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With her elegant poise and vintage sultriness, DALILAH RAIN reigns supreme when it comes to mesmerizing viewers. Her striking features is so memorable, there certainly should be more articles on ladies with the old-world charms. With only 6 days more before the Palm Springs International Film Festival 2013 ends, I realized that I almost miss the glitzy affair and the movies which showcased the talents of actresses around the world. If there’s one actress that embodies the glamorous look of classic Hollywood then DALILAH has the allure from a charismatic era. Having seen her pics where she gave tribute to bobbed-hair 1920s Louise Brooks, she pulls off the free-spirited exquisiteness of the raven-haired icon to perfection. The casting of DALILAH in “Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean” is a master-stroke especially when she is stunning from every angle. It goes without saying she’s an international model, gracing high profile publications.
Does it matter that “Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean” is in black and white as DALILAH paints a pretty picture in the role of Violet, a downcast actress who dispenses advice to Jimmy Dean himself. With her having a successful theater career that included roles in Sam Sheppard’s “FOOL FOR LOVE” and in Edward Albee’s WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF, her depiction of Violet is a subtler form of femme fatale. Yet the seductive edge she can exhibit in all her scenes is a testament to her onscreen readiness. Watch her dazzle in this new year as she blossoms into the girl to watch…:)
Indie Queen: Janet Ulrich Brooks
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From theater to indie features, there’s noteworthy moments by which JANET ULRICH BROOKS often will leave audiences and reviewers enamored. Described as being highly watchable, JANET’s spot on delivery of an assortment of characters has seen praise coming from within and outside the industry. Be it employing a foreign accent or navigating the challenges of portraying varied expressions, she’s done it all and at the same time held our attention. At the Hollywood Reel Indie Film Festival, she appears in “One Small Hitch”, a tale of unexpected passion between 2 childhood friends who try to fake a wedding engagement. Seeing how comedy is her forte, she’s certainly part of some funny moments on film and if you get a chance to see her onscreen, marvel at her flair as an entertainer. In “I Heart Shakey”, she does play up the qurkiness as a dictatorial manager Estelle Willinger who is a stickler when it comes to pets at her property.
If you’ve seen Glenn Close as Cruella De Vil, JANET’s interpretation of the villain in the family comedy is larger-than-life and eccentrically fascinating. JANET has a colorful and impressive career thus far, a true-blue talent on stage as well as the features she’s been in…:) Having signaled her intention to meet me in future, I wouldn’t hesitate to take her up on the offer.
Indie Princess: Halley Feiffer
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HALLEY FEIFFER has already established herself as a captivating starlet and continues to astound viewers with a series of riveting performances. I’m honored and lucky to be able to watch her on film and reading of her interest to be featured on the Actress Obsession Blog is truly special indeed. The posts I’ve written from the first day is a testament to the influence of talented women such as HALLEY and they’re the very reason why this blog was created. There’s sweetness about HALLEY that is layered with fascination awaiting to be discovered by keen eyes. Invited to spend time with a man and his gravely ill wife in “How It Ended”, her portrayal as a flustered young woman is vulnerable and tempting in equal measures. “How It Ended is available now free online through Film Movement, its distributor and this is the perfect opportunity to be mesmerized by Miss HALLEY FEIFFER…:)
If you’ve read the interviews she’s done, HALLEY has a kooky and dirty sense of humor, a genuinely engaging aspect to her personality that she so often exudes be it in her varied roles, on the theater scene or in real life. On her way to becoming a big name herself, she’s starring alongside Paul Rudd and Paul Giamatti in “Lucky Dog” as well as with Jesse Eisenberg in 2 upcoming comedies, she’ll be all the rage in 2012. Also an amazing playwright and producer, HALLEY is segueing into lighter fare as opposed to her earlier dramatic exploits, demonstrating her inviting versatility. Expect a flood of devotion trickling her way in the months ahead.
Rising Starlet: Emily Swallow
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Recent entertaining turns on several hit shows should serve as a catalyst for adoration to come the way of actress EMILY SWALLOW. In an episode of universally acclaimed series “The Good Wife”, she’s Mandy Cox, a music executive in a litigation case involving a British climber who sneakily steals the stuff of people who die at purported mountainous peaks termed the ‘Death Zone’. Grilled by no-nonsense Alicia Florrick (the formidable Julianna Margulies), she gets caught red-handed in a lie. On a more positive note, she’s also playing Detective Saldana looking into a suspected missing person after an anonymous tip on Sarah Michelle Gellar’s “Ringer”. EMILY affectionately refers to her role as the one where she does her detective schtick…:) Coming across as calm and convincing as the figure of authority, she’s also quite the looker so let’s hope EMILY gets a regular gig on “Ringer”. Touted as having a strikingly expressive face, Emily has replicated her moving portrayals on an impressive array of theatrical work and harnessing it ever so well on TV. Fans of “Southland” will know her as Dina Clarke, wife of homicide detective Russell Clarke (Tom Everett Scott) who kicks his sorry ass out of their home, both succumbing to strains in their marriage. She’s all about trying to capture the essence of her parts and it won’t be long before she becomes a TV Siren.
I love how she’s regularly seen as a performer with a stimulating flexibility with reviewers exalting her mastery of variations when in character largely thanks to her steely rendition as Kate from Taming Of The Shrew. She has previously plied her talents on stage alongside Kathryn Hahn, Rashida Jones as well as Sam Trammell and Rutina Wesley (both of “True Blood” fame). While vast distance may prevent me from enjoying her in the numerous plays she’s done, it’s already gratifying watching her illuminate the small screen.
Rising Starlet: Brea Bee
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Ethereal gracefulness encircles the lovely BREA BEE, very becoming of an earthly fairy with her pure milky skin illuminating from every angle. Her divine cheekbones are both fashionable and enthralling, a testament to how effortlessly BREA can amplify glamor to her collection of modeling shots. Quickly becoming a fixture on the indie scene, BREA can be seen in the early minutes of heartwarming dramas “The Best And The Brightest” and “Lebanon,PA”. She’s also so kindly informed me that she’s appearing in a national Comcast commercial this Fall and is slated to star in Robert Masciantonio’s feature film “Fairyland” shooting in December 2011. It’s unfortunate that the intriguing web series BLEEDERS was canned as BREA is hauntingly stirring as one of four female vampires bringing a hemophiliac into their fold. It’s positively gratifying to see women being the centerpiece of a vampire flick; Maybe they should have done that with the under performing “Fright Night” reboot! Her vamp with the heart of gold parallels her genial personality in real life, yet another one of BREE’s many pleasing traits.
There’s no better time than the present to check out the BREA BREE OFFICIAL SITE and be supportive of this gorgeous, emerging talent. Her foundations as a performer are more than sound, initially performing at prestigious theater productions and now expanding into the every realm of entertainment. She does capture the emotive elements of her characters at a level that’s filled with vibrant captivation. Sweet as honey, many more come to appreciate the sublimely charming Miss BEE.
Quirky Saucy: Michelle Luchese
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It’s never an easy thing when you’re a one-man-army actress lover like myself who has to have fingers on the pulse of entertainment news at all times. Then comes cherubic cutie MICHELLE LUCHESE to my rescue by pointing out that she’s letting blood flow on “TRUE BLOOD” in the episode “If You Love Me, Why Am I Dyin’?”. Well actually, she’s playing a young woman whose part of a viral video team filming vamps in action and sacrificing her neck in the hopes of fame. Check out her reel (above) for that very scene where even in Bon Temps, Louisiana, you can be the next Youtube star! MICHELLE gets to delivered the punch line at the end…What A Sweet Deal! Vampires are indeed taking over the internet so thumbs up to MICHELLE for having a say or should I say sticking out her neck for them (hers is luscious by the way)…can you imagine the Youtube segment she did on the red-hot “True Blood” is now on the authentic Youtube and should be gaining hits as we speak! Expect the cash registers to ring as more offers pour in for MICHELLE…hehe. Could MICHELLE be the newest princess of cool ala Lauren Ambrose? She however likens herself to be a mixture of Lauren plus a few more non-conformist indie actresses.
Personally speaking, she stands on her own two feet as a kooky charmer and you can enter her offbeat world by visiting the MICHELLE LUCHESE OFFICIAL SITE. Besides her theater and film roots, she’s also a comic and a musician conversant in a variety of instruments. With Dolores O’Riordan expected back in Asia soon, MICHELLE reminds me a lot of her. At times as the lead singer of LA-based band Chemistry Class, her similarly soaring folksy sound is fetching (Check out Catastrophe, their maiden music video above). How much more eclectic can she get? Already she’s being lauded as a lovable actress whose energy and finesse in a comedic/dramatic capacity points to a bright future ahead.
Hot Web Vixen Of Summer: Kari Lee Cartwright
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Continuing my Asian Angels Theme this week, let’s shine the spotlight on the vivacious KARI LEE CARTWRIGHT who is making waves in “Boom Chick Boom!”. This series of sketchisodes as they are so endearingly called has KARI and fellow actresses Fredericka Meek, Samantha Figura, among others delivering hilarity straight off the web. KARI is the Chameleonic Comic embodying a variety of guises from neurotic boyfriend seeker to a bearded Iron Chef-like reality host. Don’t miss the Season Finale of “Boom Chick Boom” as the girls take on Katy Perry in the spoof “Islamic Gurls” (above). It’s the antithesis of Sex In The City; Conservatively Clad Ladies prancing and singing in the desert fawning over a man but without the touching and their chastity belts intact…LOL! The re-imagined lyrics are tactfully amusing as is the parody on Islamic norms. Make your way to the BOOM CHICK BOOM SITE at KOLDCAST.TV for more humor-laden episodes that have helped “Boom Chick Boom” achieved its regular ranking as one of the most popular channels week on week. “Driving Miss Crazy” and “The Copper Chef” are a must-see if you’re into off-the-wall comedy. KARI and the team of wonderfully wacky sirens are certainly the explosive FUTURE OF FUNNY especially since Season 2 is already in the works!
Huge thanks to Samantha Figura for introducing KARI to me. It’s always such a joy when actresses post exciting stuff on my FACEBOOK wall and thanks to them, I get a peek at hot videos hitting the online world. Stumbled on a pic of her as a Dragon Lady from one of her short films “FlashBang” and she’s a gal who can turn on the Eastern allure anytime, anywhere…:) Having marveled as a singer, dancer, producer, writer and performed in numerous theatres across the US including Carnegie Hall and parts of Asia, she’s well on her way to shining on the web too. With a gem of a sketch show and part of the spicy super group “Boom Chick Boom” eliciting laughter everywhere, KARI is primed for success.
Hot TV Siren Of Summer: Kimberly Wallis
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Alluring Kimberly Wallis has done a host of TV roles including a sexy love scene that ends cruelly (she gets a lethal injection on the neck) in “CSI: New York” and a spot on “Charmed” when Shannen Doherty ruled the coven!! She is set to appear in TV’s newest family show “Switched At Birth” which has incredibly become the #1 debut TV Series for ABC….Let The Rating Wars Begin! Keep your eyes peeled for Kimberly in the 3rd episode right at the beginning as she plays Gillian, the friend of Lea Thompson’s character Kristen Kennish, the wealthy matriarch who’s bound for emotional turmoil. I hope Kimberly gets a recurring gig on “Switched At Birth” which has already wowed viewers with its emotionally-charged life-changing plot. Two girls discovering they were wrongly transplanted, one into a life of privilege and riches, the other growing up poor and dealt the sorry state of life is hands down a recipe for intense melodrama. Hey Mr Casting Agent!! Start spreading the love and give sweet Kimberly a regular spot on your soon to be hit show…;)
Seeing how she’s endowed with pleasing photogenic features, I was impressed to find out that she used to model in Japan and is well-traveled so crossing my fingers she makes her way back to Asia. Go forth to the KIMBERLY WALLIS OFFICIAL SITE for more info on this luscious talent who has one of the cutest smiles I’ve seen on the evidence of her photos. I didn’t get to see her playing off Shannon Elizabeth in “Cuts” but she can certainly turn on the funny (see her reel above). Known for her comedic flair leading to rave reviews for her extensive theater work, Kimberly could build on that success and be the latest in the line of TV honeys.
