Latest news with #PaleyFest
Fox News
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
‘Seinfeld' star says ‘very religious' parents weren't fans of his work, thought it was ‘blasphemy'
Patrick Warburton's work on "Seinfeld" and "Family Guy" won him a following of fans all over the world, but the actor's devoutly Catholic parents were not among them. The 60-year-old actor played the beloved David Puddy on the '90s sitcom "Seinfeld," and the actor has voiced paraplegic cop Joe Swanson on Seth McFarlane's "Family Guy" since 1999. However, Warburton admitted his parents, John and Barbara Warburton, were not supportive of their son playing either character. During an interview with Fox News Digital, Warburton explained that John and Barbara always had a particularly strong dislike of "Family Guy." "They don't see it as satire. They see it as blasphemy," Warburton said. "So, it was just a conversation that we were never really able to have. We never saw eye to eye on it. But, yeah, they always hated that show." Warburton noted that his parents harbored moral objections to the animated series because they were "very religious." The actor recalled that John was a member of the Catholic monastery, the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani in Bardstown, Kentucky, where his spiritual advisor was Thomas Merton, who Warburton described as "one of the most famous Catholic scholars of our day." John, who died in 2018, spent three months at the monastery and almost became a monk before he decided to pursue a career in medicine. According to Warburton, Barbara shared her husband's strict adherence to their Catholic faith and vehement disapproval of their son's most popular shows. "If Mom could possibly be worse than Dad, she is, yes," Warburton joked. Warburton previously shared that Barbara actively tried to have "Family Guy" taken off the air despite her son's starring role in the series. In an April 2024 interview with People magazine at a PaleyFest event marking the 25th anniversary of "Family Guy," Warburton recalled, "My mother belonged to the American Television Council, and they were trying to get the show canceled." "I was helping support my parents with 'Family Guy' money," he added. "She tried to get me to sign the petition [to cancel the show]. I said, 'Mom, if you don't think I'm going to talk about this publicly, this is the greatest irony. You're laundering money. You're laundering it to yourself.' They hate it more today." Warburton's parents also disapproved of his involvement in "Seinfeld" due to their religious beliefs. During a November 2024 appearance on the "Howie Mandel Does Stuff" podcast, Warburton recalled making his television debut as Jerry's car mechanic Puddy in the 1995 episode of "Seinfeld" titled "The Fusilli Jerry." In the episode, Jerry Seinfeld, who played himself, becomes irked when he discovers Puddy "stole" one of his sex moves to use on Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). After the episode aired, Warburton remembered receiving a "six-page letter from my father about how disappointed he was and the choices I was making." "So, they had an issue with not dealing with the sex act with any sanctity," Warburton explained. "Because as we all know, the sex act is full of sanctity — it's all about procreating and nothing else." Though Puddy was originally only intended to be featured in one episode, he became an instant fan favorite and a recurring character as Elaine's on-and-off boyfriend throughout the show's run until it concluded in 1998. While speaking with Fox News Digital, Warburton recalled that Barbara's religious conviction led to another attempt to interfere with her son's work. "I remember back in the day when we lived in Woodland Hills, my mom and dad came to visit. And we were in the kitchen, and my mom says, 'Are you going to work on Seinfeld today?' And I said, 'I am, as a matter of fact.' And she said, 'I have this dynamic videotape that has converted a lot of my Jewish friends. If I gave it to you, would you give it to Jerry?'" Warburton recalled with a laugh. "So, I just stood there — hang jaw," he continued. "Dad actually piped in and said, 'Barbara, leave well enough alone.' So, at least he still had that common sense about him. Mother never really cared." Warburton explained that his mother didn't easily give up on her goal of converting Seinfeld to Catholicism. "Years later, Jerry was performing [stand-up] in Pensacola, Florida," Warburton recalled. "And mom and dad wanted to go. And I go, 'I'll hook you up.' So, I call up Jerry, get them a couple tickets. So, I talked to my mom after the show, and I go, 'Did you enjoy Jerry? And she goes, 'He was wonderful. I even wrote him a lovely thank-you letter.' "And, at that point, that's when the hair on the back of my neck stood up, and I go, 'You probably didn't just leave a letter, did you, Mom? You probably left a DVD.' And she goes, 'I did,'" Warburton continued. "I go, 'Do you know how disrespectful that is?' And she said, 'I only answer to one person, the Lord above. So, that's how they operate. That's how Mom operates." Warburton told Fox News Digital he brought up his mother's unexpected gift when he later ran into Seinfeld in New York. "We had a laugh, but yeah, I'm sure he didn't watch it," he recalled. "He hasn't converted yet, as far as I know." Though Warburton previously has described himself as a "bad Catholic," the actor told Fox News Digital he has "absolutely" had instances in which he felt uncomfortable with the content in some of his work due to his faith. "Catholic guilt runs deep," he ackowledged. "But I believe that God has a sense of humor."
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
"Gilmore Girls" Turns 25 This Year, So Here Are 25 Facts You Probably Didn't Know About The Show, Straight From The Cast
This past weekend, Gilmore Girls creator and writer Amy Sherman-Palladino reunited with two of the show's stars — Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) and Kelly Bishop (Emily Gilmore) — at PaleyFest and shared all kinds of behind-the-scenes secrets and facts about the beloved show. Not to make you feel ancient or anything, this fall, Gilmore Girls officially turns 25. 25! Can you believe it??? I certainly can't! So, in honor of nearly a quarter century of the show that shaped so many young millennials's lives, here's everything we learned (plus some extra fun facts from over the years): Amy first pitched Gilmore Girls, it wasn't the show she came in to talk about at all. In fact, she'd pitched a different show entirely that she'd put a ton of work into, but they weren't interested. When they asked if she had anything else, she said, "There's a thing about like a mother and daughter and they're more like friends than mother and daughter." Despite her having nothing more than that prepared about the show, they said, "OK, we'll buy that." Amy said after getting out of the meeting, she turned to her manager and said, "I don't know what that show is. I don't have anything more than that, that's all I have." After that, Amy spent a weekend in Connecticut and came up with the details of the show. And thus, Gilmore Girls was born. Gilmore almost wasn't played by Lauren Graham. At the time of casting, she was attached to another show. Gilmore Girls's casting director really wanted Amy to see Lauren for the role, wholeheartedly believing she'd been the perfect fit, but she was staunchly against it, saying, "I don't care, because if I can't have her, I don't want to see her.... I didn't want to fall in love with her.… If I can't have her, I don't want to know that she exists." Eventually, when Amy did see her audition, after the first line, she knew Lauren was her girl. "She walked in, and after her first line, I went, 'God damn it!' ...And that was it." Lauren said that, years later, a studio executive went up to her and said, "We traded you," in reference to how she ended up being able to play the iconic Lorelai Gilmore. Essentially NBC (who was behind the first show she was attached to) wanted a different actor for the role, and so they "traded her," so she could be on Gilmore Girls. you probably remember Melissa McCarthy as the actor behind the role of Sookie, Alex Borstein was actually the original Sookie in the show's unaired pilot. While Gilmore Girls didn't work out for her, she went on to star in another of Amy's shows, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. You can see the two of them perform the same scene here. Alex's then-husband, Jackson Douglas, actually went on to play Sookie's love interest, Jackson. The role was written for him, though he wasn't intended to be a series regular at the time. Weil, who played Paris, had actually auditioned to play Rory, but wasn't the right fit. Amy remembered her from the audition, though, and told ET, "she's unbelievably brilliant – she's like a master comedienne, so I just wrote her in." And so, Paris Geller was born. character of Luke Danes wasn't in the original Gilmore Girls script. He evolved from the character Daisy, who was who Amy originally wrote to run the diner. The WB wanted a male character added to the show, though, and so Daisy became Luke. of big character switch-ups, Amy originally wanted Sookie to be a lesbian, but being that it was the early 2000s, the studios were against it. last four words of the Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life 2016 revival were initally intended to be the final four words of the original show. This was always the plan for Amy, but didn't get to make them happen before she exited the show. Amy and her husband both exited the show after Season 6. was almost a Gilmore Girls spin-off show called Windward Circle. It was set to be in Venice, California and would have been about Jess Mariano's life. The spin-off was reportedly canceled due to the high price of filming on-location in Venice. Kim's character was inspired by a real-life person — Amy's close friend, Helen Pai. Helen was also involved in the show and is credited as a producer. Here's a fun fact: Lane's band name, Hep Alien, is actually an anagram of Helen Pai's name. her memoir, The Third Gilmore Girl, Kelly commented on how Emily Gilmore as a character is so different from her. What drew her to the role, though, was the script and Amy's writing. She described reading it as like she "came home," saying, "I was reading my grandmother. I was reading my mother. I was reading the relationship between me and my mother between Rory and Lorelai. It completely made sense, and it was funny!" Lauren first read the script, she fell in love with it, describing it as feeling like her perfect match — like a boyfriend — but as a role. Pine, Ryan Gosling, and Anna Kendrick all auditioned for supporting roles on the show, though none of them got the part. Ryan auditioned to play a football player, Anna auditioned for a guest spot, and — in his first professional Hollywood audition — Chris Pine auditioned to play someone's boyfriend. Rory Gilmore was Alexis Bledel's first big, professional role (aside from being an uncredited extra in Wes Anderson's Rushmore). She was still a student at NYU at the time, and was auditioning and modeling. Being a bit of a novice in the industry, Alexis grew fairly impatient with the Gilmore casting process, telling Seth Meyers that she had a bit of attitude with them. She noted that she was sick at the time and had kept being called back for auditions over and over again. "I think I went, like, six times. Oddly, I wasn't a very seasoned actor at all. I didn't know the process. I grew a tad bit impatient. I had a little attitude, and our boss really liked that a lot. She was like, 'That's our girl!' I was like, 'Are you guys going to bring me back again?' and she was like, 'I like that, that's perfect.'" Patterson was the only actor who auditioned to play Luke. "'Amy said, 'I don't need to see anyone else. He's 100 percent it,'" casting director Mara Casey told Vanity Fair. "That [had never happened] before. And I credit her for having the vision to know what she wants, and to know what works — and I credit Scott for coming in and just completely inhabiting the character the way we all saw it.' revealed that she got a lot of "weird pushback" from the studio on the show about things like why Rory wasn't having more sex or why Lorelai wasn't being "more of a mom," to which Amy teasingly replied, "Because she's in fucking high school and not everyone blows someone in the bathroom... Because that's not what the show is." is known for her long scripts and quick-witted, fast talking characters, and so, the cast had to make some adjustments to keep up with the pace of the show's dialogue. For Lauren and Scott, that meant quitting smoking. For reference, the scripts were about 80 pages long on average — nearly twice the length of the industry standard. In addition to changes the actors made, the show also had its own dialogue coach — George Bell — who helped the cast with their talking speed and consistency. Fun fact: George also made an on-screen appearance as one of Rory's professors at Yale! Gleason (played by Sean Gunn) was inspired by Amy's father, who was an actor and writer who typically "would get a different hat and different name each week." So, Kirk did the same, taking on just about every odd job you could imagine in Stars Hollow. Kirk also wasn't the first character Sean played on the show. Originally, he was Mick — Lorelai's DSL installer. They did casting for a swan-delivery guy for an upcoming episode, but Amy had really liked Sean, so she invited him back. And, it turns out, the reason he appears as Kirk — a totally different character — is simply because Amy forgot she'd already named him, according to Sean. and Lauren weren't as big of coffee fanatics as Lorelai and Rory were. In fact, Alexis's cup was usually filled with soda, while Lauren's was typically filled with water. to Lauren, there was a quick turnaround time between when an episode's script was done and when they were to shoot. She teasingly noted that this was, in part, to avoid the studio giving their notes on it. Amy would finish the script the night before and it'd be in the cast's hands when they were getting their makeup done the next morning. and Lorelai are often seen eating on the show, from takeout to Friday night dinners to meals at Luke's. Lauren and Alexis actually started off really eating the food on camera, as Alexis told Today that "it really bothers [her] when actors don't eat the food that's in the scene." Though, due to the number of takes they'd have to do and the amount of food, they eventually began using spit buckets rather than swallowing the food to prevent repeat stomach issues. Girls was filmed on a lot in Burbank, California, which was obviously very different temperature-wise from snowy, wintery Connecticut at times. Melissa recounted that "sometimes [they] were, like, crammed into small things with coats on but it was actually like 112 degrees in Burbank," as the show was often set during the autumn or winter months. In fact, when they were doing their first poster for the show, someone passed out from being so bundled up in the heat. set of Stars Hollow has been repurposed and used for several other shows over the years, including Pretty Little Liars and Riverdale. show is, of course, praised for it's plethora of quick-witted pop culture references, but Amy's absolute favorite is a reference she made to pianist, actor, and radio personality Oscar Levant. She joked that the reference "pissed WB off to no end," saying, "I just remember them calling and saying, 'No one is going to know who he is.' And I said, 'There are six gay guys listening to him right now. And I'll have a Justin Timberlake reference on the next page.'" her character, Lauren loved the Friday night dinners on the show — in fact, they were her favorite scenes to film. However, they also took a long time to shoot because of the multiple camera angles, and — unfortunately — she said, "the food was always terrible." finally, in a very Lorelai Gilmore move, Lauren was always there to offer Alexis a helping Being that Alexis was a newbie to filming a TV show, she struggled to hit her marks. So, Lauren is often seen in early episodes of the show wrapping an arm around Alexis or affectionately leading her around to make sure Alexis is standing in the right place to deliver her lines to the camera. Lauren told Today, "I remember a lot of times just kind of grabbing her, just kind of leading her arm. So, in the beginning, people are like, 'You have such great chemistry.' And I'm like, 'I'm mauling her. That's why.'" go rewatch Gilmore Girls again.
Buzz Feed
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
"Gilmore Girls" Turns 25 This Year, So Here Are 25 Facts You Probably Didn't Know About The Show, Straight From The Cast
This past weekend, Gilmore Girls creator and writer Amy Sherman-Palladino reunited with two of the show's stars — Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) and Kelly Bishop (Emily Gilmore) — at PaleyFest and shared all kinds of behind-the-scenes secrets and facts about the beloved show. Not to make you feel ancient or anything, this fall, Gilmore Girls officially turns 25. 25! Can you believe it??? I certainly can't! So, in honor of nearly a quarter century of the show that shaped so many young millennials's lives, here's everything we learned (plus some extra fun facts from over the years): 1. When Amy first pitched Gilmore Girls, it wasn't the show she came in to talk about at all. In fact, she'd pitched a different show entirely that she'd put a ton of work into, but they weren't interested. When they asked if she had anything else, she said, "There's a thing about like a mother and daughter and they're more like friends than mother and daughter." Despite her having nothing more than that prepared about the show, they said, "OK, we'll buy that." Amy said after getting out of the meeting, she turned to her manager and said, "I don't know what that show is. I don't have anything more than that, that's all I have." After that, Amy spent a weekend in Connecticut and came up with the details of the show. And thus, Gilmore Girls was born. 2. Lorelai Gilmore almost wasn't played by Lauren Graham. At the time of casting, she was attached to another show. Gilmore Girls 's casting director really wanted Amy to see Lauren for the role, wholeheartedly believing she'd been the perfect fit, but she was staunchly against it, saying, "I don't care, because if I can't have her, I don't want to see her.... I didn't want to fall in love with her.… If I can't have her, I don't want to know that she exists." Eventually, when Amy did see her audition, after the first line, she knew Lauren was her girl. "She walked in, and after her first line, I went, 'God damn it!' ...And that was it." Lauren said that, years later, a studio executive went up to her and said, "We traded you," in reference to how she ended up being able to play the iconic Lorelai Gilmore. Essentially NBC (who was behind the first show she was attached to) wanted a different actor for the role, and so they "traded her," so she could be on Gilmore Girls. 3. While you probably remember Melissa McCarthy as the actor behind the role of Sookie, Alex Borstein was actually the original Sookie in the show's unaired pilot. While Gilmore Girls didn't work out for her, she went on to star in another of Amy's shows, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Alex's then-husband, Jackson Douglas, actually went on to play Sookie's love interest, Jackson. The role was written for him, though he wasn't intended to be a series regular at the time. 4. Liza Weil, who played Paris, had actually auditioned to play Rory, but wasn't the right fit. Amy remembered her from the audition, though, and told ET,"she's unbelievably brilliant – she's like a master comedienne, so I just wrote her in." And so, Paris Geller was born. 5. The character of Luke Danes wasn't in the original Gilmore Girls script. He evolved from the character Daisy, who was who Amy originally wrote to run the diner. The WB wanted a male character added to the show, though, and so Daisy became Luke. 6. Speaking of big character switch-ups, Amy originally wanted Sookie to be a lesbian, but being that it was the early 2000s, the studios were against it. 7. The last four words of the Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life 2016 revival were initally intended to be the final four words of the original show. This was always the plan for Amy, but didn't get to make them happen before she exited the show. 8. There was almost a Gilmore Girls spin-off show called Windward Circle. It was set to be in Venice, California and would have been about Jess Mariano's life. The spin-off was reportedly canceled due to the high price of filming on-location in Venice. 9. Lane Kim's character was inspired by a real-life person — Amy's close friend, Helen Pai. Helen was also involved in the show and is credited as a producer. Here's a fun fact: Lane's band name, Hep Alien, is actually an anagram of Helen Pai's name. 10. In her memoir, The Third Gilmore Girl, Kelly commented on how Emily Gilmore as a character is so different from her. What drew her to the role, though, was the script and Amy's writing. She described reading it as like she "came home," saying, "I was reading my grandmother. I was reading my mother. I was reading the relationship between me and my mother between Rory and Lorelai. It completely made sense, and it was funny!" 11. When Lauren first read the script, she fell in love with it, describing it as feeling like her perfect match — like a boyfriend — but as a role. 12. Chris Pine, Ryan Gosling, and Anna Kendrick all auditioned for supporting roles on the show, though none of them got the part. Ryan auditioned to play a football player, Anna auditioned for a guest spot, and — in his first professional Hollywood audition — Chris Pine auditioned to play someone's boyfriend. 13. Playing Rory Gilmore was Alexis Bledel's first big, professional role (aside from being an uncredited extra in Wes Anderson's Rushmore). She was still a student at NYU at the time, and was auditioning and modeling. Being a bit of a novice in the industry, Alexis grew fairly impatient with the Gilmore casting process, telling Seth Meyers that she had a bit of attitude with them. She noted that she was sick at the time and had kept being called back for auditions over and over again. "I think I went, like, six times. Oddly, I wasn't a very seasoned actor at all. I didn't know the process. I grew a tad bit impatient. I had a little attitude, and our boss really liked that a lot. She was like, 'That's our girl!' I was like, 'Are you guys going to bring me back again?' and she was like, 'I like that, that's perfect.'" 14. Scott Patterson was the only actor who auditioned to play Luke. "'Amy said, 'I don't need to see anyone else. He's 100 percent it,'" casting director Mara Casey told Vanity Fair."That [had never happened] before. And I credit her for having the vision to know what she wants, and to know what works — and I credit Scott for coming in and just completely inhabiting the character the way we all saw it.' 15. Amy revealed that she got a lot of "weird pushback" from the studio on the show about things like why Rory wasn't having more sex or why Lorelai wasn't being "more of a mom," to which Amy teasingly replied, "Because she's in fucking high school and not everyone blows someone in the bathroom... Because that's not what the show is." 16. Amy is known for her long scripts and quick-witted, fast talking characters, and so, the cast had to make some adjustments to keep up with the pace of the show's dialogue. For Lauren and Scott, that meant quitting smoking. For reference, the scripts were about 80 pages long on average — nearly twice the length of the industry standard. In addition to changes the actors made, the show also had its own dialogue coach — George Bell — who helped the cast with their talking speed and consistency. 17. Kirk Gleason (played by Sean Gunn) was inspired by Amy's father, who was an actor and writer who typically "would get a different hat and different name each week." So, Kirk did the same, taking on just about every odd job you could imagine in Stars Hollow. Kirk also wasn't the first character Sean played on the show. Originally, he was Mick — Lorelai's DSL installer. They did casting for a swan-delivery guy for an upcoming episode, but Amy had really liked Sean, so she invited him back. And, it turns out, the reason he appears as Kirk — a totally different character — is simply because Amy forgot she'd already named him, according to Sean. 18. Alexis and Lauren weren't as big of coffee fanatics as Lorelai and Rory were. In fact, Alexis's cup was usually filled with soda, while Lauren's was typically filled with water. Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions / Warner Bros. Television 19. According to Lauren, there was a quick turnaround time between when an episode's script was done and when they were to shoot. She teasingly noted that this was, in part, to avoid the studio giving their notes on it. Amy would finish the script the night before and it'd be in the cast's hands when they were getting their makeup done the next morning. Scott Humbert / ©The CW /Courtesy Everett Collection 20. Rory and Lorelai are often seen eating on the show, from takeout to Friday night dinners to meals at Luke's. Lauren and Alexis actually started off really eating the food on camera, as Alexis told Today that "it really bothers [her] when actors don't eat the food that's in the scene." Though, due to the number of takes they'd have to do and the amount of food, they eventually began using spit buckets rather than swallowing the food to prevent repeat stomach issues. Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions / Warner Bros. Television 21. Gilmore Girls was filmed on a lot in Burbank, California, which was obviously very different temperature-wise from snowy, wintery Connecticut at times. Melissa recounted that "sometimes [they] were, like, crammed into small things with coats on but it was actually like 112 degrees in Burbank," as the show was often set during the autumn or winter months. In fact, when they were doing their first poster for the show, someone passed out from being so bundled up in the heat. Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions / Warner Bros. Television 22. The set of Stars Hollow has been repurposed and used for several other shows over the years, including Pretty Little Liars and Riverdale. Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions / Warner Bros. Television 23. The show is, of course, praised for it's plethora of quick-witted pop culture references, but Amy's absolute favorite is a reference she made to pianist, actor, and radio personality Oscar Levant. She joked that the reference "pissed WB off to no end," saying, "I just remember them calling and saying, 'No one is going to know who he is.' And I said, 'There are six gay guys listening to him right now. And I'll have a Justin Timberlake reference on the next page.'" The WB / @gilmoregirlsrevival2016 / Tumblr / Via 24. Unlike her character, Lauren loved the Friday night dinners on the show — in fact, they were her favorite scenes to film. However, they also took a long time to shoot because of the multiple camera angles, and — unfortunately — she said, "the food was always terrible." Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions / Warner Bros. Television 25. And finally, in a very Lorelai Gilmore move, Lauren was always there to offer Alexis a helping Being that Alexis was a newbie to filming a TV show, she struggled to hit her marks. So, Lauren is often seen in early episodes of the show wrapping an arm around Alexis or affectionately leading her around to make sure Alexis is standing in the right place to deliver her lines to the camera. Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions / Warner Bros. Television Lauren told Today, "I remember a lot of times just kind of grabbing her, just kind of leading her arm. So, in the beginning, people are like, 'You have such great chemistry.' And I'm like, 'I'm mauling her. That's why.'" Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions / Warner Bros. Television go rewatch Gilmore Girls again.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Elisabeth Moss confirms birth of first child
Elisabeth Moss has confirmed she's a mom, over a year after announcing she was expecting her first child. While appearing on a panel this week during PaleyFest in Los Angeles, the 42-year-old actor reflected on bringing her baby to the set while filming the upcoming final season of Hulu's 'Handmaid's Tale.' 'The only thing I would say about that is I feel so fortunate to be able to do that. … So many parents cannot,' Moss said. 'Any of us who had the privilege of being able to bring our kids or see our kids at work, we would every single time be like, 'Aren't we lucky to get to do that?'' Moss' remarks came nearly 14 months after she revealed on an episode of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' that she was pregnant with her first child. It's unclear when she gave birth, the sex of her baby or who the child's father is. The 'Mad Men' alum was previously married to Fred Armisen from October 2009 until they split the following June. She officially filed for divorce in October 2010. At the time of the filing, sources told Us Weekly the breakup was due in part to Moss' ties to the Church of Scientology. _______
Miami Herald
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Jackson State Alum brings HBCU band culture to Apple TV+
Apple TV+'s Severance wrapped up its Season 2 finale with an unforgettable tribute to HBCU marching band culture. Jackson State University alumnus Tramell Tillman ('08) delivered a performance that had viewers buzzing and comparing the moment to Beyoncé's HBCU-inspired Coachella performance. "I graduated from Jackson State University, and their band is the Sonic Boom of The South, the best marching band in the entire world," Tillman told TV Guide. "This is an opportunity to highlight my culture, to highlight the significance of HBCUs - the marching bands, the showmanship, the pageantry, the discipline, the excellence, the Black joy." Tillman's passion for authenticity was evident in his dedication to making the scene as true to HBCU culture as possible. "I'm a perfectionist. I kind of grind, because I want to get it pristine," he said during Severance's PaleyFest panel in Los Angeles. "I picked up on it very, very quickly." The inspiration came from years of watching bands like Jackson State University's Sonic Boom of The South, Bethune-Cookman, and Florida A&M. "I was in the marching band in high school. It is different from HBCU. But because I went to Jackson State University, I had the Sonic Boom of the South. Spent so much time watching them. I had to go back and look at the tapes," Tillman told Us Weekly. "I was watching Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M to get inspiration, and I hope I did them justice." Tillman's journey to Jackson State University began after transferring from Xavier University of Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. He switched his major to mass communication and graduated summa cum laude in 2008. His time at JSU, surrounded by the excellence of the Sonic Boom of the South, became the foundation for the sequence featured in Severance's finale. "These are stories that I dealt with myself being in corporate America or just being Black. So I wanted to bring credence to it and be very cautious of how we did it. It was a risk, and I'm glad that we had the license to be free and explore and let it be authentic," he told Us Weekly. The performance was more than a scene; it was a declaration of HBCU culture's excellence. As Tillman continues his acting journey. He remains committed to uplifting his roots and honoring the legacy of institutions like Jackson State University. The post Jackson State Alum brings HBCU band culture to Apple TV+ appeared first on HBCU Gameday. Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
