Nice Boy of the Week: Matt Long

Matt Long has the honor of being the first Nice Boy of 2010! Matt is going to be appearing in an upcoming new series on ABC, The Deep End. This show looks like it could be a lot of fun and I hope it does well, because it’s good to see Matt back on our TV screens.

Matt’s previous television series, Jack & Bobby, ended five years ago (although you can still watch episodes on theWB.com), but he’s kept busy, appearing in Ghost Rider as the young Johnny Blaze, and playing Tyler Prince in Sydney White, a film based on the Snow White story and starring Amanda Bynes.

Catch Matt in The Deep End, premiering January 21, on ABC.

Nice Boy of the Week: Joseph Fiennes

In light of the breaking news that ABC has picked up a full season of Flash Forward, we thought we would celebrate by adding Joseph Fiennes to our Nice Boys list. Fiennes plays Special Agent Mark Benford, devoted father and husband, working for the Los Angeles Field Office of the FBI.

No stranger to stage and screen, Fiennes burst on the scene in the Academy Award winning film, Shakespeare In Love. He garnered a Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Actor and a SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast for his role in the movie as young William Shakespeare. Another period piece, Elizabeth, earned Fiennes the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Breakthrough Artist for his role as Sir Robert Dudley. With his classic good looks, he’s a natural in films of that era.

And why not? Fiennes began his career on the stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company, playing the lead roles in works such as Troilus And Cressida, The Herbal Bed, Les Enfants du Paradis, As You Like It (be still my heart!) and Dennis Potter’s Son Of Man, as Jesus (not difficult to envision). His stage credits are extensive as are his film credits, which include Goodbye Bafana, The Darwin Awards, Running with Scissors, The Escapist and The Merchant of Venice, starring opposite Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons.

Born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, Joseph attended art school in Suffolk for a year before joining the Young Vic Youth Theatre. He subsequently trained for three years at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1993. Chosen as one of the 50 most sexiest stars by People-magazine in 1999, Joseph Fiennes has certainly earned his place on our Nice Boys Wall of Fame.

Nice Boy of the Week: Paul Gross

When I saw the screening of the Eastwick pilot at Comic Con, I knew we would be in for a treat. But when Canadian actor, Paul Gross, appeared on the screen as Darryl Van Horne, I knew I had found my new TV boyfriend. Then I got to talk with him in the press room and I immediately wrote in my notebook, in big, fat capitol letter, NICE BOY. It was kismet. He was funny, he was sweet, he was humble, he was gushing over his leading ladies from the show, he’s dark-haired and blue-eyed; I was enchanted.

Most people knew Paul from his role on Due South, as Constable Benton Fraser. In fact he won two Gemini Awards for Best Actor and one for his writing on the series. Paul has won numerous awards for his acting and writing skills, and his list of film and television credits is extensive. They include television movies such as Murder Most Likely, Getting Married in Buffalo Jump, Buried on Sunday, the miniseries Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City and Chasing Rainbows, and feature films, such as “Wilby Wonderful,” “Aspen Extreme,” “Cold Comfort,” “Paint Cans,” “Whale Music” and “Married to It.”

Paul is the honorary chair of the National Screen Institute and a spokesperson for Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children. He recently received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award.

He’s charming, he’s handsome (did I mention his blue eyes?), he’s this week’s choice for our Nice Boys Wall of Fame.

Getting to Know Nathan Fillion

Would you like to know a bit more about Nathan Fillion than he Tweets? USA Today’s PopCandy got the chance to chat with him over lunch, recently. It’s a two-part interview with the second part made up of fan’s questions.

Believe everything you’ve heard about Nathan Fillion.

He’s incredibly kind, funny, talented and good-looking. He’s also quite easygoing when it comes to picking a restaurant and eager to show you photos of his cat, Spartacus.

I met Nathan for lunch on Saturday. He’s in town promoting the second season of ABC’s Castle, which premieres tonight at 10 ET. After ordering some coffee and pierogies at East Village diner Veselka, we chatted about the show, Joss Whedon, video games, Dr. Horrible — actually, we talked so much that I’m splitting this interview into two parts. (Continue reading.)

Here is the link to part 2.

Sneak Peek: “Eastwick”, What Do You Wish For?

This week is the premiere of the ABC series Eastwick, starring Rebecca Romijn, Lindsay Price, Jamie Ray Newman and Paul Gross. Here is the official synopsis:

Have you ever discovered a wealth of inner power that you never knew you had, and it could change the world as you knew it if unleashed? Yeah, neither have we. Eastwick, based on John Updike’s best-selling novel and the popular movie, offers that ultimate wish-fulfillment fantasy.

Joanna (Lindsay Price)—the overly shy local reporter, Kat (Jamie Ray Newman)—the swamped wife and mom, and Roxie (Rebecca Romijn)—the eccentric artist are three very different women living in the New England hamlet of Eastwick. Because of catty gossip and preconceived judgments, they didn’t really like each other that much. But after a bizarre encounter at the local park and one too many martinis, this trio not only become BFFs but begin discovering some bewitching talents they never knew they had.

But these three fast friends aren’t just drawing each other closer…

Something wicked is coming their way, and his name is Daryl Van Horne (Paul Gross)—an irresistible combination of wealth, charisma and bad boy sex appeal that turns the town upside-down. The closer these ladies are drawn into Daryl’s wicked web, the more of their unique powers he unleashes—which we can only imagine will spell trouble with a capital T.

As these enchanting women grow into their newfound talents, Eastwick will never be the same. And while that might be ill-fated for a few locals, it’s still the best thing to happen to this small seaside community in centuries.

As I mentioned back in August, this show was well received by the audience at Comic Con, and I feel sure that it will be a hit with you as well. Tune in this Wednesday night, Sept. 23rd, at 10/9 central, for the premiere of this delightful new ABC series. What do I wish for? Paul Gross on a silver platter, thank you very much.