrows pulled up, [the effect] is really freaky.

I think what one of the most disturbing parts of the film is just the knowledge that people with this much plastic surgery can't quite close their eyes.

There are 10 lines in this movie that could be on T-shirts -- one of them is definitely when Liberace says, "Will I ever be able to close my eyes?" and Startz says, "Not exactly. You'll always be able to see people's reactions when they see how wonderful you look."

As an actor, that's a big part of your toolbox -- the facial expressions that you're able to work with. So was having with these limitations inhibiting? How did you work around that?

No, it actually was more freeing. Although his face is definitely frozen, I was able to find ways to look that just made Matt laugh. There's a scene where [Scott] comes to me -- he wants to have something additional done. The scene ends, and we are just literally making faces. I mean, that’s what I love about Steven. When I saw [the film,] I thought, "I can’t believe he not only put some of that in, but he underlined it." I mean, that scene just ends in the middle of us making faces. But it made Steve laugh and it made Matt laugh.

Matt wouldn’t even look at me. He really wouldn’t. He got the point where he would look at his feet while he acted with me. And we had a parlor game of who I reminded people of.

Who did Dr. Startz remind you of? Who was your leading candidate?

I designed the whole guy after a sort of template of a man that I would see in the mid-'80s, [guys with] with semi-good seats at the Laker games. It'd be, like, an East Coast transplant -- he’s that tough guy, but he's been in L.A. too long, he's drunk the Kool-Aid and now he's really off the reservation. Of an indeterminate age and sexuality.

And really, really tan -- like, he has an almost frightening tan.

Yeah. Absolutely. If Margaret Mead in her heyday were to come and do an anthropological look at Los Angeles, absolutely, that is a very specific type. Happily or unhappily, I think they may be endangered.

I hope not. I live in the Midwest, and I come out to LA a few times a year and I just love to see these kind of people, in a weird way. I call them the gargoyles, and I say that with fondness, because it’s just not something that I see in my everyday life. And I kind a love that they enjoy their own look, you know? They seem to be happy, I guess.

Oh, absolutely. Are you kidding me? Dr. Jack -- he’s the cat's meow.

Quite literally. He looks a like a cat.

Yeah. A little bit. He’s got a little cat thing going, and yet he talks like he might be more at home in "Goodfellas." He’s like, [Brooklyn-esque voice], "I can do that." It’s a weird [mixture].

I mean, literally, there were days when I would go, "This is the end, for sure, of my career." When I walked on the set and looked at Michael with his fat suit and caftan, Matt in his velour butt-hugger shorts and Farrah wig, and me as Startz -- I said, "It’s over for all of us. This is it."

"This is the end of our careers, but what an ending."

I was like, “We used to be hot guys. What has become of us?”

As much as there’s that element of just complete bizarreness to what was going on, the film has this interesting subtext too. This is also something I saw in [Soderbergh's] "Magic Mike" -- the idea of men being being insecure about their bodies or how they're treated a certain way because how they look. I think Steven has done something really subversive, in that he's wrapped up these questions in this candy-colored, shiny package. But there's something serious at the heart of this film, some ideas about intimacy and celebrity and how people are insecure even within that cocoon.

I agree. That the film would have levels that are deeply surprising is not surprising, because Steven is the smartest guy in any room he’s in and operating on a completely different level.

Steven had so many ideas that he put into this, and it has such a high-level cast. Is it kind of sad to you that this kind of film could not find a home at a big studio?

It’s actually shocking, and it's all you need to know about the current state of the movie business. And unfortunately, the story only gets sadder with the happy result of the movie. It’s now pretty clear that if it had been a movie, it would certainly be on the best-of lists of the year and maybe nominated for best picture based on the reviews that it’s gotten. So here’s Hollywood passing not only on Michael, Matt, Steven and this amazing screenplay, but on an opportunity that doesn’t come around very often, to make one of the best pictures of the year.

I’m both encouraged that HBO did this and also, as you said, very discouraged that it was so hard for this particular film to get made. You would’ve thought studios would be just dying to have this cast and this kind of story.

Dying. But, you know, I went to a movie last night, and I don’t really go see "movies" anymore, because they’re not made for me. Why would I? I get the message that [movie marketing is] trying to say, and that message is, "We’re not interested in you." And you know what? I’m in a place in my life where I go, "Message received, delivered and accepted."

That said, I actually did go see a big movie last night. And I had a great time, but I realized it literally is Disney World. It's like, when you would go to Disney World and sit in a kind of theater you’ve never been in before, with seats up to the rafters and they’d give you [special] glasses. It has nothing to do with the era where you would go to a theater and see "Network" or "Heaven Can Wait" or "The Electric Horseman" or "The Way We Were." It has nothing to do with that -- it’s Disneyland.

I was just thinking the other day, would a movie like "Kramer vs. Kramer" or "The Outsiders" get made today?

"The Outsiders" would be made if, instead of disenfranchised youth, we were disenfranchised zombies or vampires. And Francis Ford Coppola would not be directing it, that’s for sure.

Liberace's [life], as weird as it is, actually makes you think about your own life. And the movies that the studios make are designed for you to not think about your life.

Running through “Behind the Candelabra,” there's this sadness about how Liberace was ultimately trapped by his life. His connections to other people weren't fully realized and it was sad that he couldn’t truly just be himself and own who he was.

Yeah. The movie works on a bunch of different levels, and one of the more beautiful ones is, he was a trailblazer for artists who came after him who are comfortable [with who they are]. Not only are comfortable with who they are, but -- and I don’t say this in a pejorative way -- use who they are to be even more successful. As opposed to hiding who they are to be more successful.

On The Huffington Post, I saw a thing on the music business, on this Ke$ha character drinking her own pee. Can you imagine? That’s the era we live in now. And Liberace was afraid for people to know who he loved. That’s how far we’ve come.

Turning to your work on "Parks and Recreation," was signing on to do that show part of a conscious effort to turn your career more toward comedic projects?

It was really just embracing the opportunity to be able to do both drama and comedy at a high level with people that I love. It was always a dream for me to have the kind of career where I wasn't pigeonholed as a dramatic actor or a comedic actor. And to get to that point you have to be able to actually do both. So when the opportunities came up to focus more on comedy, I was really happy about it. And I’ve been really blessed to work with amazing collaborators, because it’s easier to be funny when there are really funny people around you.

It seems like next season when the show comes back Chris might be faced with fatherhood along with Ron Swanson, and it made me wonder, would Chris and Ron be the kind of people who trade parenting tips, or just kind of secretly feel horror about how the other person is raising their child?

Anytime Chris and Ron are together it always makes me laugh. One of the things I like about "Parks" just in general is the combinations of characters -- it’s one of the rare shows where you can put any two characters together and it’s gold. Whether it’s Chris and Ron, Ann and Chris, Ron and Tom. The sort of mix and match -- all of it is genius. So I’m really looking forward to seeing how not only Chris and Ron handle it, but how everybody handles it, because every character brings so much. It’s going to be a cool year.

I enjoy the fact that the writers are really willing to put the characters through changes. Chris went through kind of a crisis and had a lot of therapy last season.

Chris had a huge arc last year. I mean, he was one step away from sanitarium at the beginning of the year. And now he’s laissez-faire about stuff that [previously] would’ve put him in bed for a week.

What's interesting is that he seemed very together when he first joined the show, and then he was revealed to be kind of a mess. That’s a great arc.

I’m glad you like it. Chris has been such a tremendous gift. I've been doing a lot of traveling, and when you get out of Hollywood and you meet people who are actually watching the show, their enthusiasm is so gratifying. It really is.

Note: I review "Behind the Candelabra" and talk about it in depth with critic Ryan McGee in this week's Talking TV podcast, which can be found here, on iTunes and below.

"Behind the Candelabra" airs 9 p.m. EDT Sunday on HBO.

Is The New 'Bachelorette' Engaged?

2013-05-25T00:39:25Z

NEW YORK — ABC's newest "Bachelorette," Desiree Hartsock, says it's not hard to keep the details of her experience on the show a secret from her friends.

"Ironically, I'm kind of a private person anyway, so my friends know not to ask," she said in a recent interview.

Hartsock has some experience with the matter, although her last reality TV romance ended in heartbreak.

The 27-year-old competed for the affection of Sean Lowe on the last season of "The Bachelor." She was sent home after a disastrous date where he met her family.

"I think after all the questions they asked last season, they got an idea that I can't talk about it and it's best that they don't ask. They just let me be and I'm excited to talk about it once it's all over," she said of the new season.

Whether the bridal designer is excited to share some good news, Hartsock is also keeping that close to the vest.

"I can't give away if I'm happy or anything but this season I think is a little different because there are a lot of twists and turns. Everybody's gonna have to wait and see what happens," she said.

Hartsock marvels at how her life has changed in a short amount of time.

"It just blows my mind, to be honest," she laughed. "I wasn't even expecting to be on `The Bachelor.' It was more of a `hey, if this works out, it works out.'"

It didn't work out with Lowe, who's engaged to Catherine Giudici, his final pick on "The Bachelor." But Hartsock won over viewers with her girl-next-door looks, attitude and raw vulnerability when Lowe sent her home after meeting her family.

Although it seemed at first that her older brother was onboard with the relationship, he told Lowe in a one-on-one chat that he didn't think he was right for his sister.

Hartsock says there are no hard feelings over her brother's skepticism and stresses it was "very Sean specific."

"He's my brother! He trusts me and he supports me," she said.

The drama this time comes from 25 male contestants. Hartsock says they have "a lot of strong personalities" and she's looking forward to seeing what led up to their conflicts when she wasn't around.

"The Bachelorette," hosted by Chris Harrison, premieres Monday on ABC at 8 p.m. EDT.

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Online:

http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-bachelorette

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Alicia Rancilio covers entertainment for The Associated Press. Follow her online at http://www.twitter.com/aliciar

The 13 Best TV Episodes To Celebrate Summer

2013-05-24T22:15:22Z

Does peeing on a jellyfish sting really work to soothe the burn? And if you're drinking in the sun all day, can you really call it heatstroke? These are the questions that some of our favorite TV characters have left us with after they've taken vacations.

As the weather heats up and you're dreaming of your own sunny summer getaway, don't forget that TV shows like to vacation, too -- some sitcoms never miss the chance to jet off to someplace exotic, and a few dramatic jaunts have happened on the small screen as well.

From "Seinfeld" and "Friends" and their now-infamous sabbaticals on the shore to "Mad Men's" Palm Springs reverie, we've rounded up our favorite TV vacation episodes, just in time for the long Memorial Day weekend.

Tell us: What are your favorite summer-themed television episodes?

PHOTOS: Dear Jessica Simpson, We Disagree With This Move

2013-05-24T22:02:03Z

Most celebrities are not strangers to moving around, and that includes our favorite singer/ reality star-turned-fashion designer, Jessica Simpson, who has just listed her Beverly Hills home. According to Redfin's listing, she's asking for a cool $7.995 million for the 5,500-square-foot five-bedroom and 5.5 bathroom estate.

Speaking of house-hopping, this gorgeous pad was once owned by Ellen Degeneres. But, our absolute favorite part?Zillow reports that the interiors were designed by Rachel Ashwell of Shabby Chic Couture and include features like ebonized hardwood floors, crown moldings, high ceilings and a stone courtyard that leads to a koi pond.

Where is Jess heading? She recently bought Ozzy and Sharon Osborne's former house in Hidden Hills for $11.5 million, so it looks like she's stepping up her real estate game.

Click through the photos below, courtesy of Zillow, to get a peek inside.

Additional reporting by Ann Brenoff.

Have something to say? Check out HuffPost Home on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram.

Do you have a home story idea or tip? Email us at homesubmissions@huffingtonpost.com. (PR pitches sent to this address will be ignored.)

PHOTOS: Al Pacino Doesn't Want Houseguests?

2013-05-24T21:34:31Z

It looks like Al Pacino doesn't want people visiting his Palisades, N.Y. home as he reportedly just sold his guesthouse for a very hefty price.

According to Realtor.com, the home has three bedrooms, four baths and was sold for a shocking $3,300,000 (let's remember people, this is a guesthouse). Real Estalker notes that the buyers were famous songwriters and music producers Curt and Sabelle Frasca.

We're not sure why Pacino sold the piece of property, but we do know it's absolutely beautiful. Click through our slideshow to see photos, and head over to Realtor.com and Real Estalker for more information.

Additional reporting by Ann Brenoff.

Have something to say? Check out HuffPost Home on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram.

Do you have a home story idea or tip? Email us at homesubmissions@huffingtonpost.com. (PR pitches sent to this address will be ignored.)

Susan Michals: Yes, That Is Melanie Laurent Nude With Shellfish

2013-05-24T21:22:26Z

(Actress Melanie Laurent. Image courtesy of Alan Gelati/Fishlove)

Your eyes are not deceiving you.

Pregnant French actress and star of the upcoming film Now You See Me took time out to pose with a crab for the radical yet iconic photographic project, "Fishlove" which invites well known personalities across the world to raise awareness of how over-fishing is destroying the marine environment. Scientists predict that all marine life will effectively disappear from our oceans by the middle of this century if nothing is done about over-fishing.

(Actor Simon "Mr. Beebe" Callow. Image courtesy of Alan Gelati/Fishlove)

Taken by Italian fashion photographer Alan Gelati, the above image of Laurent will be on display with photos of other notables, including Simon Callow, and Michael Gambon, and will debut at the baudoin lebon gallery in Paris on May 28, 2013.

(Sir Michael John Gambon aka Philip Marlowe. Image courtesy of Alan Gelati/Fishlove)

Gelati's artwork is but the latest incarnation of the Fishlove campaign, and joins previous images shot by British photographer Rankin taken in 2011. The next auteur to contribute is film director Mike Figgis, who just wrapped a two day shoot for FishLove in Rome earlier in May. (Look for these images in Autumn/2013).

For more information about Fishlove, click here.

The Hoff Is Downsizing

2013-05-24T21:08:36Z

David Hasselhoff is a very busy man. The actor, personality and all-around man about town was recently spotted at the Cannes film festival promoting his new film "Killing Hasselhoff" (still in the pre-production phase), and a few months earlier he was in Germany trying to save the Berlin Wall from destruction.

Which is why it comes as no surprise that The Hoff (as he likes to call himself) don't got no time for estate upkeep. The former "Baywatch" babe just downsized to a modest 5,767-square-foot home in Calabasas, Calif. from his massive 8,974-square-foot mansion in nearby Encino.

Now, by "modest," we mean celebrity-modest. Because Hasselhoff's new home still has five bedrooms, six bathrooms, a basketball court, a pool and a spa complete with waterfall. But it doesn't have the Encino property's tennis court, pub room, gymnasium or library. Something tells us The Hoff will make do.

Hasselhoff closed the deal on his Calabasas home for $1.95 million on May 15, according to public records. He had unloaded his Encino home for a cool $3.549 million the month before, making a handsome profit on the property he bought in 1991 for $2.975 million.

Photos of David Hasselhoff's new home courtesy of Realtor.com.

You Call This Chubby?!

2013-05-24T20:46:54Z

Jennifer Aniston has a new movie coming out, "We're The Millers," where she plays a stripper. In one scene from the trailer, 44-year-old Aniston is seen in nothing but tiny lace panties and a matching bra. Her body, as expected, is INSANE.

To those who follow Aniston news and to those who don't, these photos are just more proof that the former "Friend" is in amazing shape. Recently though, at a Yoga book release party, Aniston admitted to being "rounder" when she was younger, saying she used to eat terribly.

Really, Jen? Rounder? We doubted it when you said it, and we doubt it still now.

That's why we decided to launch a little investigation and dig up photos of young Jen to prove once and for all to ourselves -- and to her! -- she was never more than a tiny-waisted girl.

Behold, Jen Aniston circa-1990:

Dr. Jane Greer: Brad and Angelina: What Does Unconditional Love Look Like?

2013-05-24T20:30:42Z

Angelina Jolie made news this week when she wrote a New York Times op-ed piece announcing that she'd had an elective double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery to dramatically reduce her risk of breast and ovarian cancers. Jolie lost her mother to ovarian cancer in 2007 at the age of 56. Jolie, herself now 37 and the mother of six children, decided with her doctors to go through with the dramatic procedure after testing positive for BRCA1 gene, which can indicate a high risk for the diseases.

It isn't surprising that everyone is talking about what Angelina did, and how much courage she showed to put health first, and then talk so openly about it. But something else became clear, too. With her decision to go public came the acknowledgement of her rock-solid support system. In the Times piece she wrote, "I am fortunate to have a partner, Brad Pitt, who is so loving and supportive." She mentioned that he was present for all of her medical procedures and surgeries at the Pink Lotus Breast Center. He has, in turn, recently called her decision to have the radical procedure and be public about it, "absolutely heroic."

While it seems that Brad agreed with Angelina's choice, that isn't always the case. Sometimes a spouse or partner has a harder time accepting the other's decision to have a procedure whether it be preventative, corrective, or plastic surgery. They might feel the timing isn't right, or the surgery isn't necessary. But in order to be supportive and give unconditional love, they might have to put their own needs and judgments aside the way Brad has clearly done.

That might require some work on your part, if you are the one offering the support. Being there for your partner not only means in a hands-on physical way, but also an emotional one. There is no question that this sort of thing can be very disruptive. Say, for example, that you both usually share the responsibilities of the household - you take out the trash and walk the dog, and he or she cooks and gets the kids off to school. Now, as your partner recovers, it is likely that all those tasks might fall to you. On an emotional level, the person who had the surgery might be irritable, upset, short-tempered and, at times, reactive and even lash out at you. If you can remember that your partner may be feeling vulnerable, helpless and out of control, it might help you understand where they are coming from, and then you won't take it personally and get into arguments with them. Realizing that their distress doesn't stem from you can go a long way in helping you navigate the terrain of a caregiver and help you remain supportive throughout.

Know as you are going through it that the upheaval and distress will be time-limited and your recovering partner will get better. Things will go back to normal at some point - hopefully soon. Remind yourself that, in the end, this will be better for everyone. Remaining positive during the recovery period will be good for both of you and get you through it with greater ease. Brad's words and support are an excellent example of what to do if you find yourself in a similar situation. The superstar couple seems to have their priorities in place as they do what they must to build a long and healthy life together. With that goal in mind, being supportive is easier.

Please tune in to "Let's Talk Sex" which streams live on HealthyLife.net every last Tuesday of the month at 2 PM EST, 11 AM Pacific. We look forward to listener call-in questions, dealing with relationships, intimacy, family, and friendships, at 1.800.555.5453.

Connect with Dr. Jane Greer on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/DrJaneGreer, and be sure to follow @DrJaneGreer on Twitter for her latest insights on love, relationships, sex, and intimacy.

For more on Dr. Greer, visit http://www.drjanegreer.com.

LOOK: Huge Piece Of Liz Taylor Memorabilia Up For Sale

2013-05-24T20:24:15Z

Want to get married like Elizabeth Taylor? Now you can!

The dress Taylor wore at her first wedding, to hotel heir Conrad Hilton in 1950, will be auctioned by Christie's in London next month, Reuters reported Friday.

The dress was designed by film costume designer Helen Rose and was a gift from MGM studios. It is estimated to be worth about $75,000.

Here's Taylor and Hilton on their wedding day:

According to the Daily Mail, the dress had a 20-inch waist when then-18-year-old Taylor wore it, but has since been let out to 22 inches.

Taylor and Hilton split eight months after the wedding, and Taylor went on to marry an additional seven times. Click through the slideshow below for details on all eight of Taylor's weddings.

Keep in touch! Check out HuffPost Weddings on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

First Lady Gets Down To James Brown

2013-05-24T20:24:13Z

First Lady Michelle Obama busted a move with some school kids during a stop at Savoy Elementary School in Washington, D.C. on Friday.

Obama danced to James Brown, who the kids called "the godfather of soul."

Obama -- along with Kerry Washington, star of ABC's "Scandal" -- encouraged students to "try new things and not be afraid to fail." The school, where the arts are being used to help boost student performance, is located in Anacostia, one of the Washington, D.C.'s poorest neighborhoods.

Watch a video of Obama dancing with the kids above. (Video via CBS News)

Check out a slideshow of her visit below:

LOOK: Michelle Obama Dances With D.C. School Kids!

2013-05-24T20:15:57Z

WASHINGTON -- Failure is OK, but continuing to work hard is more important, Michelle Obama said Friday.

That was the message the first lady delivered to students at an elementary school where the arts are being used to help boost student performance. The school is located in Anacostia, one of the city's poorest neighborhoods.

Mrs. Obama said failure was not an impediment for her and shouldn't be for them.

She also encouraged the students to "try new things and not be afraid to fail, because we have all failed."

"You're looking at the first ... I have failed at things. Things have been really hard for me at times," Mrs. Obama said at Savoy Elementary School. "But all I had to do was keep going and keep working hard."

To further illustrate her point, she pointed to Kerry Washington, star of ABC's "Scandal," as another example.

Mrs. Obama said the actress, who was sitting in the audience for the visit, is a big star these days because she chose to keep perfecting her craft instead of becoming discouraged by rejection during her career.

"She spent a lot of time practicing and working and trying out for things and having people tell her `no,' `no, thank you,' `you're not good enough, you're not pretty enough,'" the first lady said. "Could you imagine somebody telling Kerry that she wasn't pretty enough, she wasn't tall enough, she was too short? That's all performing is, is rejection."

Washington, who is the school's arts ambassador, later said she wasn't sure how that came to be.

"It might have something to do with playing Olivia Pope and having a principal Pope," she joked. Olivia Pope is her character on "Scandal" and Patrick Pope is the school's principal.

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Online:

Turnaround Arts: http://turnaroundarts.pcah.gov

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Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap

Another Show Is Back From The Dead

2013-05-24T20:13:48Z

"Cult" lives!

The CW series, starring Matthew Davis and Jessica Lucas, was pulled from the network in April, but the final six episodes will see the light of day.

"Cult" returns on Fridays, beginning June 28, airing double episodes for three weeks straight. The show centers on journalist Jeff (Davis) and production researcher Skye's (Lucas) investigation into a TV show that's generated a cult following of fans who are re-creating the crimes depicted on their screens.

Creator Rockne S. O'Bannon was the first to break the news about "Cult" coming back to finish its run via Twitter.

Great news #TrueBelievers: The CW will be airing the shocking final episodes of #Cult in 2 hour blocks 8pm-10pm on 6/28, 7/5 & 7/12. Enjoy!!
— Rockne S. O'Bannon (@Rockne_S) May 24, 2013

The CW confirmed the news of "Cult's" return to The Huffington Post. The show's cancellation in April didn't come as a surprise. The midseason series made its debut on Tuesday, February 19 and brought in a dismal 941,000 total viewers and only had a 0.3 rating in the key 18-49 demo.

After "Cult's" second outing, which saw even lower numbers, The CW moved the series to Fridays, which, for the teen-centric network, is not quite as deadly as it is on others. "Nikita" and "Supernatural" have both flourished on Fridays, but "Cult" did not. The most recent episode, which aired on Friday, April 5, brought in 620,000 total viewers and had a 0.2 rating.

Check out The CW's official descriptions for the next three episodes of "Cult" below:

"The Devil You Know" (now airing Friday, June 28 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW)

Jeff and Skye struggle to find evidence against Sakelik (guest star Aisha Hinds, "Weeds") to use as leverage to gain information on Nate. Stuart invites Roger (Robert Knepper) to a weekend getaway at his Santa Barbara estate. Skye has lunch with her mother (guest star Erica Gimpel) and the two discuss the past. Meanwhile, on the television show, Kelly (Alona Tal) strikes a deal with Billy to get her sister Meadow back.

"Off To See The Wizard) (now airing Friday, June 28 at 9 p.m. ET on The CW)

Jeff and Skye learn about a new initiates meeting of the True Believers. Skye plans to infiltrate the meeting with Jeff following close behind. While Skye and her fellow newbie's are being driven to the meeting location, Jeff unknowingly follows a decoy vehicle. Meanwhile, on the television show, Kelly suspects that Billy's followers kidnapped Andy (guest star Christian Michael Cooper).

"The Prophecy of St. Clare" (now airing Friday, July 5 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW)

On the set of the television show "Cult," Skye consoles Edie MacDonald (guest star Shauna Johannesen), the actress who plays Meadow, after she confesses to being spooked by a pair of figurines she recognizes from her childhood. Jeff and Skye pay a visit to Edie's mother (guest star Teryl Rothery, "Kyle XY"). Peter (guest star Ben Hollingsworth) continues to spy on Skye. Meanwhile, on the television show, Billy nears his breaking point.

Tune in to The CW on Fridays, beginning June 28 at 8 p.m. ET for two-hour blocks of "Cult."

Karin Badt: Cannes 2013: Will Forte Discusses His Role in "Nebraska"

2013-05-24T20:01:24Z

This afternoon I met actor Will Forte, famed for his comic character sketches on Saturday Night Live,, to discuss his serious role as a caring son in Alexander Payne's new movie Nebraska which premiered this week in Cannes.

In the film, Forte plays David, the son of a poor elderly man (Bruce Dern) who is convinced he has won a million dollar lottery. The first shot is David finding his elderly father tottering on the road en route to Nebraska (two states away) to redeem his ticket. Despite the oddness of the situation and despite having had a bad relationship with his father, David breaks down and caters to "Woody's" need and decides to drive him to Nebraska himself, with an extended stop in the old man's hometown.

What ensues is the story---one personally familiar to many of us---of a child discovering who his parent really is. The son learns about his parents' sex-spurred courtship, about his father's traumatizing war service, and other such facts that were previously mysterious to him. He learns to know his alcoholic failure of a father as an adult and (what seems impossible in the beginning) to love and respect him.

The movie is a pleasure to watch, heartwarming (the man next to me was in tears) and also humorous, as David's family is a goofy bunch of rednecks.

How does Will Forte relate to this tender story himself?

"Unlike David, I have a very good relationship with my parents. I never had to do this search for my father. Of course, I have learned things about my father. As a child, you look up to your parents like heroes, then they become just normal people who make mistakes. Over the years, I just learned little things, an interesting story here or there."

What does seem similar between Forte and his character, however, is that they both show a knack for acts of compassion. "David" sells his car to help his father out. Forte, in his real life, helps as a spokesman for charities such as the Wampler Summer Camp, for kids with Cerebral Palsy, and Food on Foot, an organization that helps the homeless.

"In a lot of ways, the character of David is someone I felt connected to," Forte said, as we sat together in the Carlton's "Movie Star Lounge". "Not always super confident, not always sure-footed. Not perfect. Hesitant. But a compassionate person; he has a good heart."

Forte leaned forward and continued with sincerity. "Actually I was too similar to my character. In comedy, I am so used to playing absurd wacky characters that it was intimidating to play a more real man. You feel vulnerable; you are letting spectators in on your life a bit. When I am sad in the movie, it is kind of how I am sad in real life. When he is emotionally stunted, that could also be me."

director Alexander Payne and actor Bruce Dern

The journey between these befuddled characters, father and son, is, despite human flaws, a lyrical experience. As director Alexander Payne told us in the press conference, he meant his film to be "both melancholy and humorous."

WATCH: Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Other Celebs, Want You To Help The Incredible Trans Artist Our Lady J

2013-05-24T19:59:17Z

Our Lady J is finally set to release her first studio album, "Picture Of A Man," and she's recruited a few of her celebrity friends to help get the word out.

The transcendent transgender singer-songwriter, who has been called everything from "stunning" by New York Magazine to "virtuosic" by Time Out New York and has been showered with praise by everyone from Dolly Parton to Daniel Radcliffe, has been wowing crowds in New York City, Los Angeles and around the world for several years.

And after releasing a few incredible singles, including a haunting cover of Nine Inch Nail's "Hurt," she's finally going to unveil her debut studio album at the end of the summer.

But, she needs a little help. So, she created an indiegogo page and filmed a YouTube video featuring Jesse Tyler Ferguson, "Smash" star Andy Mientus, "Anger Management"'s Michael Arden and other celebs to get the word out about "Picture Of A Man."

Check out the video clip above, watch her agonizingly gorgeous live clip for "We Stand," a track off the new album, below and then head to her indiegogo page to see how you can get involved.