lifestyle THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 Music & Movies New docu-series tells real life stories of ‘Women in Prison’ here’s been plenty of hype about the return of “Orange Is connect to the story. “They will be able to go on that journey the New Black” this week, but there’s another TV series with them and really empathize,” Lacey said. “It is a lot easier Tabout women behind bars that is vying for viewers’ for them to relate to the women because you can see them in attention as well. “Women in Prison,” also premiering this that former life before they came to prison.” Lacey has worked week, is Investigation Discovery’s latest docu-series and focus- on other prison documentaries series such as “Locked up es on the real-life stories of six women serving time in a maxi- Abroad” on National Geographic, but said working within a mum-security state prison in Indiana. lt does feature actors women’s prison is different because of the nurturing and wel- dramatizing the offenses the women committed, and, much coming feeling she gets from prisoners. She also noted the like the award-winning Netflix series, paints a multidimension- inmates’ resourcefulness: They created their own make-up, al portrait of the inmates by focusing on their humanity more fancy ramen noodle dishes and even egg rolls prepared with than their crimes. popcorn bags. Alicia Brown, one of the women featured in “Women in Lacey said for her and her small screw, “the experience Prison,” hopes that fans of “Orange Is the New Black” might be opened our eyes to the many talented women sitting in pris- drawn to this series, which debuts on Thursday. “I think it will ons across America for sentences that are very long.” Brown, be great to attract the fans just because they have gotten to once a soccer mom and wife, said a lot of her assumptions see a made-up version or a highly publicized version, so now about prison were wrong. Many of the viewers will find the they are kind of getting to get a glimpse into the real-life ver- same. “There are a lot of me. I am a normal here. Many women sion,” she said. get wrapped up in things they never thought they would” The show doesn’t reveal what each woman did until near Brown said. — AP the end of the episode. In Brown’s case, an addiction to pre- scription pills led her down a criminal path, which she described as a shameful experience. She said her and other prisoners “not only have to deal with what we have done, we have to deal with what we have done to our families.” “My whole reason in doing this is to help other women who are out there, who haven’t come to prison,” Brown, who is serving In this undated image released a 10-year sentence. “They haven’t had this happen yet. I am by Investigation Disovery, hoping to stop them from doing what I have done.” inmates appear at a talent Executive producer Alexandra Lacey said using actors to show at a women’s prison in recreate scenes from the prisoners’ past helps the audience Indiana. — AP German big band legend James Last dies at 86 erman composer and big band leader James Last, wrote music history. James Last was the most successful during a career spanning five decades after clinching his whose trademark easy listening music brought him German band leader of all time,” it said in a written state- first record deal in 1964, according to his website. He gave a Ginternational success, has died aged 86, his Berlin- ment. A public memorial is planned in the northern port farewell tour, “Non-Stop Music”, which ended in April in based promoters said yesterday. One of the most popular city of Hamburg for his fans, the statement added. Last, who Cologne. — AFP band leaders of the post-war period, Last died on Tuesday was born Hans Last in the northern city of Bremen in 1929, in Florida in the United States after a short illness and his was known for his “happy music”, arranging pop hits in a big Picture taken on April 15, 2009 in Bremen, north- family was with him at the time, Semmel Concerts said. “The band style, as well as for his party albums. His music sold in western Germany, shows Bremen-born German distinguished and prominent artist lived for music and the millions and he performed about 2,500 live concerts composer and big band leader James Last.—AFP Actors on actors: Hollywood’s A-list finds meaty roles on television osh Gad has taken Broadway by storm in “The opportunities. What’s behind the shift? Leaving ing on broadcast, particularly for women. Three- Book of Mormon,” headlined the hit film “The aside the troubles plaguing the film business, the time Emmy winner Julianna Margulies continues to JWedding Ringer” and voiced one of the most influx of new outlets hungry for content-from cable shine on CBS hit “The Good Wife,” while Kerry beloved animated characters of all time as Olaf the channels to digital studios like Amazon, Netflix, Washington fearlessly paces her topnotch cast on snowman in “Frozen.” So what prompted him to Hulu and Yahoo-has established a virtual play- ABC’s “Scandal.” Also on the Alphabet, Davis-who accept the role opposite Billy Crystal in the FX com- ground for creatives. Writers can experiment with headlines one of this season’s hottest new shows- edy “The Comedians?” “The paycheck, obviously,” edgier fare-and it’s not just about nudity and lan- said she finds joy in seeing a character described he dead-panned. Attending Variety’s first Actors on guage. Take “Transparent.” with adjectives like “sexy,” “messy,” “mysterious,” Actors Emmy Studio, Gad said, “It really is the It wouldn’t be a good fit for network television, “smart.” Such roles aren’t usually given, she says, “to Golden Age of TV right now, especially on cable.” where there are necessary act breaks and a certain a woman like me, of my size, of my hue, of my age.” That theme would be echoed again and again by narrative pace expected of ahalf-hour series. But it And then there’s “Empire”-Fox’s brashy, smashy all the A-list talent who visited our studio over the has flourished on Amazon. Innovative program- hit. Henson couldn’t believe it wasn’t on HBO. But course over a weekend in March, including two- mers are now willing to embrace shorter seasons, the network embraced the risk, and rode the wave time Academy Award winners Jessica Lange (FX’s which means actors best known for work on the to the success story of the season. So what draws “American Horror Story”) and Jane Fonda, who’s bigscreen-like Michael Sheen (Showtime’s “Masters actors to choose their roles? It’s all about the mate- tackling her first gig as a TV regular in Netflix’s of Sex”) and Jamie Dornan (Netflix/BBC’s “The Fall”) rial. As the saying goes, “If it’s not on the page, it’s English musician Paul Weller poses for photographs at Parlophone Records in central “Grace and Frankie.” — no longer have to hesitate about the time com- not on the stage.” Owen admitted he wasn’t look- London. — A P As we paired up TV’s top stars for conversations mitment of a series. ing to do TV, but couldn’t put down the script for about their craft-Oscar nominees Viola Davis (ABC’s “The Knick.” It was Fonda who summed up every “How to Get Away With Murder”), Taraji P Henson Rode the wave actor’s desire perfectly: “We all want to go where (Fox’s “Empire”), Clive Owen (Cinemax’s “The And any stigma of doing television, once a con- the good writing is.” And these days, it’s on televi- Paul Weller heads across the Knick”) and Maggie Gyllenhaal (Sundance/BBC’s cern for movie stars, has completely evaporated. sion. — Reuters “The Honorable Woman”), to name a few-they all One of film’s biggest draws, James Franco, has described the irresistible draw of television. The inked a deal with Hulu for the nine-episode series universe on ‘Saturns Pattern’ pendulum has swung, and the medium long “11/22/63,” produced by JJ Abrams. Which is not to shunned as second-rate now offers tremendous say there isn’t powerhouse entertainment happen- rom teenage rock star to “The Modfather,” AP: Was it always all about music, for you? Paul Weller has been a sound and style Weller:“Always. My mum took me to see an Elvis Ficon to fans for more than 30 years. But his film when I was about 2. I had a little plastic gui- own philosophy is: Don’t look back. “There’s no tar and she always used to tell me the story that I future in nostalgia,” says Weller, looking razor- stood up in the aisles and was singing along to sharp from his artfully cut gray hair to his tan the film. I tend to think that was a sign that I was desert boots. Since he left post-punk power trio supposed to do this.” The Jam at the height of the band’s fame in 1982, Weller has ventured through soul and jazz, AP: You are a big fan of The Beatles. Do you with The Style Council, and 50 shades of rock on still get inspiration from them? his dozen solo albums.