This DT video has gotten over 135,000 views!

PENN UNDERGRADS: Use DT to research Penn alumni & jobs in the entertainment industry here

People search:

Check out all 40+ DT series HERE...+/-

DT Exclusives!

UPenn Financial Aid
UPenn Actor and Alex Bryant Weber UPenn Actor and Jessica Garvey Penn Austin Music
UPenn in Cannes UPenn in Cannes UPenn in Cannes UPenn in Cannes


Entertainment Related

Music Mondays UPenn Games and Movies UPenn Actor UPenn Financial Aid UPenn Actor Penn's REEL deals Vlogs UPenn in Cannes UPenn in Cannes UPenn in Cannes UPenn Financial Aid UPenn Financial Aid UPenn Financial Aid Save 15% on Birthday Flowers & Gifts at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM. Promo Code: BIRTHDAY15 - 120x90 Send Roses, Send Smiles. Save up to 50% on Roses at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM - 120x90

Penn Memories

UPenn Blast From the Past Send Roses, Send Smiles. Save up to 50% on Roses at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM - 120x90


More Fun

UPenn Financial Aid UPenn Financial Aid UPenn Winning Women UPenn and Fashion Penn Foodies Penn Foodies Pinching Pennies Not Safe For Work UPenn Financial Aid UPenn Financial Aid


Holiday Related Posts

Valentine's Day and UPenn UPenn Financial Aid Send Roses, Send Smiles. Save up to 50% on Roses at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM - 120x90
Halloween
Thanksgiving
Hanukkah
Christmas
Mardis Gras
St. Patrick's Day
Easter


Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Ugly Betty and Andy Wolk and UPenn

Did you see last week's episode of "Ugly Betty"?  If you didn't, it was packed full of Penn!

As I was watching the credits, I noted that not only was Penn alum actress Becki Newton (C'00) featured but also Penn alum Andy Wolk (C'70, DP, 34th Street) directed this episode!  ...Then just last night Debbie Frank (C'93) emailed in to let me know that actress Jill Abramovitz was featured in the episode as well.

I emailed Andy and he gave me some scoop from his time on the set...including the day the show got cancelled and the groundbreaking kissing scene...

More about Andy and some inside dish after the jump!

Before we get to the "Ugly Betty" episode, you should know that Andy has written for and directed many TV shows.  Notably, he has directed 4 episodes of the ABC family show "Lincoln Heights" and twice was nominated for the DGA Award ("Time to Let Go" and "The Feeling That We Have") and once for the Best Cable Director ("Glass House").

Further, Andy has always been very involved with Penn over the years.  For the past 3 years he has been teaching Advanced Screenwriting at Penn through the English Department and the Kelly Writers House.  (Also, years ago, Andy taught a writing workshop to Penn alumni here in LA)

Now, back to the "Ugly Betty" episode Andy directed.  Andy shared some interesting scoop from the set:
"The show was given its final cancellation while we were in prep and yet the spirit on the set was remarkably upbeat. People loved doing the show and just wanted to give it their all. It was quite moving."
For those who didn't see the episode, it was a groundbreaking one in which one of the lead teenage boy characters kisses another boy in his drama class (see video clip below). Andy tells us what it was like to direct this scene:
"It was a tricky and tough scene because I don't believe a scene like this was ever done on television before. So consequently we rehearsed it quite a bit well before we shot it and yet in all the rehearsals I never had the two boys kiss.  Everything leading up to it, but no kiss. So the first time they kissed was actually when the cameras were rolling and I think that gave it a freshness and reality."

...As mentioned earlier in this post, fellow Penn alum Jill Abramovitz was featured with 1-2 lines in the theater scene towards the end of the show.  (She is the one looking up at Betty in the screengrab below)

UPenn and Jill Abramovitz and Ugly Betty

More Penn alumni on TV episodes HERE

More Penn alumni working on/for ABC shows HERE

More Pennalicious Profiles HERE



Share

Posted by Matt | 10:04 AM | , , , , , , , , , , , | 0 comments »

Related Posts by Categories



Widget by Hoctro | Jack Book

0 comments

Blog Widget by LinkWithin