Tamala Jones says she is having the time of her life playing the smart and sassy medical examiner on ABC‘s hit series, Castle. The beautiful actress, who plays Lanie Parish on the medical drama that just celebrated its 100th episode this season, recently took time out of her busy schedule to chat about her on and off-screen journey on Castle, what she hopes for with Lanie, and what viewers can expect on tonight’s season finale!

I know you just had the 100th episode this season, what do you think it is about Castle that keeps bringing viewers back?

Tamala- I think Castle is very unique in its own right. We’re not like any of the other cop shows that are on television. We have the crimes, we have the mystery, we have the detectives, we have the medical examiner; but we have Castle. And I think that’s what separates us. He brings in fun. We see his family. We’re invested in his life. Then it intertwines with being a detective and helping solve murders when he’s just a mystery book writer. We have fun. It’s not all about finding out who did what. There’s fun all the way and I think the audience really enjoys that about the show.

What do you most about enjoy about playing Lanie, the very successful medical examiner?

Tamala- I love Lanie’s sass. I love that she is all about her business. She knows what she is talking about. When it comes to her relationship outside of her business, whether it be with Esposito or her best friend Beckett, you see the warmth in her. And I think that that separates Lanie from all the other medical examiners on television and the reason why I love her all in one.

Do you think that she’s evolved since the start of the series or do you feel that you have evolved with her as an actress, since you have been playing her for five seasons now?

Tamala- Yes, and yes, and yes! (Laughs) I think Lanie has evolved because we just saw her in the beginning basically doing the medical examining work and just calling out what was what. We saw that she was a fan of Castle. She knew who he was before anyone else. But I think she’s evolved in her relationship with Beckett-as far as the writing is concerned- they give them so much more to do. And me as an actress, I definitely have evolved. I never thought I would be able to play a doctor of any sort. And I have. It’s very difficult. Hollywood doesn’t care if you’re not comfortable with all the medical language. They’re like, ‘We’re paying you to do this so you better show up and know what you’re talking about!’ (Laughs) That brought about a challenge and I love a good challenge. It has taught me so much about the medical field and so much about myself. What I can do. How far I can go. We’ve both evolved.

What’s ahead for Lanie for the season finale?

Tamala- Lanie is the pillow and blanket for Beckett, I would say for this season finale. That comfort that you need when things are popping up in your life and you really don’t know which way to go. I think that there are lots of Lanie and Beckett coming together and trying to sort some things out.

Is there anything you would like to see happen with Lanie that hasn’t already?

Tamala- I would love to see a back story on Lanie. Where did she come from? Why is she such a commitment phobic? Why was her reasoning outside of not wanting to be married? What was the real deep reason why she broke up with Esposito? I would like to see Lanie’s mother. Because as they say, the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. So I would love to see who would play Lanie’s mom and what that dynamic of their relationship would be.

I think that would be interesting. Why do you think she is the way she is? As someone who has been playing her for five seasons, what is her back story to you?

Tamala- This is what I think. I think Lanie was married before and I think her husband cheated on her. It wasn’t long after they had gotten married. She thought everything was good. He’s got a good job. She’s got a good job. And then she comes home and catches him in bed with someone and that was end of her relationship, and she probably was like I’m just going to date and not really take anyone seriously. And here comes Esposito who she is in love with but doesn’t want to be out of fear. I think that’s what happened to Lanie. But we’ll see next season! (Laughs)

If you could go back in time and spend a day in the life of anyone from history, who would it be and why?

Tamala- I wish I could be the Queen of Sheba. I know it’s a cliché because every girl wants to be a princess or a queen but she had such an important role in history with King Soloman and the whole relationship and the mystery that goes all the way back. I would love to have been Sheba and to have brought those gifts of gold and spices to King Soloman.

Any final thoughts for your fans?

Tamala- Watch out for an independent film called Things Never Said. It’s coming to you soon. Right now we’re touring the film festivals. We have Miami and Boston coming up next. And Lionsgate has picked it up. So we’re really excited it! And also, I just want to thank the fans for keeping us on television for as long as they have because without them we wouldn’t be here. And I want to say hi to all my Twitter family! Castle is my secondary family and Twitter is my third family. I’ve gotten close to so many people and have so many countries I have to visit for that reason alone. They’re important to us. I really appreciate them.

Keep up with Tamala Jones on Twitter @TamalaJones

Castle airs Monday nights at 10pm on ABC.

Source: here

Tamala Jones portrays the sassy, sarcastic medical examiner Lanie Parish on the ABC drama series Castle, winner of the 2013 People’s Choice Award for “Favorite TV Crime Drama.” Castle stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle and Stana Katic as Kate Becket who is Dr. Lanie Parish’s best friend.

The talented actress is also known for her roles in the films Booty Call, The Wood, Kingdom Come, The Brothers and Two Can Play That Game. Other television appearances include California Dreams, Dangerous Minds, For Your Love, The Tracy Morgan Show, One on One, Veronica’s Closet, My Name is Earl and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Tamala, I love Castle and Lanie Parish, but I want to see more of her!

Tamala Jones: You’re going to see more of Lanie. I have some pretty intense scenes coming up. The fandom is going crazy. They want to see more Lanie and Kate Beckett scenes. Creator Andrew W. Marlowe is talking about next season, so I’m getting hints that there will be a Season Six, and Lanie’s going to have more airtime.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Perhaps to better explore her relationship with Esposito.

Tamala Jones: Yeah and find out why Lanie is such a commitment phobic!

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): We also do not know much about Lanie’s family background.

Tamala Jones: I think that’s something that Andrew can explore next season because we have to know some of Lanie’s background. All we know is that she’s a medical examiner, she’s in love with Esposito and that she is a commitment phobic. We don’t know why. I’m thinking maybe she had a husband at one time, and the husband cheated. I don’t know what it is, but that’s clearly up to Andrew.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Do you ever crack up around all of the fake blood and dead bodies?

Tamala Jones: No, but it’s so funny because they offered for me to go to a real morgue and talk to a medical examiner and go through the process. I was like, “No thank you. I’m okay.” I’ll stick to the fake stuff (laughs).

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Is it difficult to remember the medical jargon?

Tamala Jones: Yes, but I have such a great cast and crew. They’re very patient with me. The other day, I had to say something about a chemically synthesized weaponized agent organic compound whatever really fast (laughs). It took lots of takes for that (laughs).

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You mentioned Season Six. Has that been confirmed?

Tamala Jones: There have been some whispers, but we don’t have a confirmation. The network kind of plays it by the book. Sometimes, they’ll tell us at the end of the season and say, “Okay, you guys are coming back,” or like last season, make us wait until they made the announcement. I’ve been hearing some whispers from the producers like, “Next season, we want to …” So they know something. They’re just not saying it.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): It’s quite a milestone for a series to do 100 episodes. Was it emotional filming the 100^th one?

Tamala Jones: Oh, very emotional. We celebrated with a cake cutting ceremony before lunch. There were tears of joy, and everybody was excited because we all have dreamt about being on a show that lasted to 100 episodes.

Molly (Quinn) and I have really bonded throughout the years, and she was crying. I understand that because she grew up on the show. So it was a very emotional day, and then we went off and had lunch of steak and lobster and had to go back to work (laughs).

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Molly is an exceptional young actress.

Tamala Jones: She’s an awesome young actress and an extraordinary young lady. We have ladies brunches at The Four Seasons, and we talk about boys and men, just all the girl stuff (laughs).

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Have you filmed the season ender?

Tamala Jones: Yes, and it is a doozy!

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Be a little more specific (laughs).

Tamala Jones: They might kill me for that. I’ll tell you this. You’re not going to be expecting anything you see. It is full of mystery, and the energy in the level of performance is so exhilarating and exciting, your neck is going to snap back! You’ll need a neck brace after watching it (laughs).

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Can’t wait. Has acting always been in the cards for you?

Tamala Jones: I love acting. I started when I was 14 and have always wanted to do some sort of acting. I used to imitate people on TV or dress up like different characters and go into my mom’s room at 1:00 in the morning. I’d have my brother’s clothes on, paint a mustache on with some eyeliner and be like, “Yeah, yeah baby. Let me get your phone number.” I was just always doing crazy things. My parents would say, “We’ve got to get her out of here!” So they put me in workshops, and from there I just started working.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Sounds like comedy was in your blood from an early age.

Tamala Jones: I have always been a comedic actress. I have just ventured into doing more comedy because if you can’t show all sides in Hollywood, they think you have only one side. I didn’t want to get stuck or be stereotyped or typecast in any way. I wanted to show that I’m capable of doing both. But I love to laugh, and I love to make people laugh. It’s just fun.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You are the spokesperson for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. Tell me about what happened to you.

Tamala Jones: At the age of 23, I was a series regular on the show for the CW (then the WB) called For Your Love. I was also recurring on ER and Kirstie Alley’s show Veronica’s Closet and running around shooting movies. I barely rested or ate properly and ended up suffering a brain aneurysm one morning. I didn’t know what it was. I got up and had no balance. I was walking on my toes, and I felt like I had to urinate really badly. I got to the bathroom and nothing came out.

My head was pounding like no headache I’d ever felt before. I thought, “What is wrong with me?” I looked in the mirror, and five seconds after looking at myself, I just passed out on the floor … hit the floor hard, and I was out. I don’t know how long I was out, but I remember hearing a voice, which was me telling myself, “Get up, Tamala, right now!” When I got up, I didn’t have any feeling in the right side of my body at all.

I called my boss and told her I had to go to the hospital because something was wrong. Because it was the last day of the season, she told me to come to the set, and they’d have a doctor look at me. They gave me some Tylenol, which I had taken earlier. I still didn’t know what was going on. My arm was stuck in a position as if I was offering my hand to someone to maybe help them in some way. They asked me to move my arm, and I couldn’t do it. I had to work all day because I had three scenes to shoot. There were purses and jackets in those scenes to camouflage my arm.

I went to the hospital after work, and the doctor at Cedars-Sinai who was a neurologist could not believe I was alive … walking, talking or doing anything. He told me I had suffered a brain aneurysm and that it had already burst. They did a CAT Scan and MRI, and the doctor saw that it was on the left side of my brain and was about the size of a 50-cent piece. He allowed me to go home and wanted me to come back the next day to run more tests.

The doctor told me to take it easy, and I didn’t (laughs). I left the hospital and went to Bed Bath & Beyond because I had just moved into this new apartment. But I ended up falling out in the store and having a seizure. It was a hot mess. My parents came to get me and took care of me. It took about three months to heal from al of that. The doctor told me that once the blood dried up, I’d get the feeling back in the right side of my body. Once I did, I went back to work and acted like it never happened.

I was ashamed because I was so young going through something like that, so I never really expressed out loud to anyone that it happened to me. I didn’t want people treating me differently or feeling sorry for me, and I didn’t want to mess up my career. I felt like if Hollywood knew I had this, they wouldn’t allow me to work because I would be a risk. So I hid it for as long as it took me to get past it. Then I started hearing stories about other people around my age that actually died from brain aneurysms, so I felt like if I began talking about it and the symptoms, I might could save a life or two.

I had my PR Company on a hunt for two years looking for a foundation or charity I could get involved in, and they found the Brain Aneurysm Foundation who had been looking for a spokesperson. I said, “I want to be her. I think I can help you guys out. I have a very intense story.” I wanted to be proactive in this and make people aware of the symptoms so they wouldn’t wait as long as I did to seek help. They would know what they were feeling wasn’t right, and they could go to the doctor to get it checked out immediately.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): If you’ve had it once, is there a chance of recurrence?

Tamala Jones: Definitely. I’ve been told that your body, mainly your brain that operates your body, is like a computer. The body remembers trauma and everything else, and there could be a repeat. So I’ve changed my life. I don’t over exert myself with work anymore. I don’t take on a bunch of projects all at once, and I am no longer a fast food junkie (laughs). I eat well and take care of myself and get the amount of sleep that the body needs because let me tell you, if you don’t let the body rest, it will shut down on you.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): In addition to regular checkups, are those the preventive measures?

Tamala Jones: Yes. Basically cutting out stress and enjoying a healthy lifestyle, getting rest and definitely getting checked out. It’s good to go once a year and have them do a MRI and CAT scan if you’ve had an aneurysm before. For people who have not, it’s good to get a CAT scan once a year just to make sure everything’s okay. Sometimes we bump our heads, and you don’t know if that did something to your brain or not. Our heads are extremely sensitive. You just have to be careful.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Absolutely. Do you remain fearful that it will happen again?

Tamala Jones: I have gotten over that. I live every day like it’s my last one on earth. I have lots of fun. I laugh. I make sure I live right. I do go out and have a martini every once in a while (laughs). I live a little bit. I’m not afraid of that.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): I read that you are an excellent chef.

Tamala Jones: Well, I love to cook, and people love to eat my food. I can tell you that anytime I bring my Mac and Cheese to a party, it lasts five minutes on the table, and it’s empty. Many people cook collard greens with meat, and I don’t. It has a completely different flavor. Even people who normally don’t eat collard greens love my collard greens.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): What makes your collard greens different?

Tamala Jones: I have a lot of vegetarian friends, so I like to put in (it sounds weird) chili pepper, a little paprika, a little salt, lots of pepper, crushed red chili peppers, chicken broth or vegetable broth. I put a little bit of Louisiana Hot Sauce in there, a little bit of vinegar and some chopped onions. My secret ingredient is a little circle of molasses. It is so good.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): If you could just mail me a package of your collard greens, that would be great (laughs). Any upcoming projects, Tamala?

Tamala Jones: Right now, I have a film that has been doing very well in the film festivals. The title is Things Never Said, and I shot it two years ago. I’ve been told that our movie will be the feature during the whole BET weekend in LA this summer, so I’m really excited. It has been well received, but I’m not clear on the theater release date.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Tamala, best wishes for continued career success and good health. Hope to see more of Lanie on Castle!

Tamala Jones: I’m definitely going to relay that message to Andrew!

Source: here

Both Tamala and Ruben attended events during the past few days. I have added photos from the events to the gallery.

Gallery Links:
Home > The Cast > Tamala Jones > Events & Appearances > 2013 Events > GBK Gift Lounge In Honor Of The MTV Movie Awards
Home > The Cast > Ruben Santiago-Hudson > Events & Appearances > 2013 Events > 13th Annual Monte Cristo Awards

Actress Tamala Jones stars on ABC’s Castle. She plays forensic analyst Lanie Perish. Although this is a crime drama, Jones brings her comedic personality to the show. Not only is she an actress, but she proudly participates in charity events and is a spokesperson for the brain aneurysm foundation. She also is a bargain fashionista.

“Castle is a very popular Television series that follows the lives of mystery novelist “Richard Castle” and NYPD detective “Kate Beckett” as they solve crimes in New York City. There are a lot of crime shows currently on TV, and according to Tamala Jones, “Castle” is in its own lane. The show reached its 100^th episode on April 1.

Tamala Jones: “Castle is different because there’s so much comedy and so much more to go off of besides crime. There are relationships and friendships that have developed during the show.”

Houstonian: Growing up, you always wanted to be in the entertainment industry. You were in a girl band when you were younger similar to the Fugees. Why did you decide to pursue acting?

TJ: “In the beginning it was intimidating. When I received my first role for “Booty Call,” I was 21 years old. It was an amazing experience. I remember I was outside with my grandmother hanging clothes on the line when I got the news. I told my grandmother, ‘I’m going to buy you a washer and dryer!’”

H: Having such an important role in a movie at such a young age must have made you nervous. How was it working along side more well established actors like Jamie Foxx, Tommy Davidson, and also Vivica A. Fox?

TJ: “When I first met them I was nervous and had an acne breakout. It took Vivica to come and talk to me, and Tommy and Jamie to give me notes and comedy tips in order for me to relax.”

H: Mostly, you have been in comedies like Next Friday, Blue Streak, Two Can Play That Game, and The Wood. Did you have to practice in order to switch up for her role as Lanie Perish in Castle?

TJ: I had to realize the importance of the relationships in the show. I was able to bring my sassiness into my character. I’ve studied at the Lee Strasberg Institute. I’ve been to a lot of different workshops to learn how to change roles. I still attend workshops.

H: What’s your advice for aspiring actors and actresses here at SHSU?

TJ: “Always take acting workshops, stay in acting classes and stay rehearsing. You will hear ‘No’ a thousand times, but never give up. Stay on your craft, and when you get your first break it will all be worth it.”

H: Not only are you an actress, but you are also a spokesperson for the Brain Aneurysm foundation. Having experienced one yourself at age 23, how did that affect you?

TJ: “I am very proud of this position. I felt that if I told the story enough, I would save lives. I want to make people aware of how sensitive the head is. Some people are born with it and don’t even know. People should get cat scans at least once a year of the brain, as they do other body parts. More awareness needs to be raised about this illness.

H: Jones will be speaking at the Brain Anuerysm Foundation’s Lobby Day on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on May 21. What else do you like about charities?

TJ: “I love working with the youth. I like talking to kids who are unaware of the danger in their environments, or who are lacking love from home. I participate in the Party 4 Peace weekend every summer along with Will Smith and others. We go to youth prisons and speak to kids and open up to them, letting them know that they don’t have to be products of their environments. I also enjoy going to high schools and speaking to girls about sex, diseases, and the importance of protection. I want them to realize that their body is their temple.

H: You are also known for your smart fashion decisions. Can you give any advice to SHSU students who are usually looking for any way to save money when they shop?

TJ: “I’d rather spend my money taking care of my grandmother and my necessities. I love looking good, but don’t like to pay retail. So many websites have bargained designer clothes. My top three are net-a-porter.com, theoutnet.com and amazon.com. My friends always see my clothes and shoes and are always jealous of the price I pay!

H:Thrift shopping is a common trend for students.

TJ: “Back in the day, I would cut out pictures from Vogue and Elle, go to the thrift shop and recreate the outfits for an extremely cheaper price. I highly suggest going to thrift shops, they are full of neon 80s clothing and other items for spring.”

H: Have you reached your career goals now that you are on prime time television?

TJ: “I think that I’m in the middle of my career goal. I’m just now touching ground in what I want to do. A film you can look out for is titled, “Things Never Said.” It’s going around various film festivals and will be featured during the BET Awards Weekend. It’s a cast full of great actors and actresses whose talents need to be seen.”

You can catch Jones in action on ABC’s Castle Mondays at 9 p.m. Central on ABC.

Source: here

Some people are born to do what they do. Acting since she “came out of the womb,” Tamala Jones was off and running before she began to walk. Although there were no cameras yet in sight, that didn’t stop her from imitating everything around her — from friends and family to things she saw on television. After some pestering, she convinced her parents to enroll her in an acting workshop class, which in turn led to a meeting with her first agent. From then on, the work started rolling in.

With an entertainment career in high gear, it didn’t seem likely that anything would be able to stop her in her tracks — not even a brain aneurism at the age of 23. Unfazed, she didn’t even consider calling off of work, keeping her condition a secret before finally admitting herself to the hospital a few days later. Not willing to part ways with her feelings of invincibility, youthful naivete prevented her from realizing how dire the situation had been. It took a while before she finally reconciled with the fact that she could have died. It was time to re-evaluate things.

While her outlook on life changed, one thing that remained was the high demand for her acting prowess. Roles on “Everybody Hates Chris,” “The Tracy Morgan Show,” “The Ghost Whisperer” and “CSI: Miami” soon were added to an ever-growing resume. These days, you’ll find her on the set of the ABC series, “Castle,” as the sassy and sexy medical examiner “Lanie Parish,” and on the circuit as a spokeswoman for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. Living every day as if it were her last, she’s learned the fine art of stopping to smell the roses.

Question: Some time ago, while building an amazing entertainment resume, you suffer a brain aneurism — at the age of 23. But you keep it a secret. Why?

Answer: Well, first of all, I grew up the only girl — the oldest — and around very strong women. So, the main reason why is because I was embarrassed. I didn’t want anyone to relate to me any differently or to feel sorry for me. I thought it would alienate me. And the other thing is, I thought it would keep me from working. I thought it was a sinus headache, I thought migraine. Never once went to a doctor, because who thinks, at 23 years old, that’s what’s happening to you? And when I finally got to the hospital after working all day long, the doctor, he was shocked that I was still walking, talking, alive. Usually when they burst, a person dies. And mine burst.

Q: Twenty-three is usually an age where you feel like you’re invincible — did you immediately recognize the seriousness of your situation?

A: When you’re young, you do some ridiculous things. Instead of being grateful that I was still alive, I kind of had this Tupac (Shakur) mentality — like, “I lived through it, and I’m invincible.” It wasn’t until a friend told me that “Hey, this isn’t you. I don’t know what’s happening to you. I don’t like this new Tamala. … I like the old one,” (that) it broke me down. And I just started crying, but not in front of her. And once I started dealing with it, I thought, “I need to tell my story.” I thought if I started talking about it, maybe it would save some lives.

Q: How did your perspective and priorities change after that?

A: I stopped taking a lot of jobs like I did before. I just do what I can now. I don’t overexert myself at all because I felt like that was a part of it. I was a series regular on “For Your Love,” with roles on “Veronica’s Closet” and “ER.” So, I would be running from different sets. Then, when I would finish on the Warner Brothers lot, I would go to a film set. I’ve changed my eating habits and lifestyle. It was fast-food city for me, no vegetables, just Popeye’s, McDonald’s, Taco Bell — all those things that are not good.

Q: So fast forward a few years later, and you’re pegged as one of the “Sexiest Women of the Year” — not once, but twice. How sweet was that?

A: That is amazing! I didn’t even know that! I thank the gents — that makes me feel so good. If they only knew that I was a sweat pants, T-shirt, pony-tail-wearing girl on a regular day!

Q: Your character, “Lanie Parish,” on “Castle,” is pretty sassy for a medical examiner. Is that your influence or was she written that way?

A: It was a little of both. Lanie was written sassy, but very medical savvy. And I took some of my mother’s notes as far as being extra sassy with the looks I’m giving to Castle. Those are all my mom. So, it was a little bit of me, my mom, and Lanie.

Q: It’s amazing how real the bodies look. Does that kind of creep you out?

A: Oh yeah. I now understand that I could never do this in real life. Because the blood is syrup and you know that. But if I would have to see that much blood or smell death, I’d quit on the first day. Some of the makeup they do is so realistic, and I have to brace myself — this is fake. So, I talk to (the actors) and say, “Hey, how are you?” and it makes it a lot easier and fun.

Q: No chances of that being a second career choice for you?

A: Oh no! No no, no!

Source: here

Tamala Jones has always been the girlfriend.

Or the wife. Or the forlorn lover.

But now? She’s the doctor. And heading into the 100th episode tonight of ABC’s hit show “Castle,” the actress says this role of a lifetime (playing medical examiner Lanie Parish) has been life altering.

“I learned this watching Sally Field’s ‘Inside the Actor’s Studio’ a little while ago: she said from playing the flying nun to Gidget to going to movies, there’s time in your career where you used to playing a certain type of role and then you have to go and sit down and revamp yourself so that you don’t get typecast,” Tamala says. “You need to really challenge yourself, come out of your comfort zone and do things you normally wouldn’t do. So I’m all about that.”

Tamala’s career has been consistent from the word go. Since the mid-90s, she’s appeared on countless TV shows and films and she’s never slacked up.

“I’m a fighter. I’m never gonna give up that easy. I can hear ‘no’ a million times because I know that somebody out there is gonna say yes. And then you just get to a point that all your nerves that you had going into the first couple auditions will go away. Just like, ‘You know what, you’re either gonna tell me yes or no, so I’m gonna give it all I got and you can hire me or not.’ So it just gets to that. But I love acting. I’ve always, since I was born…I came out the womb acting. You can ask my mom. She was like, We gotta get her out of the house,” she says with a laugh. “So I think perseverance and just not willing to accept no has kind of kept me going.”

So when was the last time Tamala got told ‘no’?

“I auditioned for Anchorman 2 and we got to the last minute, I was waiting for a whole month to hear no. I was like, ‘Wow, well who got it?!’ And they were like Megan Good got it. I like her and I’m proud of her. You have those moments where it just doesn’t matter if they say no, you actually respect the actor who’s gotten the role.”

Tamala jokes that she feels like she’s gone through three years of medical school, but she does know a thing or two about health scares firsthand. The 38-year-old actress recently opened up about a horrific health scare that happened when she was 23-years-old: she had a brain aneurism. Now, she serves as a spokesperson for the Brain Aneurism Foundation, and later this year she’ll be speaking before Congress.

“I feel like it’s another part of my responsibility to get the word out there that aneurisms are not just for elderly people, they happen to young people every day,” she says. “It can be a hereditary thing or a stress thing. Mine was genetic. It runs in the family and I have to be tested. They tell you you can do it once a year, but I like to get cat scans twice a year just to make sure nothing’s there, because this is a very stressful job, hours are long. I just want to make sure I’m in tip top health shape. I didn’t know what happened when I woke up that morning and went through that. I didn’t know.”

Source: here

The 100th episode of “Castle” may be airing on Monday, April 1 (10 p.m. ET on ABC), but it’s no April Fools joke — in fact, the consequences of the “Rear Window”-esque case could hit surprisingly close to home for our heroes.

At the cake-cutting ceremony for the milestone episode, The Huffington Post caught up with Nathan Fillion, creator Andrew Marlowe and other members of the show’s cast to preview what to expect from the Hitchcock-inspired hour, which Marlowe described as “a champagne glass of an episode,” designed with the series’ most loyal fans in mind — especially those who love Castle (Fillion) and Beckett (Stana Katic). Read on for what we learned.

Andrew Marlowe (Creator):

• On coming up with the 100th episode: “One of things with the 100th episode is, we wanted to put the lens squarely on the Castle/Beckett dynamic, we wanted to do something that was fun, something that was basically a champagne glass of an episode — it has a lot of sparkle, a lot of wit. So when [co-writer] Terri Edda Miller and I were conceiving it, we were looking for a story that would allow us to put the lens on our principle cast, instead of having a big thing that drew them all away. So putting Castle in the middle of this is kind of “the boy who cried murder.” It’s like Michigan J. Frog. When he’s looking, he sees stuff, and when Beckett comes over, she doesn’t. It allows us to recapture some of the great chemistry we had in the first season. We wanted to do the quintessential episode that could’ve played in any season. We’re really pleased with how it turned out.”
• On how the revelations about Castle’s father (James Brolin) will impact the rest of the season: “It all ties together. Castle and Beckett got together at the end of last season; when you’re in a relationship and you’ve been in it for a while — they’re coming up on a year — you start asking questions. I think Castle has to wrestle with who he is, given what he learned from his father. Beckett’s wrestling with where she is in the universe, and her choice of becoming a cop now that some of the issues around her mother’s death have been resolved. So I think that moves us into an emotional spring for part of our season, where the two of them are feeling their way through what comes next and [asking], ‘Who are we?’ and, ‘What does it mean to be a couple?’ and, ‘Where are we going?’ So I think some big questions are raised and it leads to a very emotional conclusion at the end of the season.”
• On the future of the Castle/Beckett relationship: “What we’ve been doing for the past four years is slowly peeling back who Beckett is for Castle, and now we’re trying to peel back who Castle is. He’s a guy who doesn’t reveal a lot of depth about himself, but you know it’s there and you see it in certain scenes. And now, Beckett is gonna be probing as to ‘who is this guy under the surface?’ We’re gonna see some more of that coming up.”

Nathan Fillion (Richard Castle)

• On the plot of the 100th episode: “Castle is a witness to something heinous, but he’s having trouble convincing his friends that there’s something going down. There’s something that stirs within you [in that situation] — first of all, you have a bit of a ‘really, you don’t have my back?’ moment, and then there’s the moment of, ‘Then I’ll do it on my own, regardless of how I’m injured!’ Those are real-life moments. Those are things that we can all relate to. We’re not all cops investigating murders, but we all do have moments where you say to your friends, ‘I can’t believe you’re not backing me up on this!’ It’s reality-based in that way.”
• On the Castle/Beckett dynamic: One of the things that Castle loves about Beckett is that she challenges him, constantly, so here they are, butting heads. Castle will not be told what he saw was not what he saw.

Jon Huertas (Javier Esposito)

• On his involvement in the 100th episode: “We have a really interesting episode. It’s “Rear Window.” The writing is very Hitchcock-esque, which is very cool, so it’s a little different from what we usually do. Nathan’s character becomes very helpless and isolated and he’s separated from the team and he wants to help the team, but ultimately, he witnesses his own thing and he desperately needs the team, but the team’s not there. I can say that my character, along with a couple of other characters, are instrumental in the end of the episode with bringing him out of what he’s spiraling into. It’s pretty crazy. It’s gonna be a fun reveal.”

Tamala Jones (Lanie Parish)

• On what’s ahead for Lanie: “Lanie is back to secretly seeing Esposito. She is possibly going to be doing some more scenes with Alexis [Molly C. Quinn] coming down to the morgue. We need to revisit that — [that's] one of the things everybody wants to see. I want to see it too! It’s time. There’s so much going on and such little time because the season’s coming to an end, but Andrew and the writers are working their butts off to make everything happen.”

Penny Johnson (Victoria Gates)

• On what’s unique about the 100th episode: “I think that the 100th episode is going to be a surprise, in that we’re gonna see Mr. Fillion in his element … If you could be a fly on the wall, just you and Nathan, I think this’ll be the experience you’ll wanna have.”

Tune in to the 100th episode of “Castle,” “The Lives of Others,” on Monday, April 1 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

Source: here

The cast of “Castle” recently celebrated filming their 100th episode, which airs on Monday, April 1, and OTRC.com got a little inside scoop.

Since the show debuted in 2009 the relationship between New York City homicide detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) and novelist Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) has grown, along with the cast of characters on the show.

OTRC.com had a chance to catch up with the cast members of the show, and series creator Andrew W. Marlowe, to talk about the big milestone. We also learned a few things about the episode and about the cast as well.

So check out four things we learned from our “Castle” 100th episode set visit below. (Warning: Spoilers ahead!)

1. The 100th episode has a Hitchcock vibe.

Fillion shed some light on the plot for the 100th episode and explained, “Castle broke his leg and out of sheer boredom, he’s participating in a little voyeurism. He’s watching the people in this building across the street, and our episode becomes a bit of a ‘Rear Window’ episode.”

“I witness a murder and no one seems to think that I saw what indeed I actually saw,” Fillion added. “Everyone’s got a reason why … a reason not to believe me. So I take matters into my own hands.”

Katic also told us that Beckett has to balance her time a little in the episode.

“Castle’s broken his leg and he sees a murder outside of his loft window and Beckett has to jump between babysitting Castle and taking care of a real murder out there in New York City,” she said. “There’s a car chase and an explosion and there’s a love story and it’s unrequited. We have a scandal. You should watch.”

2. Marlowe said 125 actresses tried out for the role of Detective Beckett but it was Katic who had that special something with Fillion.

“I think the show all starts with the chemistry between Nathan and Stana and we were really blessed in order to get Nathan. Nathan was great,” Marlowe said. “We read with 125 different actresses and we were looking for that ineffable something, that chemistry, and when Stana came in, we found it.”

“Without that we wouldn’t have a show,” he added. “So that’s what … if I could point to one thing, it’s that. That’s what people tune in to see every week.”

3. What’s next for Castle and Beckett’s relationship? The couple has a few questions to answer.

Marlowe told OTRC.com about the couple’s relationship, “I think the next step for this couple is figuring out what are they going to do next.”

“They’re coming up on a year this spring, what are we doing next? What is this relationship? Is this real? Are we taking the next step? How invested are you in me? How invested am I in you? So I think we’ll be wrestling with some of those big questions,” he added.

4. Off-screen the cast has become a second family.

Tamala Jones, who plays medical examiner Lanie Parish on the series, said that the cast of “Castle” really do enjoy each other’s company.

“To watch Molly grow up and to just get to know everybody and let this become my secondary family and we’re all still here doing what we love, it’s a true blessing,” she said. “You go to sets and you get along with a few people and with other people it’s like, ‘Oh hey good morning,’ and you go on about your business.”

“But here we all love and kiss and hug on each other and do special things like get the ice cream man out here with the truck or get the coffee man out here with the truck, just whatever,” she added.

Jones later continued, “We go all out for each other here and we really, really love coming to work and being with each other.”

Molly C. Quinn, who started out on the show when she was just 14 years old, talked to OTRC about how Nathan Fillion has become a sort of father-figure in her life.

“This is my family. This is my home. It’s been incredible. Everything, high school, driving lessons, first boyfriend. I remember Nathan saying, ‘I have to meet him,’ and I did! I brought him to set and Nathan met my first boyfriend and my second and my third and my fourth and my fifth … every one,” Quinn said with a laugh. “They cycle quite a bit but he’s always been there for me, you know, he’s an awesome sounding board.”

Source: here