Watch the 13th Annual Indie Series Awards

The 13th Annual Indie Series Awards ceremony, hosted by Emmy winner Patrika Darbo, is now available to watch on YouTube. Check it out below.

Patrika Darbo & Anna Maria Horsford Will Host 12th Annual Indie Series Awards

Patrika Darbo and Anna Maria Horsford will host the 12^th Annual Indie Series Awards on April 7, producers announced today.

Emmy-winning actress and four-time nominee Patrika Darbo is a veteran of over 35 years in film and television.  She has guest starred on countless series including 9-1-1 Lonestar, The Big Bang Theory, The Middle, Devious Maids, Desperate Housewives, Dexter, Seinfeld, Roseanne and she was a series regular on the sit-com, Step by Step. She recently returned to the NBC daytime drama Days of our Lives in a role she originated in 1998. 

As one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood, Emmy-nominated actress Anna Maria Horsford continues to inspire audiences through cinema, television and theater.  Her career and influence span generations, bringing to life some of our favorite characters including Thelma Frye on Amen, Mrs. Jones in Friday, Friday After Next, Dee Baxter on The Wayans Brothers or Vivienne Avant in The Bold and Beautiful.

"I am thrilled to be hosting the wonderful ISAs once again and this time with my dear friend, Anna Maria Horsford,” Darbo said.  “Hell hath no fury like two seasoned old dolls!”

“Our gems are in the Indies,” added Horsford.

Sean Kanan, Carolyn Hennesy, Patrika Darbo Among Indie Series Awards Winners

The winners of the 11th Annual Indie Series Awards were revealed on Thursday, June 18 in a virtual ceremony hosted by Sean Kanan. The ISAs celebrate the best in independently produced scripted entertainment created for the Web.

Top honors went to After Forever and Indoor Boys, named best drama and best comedy series of the year.

Drama series acting honors went to Sean Kanan (Studio City), Chauntae Pink (Poz Roz), Derrell Whitt (A Place Called Hollywood), Patrika Darbo (Studio City) Carolyn Hennesy (Studio City), A Martinez (The Bay) and Meg Foster (A Place Called Hollywood).

Comedy winners included Alex Wyse (Indoor Boys), Lee Garlington (Before We Go), Wesley Taylor (Indoor Boys), Carolee Carmello (Indoor Boys), Frankie Grande (Indoor Boys) and Jonée B Shady (Poor Us).

Since 2009, the Indie Series Award has honored the most creative and progressive talent in independent web series. In all, 33 series were nominated from around the globe.

Check out the complete winner's list below.

BEST DRAMA SERIES
After Forever

BEST DIRECTING – DRAMA
After Forever, Tina Cesa Ward

BEST WRITING – DRAMA
Studio City, Michele Kanan & Lauren de Normandie

Patrika Darbo, Kevin Spirtas, Alex Wyse Among 10th Annual Indie Series Awards Presenters

The first round of presenters for the 10th Annual Indie Series Awards was announced earlier today. To help honor the incredible slate of 2019 nominees, 13 stars were added to the list of presenters. Nikki Coble, Anne Marie Cummings, Patrika Darbo, Inessa Frantowski, Adam Henry Garcia, Marem Hassler, Tanee McCall, Joy McElveen, Brian Michael, Kevin Spirtas, Wesley Taylor, Wayne Wilcox and Alex Wyse will be taking the ISAs stage as presenters.

In addition, musical performances from Best Original Song nominees Drew Anthuny, Colin Deane, Justin Leakey and Ashly Williams were also announced.

The producers will continue to announce talent joining the show in the coming weeks.

The 10th Annual Indie Series Awards will be held at The Colony Theatre in Burbank on Wednesday, April 3 at 8 p.m. PT/11 p.m. ET.

Patrika Darbo Calls Out NATAS in Statement About Daytime Emmys Inequity, Asks for Complete Audit

Primetime Emmy winner Patrika Darbo called out the integrity of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) in a statement released Monday, ten days after it was revealed the Daytime Emmy award she received in
April was being taken back. She also revealed a second winner (Eric Nelsen of The Bay, who won in the digital drama supporting category) also had violations but was allowed to keep his anyway. She also called for an outside audit of the submission and voting process after questioning the "inequity in this year's Daytime Emmys based on ageism, gender inequality, and perceived favoritism". Read her very revealing statement below.

***

STATEMENT BY ACTRESS PATRIKA DARBO REGARDING HAVING HER DAYTIME EMMY RESCINDED BY NATAS

As disappointed as I am about having my Daytime Emmy taken back by NATAS, as a Co-Governor of the Performers Peer Group at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in Los Angeles, overseeing the Primetime Emmys, I am more concerned about how this incident tarnishes the Emmy brand. I did not submit myself for Daytime Emmy consideration, my producers at The Bay made the submission. However, at the end of the day, the onus for a correct submission is not on the producers of The Bay, or any other producers; the ultimate responsibility lies squarely on the shoulders of NATAS. They should have vetted each and every submission and then notified those submitting of any submission errors in advance of the voting and the ceremony.

I understand that in my category there were at least four submission errors. NATAS was made aware of these potential errors two days prior to the ceremony and made a conscious decision not to deal with it until after the ceremony was over. These errors were then not brought to light until after the Daytime Emmys were presented and awarded, meaning that other actors who did properly submit have now lost their chance at winning a Daytime Emmy.

In addition to the rule violations in my category, there was a similar rule violation in the category for Supporting Actor in a Digital Drama. I was made aware of this violation when NATAS called to inform me of the situation. After taking back my Daytime Emmy, NATAS called another female performer in my category to re-issue the Emmy, as she was the next runner up according to the accountancy firm. The very next day, NATAS called her back and said she could not have it as she had submitted one episode too many (the rule is that one episode may be submitted for consideration and the new recipient submitted two). However, the winner of the Daytime Emmy in a Supporting Actor in a Digital Drama was allowed to keep his statue, (the rule is that four episodes may be submitted for consideration, the recipient submitted five episodes). NATAS determined after the fact that the rules for Supporting Actor and his show were “ambiguous”.

As a performer in film and television for over three decades, who fights diligently for fairness and equity for my fellow actors by volunteering my time and leadership at both SAG/AFTRA and the TV Academy (ATAS), the arbitrary and after-the-fact ruling feels inequitable and wrong. A rule is a rule. If the rule is going to be changed or declared “ambiguous” it should be done prior to voting, not after the votes are in and the Emmys
have been handed out.

The inequity in this year’s Daytime Emmys based on ageism, gender inequality, and perceived favoritism is, in my opinion, a big blow to the Emmy brand. The TV Academy, who administers the Prime Time Emmy Awards, is very clear that Emmys are awarded to those who achieve excellence in television. I’m beginning to wonder what NATAS feels the Emmys stand for.

For the sake of the overall Emmy brand, I feel an outside audit of the submission and voting process of this past Daytime Emmy Awards would be a show of good will by NATAS and would help to restore integrity and confidence in the Daytime Emmy Awards.

Patrika Darbo's Digital Drama Guest Performer Daytime Emmy Revoked

Primetime Emmy winner Patrika Darbo won her first Daytime Emmy Award last month in the Digital Drama Guest Performer category for her work on The Bay. Today, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) announced they had taken the Emmy away and would not be awarding it to anyone else in the category.

Below is a statement from NATAS:

“The core mission of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) is to honor excellence in television. Serving that mission has involved making every effort to preserve the integrity and distinction of the Emmy® Award through more than 60 years of technological and industry change.

“Following the 45th Daytime Emmy® Awards in Pasadena, California, on April 27th and 29th, NATAS received a credible report that some entrants’ submissions in two categories may have been in violation of the published guidelines for the competition. NATAS immediately commissioned a thorough internal investigation, and determined that Patrika Darbo and Thomas Calabro, both of Amazon’s The Bay, should have been deemed ineligible for consideration in Category 40 (“Outstanding Guest Performer in a Digital Daytime Drama Series”) as they had each appeared in a prior season of the program.

9th Annual Indie Series Awards: Complete List of Winners

The winners of the 9th Annual Indie Series Awards were revealed on Wednesday, April 4 at The Colony Theatre in Burbank. The ISAs celebrate the best in independently produced entertainment created for the Web.

Top honors went to Giants and How to Buy a Baby, named best drama and best comedy series of the year. Vintage America with Ginger took home the first ever prize for best non-fiction series. Ladies of the Lake led all series with four wins.

Since 2009, the Indie Series Award has honored the most creative and progressive talent in independent web series. The inspirational ceremony was hosted by Emmy winner Patrika Darbo, who took home her first individual ISA for her work in comedy hit Indoor Boys.

A number of soap opera stars who took home ISAs this year, including Arianna Zucker, Ian Buchanan, Kyle Lowder, Alex Wyse and Victoria Rowell (as part of the winning ensemble from The Rich and the Ruthless). Though he didn't take home an ISA for either of his two Ladies of the Lake musical nominations, Days of our Lives executive producer was thanked and applauded by winners and presenters alike throughout the evening. Other past and present soap opera nominees included Jacklyn Zeman, Maeve Quinlan, Jade Harlow, Brandon Beemer, Eric Nelsen, Jennifer Bassey, Chad Duell, along with numerous others as part of nominated ensembles.

In all, 46 series were nominated from around the globe: United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, Singapore and Uruguay.

Check out a complete list of winners below.

Best Drama Series
Giants

Best Directing - Drama
Dan Ast, L.A. Macabre

Best Writing - Drama
James Bland, Giants

Best Lead Actor - Drama
Kyle Lowder, Ladies of the Lake

Best Lead Actress - Drama
Marem Hassler, Riley Parra

Best Supporting Actor - Drama
Wil Lash, Anacostia

Best Supporting Actress - Drama
Lindsey Middleton, Out With Dad

Best Guest Actor - Drama
Ian Buchanan, Ladies of the Lake

Best Guest Actress - Drama
Arianne Zucker, Ladies of the Lake

Best Ensemble - Drama
The Bay

Best Comedy Series
How to Buy a Baby

Best Directing - Comedy
Molly McGlynn, How to Buy a Baby

Best Writing - Comedy
Natalie Smyka, ThreadBare

Best Lead Actor - Comedy
Alex Wyse, Indoor Boys

Best Lead Actress - Comedy
Rachel B. Joyce, Royally

Best Supporting Actor - Comedy
Andy King, Filth City

Best Supporting Actress - Comedy
June Diane Raphael, ThreadBare

Best Guest Actor - Comedy
Zac Titus, Bad Timing

Best Guest Actress - Comedy
Patrika Darbo, Indoor Boys

Best Ensemble - Comedy
The Rich and the Ruthless

Best Cinematography
David Chung, Riley Parra

Best Editing
Nick Nordfors, Haunt ME

Best Costume Design
Vanessa Fischer, Filth City

Best Makeup
Jen Fregozo & Jennifer Corona, Ladies of the Lake

Best Production Design
Florian Wolf, Dear Mankind

Best Special/Visual Effects
Andreas Schmidt, Dear Mankind

Best Soundtrack
Judith Avers, Or So the Story Goes

Best Original Score
Mike Meehan, L.A. Macabre

Best Original Song
"Lost" from Giants, written by Drew Anthuny

Best Non-Fiction Series
Vintage America with Ginger

WINS BY SERIES
4 Ladies of the Lake
3 Giants
2 Dear Mankind
2 Filth City
2 How to Buy a Baby
2 Indoor Boys
2 L.A. Macabre
2 Riley Parra
2 ThreadBare
1 Anacostia
1 Bad Timing
1 The Bay
1 Haunt ME
1 Or So the Story Goes
1 Out With Dad
1 The Rich and the Ruthless
1 Royally
1 Vintage America with Ginger

Patrika Darbo Revealed as Host of 9th Annual Indie Series Awards

Patrika Darbo will host the 9th Annual ISAs on April 4.
Photo Credit: Russell Baer

The Bold and the Beautiful star Patrika Darbo will host the 9th Annual Indie Series Awards  ceremony on April 4 at The Colony Theatre in Burbank. CA.

At this year's ISAs, Darbo is nominated for her work in three separate web series: Indoor Boys, The Bay and Ladies of the Lake.  In an Indie Series Awards first, she will compete against herself in the Best Guest Actress - Drama category.

The ISAs celebrate the best in independently produced entertainment created for the Web. 

Ladies of the Lake leads all series with 18 total nominations, followed by 16 for The Bay. Those shows will compete in the Best Drama Series category with Anacostia, Giants, L.A. Macabre, Riley Parra, Running With Violet and Teenagers.

Filth City leads all comedies with 12 nominations. The series is joined in the Best Comedy Series field by 190 Lorimer, The Amazing Hoolister Park, Bad Timing, Dear Mankind, How to Buy a Baby, Indoor Boys and ThreadBare.

Darbo is a 2016 Primetime Emmy winner as outstanding actress in a short form series for her work on the Indie Series Award winning digital comedy Acting Dead.  

Darbo currently stars on the CBS daytime drama The Bold and The Beautiful, recently appeared in the Lifetime film Cradle Swapping, and completed a guest voice role on American Dad.  Over the years, she has appeared in countless other series including The Big Bang Theory, The Middle, Devious Maids, Desperate Housewives, Dexter, and was a series regular on the sitcom Step By Step.  She received a Daytime Emmy nomination for her work on the iconic NBC soap opera Days of our Lives.   

Darbo is also a veteran of dozens of films, including Leaving Normal, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Daddy's Dyin'...Who's Got The Will?, Speed 2, Rango and Babe.  She is often remembered for her stand-out role in Clint Eastwood's In The Line of Fire, in which John Malkovich's Mitch Leary infamously proclaimed to Darbo's Pam Magnus, "You shouldn't have been from Minneapolis.”  

Darbo currently serves on the Board of Governors for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, representing the Performers Peer Group.

In all, 46 series are nominated at the 9th Annual Indie Series Awards.  The diverse set of shows originate from countries all around the globe, including United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, Singapore and Uruguay. Crystal trophies will be presented during the ceremony to the winners in 30 categories. 

Since 2009, the Indie Series Award has honored the most creative and progressive talent in independent web series.  Notable winners over the years include Emma Thompson, Robert Townsend, Cynthia Watros, Judd Hirsch, Cady Huffman, Richard Hatch, Sarah Brown, Martha Byrne, Joan Van Ark, Keith Powell, Jim Rash, Michele Lee, Diane Delano, Charlene Tilton and Billy Dee Williams.

Soap Stars React to Indie Series Awards Nominations

The nominations for the 9th Annual Indie Series Awards were revealed on January 31st, and a number of familiar faces from the soap world were recognized.

The Bold and the Beautiful's Patrika Darbo (Shirley Spectra) is nominated three times for her work on in three different web series. She will be competing against herself in the best guest actress in a drama category for her work in both Ladies of the Lake and The Bay. She is also a nominee on the comedy side for her hilarious performance on Indoor Boys, which stars Alex Wyse (B&B's Saul).

gonna be a great evening. We're already winners. Grateful to be included in this group.

— Patrika Darbo (@patrikadarbo) February 4, 2018

Other nominees that made their mark in daytime include Arianne Zucker, Kyle Lowder, Wendy Riche, Karen Harris, Jennifer Bassey, Victoria Rowell, Jillian Clare, Ian Buchanan, Eric Nelsen, Anne Schoettle, Julie Poll and Maeve Quinlan, along with many more recognized as part of a nominated ensemble.

Check out more reactions from current and former soap stars below.

Award Winning 'Acting Dead' Hits Amazon Today!

Since first hitting the web, zombie comedy Acting Dead has won multiple Indie Series Awards, and nabbed a Primetime Emmy last fall for Patrika Darbo's hilarious performance. Starting today, the brilliantly funny Brian Beacock-penned series is available on Amazon Video, and free to view for all Amazon Prime customers.

Acting Dead tells the story of Tate Blodgett (Brian Beacock), a down on his luck, unemployed actor, who after being turned down for role after role, decides to take his career into his own hands, and becomes a Zombie, simply so he can finally get work in the many Zombie movies and television shows. Along the way, he meets Alex Carboneux (Jillian Clare), a former child star, who's temper has stalled her career, until she also decides to take matters in her own hands, which doesn't turn out so well either.

“We're so excited that audiences can now bite and binge the entire first season of Acting Dead," said Beacock. "It didn't take a lot of brains to realize that Amazon was a great home for our Emmy winning zombie comedy!” Producer Susan Bernhardt added “I'm positive the Amazon audience will get hooked on Acting Dead – we've always known we had something really special and are thrilled to bring our Emmy winning digital series to the Amazon lineup."

In addition to Beacock, Clare and Darbo, the zom-com boasts an impressive group of talent including Chris Galya, Paul Nygro and John Yelvington with Season One guest stars Debbie Gibson, Eric Martsolf, Carolyn Hennesy, Sean Kanan, John J. York, Cocoa Brown, Christine Lakin, Lori Alan, Erin Matthews, Gary and Larry Lane, Peter Allen Vogt, Sheila Sheila, Mitch Silpa and Jacee Jule.

'Ladies of the Lake' Now Streaming on Amazon

Ladies of the Lake, the much-anticipated digital four-part mini-series featuring an all-star soap opera cast, is now streaming on Amazon and Amazon Prime. The show tells the story of the glamorous residents of the Southern California community of Avalon, and the dark secrets they hide behind their perfect facades.

"It's pure glamour," says Indie Series Award winning Michael Caruso, who wrote the script and executive produces. "The novel is the kind of fun poolside read that people crave, and when Ken [Corday] permitted Kyle [Lowder] and I to adapt his novel we thought that the digital medium would be perfect for binge watching, which is why Amazon is the ideal home for Ladies of the Lake."

With a track record of hits that includes the popular dramas DeVanity and Winterthorne, Caruso's streak of successes will surely continue with the enchanting Ladies of the Lake.

The cast includes Martha Madison, Lilly Melgar, Jessica Morris, Marie Wilson, Jillian Clare, Kyle Lowder, Patrika Darbo, Arianne Zucker, Wally Kurth, Ian Buchanan, Gordon Thomson and John-Paul Lavoisier.

"Bringing Ken Corday’s story to life was one of the most exhilarating and rewarding experiences of my career," says Kyle Lowder, who executive produces and stars as Detective Shawn Daniels. "There's a little something for everyone. Mystery, romance, drama, and a visual feast that brings the over the top lifestyles of So Cal to life."

Watch the trailer below.

Watch the Richard Hatch Tribute at 8th Annual Indie Series Awards

Richard Hatch gave Patrika Darbo a kiss when they presented
together at the 6th Annual Indie Series Awards in 2015.

Emmy winner Patrika Darbo introduced a tribute to the late Richard Hatch during the 8th Annual Indie Series Awards ceremony on April 5 at The Colony Theatre in Burbank, California.

Darbo presented an award with Hatch at the ISAs two years earlier, and the duo shared quite a memorable moment. This was after Hatch won for his guest-starring role in Pairings, and spoke about his affection and admiration for the web series genre. An original All My Children cast member in the role of Philip Brent, Hatch became best known for his Captain Apollo in the Battlestar Galactica series. The series earned him a Golden Globe nomination for best actor in a television drama series in 1979. Hatch passed away on February 7 at age 71, following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Watch Darbo's introduction and the tribute video below.



Darbo currently stars as Shirley Spectra on CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. She was nominated for an Indie Series Award this year for her work in The Bay.

Danube Hermosillo, Patrika Darbo, Courtney Hope, Alex Wyse Join 'The Bold and the Beautiful' as the New Spectra Gang!

The Spectra family is back on CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful! Courtney Hope (Transparent) debuted Tuesday as Sally Spectra, grand-niece of the Sally portrayed, by the late Darlene Conley. Days of our Lives star Patrika Darbo (Nancy Wesley) will be playing Shirley Spectra, Sally's sister. The other new additions to the cast are Broadway's Alex Wyse ("Spring Awakening") as Saul Feinberg, Saul's grandson, and Danube Hermosillo (Modern Family), who will portray Darlita.

"Our new Sally has hopes and dreams of being a designer," executive producer Bradley Bell explains to TV Insider. "The old Spectra Fashions brick warehouse is about to be hit by the wrecking ball—Bill Spencer (Don Diamont) wants to tear down the building and put up a skyscraper—but there’s a Hail Mary pass."

B&B is also bringing back Mick Cain, as Sally's son C.J., who owns the building.

"Mick has no interest in the fashion business but now he has a relative who is hot to give it a shot," Bell reveals, "so he's going to let young Sally have the building for six months. She has very little time to make a go of it, but this is her opportunity to make Spectra Fashions shine again. And the original Sally is backing her from afar."

Are you excited the Spectra family is back?

Patrika Darbo Returning to 'Days of our Lives' as Nancy Wesley

Patrika Darbo

Actress Patrika Darbo will be reprising her role as Nancy Wesley on NBC soap opera Days of our Lives later this year. Darbo teased her return Friday night on the red carpet of the 43rd Annual Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

"I have a feeling that I will be coming back to raise a little hell," Darbo says, potentially revealing what's ahead for Nancy, who first appeared in 1998 and was last seen in 2013. "These other women messing with my grandchild is not a good thing."

Nancy is the mother of Chloe Lane (Nadia Bjorlin), and the grandmother of Chloe's son, Parker Jonas. She also has another daughter, Joy, who could easily be worked into the Salem teen scene at any time.

There's no word yet when Darbo's first episode will air or how long she will be staying.

"I know she's going back [but] I don't know about myself as of yet," actor Kevin Spirtas added later. He played Nancy's husband, Craig Wesley, off and on from 1997 to 2009. "If they call, I will go back. I love Days of our Lives."

Spirtas was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award last night for his work on digital drama Winterthorne. He won an Indie Series Award earlier this month for the performance. Darbo, always up for any challenge, was recruited to sing during that ISAs ceremony in a musical medley of best original song nominees. Watch her perform "Redheads Unite!" in the clip below, delivering hilarious lines as only she can.

NEWS: Shondaland, Patrick Darbo, GLAAD NRI, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Gloria Allred, Hunter King

The casts of Grey's Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder
pose with Shonda Rhimes.

Shonda Rhimes poses with the casts of Scandal, Grey's Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder
"Her identity as a woman – and the fact that she is a mother – lends to an understanding of people's range of experiences in life," Scandal star Kerry Washington says of Rhimes' ability to helm Shondaland, the production company behind ABC's entire "Thank God It's Thursday" lineup.

Shonda Rhimes explains Grey's Anatomy’s one-year time-jump
“I couldn’t imagine a world in which Meredith could go a month and be able to speak or breathe — or [even] six months,” Rhimes says. “I needed time to pass for her to even be in a place where I felt like she could have a conversation.”

The Young and the Restless actress Hunter King to guest star on CBS comedy Life in Pieces
Tweeted King: "Had so much fun working on @LifeInPiecesCBS today! Everyone was so nice and SO funny! Can't wait for you guys to see the episode."

GLAAD is changing how it tracks LGBT inclusivity on TV
GLAAD is publishing an extensive report on the state of LGBT representation on television this morning. It’s become a major part of the organization’s media advocacy over the last decade — and after this year, it’s being replaced.

"Over the years, we’ve seen a remarkable increase in LGBT representation on most of the TV networks we track in our report," says Matt Kane, GLAAD’s programs director for entertainment media. "We may have the numbers, but [networks] still aren’t quite representing the LGBT community in a way that’s accurate… There are still people who are starved for representation in popular culture." Having achieved some progress on a quantitative level, GLAAD is focusing its efforts on broadening the kinds of LGBT people depicted on TV, namely people of color and transgender people.

Download the GLAAD 2015 Network Responsibility Index here.

Patrika Darbo disappointed she's not returning for Days of our Lives' 50th anniversary
“They haven't approached me, and my feelings were hurt. I thought I did a good job, and I would have thought they'd at least ask Kevin and I to come back. I think Nadia [Bjorlin, Chloe Lane] is coming back again to do something. We were the start of her big dynasty, so it always hurts your feelings a little bit that you're not asked back,” Darbo tells Soap Central.

Darbo laughing added, “But you know what? That's business. The business has changed, they're moving the show forward, and we don't have a slot in it. It doesn't make me feel any less about my feelings being hurt, but I'll get over it!”

The Good Wife's Dylan Baker escapes a high-rise fire after attempting to rescue a neighbor
"When I opened the door, it was a full-fledged fire,” Baker said of his seeing his neighbor’s apartment on fire on the 33rd floor of their building. The elderly neighbor was later rescued and is in critical condition.

Lucille Ball biopic in the works, starring Cate Blanchett and written by Aaron Sorkin
The I Love Lucy star's children, Lucy Arnaz Jr. and Desi Arnaz Jr., will serve as producers on the film chronicling her 20-year marriage to Desi Arnaz.

NBC orders Brides of Dracula drama
The gothic soap from Greg Berlanti asks: "What if Van Helsing did NOT kill the three brides of Dracula? What if they survived for centuries and are now living in New York City?"

Why Apple Making TV Shows Is a Bad Idea
"For starters, there’s too much TV already, and there’s no one left who needs to be convinced to watch it," writes Vulture's Adam Sternbergh. "If anything, we’re watching as fast as we can. Second, Apple is certainly not going to redefine content the way it redefined music players, smartphones, and tablets, unless it’s been hiding some kind of genetically engineered Weiner-Whedon-Kohan clone in cryogenic freezing."

Amazon gives a series order to Bryan Cranston’s Sneaky Pete
The Giovanni Ribisi drama has found a new home after being rejected by CBS in May.

'SVU's' Olivia Benson tops survey on favorite female TV characters
The tough yet compassionate detective played by Mariska Hargitay on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is the favorite female character on TV, with 21% of the vote, according to a national poll to be released Wednesday.

Coming in a distant second with 8% is Taraji P. Henson’s Cookie Lyon on Empire, followed by Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones with 7%.

EastEnders executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins teases fall stories: "There are lots of shocks in store"
The next few months are being billed as a dramatic time for Albert Square with the BBC One soap building up to a "very big Halloween" and ultimately Christmas.

Speaking at an EastEnders press event, Treadwell-Collins said: "We have got Max's trial which is filled with twists and turns and we want to keep the audience surprised by the outcome. "We have got Ronnie, Charlie and Vincent's very warped love triangle, we have got Carol's departure, Dot comes out of prison, Robbie comes back and Lauren comes back briefly."

The 100 TV Dramas Everyone Should Watch
The list only includes shows that aired in the last 20 years.

Gloria Allred’s life is set to become a CBS drama series
The high-profile defense attorney, famous for taking on controversial cases involving female clients, is helping develop a TV series based on her life for CBS.

Your favorite '90s TV catchphrases were all about shade
Daily Dot lists the best '90s TV catchphrases, ranked by shadiness. No. 1: “You got it, dude” from Full House.

Zombie Comedy 'Acting Dead' Premieres on JTS.TV

Following a star-studded premiere on Monday night, the much anticipated zombie comedy web series Acting Dead launched its pilot episode today on JTS.TV, the first of a ten week roll out schedule.

Acting Dead stars Brian Beacock (Mulholland Dr.) as Tate Blodgett, a down on his luck, unemployed actor, who after being turned down for role after role, decides to take his career into his own hands, and becomes a zombie, simply so he can finally get work in the many Zombie movies and television shows. Along the way, he meets Alex Carboneux portrayed by Jillian Clare (IFC's Alien Abduction, Days of our Lives), a former child star who's temper has stalled her career, until she also decides to take matters in her own hands, which doesn't turn out so well either.

5th Annual Indie Series Awards Red Carpet Show (Part 3): Cherish Lee, Kit Williamson, Brea Grant, Dane Ohlrogge, Kelsey Jorissen, Coco Fernandez, Jonathan Holbrook, Jillian Clare, Patrika Darbo, Brandon Goins, Colleen Zenk & Philip Cook

In Part 3 of WE LOVE SOAPS TV's 5th Annual Indie Series Awards Red Carpet Show, Michael Goldberg chats with Cherish Lee, who offers a sample of her latest single. Also featured are EastSiders nominees Kit Williamson and Brea Grant; Dane Ohlrogge, Kelsey Jorissen and Coco Fernandez from the nominated ensemble of The Dreamers; four-time nominee Jonathan Holbrook of STILL; Clutch star and nominee Jillian Clare, who won the award for Best Supporting Actress - Drama; Patrika Darbo, from the nominated Bloomers ensemble and the upcoming Acting Dead; Tainted Dreams actors Brandon Goins and Colleen Zenk, who was also nominated for her work in Thurston; and Philip Cook from Malice, who took home Best Special Effects award.

Watch Part 3 (Episode 5.28) below and stayed tuned for more Red Carpet interviews soon.



RELATED:
- 5th Annual Indie Series Awards Red Carpet Show (Part 1): Carolyn Hennesy, Sebastian La Cause, Christine Lakin, Eric Martsolf, Darin Brooks & Kelly Kruger
- 5th Annual Indie Series Awards Red Carpet Show (Part 2): Lisa Roumain, Darcie Siciliano, John Cramer, Jade Harlow, Vanessa Verduga, Michele Kanan, Sean Kanan, Brent Bailey, Joanna Sotomura, Jessica DiGiovanni, Brennan Caldwell & Josh Duboff

ZomCom ACTING DEAD Launches Website, Releases Trailer

Upcoming star-studded ZomCom ACTING DEAD has launched a new website, ActingDead.com, and released a trailer for the series which premieres online April 22.

ACTING DEAD stars Brian Beacock (Mulholland Drive) as Tate Blodgett, a down on his luck unemployed actor, who after being turned down for role after role, decides to take his career into his own hands, and becomes a Zombie, simply so he can finally get work in the many Zombie movies and television shows. Along the way, he meets Alex Carboneux (Jillian Clare, Alien Abduction), a former child star who's temper has stalled her career until she also decides to take matters in her own hands, which doesn't turn out so well either.

"We're very excited about ACTING DEAD's World Premiere on March 28th at LAweb Fest," showrunner and star Brian Beacock said in a press release. "It's an amazingly fun and important event and we're so proud to be a part of it. Plus today is the launch of the ACTING DEAD Official Website and the premiere of our Official Series Trailer! There's so much going on, it's got our brains on overdrive. Of course, that comes with the territory when working on a zombie comedy series."

Watch the newly released trailer below:

"I'm A Soap Star" Rap Music Video Featuring Sean Kanan

Check out the hilarious "I'm A Soap Star" comedic rap video below starring Sean Kanan, with appearances by Ronn Moss, Joshua Morrow, Patrika Darbo, Scott Schwartz, Pancho Moler, Kim Matula, Devin DeVasquez and more:

Indie Comedy Launches Unique Crowd Funding Campaign

An impressive list of talent has lined up to join a new indie series by show runner and star Brian Beacock. The "semi-dark" comedy co-stars Jillian Clare (DAYS OF OUR LIVES, MISS BEHAVE). Rounding out the slate of series regulars are Chris Galya (Disney's JESSIE), Patrika Darbo (DAYS OF OUR LIVES), Paul Nygro (YOU AGAIN) and John Yelvington (HOW SWEET IT IS).

A partial list of Season One guest stars include soap vets Eric Martsolf (DAYS OF OUR LIVES) and John J. York (GENERAL HOSPITAL), comedienne Cocoa Brown, Gary and Larry Lane, Peter Allen Vogt, Sheila Sheila, Mitch Silpa and Christine Lakin.