JO TIVOS TRU BLOOD

The lovely Alona Tal ~ our late Jo Harvelle ~ sits down with SupportSPN to answer a couple of questions about herself and Jo's character :

SupportSPN (SSN) : Please tell us a little about filming "Abandon All Hope." How did it compare to the other five Supernatural episodes you've been in?
Alona: Filming "Abandon All Hope" was really memorable! It was a really special episode for me, both 'cause I got to celebrate my birthday with everyone and also I got to celebrate it while shooting my dying scenes. Kind of weird but so exciting at the same time (they’ll agree) and being back after so long to kick some ass is always fun. ~ this episode made me ball my freakin eyes out ~

The crew was also said to have done something really sweet for the ladies' last day on set, according to Samantha Ferris

SSN: How did you feel about the way Jo and Ellen went out in "Abandon All Hope"?
Alona: I always felt that if Jo were to die it should be doing something worthy. And so I was happy. I mean, I wasn’t happy about dying but I found it to be a challenge as an actress not to mention that in all actuality, its my job. To do what the writers and producers believe to be the best thing for the show, and do it to the best of my abilities. I was happy with the result and from what I saw and heard so were the fans. So I'm happy.

SSN: What skills did you learn from being on the Supernatural set that you didn't have before?
Alona: How to “pretend fight” a guy that’s 6’4 and weighs three times what I weigh. No, just kidding. I learned a lot about a whole lot of different things. One was how to fire a leaver action shot gun. I have experience with fire arms but not with many shot guns and this one was very different. I liked it. Also I had a short encounter with a knife. Had to learn how to mess with it and look cool and all. That was tough. Cause its such a skill. You really can't pick it up in one week. Those are just a few among many skills I have learned from being on the show.

SSN: We had a fan in Australia ask: How do you do a great scream on-screen? I love acting but have never been able to scream appropriately.
Alona: THAT’S SO FUNNY!!!! I could not scream! It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Simply because Alona does not scream. I say bad words very loudly. And so I would be the worst person to ask about on screen screaming. I try to avoid them at all costs.

SSN: Do you think Supernatural should have more female influences on the show? What impact on women do you hope Jo had?
Alona: Of course I think they should have more female influences. And have them be good and not evil and demony and all that ~ LMAO preach sista! ~ Its only real to have women be around that are just like the boys. But that’s just me. As for the second part of the question- oh I don’t know. All I know is I tried to make her strong but with a whole lot of vulnerable sides. Like a real woman would be. Sometimes pretending to be tougher and less sensitive than she is but ultimately always an emotional creature. Like I believe women are. Connected to our emotions more than men. And I wanted to show how great it is to have both of those sides and how you can BE all those things. And grow as a woman and learn form tough things that happen to you. Wow, that was sort of deeper than I had intended.

SSN: What was the most rewarding part of being on Supernatural?
Alona: Meeting every single person I got meet thanks to being a part of that world. I learned so much.

SSN: Can you compare and contrast acting in Israel and acting in the U.S. and Canada?
Alona: I believe good acting is good acting where ever you are in the world. There are some universal truths that translate to every society. The only main differences are in some mannerisms and social habits that each society has that you can only know about after spending some time in each place.

SSN: You seem very grounded. How do you deal with the ups and downs of being an actress?
Alona: I have an amazing support system to come home too. And that’s really it.

SSN: What television shows do you watch religiously?
Alona: I love “Greys anatomy”, and I'm kind of addicted to "True Blood", but who isn’t? ~ gurl has great taste in shows! ~

SSN: What, if any, television shows would you like to be a guest star?
Alona: "True Blood" and "Greys Anatomy".

SSN: Who inspires you? Have you ever had the chance to work with or meet him/her?
Alona: There are two women I truly love and admire in this industry- Meryl streep and Natalie Portman. Meryl can just do no wrong in my book and to work with her would be a dream. And Natalie, I haven’t had the chance to work with or meet but I'm hoping that since we are both Israeli that maybe that would change sometime.

SSN: Which TV/movie character you would like to bring to life (if you could) and why?
Alona: Beatlejuice. Just cause it amuses me. ~ BEATLEJUICE WAS THE SHIZ :D ~

SSN: How did you get involved in the narration of "Blessed is the Match"? What was the experience like for you and what did you take away from it?
Alona: I was actually supposed to be a temporary voice for the film and I'm not really sure how they got to me seeing as I had never done any voice work prior to that film. But after a while I was asked to stay and finish the narration for Hannah. I was so honored seeing as she is such an iconic woman in Israeli history. And also because the people who made this movie are people I respect and admire. I also found her (Hannah) to be a beautiful soul and to be able to breath life into the words she wrote whether to her family or just to herself in her poems was unforgettable. If I could play her in a movie that would really be a mind blowing experience for me. I can only wish for a chance to do that.

SSN: IMDB says that you have a few new projects in the works. Could you tell us a bit about Kalamity, Undocumented and Night of the Living Dead: Origins?
Alona: All I have to say is just wait and see. They are all worth the wait. All three movies are different and excellent. I have not seen any of them finished and I'm not sure how much I can reveal.

SSN: Do you have any pets and if so what kinds and what are their names?
Alona: I have two blue nose pit bulls. A girl and her name is Chochi and a boy and his name is Pork.

SSN: How did you find your pet (pet store, rescue, breeder)
Alona: They were both rescues. There are too many dogs that need me to save them so I couldn’t go and buy one.

SSN: Do you have any personal experience with any animal rescue organizations? If so please share a story.
Alona: I don’t have any stories. All I can tell you is that if I could save a dog from each foundation on the planet – I would. But one can dream.

ORIGINAL SSN INTERVIEW

Jo was never really one of the many female characters on Supernatural that I loved.

But I gotta say, "Abandon All Hope" was the episode that made me like her. We could see that Jo really grew up into a fierce woman there! Alona did a great job of showing that :)

But yeah, OF COURSE WHEN I START TO LIKE HER SHE DIES. Thanks, Kripke.

THIS SHOW NEEDS MORE FIERCE BTCHES DAMMIT!

but the bros DNW no Lame!Ruby sorts, mmkay?

make it up to me by making Death a female, yes?,

Super and Natural **MissTee

LEGOLAND ROCKS THE PROPHET

In celebration of the end of hellatus, SupportSupernatural got an interview gig with none other than the cute neurotic prophet Chuck, in real life known as Rob Benedict!

Stroll along to see what this actor/musico tells :

SupportSupernatural (SSN) : Do you know anyone like “Becky” in your real life?
Rob: Ha! No, not really. I’ve met a few at the conventions that come close, but…No but really, is there anyone quite like Becky?

SSN: Other than the episodes you’ve been in, what are some of your favorite Supernatural episodes?
Rob: I loved the one early this year with the Trickster and the different TV show genres ~ CHANGING CHANNELS WOOT! :D ~ I thought that was genius.

SSN: If you found out you were a prophet, what would be the first thing you would do? Also, do you know if Chuck will go back to any his older books to see if he's missed something that could potentially help the boys deal with the Apocalypse?
Rob: I don’t know for sure if he’ll dive back into the books for answers. But it seems like a good possibility, doesn’t it? If I found out I was a prophet, I’d probably see if I can find out when and how I die. You know, so I can be ready.

SSN: Tell us about the scene where Chuck hits Sam on the head with a plunger. Was it quick to film or were you guys laughing a lot?
Rob: We laughed quite a bit. I think I really got him one of the times. It was a tough shot cause you want it to look like I really bop him, all about timing…and editing! I think it came out well.

SSN: How long have you been playing music and singing?
Rob: I’ve been playing music in some way or other since I was like 10 or so. My buddy and I used to make pretend music videos. At first we were adlibbing Def Leppard. And then we were writing our own stuff. The first song I wrote I still have some where—it was called “Under the Willow Tree”. Ha ha ha. I played guitar and sang and my buddy played keyboards. And we rocked the drum machine ~ LOL drummer-less bandd ~

SSN: How did you originally become interested in music?
Rob: I’m the youngest of four—and they all used to sit me in front of the record player and listen to old R&B and rock albums. Yes folks, albums. That and the “Def Leppard” mention—I’ve really dated myself.

SSN: On your website, your live shows are described as “emotional, heartfelt, and often amusing.” We’re so intrigued now! Tell us more about what to expect from a Louden Swain show!
Rob: We've got a lot of pent up energy. So our shows are never without some good leaping off of amps, that sort of thing. We get into it. Laughter, tears, you name it. I tend to be brutally honest on the mic. My own sort of brand of comedy eeks its way out between songs.

SSN: Out of all of your songs, what one means the most to you and why?
Rob: These are great questions. There are a lot that mean a great deal to me. Each one has its own personality. But there are some songs, when I sing them, that still really affect me because I can remember how I was feeling when I wrote the lyric. Holiday off the new album is like that. And personally I love rocking out to Kind of Guy. It’s personal to me and I just like the way the band sounds on that song.

SSN: Are you and the band working on another album?
Rob: We’re still sort of supporting this last one. But we’ve definitely got a handful of new songs in the bank. When the bank gets full, we usually bust out another one. We actually have a new song we’re really excited about that is going to be in a movie called "A Little Help" that I just competed with (The Office’s) Jenna Fischer. Excited for you guys to hear that.

SSN: Would you consider bringing the band to a Supernatural convention?
Rob: We’d love to. There’s talk of getting us to the LA and New Jersey conventions. Tell them you want us there and we’ll be there!! ~ OMG i will be so jelz of ppl going to those cons now ~

SSN: As we start 2010, tell us your favorite memory from 2009.
Rob: Besides my family trip to Legoland which rocked the house, I’d say going to England for the first time was a real treat.

SSN: You have had some really great roles over the years. What actors were the best to work with and why do they stand out to you?
Rob: Wow, some of the best actors I’ve ever worked with were in the theater. I know that’s not a flashy answer, but it is so true. That’s where you meet the people that are really DOING it. And every once in a while you get to act along side someone truly gifted like that, and every moment is a learning experience. It’s fun to get to work next to some awesome actors when I get to play guest stars. Hugh Laurie was pretty amazing to watch. Tony Shaloub in Monk was great. I just worked with an actor named Ron Leibman who is the real deal.

SSN: In addition to music and acting, what other passions do you have?
Rob: Macrome. No. Kidding. My kids. They get the rest of me! ~AAAWWW :) ~

SSN: What is your favorite way to spend a day off?
Rob: Sit down on the couch in my office, light candles, open the doors, put on some moody music and read, write, play guitar…I could do that for hours.

SSN: Out of all the roles you have played, what character is most similar to you, Rob?
Rob: This movie I just shot with Jenna Fischer called "A Little Help." It’s one of the coolest roles I’ve had, and something about that guy struck very close to home. You should get to see that later this year. Besides that the character I played in "Threshold" was very similar to me. The part of me that liked to school it up.

SSN: Do you have any pets and if so what kinds and what are their names?
Rob: Bingo! He’s our dog. He’s about 8. We got him as a rescue when he was about one. He’s very cool. And we have about 10 Koi fish.

SSN: How did you find your pet (pet store, rescue, breeder)?
Rob: Yeah, Bingo was rescue. A neighbor took him out of a shelter a day before he was to be euthanized because of an overcrowded shelter. The guy called me and we took him! So glad we did.

SSN: Do you have any personal experience with any animal rescue organizations? If so please share a story.
Rob: A good friend of mine volunteers at one and she has amazing stories. They just rescued an injured coyote that was prowling their neighborhood. That was quite cool.

ORIGINAL INTERVIEW HERE

adorable!Prophet is adorable !

Rob sounds like such a sweetheart! I've only heard the one xmas song his band sang for LULZ though. I think I need to checkout more Louden Swain.

would be great to have Chuck's-I mean, Rob's band at a con,

Super and Natural **MissTee

A VERY SUPERNATURAL CAUSE !

If you love pet animals like cute furry dogs then this is a chance to show your compassion~!

SupportSupernatural's annual fundraising has already been open to take in participation.

They have now partnered up with Instead of a Gift.org for their 2010 Fundraising Drive for A Dog's Life Rescue with our bb Jared Padalecki officially endorsing!

The donations made there will be used for important care purposes such as :

- Vaccination ($20/animal)

- Microchips in case of animal lose ($20/animal)

- Animal bail from city/county shelter ($48)

- Spay/neuter ($95/animal)

- Six week obedience class ($125)

- One month of boarding ($450)

The price to pay for the well-beings of these animals may seem high, but the end result is priceless.

And this organization is a VOLUNTEER organization, so all profits go to the cause.

We will even get to have a chance to win some interesting prizes for every donation that we make that is $10 or more! Prize pack for every month is different so visit SupportSPN monthly to see new prizes. SEE THIS MONTH'S PRIZE

Their goal this year is to raise a hefty sum of $30,000

The amount they have reached so far : $290

But I'm very positive that if even just a half of this fandom chips in whenever we can and as much as we can, they will surely be able to get this done!

Heck, have you seen our Haiti minion aid? ;)

DONATE TO SUPPORT SPN'S 2010 A DOG'S LIFE RESCUE FUNDRAISE

show that our fandom is crazy - crazily generous,

Super and Natural **MissTee