Austin Nichols talks 'One Tree Hill', movies, and architecture!

by Meriam Bouarrouj - One Tree Hill Examiner

2009 has been quite a year for Austin Nichols. He became a series regular on the popular long-time drama 'One Tree Hill', began work on a new film, and even developed some additional career aspirations for himself outside of the entertainment industry. He discussed that and much more with me including what he would like to see happen with his role of Julian on 'One Tree Hill'.

Q-How has filming been for you lately?

A-Fun, it's been busy. I'm shooting a movie as well right now so I've been in between LA and Wilmington a lot. The movie is called 'Beautiful Boy', it's with Michael Sheen. It's just an incredible piece of writing about a husband and wife who find out their son was involved in a campus shooting. I play a writer who writes about the tragedy. I'm really  happy about it.

Q-This is your first full season on 'One Tree Hill', how has that been like for you?

A-It's great. It's exciting. It's different from being a guest. You feel more responsible for the show as a whole, for the final in product, as a regular. But it's been fun. As far as I can tell, this season there has been really great material and better than any season before it so it's been really cool.

Q-Had you ever seen the show before joining it?

A-No I hadn't. I really didn't watch that much television and I think the show had a certain audience, younger. But I think the audience is actually growing now. The show is kind of older and more mature and not just limited to a young audience anymore. My parents and all my friends now are watching the show and they are in love with it, and telling all their friends to watch it. So that's been cool. It's been cool to see that sort of a reaction to a show that's been on for that long. And to see that kind of an audience grow and branch out. And people love to see stuff they can relate to. There's heart in it. It's real stuff.

Q-Why do you think the Julian and Brooke relationship and storyline has stood out so much?

A-For some reason there's this it factor. When Brooke and Julian, and Sophia and I get together there's just a great chemistry that happens. There's just this really great energy there when we work together.

Q-In the most recent episode, Julian said he's not sure if he will ever be ready for kids, what do you think about that? Would you like to see Julian as a dad?

A-Yeah I absolutely would. I think it would be fun to explore as an actor and go through sort of what that's like. I think any guy at Julian's age is grappling with the same thing because when you get out of college having a few years of what you're going to with your life and ....then all of a sudden you get to a certain age and you're like, wow, I can't party like I used to, and I need to exercise and I need to get my professional life going or wow, she's a great woman, maybe I should marry her. You know all these questions start coming up at that age. It's been really cool to explore that. But yeah I think Julian wants to have children, I think he's just scared because as a man you want to be ready for those things. You want to have enough money, and you want to have a place for them to grow up healthy and you want to be able to support them and put them through college and so you don't want to dive into having kids being unprepared.

Q-Julian has been working with more of the other cast members lately. How was it to shoot the camping scene with the James, Antwon and Lee?

A-It was great. I remember having a talk with the writers and Mark Schwahn, and saying look I mean Julian isn't really interacting with anybody but Brooke and now he's a big part of the One Tree Hill world and let's get him out there and involved with everybody. And so it was nice. I got a lot of emails and text messages from family and friends saying it was so cool to see you working with other people. It was like a new view point.

Q-Julian can be funny guy but he can also be very serious at times, how do you prepare for those more serious and emotional scenes? Do you have a special technique? A-I don't know, it's weird. Working on 'One Tree Hill' has been very different from anything else I've ever worked on. I feel like in the past I was used to building up a character from scratch who's nothing like me, where now for the first time in my life I feel like I'm playing someone who's a lot like me. It's fun and interesting and when serious stuff comes up, I just sort of stick to personal things and there's somethings I have, little triggers, you know every actor has their triggers and I'll go use those things.

Q-Where would you like to see Julian and Brooke end up when 'One Tree Hill' is over?

A-You know it's interesting because on a TV show you don't know what's happening next, as opposed to a film. When Mark asked me to come back as a series regular I told him I only would if we could make a really powerful love story for Brooke and Julian. I wanted him to give them the greatest love story. I mentioned 'The Notebook' to him. I wanted him to give them that kind of love and story, a fountainhead love. And in 'The Notebook' even when they fight, it's how it is now for Brooke and Julian, it's fun to watch them fight. It's sexy. It's inspiring. That's what I told him I wanted. And he agreed. Even when they're apart, it's still interesting. So definitely in the end I want them to have the greatest happy ending ever.

Q-Was he leaning towards something else for them initially?

A-If he was, he didn't tell me. He just asked me what I thought and then he just agreed with everything I said about them. He was very happy to write to them that kind of a love story. I think because it worked in season six, he knew it could continue. When something works, it's great. It's been fun.

Q-Some of your co-stars have gone in the direction of directing? Is that something you would like to do someday or are you just content in front of the camera?

A-I absolutely do. Lately I've been shadowing directors and going to production meetings. I've done everything as a shadow in that area. I wanted to let them know that I wanted to direct. I was just sneaky about it. I just don't want to leave North Carolina and not have it happen. So hopefully it will happen soon.

Q-If you weren't acting what do you think you'd be doing?

A-Oh that would change every week for me. Sometimes I get into different things. At one point in my life I wanted to be a golfer. I used to golf when I was young. Also I wanted to be a professional water skier. Then I wanted to be a sports announcer.

Also I've really been interested in architecture lately. I really want to buy a house and fix it up. There's this incredible artist out there that inspires me, Donald Judd. All of his work is in Marfa, TX. It's a really small town that has kept his work and the buildings that he owned all around it. The town now is really influenced by his style and it's great. I was there to check out recently with some friends and it was amazing.

Q-If you could go back in time and spend a day in the life of one person who would it be?

A-It would be Donald Judd I have to say. Just to see what his head was like, by his ideas and uncompromising. When I saw his old space in Marfa, everything was left perfectly the same. Nothing was moved and I can imagine it would have been difficult to live with him. I just would like to see what that was like.

Q-Are there any updates concerning your work with Southern Gothic Productions?

A-Yeah absolutely. There's an incredible script called The Pedestrian. We're trying to make it into a movie. It's one of the best scripts I've ever read so I'm definitely gonna do everything I can to make it happen.

Examiner  / Article: source


 

'One Tree Hill's' strong roots

The earnest CW show works its appeal on a loyal audience that has followed it into a 7th season.
By Denise Martin

It's the CW's dirty little secret: In its seventh season, "One Tree Hill" is watched by more people than the network's "it" show, "Gossip Girl." It always has been.

The success, hushed though it has been, has come despite major upheavals to the show, a sort of earnest older sister to younger, hipper series such as "90210" and "Gossip." Since launching in 2003, "One Tree Hill" has occupied five time slots, switched networks and survived a risky plot decision to jump its high school-age characters four years into the future.

This year, the show is dealing with yet another blow: In May, actors Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton, who played the show's romantic leads, Lucas and Peyton, decided not to return for the new season after heated contract negotiations.

And yet "One Tree Hill" is still a draw. With little network promotion, the show is delivering an average of 2.4 million viewers this season, a bigger haul than CW's heavily marketed "Melrose Place."

Network President of Entertainment Dawn Ostroff calls it her little engine that could. "No matter where you put it, viewers follow." So why do you never hear about it?

Few, if any, gushing press releases go out about "One Tree Hill," which began its life on the old WB as an 11th-hour replacement for a postponed crime drama. Its initial conceit -- stepbrothers embroiled in battle on and off the high school basketball court -- didn't stick, and ratings were low until story lines evolved into a sentimental, super-sudsy melodrama concerning the brothers' larger group of friends living in fictional Tree Hill, N.C.

It's decidedly less sexy than the Upper East Side, the hotbed of sin on Melrose, or even a town of hungry vampires. Add to that, the show films in Wilmington, N.C., so its young stars aren't followed around by the paparazzi the way Blake Lively and Leighton Meester are; "Gossip Girl" has the edge among female fans, making it more valuable to advertisers; and, well, "One Tree Hill" has never been a critics' darling.

Creator Mark Schwahn can laugh about it now that his series is nearing its 200th episode. He keeps a telephone book-size binder of its reviews and clippings from over the years in his desk, and remembers being unable to find a positive quote to put on the Season 1 DVD box set. "If you look at the box, it says something like, 'A guiltier pleasure than "Melrose Place," ' " he said. "I was like, 'That's the best we can do?' " He can still quote Variety's review too, which began, "This tree needs to be replanted," and said one critic renamed it "Inbred Creek."

Schwahn added: "My parking spot for the first two years we were on the air said Olsen Twins."

But somewhere along the way young people latched onto -- and never let go of -- "One Tree Hill's" improbable blend of angsty, pop song-laden love triangles and saccharine endings, bookended by moments of total madness. Tree Hill is the kind of town where the hot guys are sweet, the mean girls make the best friends, and your son can get kidnapped and chased down in a cornfield by a psycho nanny who's after your husband.

Mostly, however, Schwahn says, it's heartfelt.

"Call it painfully earnest, but for most of the country, earnest isn't painful," Schwahn said. "I won't apologize or make excuses for wearing our hearts on our sleeves." He even gave Peyton and Lucas a proper goodbye, sending the just-married couple off into the sunset with their new baby girl in tow.

New cast member Shantel VanSanten, who plays the photographer Quinn, called the show's Middle America appeal its very staying power. "I'm from Minnesota, and both my grandma and my friends can watch the show and relate to the issues because most of it is about real life -- just not real life in L.A. or New York."

That heartland feel will remain this season, though nearly all of the characters have become bona fide celebrities -- Brooke a multimillion-dollar fashion designer, Julian a successful film director, Haley a pop singer and Nathan an NBA star.

"The show this year is about the obstacles facing adults in their 20s and even late 20s," said Sophia Bush, who plays Brooke. "No one can relate to being a rich fashion designer, but everyone at that age thinks, 'Who am I becoming? Where is my life going? Who do I want to spend forever with?' You get the escapist fun with the grounded drama."

Austin Nichols, who last starred in the title role in HBO's "John From Cincinnati," said he signed on for his second season with the show after he persuaded Schwahn to let long-distance couple Brooke and Julian come together for "a passionate, 'Fountainhead'-like romance." In the season's first episode, the two were making sweet love on the beach à la "From Here to Eternity."

"We can go for things like that on 'One Tree Hill,' a benefit of being sort of the ugly stepchild on the network," Nichols said.

The show has even gotten away with murder. Paul Johansson's demonic dad, Dan, overcame his character's killing his brother several seasons ago and was reborn as a televangelist. Johansson said Dan really paid for becoming so bad; he once had his heart eaten by a dog, literally, after the organ fell on the floor on its way to a transplant.

"Sometimes, I just put a script down and go, 'Mark's sick.' He's sick, you know? But it's an evil genius," Johansson said. "We're never boring."

It's no accident that fans have followed the show over the years on different nights and time periods. They're rabid for good reason. Schwahn and fellow executive producer Joe Davola have taken a DIY approach to promoting "One Tree Hill" from the beginning, when Davola decided that rather than hiring an assistant, he'd bring in someone to help them reach out to the show's fans. The pair still run their own series website, Facebook page and Twitter accounts.

In advance of Season 7, they prepared 18 behind-the-scenes pieces for the Web to introduce fans to new cast members and to tease stories.

"I produce 'Smallville' as well, so I knew all about the power of fans," Davola said. "From the beginning, we knew we had to control our own destiny." They've also put the actors to work, sending them on mall tours, charity events and any number of promotional appearances to help keep fans coming back.

"I've never minded," said James Lafferty, who plays Nathan. "It's nice to interact with the viewers, to know that someone appreciates what we're doing all the way in North Carolina."

Schwahn and Davola are also hands-on when it comes to writing and producing the show. Schwahn picks the music, they both direct and edit, they even cut their own promos (a response to having Season 5's cliffhanger finale ruined by a network-cut preview). "We have a high level of quality control," Davola said. "We don't phone it in."

"They've always been very inventive and clever producers," Ostroff said, "and the truth of the matter is they've reinvented the show multiple times in these bold ways and it's always worked. They get short shrift, but what they've done is worthy of praise."

Still, it's a lot of work for the executive producers. "I'd love to be the biggest show on television, I'm not above coveting. But at the same time, one of the reasons we are here is because we flew under the radar," Schwahn said.

Los Angeles Times

 

Credit video: Buddy TV / forevertruelove.


Interview: Austin Nichols Says Things are "Gonna Get Messy" for Brulian 

One Tree Hill has a new look for season 7, and one of the major parts to that overhaul was bumping Austin Nichols up to a series regular as Julian, Brooke's beloved movie producer.  The season 7 premiere saw the two making out on the beach quite a bit, and while Brulian lovers could certainly watch those two go at it all day long, Tree Hill relationships are never that simple.

I spoke to Austin about the new season of One Tree Hill, and he revealed some spoilers about what Julian is up to and which character from his past will return, what (or who) will cause some trouble for Brooke and Julian's relationship, and when we'll get to see Julian hanging out with Jamie.

-Brooke and Julian found themselves in a very good and happy place on the season 7 premiere, but Nichols says it won't stay that way for long.  "I'd love to kiss a pretty girl on the beach all the time, but it's definitely gonna get messy."

-Who will be the person throwing "a wrench into the gears" of the Brulian romance?  Fans will get a chance to find out this week, as Nichols teased Monday's episode by saying the new girl, actress and Clothes Over Bros model Alex Dupre will get in Julian's face and definitely cause some trouble for Brooke.

-Speaking of Alex, Nichols had plenty of good things to say about the actress who plays her, Jana Kramer, and it's not just because the two briefly met when they were both guest starring on Friday Night Lights.  "She's murdering her role.  She's funny and mean and heartbreaking all at the same time."

-For the first several episodes of season 7, Julian will continue to have most of his scenes with Brooke, though Nichols did mention that Julian's dad will also come back.  The movie world will also be important as Julian struggles to find out how his film world and his personal life in Tree Hill can blend together.

-As far as One Tree Hill spoilers go, Nichols revealed that this season, Julian is hard at work on a new script to use as his next movie project.  He also revealed he will start to work with cast members other than Sophia Bush starting around episode 7 or 8, and that in one episode, he has quite a few scenes with Jamie.

-When it comes to how often the male stars of One Tree Hill remove their clothes, Nichols actually appreciates the fact that this show reverses the roles, as it's usually the women whose bodies are exploited and used in film and TV, but here, it's all about the men.

-FAN QUESTION: BonesFan47 wanted to know who his favorite person to work with is.  After taking some time out to discuss the user's screen name and the fact that Nichols has a direct connection to the show Bones, he mentioned how great it is working with Sophia, but he also singled out Jackson Brundage as Jamie because Nichols is impressed by the differences in child actors.

-FAN QUESTION: PeytonMelissa wanted to know how Austin Nichols prepares for the role of Julian.  It turns out that there isn't a whole lot of prep work needed, because Julian is pretty close to the real Austin.  Working in the TV industry helps to make playing a producer a bit easier, as does the fact that is brother is a filmmaker.

(Link includes Audio Interview)

Buddy TV

Austin at the 'Celebrity Autograph Fundraiser' in Wilmington, NC.


'One Tree Hill' is in seventh heaven

With the number of new shows debuting on prime time television each week, it is becoming more and more difficult for the veteran shows to remain on the air as their competition is constantly increasing.

That does not appear to be a problem though for the CW's 'One Tree Hill' as it just had its' seventh season premiere on Monday night.

“We're really lucky”, said 'One Tree Hill's Sophia Bush when I caught up with her and two of her cast mates at the 'Celebrity Autograph Fundraiser' in Wilmington, NC, only a couple days prior to the premiere.

Lucky is right; while young adult drama's are coming and going like a class of new students every year, 'One Tree Hill' has still not graduated from television and it does not appear that it will anytime soon.

A reason for its' steady residence on prime time television could be the developments and transformations creator Mark Schwahn has made with his characters throughout the years giving the actors a chance to explore new depths within their roles.

Taking her role of Brooke Davis to new heights was something Bush told me she was very eager to do. “It was really hard for me to play Brooke in season one. I enjoy how the writers have grown her”, said Bush, who while is very glad to be on the same show for as long as she has, is even more glad she is not playing the exact same person she was six years ago. “I wouldn't have been able to play Brooke this long if she had not changed at all”, Bush said. “I appreciate how she's evolved”.

When asked about how her character will be evolving for the new season, Bush said there will be some different sides shown. “Brooke is in a real place of change and growth this year”.

Change and growth is something the 'One Tree Hill' cast is currently doing this season as they just commenced the first new chapter of their show without their former co-stars Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton, who departed at the end of season six. “As much as I miss our friends that our gone, we have to evolve”, said Lee Norris. With the loss came the addition of three new cast mates, who Norris said is very excited about having on the team. “It's tough [for them] to come into an established show, but we welcomed them”.

Norris told me he is also welcoming the more serious route the show will be going down this season. “It gets deeper this year”, said Norris. “We're really excited about it”, he said.

More serious is what co-star Austin Nichols told me he was looking forward to the most with the new story lines this season. “Honesty and truth is what I want”, said Nichols. “Let's deal with issues people our age are dealing with...things that are not exaggerated”, Nichols says as to what he wants to see happen with the show and his character this season.

Nichols and his cast mates seem to be getting what they want out of the new season as they all expressed their joy over what they've filmed so far for it. “It's off to a good start”, said Norris.

Bush, who told me she is directing an episode this season, agrees with Norris's positive reaction to season seven. “It's good stuff!”, she said smiling.

'One Tree Hill' airs Monday nights at 8pm on the CW network.

Examiner



 

Credit: CW.
 

WE LOVE TV: “One Tree Hill” at the TCA party

by hidek

Hollywood press functions for The CW often go on without the stars of Wilmington-filmed “One Tree Hill.” Filming on the East Coast, it can be difficult for the “OTH” crew to  get away from filming long enough for red carpet events and press meet-and-greets. But thanks to the big changes and new faces coming to the show this season, The CW found a way to free up Sophia Bush, Austin Nichols, Robert Buckley and Shantel VanSanten (along with producers Mark Schwahn and Joe Davola) last night to attend the CW/CBS/Showtime Celebration at the Television Critics Association summer press tour.

I got to talk with each of them, and I’ll be posting more on them in the weeks to come. Here are some quick highlights.

New in town, Robert Buckley already has fallen in love with the Blue Post in downtown Wilmington and its many games and bar sports.

Mark Schwahn said that Victoria would be returning and that he’s told Ashley Rickards (Sam) to “stay unemployed” so he could bring her back, but nothing is set yet.

Shantel VanSanten thinks Wilmington is a beautiful place and loves the cookies and cream ice cream from Kilwin’s. But she could do without the humidity. Welcome to the Southeast, Shantel.

Austin Nichols says that when the series returns, 14 months will have passed since the finale, when Brooke finally confessed her love for him. But the characters will have been apart for the past year, so viewers won’t have missed any of their relationship.

Here are some pics from their red-carpet arrival.

Star News Online

More pics here


 

Prayers for Bobby is nominated for Outstanding Made For Television Movie  and Sigourney Weaver for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie.

The 61st annual Primetime Emmy Awards will air Sunday, September 20, on CBS.

link
 

Episode 7.01 “4:30 AM (Apparently They Were Travelling Abroad)" (September 14, 2009)

Episode 7.02 “What Are You Willing To Lose?” (September 21, 2009)

Episode 7.03 “Hold My Hand As I’m Lowered”  (September 28, 2009)

Episode 7.04 “Believe Me, I’m Lying”  (October 5, 2009)

Episode 7.05 “Your Cheatin’ Heart”  (2009)


Pics



 

THE INFORMERS — on DVD & Blu-ray

Release Date: August 25 2009

Bonus Features:

• Director & Cast Commentary
• "Human Intersections: Making The Informers"
 

SEA LEGS
 
There once lived a man named Alfred.
No one called him Al.
And no one called him Fred.
But he asked everyone to call him Red. 
Even though his hair was dark dark mahogany brown.

He preferred the sea to land.  Spent most of his time on boats.
Alone.  Throwing nets.  Casting. Swimming. Diving. Spearing. Speeding. Cruising.
His hair and skin was always salty and dogs loved him.  Loved to lick the salt from his skin.

He was shy and rarely spoke to girls.  Although sometimes he would find one on his boat.  A young mermaid perhaps.  Who had flopped up on deck.  He would spear a fish and cook it up fresh for her.  Snapper grilled with garlic and lime.  Or he would dive for conch and make fresh conch salad right on deck.  The maids liked him on the sea.  But no one liked him on land. 
On land, Alfred walked with a limp and spoke with a stutter.  There was a hitch in his gate, a twitch on his face, and a fly that would follow him all over the place. 

Needless to say, land lubbers stayed away.  Kept him at bay.  Threw him away. 
Tossed him like trash.  Never paid in cash.

But for some reason, when he left his land legs behind, and sailed for blue water, Red came alive.  Pirate. President and CEO of the Atlantic.  Primary stockholder of fish and wave.  MVP of rigging and knots.  Four stars for bravery and a purple heart because his heart actually was purple.
Maybe someday, the right mermaid, he may hook.  Not from any book.  Or fairytale.  But a real, scale and fins, mermaid.  Long, beautiful, salty hair, concealing her....  Well you know.

And when that day comes, she will take him away.  He will be the Tom Hanks to her Daryl Hannah.  And finally he will get his wish.  To live and breathe among the fish.
your faithful servant,

wild turkey

SoGoPro

 

Saturday, May 9, 2009

ITALY VIA TEXAS

I got my heels back in Texas dirt on Thursday.
It feels good to be back on my native soil.

The homeland.

The Mother-Country.

Humid as all get-out. Curly hair. Incredibly gracious people.
Almost as nice as Canadians. God I love Canadians.

As soon as I landed I saw the most beautiful image.

I pulled into a gas station to fill up and a little black
sedan swept up to the pump across from me.

A gorgeous young blond lass jumped out of her car with a
colorful summer dress on. She was tan and beautiful.

And as she trotted over to the store I spied her bare feet
and as she walked away from me and her feet kicked up in
my direction, I was charmed by her dirty, oil-stained soles.

I was in my home-town and homesick all at once.
I have never seen a barefoot woman walking around a dirty
gas station in Los Angeles.

God Bless Texas.

The other wonderful thing that happened...

My father and I were attacked by a giant swan. Quite a day!!!

And from here, I am taking a plane to Rome, Italy.
It is the country I have dreamt of visiting for many many years.

I will travel all over. Eat the greatest cuisine.
Wear incredible sunglasses. Soak up wonderful artwork.
Daydream amongst brilliant architechture.

And whistle at beautiful Italian women.

Please share the secrets of Italy, anyone who has been.

I need to know the secret spots and handshakes.

your faithful servant,

austin nichols

SGP