Ask Stacy: Secret Life of the American Teenager and Elizabeth Mitchell of "Lost"
By Stacy Jenel Smith
Jan 31, 2009
DEAR STACY: Daren Kagasoff is hot! Please tell all about him. -- Tiffany K., New York DEAR TIFFANY: "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" is 21-year-old Kagasoff's first TV role -- which he landed on his fifth audition. He thanks "Secret Life" creator Brenda Hampton for that, admitting that he wasn't ABC Family's first choice for the part of bad boy Ricky Underwood.
Elizabeth Mitchell of "Lost"
"They weren't sure about me because I had no prior experience acting in front of the camera. They wanted to audition other people with more experience, but I guess nobody really caught their eye so Brenda Hampton pushed for me. She came to my house with a dozen roses to tell me I got the part. It's a moment I'll never forget," he said. Kagasoff, son of a wholesale diamond dealer and a designer, hails from Encino, Calif. He was studying business at San Francisco State University when he decided to pursue acting, returned to L.A., and -- lucky again -- quickly landed the play "subUrbia" with Giovanni Ribisi, Steve Zahn and Parker Posey.
DEAR STACY: I would like to know more about Elizabeth Mitchell of "Lost." Is she married? Children? Age? How tall is she? What is her background? -- Chris C., Staten Island, N.Y.
DEAR CHRIS: The beautiful blond actress is 5'9" tall and 38 years old. She was born in Los Angeles, raised in Dallas. She wed actor Christopher Soldevilla in 2004 and gave birth to their son, Christopher, Jr. -- C.J. -- in 2005. They make their home on Bainbridge Island, Wash. Mitchell is the daughter of two attorneys and the eldest of three sisters. She's a graduate of Stephens College and also studied at the British American Drama Academy. She got her start as a professional actress on stage at the Dallas Theatre Center, then began landing roles in TV and film. Her long list of credits includes playing Laura Innes' first lesbian lover on "ER," and Angelina Jolie's lesbian love in the cable film, "Gia" -- and she starred as Linda McCartney in a television movie about the late pop music figure, and played Mrs. Santa Claus in "The Santa Clause 2" and its successor.
DEAR STACY: When is season three of the Showtime series "The Tudors" scheduled to begin? -- Muriel H., Leesburg, Va.
DEAR MURIEL: On April 5, Showtime will launch the new season of the series that gives us a young and sexy rendering of the lives and loves of Henry VIII. The eight episodes will cover his third and fourth marriage, with beautiful blond singer Joss Stone coming aboard to play the German-born Anne of Cleves -- wife four. Jonathan Rhys Meyers -- King Henry VIII himself -- was asked at the recent TV Critics Association winter press tour about his feelings about doing all those romantic scenes. "Am I comfortable? Very comfortable," he replied. "There are worse things you could do with yourself on a rainy Tuesday morning in Dublin than hop in bed with the likes of Charlotte Salt, Natalie Dormer or ... " Not Joss Stone. Henry and Anne of Cleves never consummated their marriage.
DEAR STACY: I just watched the wonderful film "Amazing Grace," and would like to find out what Ioan Gruffudd is up to now. And also, is he married? Children? Age? -- Julie C., Canton, Ohio
DEAR JULIE: Recently seen as Tony Blair in Oliver Stone's movie "W," Welsh actor Gruffudd has the film "The Secret of Moonacre" opening in the U.K. next week, but there is no U.S. release date scheduled at this time. The 35-year-old wed actress Alice Evans in 2007. No offspring as yet.
DEAR STACY: Can you tell me whether "She's Got the Look," the reality show with older women who want to be models, is going to come back? -- Miriam F., Brooklyn, N.Y.
DEAR MIRIAM: Yes, a second season is on the way. TV Land expanded its order for the Kim Alexis-hosted show from six to eight episodes for the forthcoming cycle.
DEAR STACY: Which was the most highly watched presidential inauguration? -- Just wondering, Reno, Nev.
DEAR WONDERING: Going strictly by Nielsen TV research, Ronald Reagan's 1981 inaugural is tops, with 41.8 million viewers compared to Barack Obama's with 37.8. However, that doesn't take into account the massive numbers of folks who watched the proceedings online. CNN.com, FoxNews.com and MSNBC.com were among those reporting huge traffic for the swearing-in ceremony. It's a tough comparison, since we're in a different world for viewers than it was back in '81, when there were only three networks, and no online viewership at all.
DEAR STACY: Is there going to be a fourth "Rush Hour"? -- J.F., Brooklyn, N.Y.
DEAR J.F.: There's nothing concrete as far as a fourth installment of the popular Chris Tucker-Jackie Chan movie franchise. There has been talk of one by director Brett Ratner and producer Arthur Sarkissian -- no surprise considering the status of the third "Rush Hour" as the top movie rental of 2007, on top of a worldwide gross of $255 million. Of course, it took six years to get the third movie together. Chan is already 54 and looking to move beyond action hero roles.
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