August 25, 2003

'The Kiss' Premiere
According to Gorman Bechard's official website, 'The Kiss' will premiere at the Boston Film Festival:

And if all that's not enough, the feature I made last summer, THE KISS (starring Eliza Dushku and Terence Stamp) will have its premiere at the Boston Film Festival, on Saturday, September 13th, at 7:15 PM.

The Boston Film Festival website.

Eliza Talks 'Tru Calling' and Vancouver
The Vancouver Sun has posted a new article with Eliza, where she talks about 'Tru Calling' and what it's like to film in Vancouver. I've posted this on the Tru Alliance website. If you prefer to read a "black text on white background" version, click the "Print" button on the upper right hand side of the page.

Sorry for the lack of updates recently, been busy working on the Tru Alliance site. Hopefully, things can get back to normal in the next week or two.

Fox Denies Midseason Rumour
TV Guide Online asked Fox about the 'Tru Calling' midseason rumours:

TRU OR FALSE?: A Fox spokesman is denying rumors that its new fall drama Tru Calling, starring Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Eliza Dushku, is being delayed to midseason. "[The rumors] are untrue," the rep tells TV Guide Online.

Update on 'Tru Calling' Status
Just an update on the news posted below... at the current time, people who are involved with the show aren't aware of any rumours about 'Tru' being pushed to midseason. If I learn of any changes, I'll try and keep you updated.

'Tru Calling to Midseason?
Dark Horizons reports that 'Tru Calling' may be pushed back to midseason, if the show can't be retooled quickly enough to Fox's liking. In light of this news, I relaunched the 'Tru Calling' support site at elizadushku.tv - it's now called Tru Alliance. Please check it out, and consider registering as a member.

From Dark Horizons:

Tru Calling (TV): 'Not Green or Texas' has some big rumours on a delay in store for the Eliza Dushku series - "It looks like the new Fox show 'Tru Calling' is being pushed back to midseason or spring for a third round of recasting and rewriting. The first few episodes and the pilot are going to be reshot. Fox has told the producers of their other new show 'Still Life' to hurry up and they're starting production two weeks earlier than originally schedule (they're starting filming on September 23). Seems that unless the producers of 'Tru Calling' can quickly retool their show to the satisfaction of the executives at Fox, 'Still Life' will replace 'Tru Calling' and will premiere on October 30th whilst 'Tru Calling' will premiere some time next year as a midseason replacement".

EW's Hottest New Faces on Fall TV 2003
Many thanks to spider kelly: Eliza is listed on the Entertainment Weekly 'Hottest New Faces on Fall TV 2003' list.

Eliza Dushku
"Tru Calling"
(Fox, Thursdays, 8 p.m., debuts Oct. 30)

SHE PLAYS Tru Davies, a morgue employee who not only sees dead people, but saves them: She travels back in time 12 hours to rescue the deceased from unfortunate ends.

WHERE YOU'VE SEEN HER Kicking vampire butt as bad-girl-made-good Faith on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"

WHY SHE'S HOT No longer in Sarah Michelle Gellar's shadow, fan favorite Dushku finally gets a starring role with plenty of bite.

The article is available here.

Eliza in PeopleExtra
Many thanks to Wandy: Eliza is in the Fall 2003 edition of PeopleExtra. I've uploaded Wandy's scan to the gallery.

Wrong Turn DVD Release Date
Many thanks to josh: Fox has announced that the 'Wrong Turn' DVD will be released on October 14, 2003. DVD Times has a listing of all the features on the disk. Also, there is an interview with Stan Winston on Moviehole.net where he discusses the possibility of 'Wrong Turn' sequels.

Winston's crossing his fingers they do follow-up "Predator" and "Aliens" movies so that he might get a chance to work alongside his "babies" again. If he doesn’t, he says there’s always his own franchise, the "Wrong Turn" series. "It sets itself up for one. Three Fingers is still around, as you'll know from the end [of the first film], and if the movie is an overall success, and the DVD has legs, which I think it does, it's a definite. I think "Wrong Turn" is going to go down in history as a film that's very faithful to the genre, because it’s so credibly scary".

8Days Article Scan
Many thanks again to Claudia for sending me the scan of the full 8Days article. You can find it in the gallery.

'Tru Calling' Promos
Fox aired two promos for 'Tru Calling' during the Teen Choice Awards. Hopefully, there'll be a lot more during the summer. Keep your eyes peeled. Watch Fox. Ain't It Cool News also reports that 'Tru Calling' has just started filming up in Vancouver. (Filming was scheduled to begin on July 29.)

8Days Eliza Article
Many thanks to Claudia: the Singapore magazine 8Days has a full page feature on Eliza to promote 'Wrong Turn'. Part of the interview can be found at the 8Days website.

New NW Eliza Article
Many thanks to GottaHaveFaith from the message boards for the alert: there's a new Eliza interview in the August 11 issue of Australian magazine, NW.

NW
by Tiffany Dunk
ELIZA TURNS IT ON
Eliza Dushku, star of 'Buffy' and new horror flick 'Wrong Turn', chats to NW

Wrong Turn is a really scary movie - do you like horror flicks?
I don't like blood on screen, but I like the adrenaline you get from watching a scary movie.

What scares you?
I'm really afraid of death - and I hate to fly. I've been known to not get on a plane without a cross - even though I'm not religious. I'm also scared of spiders.

You never play the girlie girl...
I grew up very much a tomboy and didn't grow up "a lady". I'm kind of a mouth and I'm outspoken. I guess that led to a tough-girl persona. But by no means am I "easy breezy" with my body. I want to get married some day. I'm actually a really good girl.

Aren't guys afraid of you?
The brave ones are up for a challenge and they're the most interesting ones anyway. The most interesting male in my life now is my dog, Max.

What do you do with all your money?
I don't really shop that much. I just can't see myself going out and dropping $3,000 on a shirt my dog might eat tomorrow. I'd rather go to Jamaica and get certified to scuba dive with my brother and go to a reggae show.

You've been in lots of sexy photo shoots - are you confident about your body?
For the most part, yeah - 95 per cent of the time. That's how my mother raised me to be - shake what your mama gave you and be proud.

What do you do before you go to bed?
I could be drunk as a skunk - not that I do that very often. But it doesn't matter what state I'm in, I'll always have a shower.

I've also scanned the article with the picture, and uploaded it to the gallery.

News Posting Policy
With Eliza promoting both 'Tru Calling' and 'Wrong Turn', there's been a lot of new Eliza news lately. And as 'Tru Calling' draws nearer, the Eliza hype is just going to get bigger. So I'm gonna make these policy decisions now - we won't be posting paparazzi/gossip type news and/or pictures.

I try to only post interviews/articles that have comments from Eliza. I normally won't post news that is someone's thoughts about Eliza, or is totally complied from old facts/quotes. I attempt not to post articles with duplicate content.

I'm always continually feeling my way with these sites, so more issues might be added in the future.

Eliza Interview in TV Hits
There's a new interview with Eliza in the current issue of Australian teen magazine, TV Hits:

TV Hits
by Donna Walker-Mitchell
GOTTA HAVE FAITH
Life's going just the way Eliza Dushku wants it to. TV HITS finds out more about the 22 year old star of Buffy and the new horror flick Wrong Turn...

In her trademark husky voice, Eliza welcomes us into her Los Angeles hotel room. Dressed in jeans, an off-the shoulder top and walking around barefoot, Eliza sweeps up her Golden Retriever, Max Factor, and plonks him down on her lap. "I love Australia!" she blurts out. "Aussies are always straight up and they're the kind of people I like - no messing around."

It seems Eliza is the same way. She made headlines when she was rumoured to be heir to the Buffy crown and take her character Faith into its own spin-off series. But as TV HITS found out, this starlet had other plans...

Since leaving Buffy , how is everything working out?
It's been good. I definitely felt like the Buffy cast were my partners, co-workers and friends. I loved going back and being on that show. I loved the things they wrote for me to do and I loved the character they so kindly gave me to play, so I'll miss it.

Why didn't you want to do a spin-off series featuring your character Faith?
Things just unfold the way they do. There were a lot of reasons why I was excited to do it, and I lot of reasons why I felt I wanted to try something else. It wasn't that I didn't trust the show wouldn't be amazing and that Joss [Whedon, the creator] would create something as amazing as Buffy was. It's just that I had played that character on and off for five years and when you go into a TV deal like that you have to sign on for six [or] seven years and I just felt like I wanted to try something different.

When you say "something different", what do you have in mind?
For one, Buffy is a tough act to follow, and I didn't want to always be associated with that. I wanted to stand on my own two feet a little bit more. I just wanted to create a different character. I felt like Faith was so close to who I was at the time I started playing her, as I was just out of high school and I had a lot of similar traits.

What was high school like for you?
High school was a bitch! [laughs] High school was really hard and I had to become this tough chick. Five years later, I've recovered from high school a little bit and I'm not as angry at the world. Now I'm struggling with other things, like being an adult.

What was so bad about your high school experience?
It is not cute to be an actress in public school in Boston. I may as well have gone around wearing a target on my head, that said 'Kick me'. It got to the stage where I couldn't even wear anything without someone coming up to me and saying something like, "So, where did you buy that? On Hollywood Boulevard Miss Movie Star?" [laughs] It was really hard. I won't lie.

Did you ever think of giving up acting?
Yeah, I stopped acting for awhile to be somewhat normal and go to the prom and all that kind of stuff. I just wanted to be with my frienqs and hang out with people my own age, because I'd go to a movie set and be surrounded by adults. It felt like I was too old to be young and I was too young to be old. Looking back though, I wouldn't trade it for anything.

How does it feel to be one of the hottest young actresses in Hollywood?
[Laughs] That's flattering, but I don't buy into any of that stuff and neither does my family.

Do you have a boyfriend?
This is the first year I've been single in a long time. It's been about a year now and I had a high school boyfriend when I was about 15. I've been enjoying it. You forget how much you diss your friends when you're in a relationship because it's so easy to hang out with your man. So, now I'm going out to dinner with my girlfriends and hanging out a lot more. It feels good to be an individual rather than half of a couple.

Have you had the one boyfriend since you were 15?
Pretty much. I had a couple of long relationships and I've dated some really fine, great guys. I grew up with three brothers and some people think I've got a guy's personality. Guys I've dated in the past have been my best friends and I hope we'll be best friends for years. Then you get to the point where it's hard to be friends once you've had a relationship, and if you're not looking for the same things - or if you're geographically-challenged - things can fall apart. Maybe they'll come back one day.

What do you look for in a guy?
They have to be confident yet have humility. I also like guys who have a great amount of self worth and self love. Also, I love a guy who can make me laugh!

Did Desmond Harrington, your co-star who plays Chris in Wrong Turn make you laugh?
That movie is pretty scary but I have to say we were laughing our asses off most days. In Wrong Turn, he plays such a strong, handsome, serious type, but in real life he's one of the funniest people I know. We were peeing our pants laughing on the set!

A poster also came with the article, which I've scanned and posted on the gallery.

Eliza Mention in TV Guide
Many thanks to spider kelly: Eliza is featured in the August 9 issue of TV Guide, in a section called "The Fit Club."

TV Guide
THE FIT CLUB:
Eliza Dushku

Age: 22
Plays: A sexpot with psychic powers on Fox's upcoming thriller 'Tru Calling'.
Hot Tip: "It's really helpful to get a good-looking trainer. I went to my gym and I picked out with really hot-looking gentleman to train me because that way, you just want to please him. Now I go five days a week. You want him to tell you, 'Hey, you're looking better and better each day.'"
Weekend Workout: "I go running in Runyon Canyon with my puppy Max Factor, or I jump rope or do wind sprints. Cardio's really important because it keeps the cottage-cheesy-looking stuff away."

If anyone could scan the picture that came with the article and send it along, it'd be much appreciated.

Still a Hero
The Ventura County Star has published a longer article by Dave Mason, from the TCA Fox Splash party: "It's a Friday night at a rooftop party, and Eliza Dushku holds court with a mob of reporters with tape recorders held toward her. Under bright white lights on a clear night, stars varying from Fred Willard, who plays the father of the bride in "American Pie," to Emmy winner Michael Chiklis, star of "The Shield," talk about the new season, but none of them, not even Jeri Ryan of "Boston Public" and "Star Trek: Voyager," attract so much press."

Wrong Turn, Right Moves
New article from the Life! section of The Strait Times in Singapore.

Life!
by Hong Xinyi
WRONG TURN, RIGHT MOVES
She staked vampires in Buffy and fights off mountain men in Wrong Turn. But on-screen tough gal Eliza Dushku confesses to having a case of puppy love

Eliza Dushku's first ecstatic words to Life! are: 'I'm a new Mummy.'

Those who fancy the dark-haired, gravelly-voiced actress can relax. She is merely the proud new owner of a puppy, and the 15-minute telephone interview from Los Angeles early this month is periodically interrupted by her cooing babytalk to the hyperactive pooch.

Perhaps Dushku needs a fluffy antidote to her tough-as-nails screen persona. To date, she is most well-known for playing rebel vampire slayer Faith in the recently concluded TV series Buffy The Vampire Slayer as well as guest stints in the Buffy spin-off, Angel.

Like fellow Buffy alumni Sarah Michelle Gellar (Scooby Doo) and Alysson Hannigan (American Pie), Dushku has capitalised on her small-screen clout, playing a spunky gymnast-turned-reluctant cheerleader in the 2000 teen comedy, Bring It On, which grossed US$68 million.

In Wrong Turn, her latest movie, a group of teenagers get stranded in the woods and have to fight off gruesome mountain men.

Dushku plays Jessie, who is - no surprise here - 'outspoken, strong and tough when things start to go wrong'.

Things, of course, will go terribly, horribly wrong, given that this movie is produced by the same people who gave you I Know What You Did Last Summer in 1997.

Dushku, however, gets a tad defensive when it is suggested that Wrong Turn is a teen-slasher flick.

'It doesn't wink at the audience like Scream. It's more of a throwback to the blood and gore of earlier horror movies.'

And this girl loves her blood and gore.

'I saw Nightmare On Elm Street when I was seven years old, and I loved the adrenaline rush even though it was terrifying,' she recalls with relish.

No wonder some have started calling her the anti-Kirsten Dunst. The actress laughs off the comparison with her Bring It On co-star.

'They like to cast the blonde-haired, blue-eyed actress as the sweet, demure good girl. And I get cast as the opposite kind of characters because my dark hair and deep voice contrasts with that very well,' she says.

The 22-year-old, who started acting at age 12, admits that 'I have become a little less defensive and softer now that I'm older'.

That is why she decided to retire Faith's black leather pants, choosing to headline a new drama series titled Tru Calling rather than star in a spin-off based on the Buffy character.

'I played Faith for five years, and I love everything about her. But I think it's time to try something different.'

How different? In Tru Calling, which debuts in the United States in September, Dushku leaves her staking days behind, and gets to travel back in time and save lives.

But if you are going to miss Dushku duking it out with creepy-crawlies, don't worry - her character will be working the late shift at a morgue.

Magazine Mentions
Many thanks to Samantha: there's an article about 'Tru Calling' with two pictures of Eliza in the October 2003 issue of Sci Fi magazine.

Also, I added two pics to the gallery from an Eliza article in the Daily Telegraph. Eliza is Number 5 on the Xpose Special #23 Top 25 Fantasy Faces of 2003. There's also a small mention of Eliza in the current issue of Us Weekly.

I've uploaded a scan of the Us Weekly snippet here.

From Xpose:

Essential Data: Born December 30 1980 in Boston Massachusetts. To the joy of men the world over, she remains unattached - even to her parents, as she was legally emancipated from them before turning 16.

You Might Know Me As: Faith in "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" and "Angel".

Why We Love Her: Faith blew into "Buffy" like a breath of fresh air, and went on to provide "Angel" with it's first really heart stopping moment. There's plain power in Dushku's every performance, whether she's kicking demon ass or breaking down in tears as fluid as the rain beating down from the skies.

Fantasy Prospects: If Eliza had jumped the other way we might be looking forward to seeing the second "Buffy" spin off this fall. Instead she's chosen to strike out in another direction, while still remaining in the fantasy arena as the star of "Tru Calling", the new show which sounds like a mix of "Quantum Leap" and "Six Feet Under". Add to this her lead role in the acclaimed horror hit "Wrong Turn" and it's clear that the second Slayer has taken the crown from her progenitor.

Site Status Update
The main site was restored on July 28 (now powered by Mambo.) I also turned the message boards back online yesterday. Everything is now organised into categories for Eliza, Tru Calling, and Off-Topic discussions. Please feel free to register and start posting.