Joel Courtney and Jon Fletcher Discuss ‘The Messengers’

From ShowbizJunkies:

The CW’s set to premiere the new sci-fi series The Messengers, featuring angels, the Devil, and threats of an impending apocalypse, on April 17, 2015 at 9pm ET/PT. Jon Fletcher stars as Joshua, a televangelist who’s one of five people transformed when a meteor crashes to earth. Joel Courtney co-stars as Peter, a high school swimmer who’s been the constant victim of bullying and is also transformed into a ‘messenger’.

Fletcher and Courtney were among The Messengers cast members who showed up to talk about the new show at the 2015 WonderCon in Anaheim, CA. While neither actor wanted to give too much of the story away, however Fletcher did reveal that his character will be the only one of the five people who understands what’s going on. “Everyone else wakes up after the death and they don’t know what’s happening. He’s the only one who does,” explained Fletcher. “It’s a very tough thing for him because his whole belief system comes crashing down. It sets him on a very dark path, but it gets a lot darker.”

Initially, Fletcher had no idea his character would be going down a dark path, but he ultimately found that twist to be quite compelling. “”He’s just very passionate,” said Fletcher when asked what it was he liked about Joshua. “It’s funny, I don’t have the faith that he has. I have faith but it’s a different sort of faith that Joshua has, so it was interesting to come from that and approach this. The research I was doing on these modern-day preachers – there’s a guy in New York called Carl Lentz who wears a leather jacket, tattooed, has a shaved head. These guys, they’re so passionate that I would sit there for hours watching this guy talk even though we have different beliefs. I was that captivated by just his passion, and that’s really what drew me to Joshua is this passion and this drive that he has. I think that’s where I could relate to him.”

“You’ll see him ebb and flow back and forth between the church,” added Fletcher. “It’s a really tough struggle that he goes on trying to figure out the father that he loved and believed in, whether he was wrong. Whether the way I’ve been raised has been lies.”

And Fletcher really enjoyed performing scenes as a pastor. “I did, yeah,” said Fletcher. “I come from theatre so it was very theatrical. That was the first scene I did shooting the pilot. So it was like being home in that sense of just walking on stage in front of 200 extras. I had a blast. They were very lovely and let me riff and let me improvise. It was the most fun.”

Courtney, best known for his starring role in Super 8, has a background of competitive swimming which came in handy as his character is a swimmer. “That was actually one thing when I first read the script, ‘Oh, this is awesome. I can actually do that.’ The swimming, not just the acting,” said Courtney, laughing.

But the initial appeal of playing Peter was the internal struggle he undergoes in the series. “I always found that amazing. The first draft of the pilot which is quite different from what [the pilot] is today…because obviously the script goes through changes…but, I just loved the script. Immediately within 42 1/2 minutes I loved each character. It was amazing that within such a short period of time and with such a big cast, you distinctly know each one of them and you really feel for them. I really connected with Peter. I thought, ‘Wow, what a rough background and a childhood to come from.’ I just found that really interesting. I dived into that head first.”

– More The Messengers interviews: Diogo Morgado / Sofia Black D’Elia

Watch the full interview with Jon Fletcher and Joel Courtney:

-By Fred Topel and Rebecca Murray

‘The Messengers’ Producers Pull Back Curtain on New Supernatural Mystery

From Spinoff: 

Joel Courtney as Peter

In The CW’s upcoming supernatural mystery “The Messengers,” a mysterious object plummets to Earth, sending out a shockwave that imbues a select few with the ability to prevent the impending apocalypse.

Ahead of the premiere on Friday, executive producers Trey Callaway (“Revolution,” “CSI: NY”) and Eoghan O’Donnell (“Teen Wolf”) sat down with journalists at WonderCon Anaheim to discuss the evolution of the series, and what to expect from the first season.

Warning: Some mild spoilers for “The Messengers” lie ahead.

On where and how the story begins:

Trey Callaway: This is the story of five, ultimately, perhaps more, characters who are different ages, different walks of life, spread around the world, who would otherwise have never crossed paths with each other if destiny hadn’t intervened. The one thing that they all have in common is they’re all at severe periods of crisis in their lives, no matter what different kinds of forms that might take.

Then, as you saw from the pilot, a meteor strikes Earth and in that moment, they all drop dead where they stand only to come back to life a few minutes later with an awareness that something is different. […] They don’t fully understand the circumstances of why until Episode 2, when destiny pulls them together largely through the character of Rose who we’ll get to know a lot more [about] in Episode 2 and beyond.

That’s when they are informed of their new mission in life, whether they choose to accept it or not, whether they believe or not in any of what’s being laid before them. So this is, as I said, this is a story of strangers having to put their faith in each other to try and prevent the beginning of the end.

 

Eoghan O’Donnell: And they’re Angels of the Apocalypse, which is an important, simple thing about it. They will have to face off against some evil forces going forward and they’re going to get a clearer sense of their mission in the second episode. I actually think it’s public knowledge what that mission is?

Callaway: Yes, it is. They’re informed, through a series of circumstances in episode two, that they are, as Eoghan said, Angels of the Apocalypse, and it is their job to find and stop the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse from breaking a series of fateful seals that will bring about The Rapture and The Apocalypse, as foretold in the Book of Revelation.

O’Donnell: They need to prevent the devil from getting to those people first.

Callaway: That’s right.

On guest stars:

Callaway: We’ve gotten some amazing guests to come and join us and play in our ambitious sandbox. That’s been wonderful. We can’t tell you yet which one, if any of those, will be future messengers. But by the end of season one, our entire team will be fully assembled … there will be seven, in accordance with biblical prophecy.

On developing the characters:

Callaway: It really comes down a lot to how different can we make each of these people. In terms of their back-story on a personal level, in terms of their geography, in terms of their upbringing, the cultures, the different religious beliefs that they may or may not have.

O’Donnell: Just coming at it from all sorts of different angles. Because it’s all about the search for meaning, but it’s how you can go about it. So we wanted to bring together a really diverse cast.

Callaway: They’re all at difficult points. They’re at a difficult juncture in their lives. Again, whether they understand it or fully accept it initially, what they will come to understand is they need to bond together, not only for the greater forces that are threatening the world, but also to better themselves individually.

Do they have the right to refuse this gift or this responsibility?

Callaway: They have the gift. It’s up to them whether or not they choose to use it, whether or not they choose to unite with the others, whether or not they choose to be a part of the process. But destiny is a very powerful force. It’s not easily denied. So, some of them will push harder than others against that destiny and, throughout the season, you’ll see what that results in.

Why is the series set in Houston? Will the reason be revealed later on?

O’Donnell: There is a final reason, but it also feels like a very American city. It’s very … if the Apocalypse is going to happen, maybe it’s gonna be in Houston.

Callaway: Eoghan is from Arkansas, I’m from Oklahoma. Texas was fair game. [laughs]

Is having a shorter season helpful in focusing the story or do you feel constrained by it?

Callaway: Would we rather have 22 [episodes]? Do we hope for that for Season 2? [laughs] Yeah, you bet! But the 13, [I actually like] quite a bit because it lent itself very well, particularly to our Season 1 mission for the Messengers. When you do the math, as we had to, breaking out the search for the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse lent itself well to a 13-episode structure.

O’Donnell: It felt natural, somehow. And I also like it because it allows you to kind of focus your serialized stories in a way that’s fulfilling for the audience.

”The Messengers,” which stars Shantel VanSanten, Sofia Black-D’Elia, JD Pardo, Joel Courtney, Diogo Morgado, Waylon Brady and Jon Fletcher, premieres Friday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.

CW ‘The Messengers’ Season 1 Episode 2 Spoiler: The Angels Now Have to Stop The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

From the Latin Post: 

"The Messengers" star Joel Courtney, who plays Peter on the show, has weighed in on the recent news regarding the departure of Nina Dobrev from "The Vampire Diaries."

In a recent article on Bustle, Courtney was quoted as saying, "She's the heart of the show."

"I hope that the show can go on, but I'm not sure what they can do. I look forward to seeing what they do, do," he added. 

He also stated that when it comes to the "Team" categories, he positioned himself as "Team Stefan." He explained that Stefan did not expect Elena to change. In the end, Elena did not have to regret being together with him. 

He said there was issues with Stefan. But it was arguably worse with Damon. 

"With Damon there was always this history, this baggage," he said. "Yeah, Stefan was a ripper, but... She didn't like [Damon] because of the crap he kept pulling. With Stefan he was always there trying to help her. Team Stefan!"

Courtney also had a few things to say about dating someone he works with, obviously referring to the romance between Nina Dobrev and co-star Ian Somerhalder.

"It's definitely a rough area to go into just because if things do go wrong, things don't work, things go badly, that's just drama," Courtney said.

Tara McNamara's Review of "Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn"

Thanks, Tara! From That Was Something:

My family lives in a small beach town on the outskirts of Los Angeles. The school, the shops, the houses and the beach are all about ½ mile apart so that the kids are fairly free range – and with cell phones, they can check in regularly so parents such as myself can keep tabs. Watching a film like Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn reminds me just how much freedom and space kids used to enjoy and, at the same time, be grateful those days are over. Tom and Huck’s roaming, unsupervised behavior puts them in frequent danger.

Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn is an appropriate name for this film, as it borrows from both “The Adventures of…” novels by Mark Twain and mixes them up a little and, at the same time, leaves a lot out. Therefore, this film will not work for kids looking to getting out of school reading assignments (teachers rejoice!). What might be a fun challenge, though, is for kids to see the movie, then read the novels and note the differences – and it might be helpful too, once they’ve envisioned it, to get through the “olden days” vernacular.

On the other hand, other than the villain being named “Injun Joe,” (and really, it would be so untrue to the novel to change it), the film avoids the political incorrectness of the era. Just like the books, Huck Finn still smokes a pipe and the boys witness a murder and see some dead people, and knives and guns are also put into use (plus side: Muff Potter's trial does show the purpose of the judicial system)! Unless your child is sensitive, though, I think it's appropriate and enjoyable for children as young as 8.

This film has taken its time getting to release, but perhaps that’s for the best as the movie’s stars will all be familiar to middle-schoolers - and as a parent, the actors are perfectly cast as I know I always envisioned them. Tom Sawyer is a wholesome scamp as played by Joel Courtney, whose CW series “The Messengers” premieres April 17. Huckleberry Finn is Disney heartthrob Jake T. Austin (now on ABC Family’s “The Fosters”), who comes off like a young Brad Pitt. It's understandable why Tom falls for beautiful good girl Becky Thatcher as played by Katherine McNamara (Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials) And, kids will appreciate realizing Ben Rogers is none other than Noah Munck, best known as “Gibby” on “iCarly” and now a recurring character on ABC’s “The Goldbergs.”

While Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn isn't going to serve as the Cliff Notes version, it does work as a great intro into these wonderful American classics.

#TheMessengers at #WonderCon

From Fangirlish: 

Joel plays Peter, a shy high school student and star swimmer who is just trying to blow off some steam in the pool when he gets hit by the shock wave, causing him to drown (and kickstarting his gift). In the pilot, Peter “is emotionally everywhere–not secure and not strong in any sense,” Joel said. “But he finds that through the stability of the Messengers, who become a family to him, an inner strength and confidence. He really regains control.” 

Obviously, a preacher and a high school student from different states wouldn’t normally have much cause to come together, creating immediate intrigue as to how the Messengers will be united. “I think that is one of the things that is very relatable about the show. This very heightened reality that they are in, it’s about people having to work together to achieve a common goal,” Jon said. “They are all from different backgrounds, different belief systems… It will be a struggle for all of them.” The struggles the Messengers face won’t all be external, either. “[The show] very much delves into everyone’s backstory, and that’s kind of the great thing about the show–it seems like the pilot is very personal journeys for them. Even when they come together and realize what the higher cause is that they’ll work together to face, they’ll still move forward and we’ll find out slowly as it unravels about each person’s personal story: how they ended up getting there, how this is affecting them personally and not just necessarily as the collective,” Jon said.

Joel also talked about how his character in particular starts off in a very different place: “It’s really funny. In the pilot, I never got to work with any other actors–it wasn’t until the second episode.” So what happened when the time came to shoot episode 2 (months after filming the pilot and waiting to hear that it got picked up)? “We come together and a bomb is basically dropped on us. So we go our own separate ways and come back together,” Joel said.

Speaking of going separate ways, each of the Messengers if introduced to the audience in their own individual worlds, with friends, family, or other established relationships that have nothing to do with their Messenger-status. While Joshua’s pre-Messengers ties are a little more complicated (to say the least), Peter and Alice, his best friend at school, have a great relationship. With Peter’s new Messenger status, we had to wonder if we’ll see him reconnecting with Alice, his friend and possible love interest, or learning about his family, since he lives in foster care. Joel shared that we won’t be seeing more of Alice in Season 1, but said that he is “actually looking forward to that in hopefully later on seasons.” He added that “family does come into Season 1 for Peter. He does learn his history, where he’s from, a little bit about his parents. In one episode, he learns all of this and it’s very rough on him.”

The Messengers don’t just have to find each other in order to prevent the apocalypse–they also have to learn to master the mysterious gifts apparently bestowed upon them by the shockwave. “We see all of the characters struggle with their gifts,” Jon said. “It’s not just now you’re strong and you can do anything. Consequences will come into play–something else that they will have to navigate while trying to save the world,” he said. The gifts also seem to tie into each character’s inner journey and personality. “When Peter’s gift kicks in, he loses control. So for Peter, that’s what he’s looking for: control,” Joel said.

The show’s pilot is impressively ambitious topic-wise as well, tackling serious issues such as suicide, bullying, and sexuality (and that’s just in one Messenger’s plot line). “It was actually really, really interesting,” Joel said. “Peter had a really dark past that comes back to play in later episodes. It’s a little bit of his family and you learn a little bit of his history about his first suicide attempt, which was also in a pool, which kind of leads them to believe that this was another one. But, he’s a teenager. Teenagers have problems. Bullies, everything. He’s a teenager; he’s learning how to navigate this horrible situation. It’s really awful,” he said.