Feltbeats.com interviews Executive Producer and director of new TV show featuring Tom Felton, “Celebrity Adrenaline Junkie” (Part I)


Photo taken in South Africa while shooting “Celebrity Adrenaline Junkie.” From left to right: Executive Producer and director Craig Pickles, Tom Felton, Jack Osbourne, fellow Celebrity Junkie and model/actress Gemma Atkinson. (Photo courtesy of Craig Pickles)

Feltbeats.com was lucky enough to sit down (electronically) with Craig Pickles, Executive Producer and director of “Jack Osborne: Celebrity Adrenaline Junkie,” a new reality show where Jack Osborne gets a group of celebrities (including Tom Felton) to perform crazy, dangerous stunts. NOTE: Don’t worry, the show has already been filmed, and Tom survived in one piece. 🙂

“Jack Osbourne: Celebrity Adrenaline Junkie” is ITV2 on Wednesdays at 9pm. Tom’s episode will be the last one shown, at the end of November.

Today we will post the first half of our interview, and on Friday we will post the rest – including answers to such burning questions as – What good luck charm did Tom take with him on his stunts?

Feltbeats.com: Please tell us a little more about your company, Ginger Productions, and what other TV shows have you worked on?

Craig Pickles: Ginger Productions have produced the previous three seasons of Adrenaline Junkie, this year the company has also produced: ‘Shooting Britney,’ a fly on the wall documentary about Britney Spears; ‘Take Me To The Edge,’ an eight part round the world adventure series focusing on tribal rights of passage; and a cinema advertisement for the outdoor clothing company, Berghaus.

FB: Tell us about meeting Tom Felton for the first time. Were you excited to meet him?

CP: Tom was open, genuine and really exited to take part in the show. Enthusiasm is something we always look for and Tom had it in spades. My girlfriend in particular was very exited to meet him!


Screenshot taken from introductory clip of ITV 2’s “Celebrity Adrenaline Junkie,” right before Tom’s 700-ft bungee jump.

FB: Please describe for us the various locations to which you traveled with Tom Felton during the course of filming. Which stunts did Tom participate in?

CP: During our time in South Africa, Tom came face to face with a 700ft bungee from a bridge, a 20ft great white shark, a very exited ostrich, a stunt glider (which Tom had a go at flying) and a skydive out of an ex-U.S. military helicopter. Despite being scared of the bungee jump he showed real grit and threw himself into the challenge. Likewise, he conquered his fear time and again on the other challenges. He was a real trooper!

Feltbeats.com would like to thank Craig Pickles for his brilliant enthusiasm and helpfulness! We appreciate it, Craig!

Check back on Friday for the second half of our interview.

New review of Tom Felton in “The Disappeared”

Jason over at the “Jason Watches Movies” blog has been attending the “Dead Channels” horror film festival in San Francisco, and was lucky enough to catch the screening of “The Disappeared” with Tom Felton.

Jason wrote a glowing review of the film, and in addition has furnished Feltbeats.com with some additional information on Tom Felton’s role.

Here is an excerpt from Jason’s review:

What could’ve become a fairly standard ghost story is lifted by some great performances–including Matthew’s friend Simon, played by the unrecognizable Tom Felton (in his first role not as Harry Potter’s enemy Dracoy Malfoy). Also by the intelligence, creepy style, pacing, and reserve of it all. In other words, it succeeds because it is just so very, very British. Or at least, that’s the take from this stupid Yank.

Click here to read the review in its entirety.

In addition, Jason very graciously answered a few questions from Feltbeats.com:

Feltbeats.com: In your blog you commented on the fact that Tom was unrecognizeable – did you know who it was before the film or did you have to look it up afterwards?

Jason: First, to let you know where I’m coming from, I didn’t know Tom was in the movie before I came to see it. However, the festival programmer mentioned it before the screening. I don’t know if I would have recognized him without it. His light blond hair is gone, and in fact his hair is cut so short he nearly looks like a skinhead (maybe one who has just quit being a skinhead and started growing his hair back).

FB: Tell us about Tom’s role. Are there any particular lines that are funny or that stand out?

Jason: He doesn’t have a whole lot of screen time. He plays the best friend, but the star is definitely Harry Treadaway as Matthew Ryan. There weren’t really any funny lines, this is a very serious drama. And there’s really no lines in particular that stand out, since it’s a very quiet, reserved movie. But restrained acting can be much harder, and Tom (and everyone in the film) does a great job of it.

FB: Tell us about some of the more remarkable scenes involving Tom.

Jason: As for remarkable scenes with Tom, I have to give you some spoilers to describe that. So if you don’t want spoilers, stop reading now.

[Note from Feltbeats.com – much of the following description has been detailed on our site already, by other reviews or movie summaries. However, we’re deleting a few parts which are spoilers and which the director has asked us not to reveal.]

Tom (as Simon, and I’ll refer to him by his character’s name in describing his scenes) is instrumental first in encouraging Matthew to pursue communication with his dead brother, mentioning phenomena of dead voices caught on tape. Later, Simon’s own sister is kidnapped, leading to a violent, emotional confrontation between the two (Simon stops humoring Matthew’s insanity when his own sister is in danger). [Spoilers are edited.]

Hmm…so I started by saying Tom Felton didn’t have much screen time, and when I went through the main scenes with him, it seems like he’s instrumental in moving the story forward in just about every step.

Feltbeats.com would like to thank Jason for his time and his wonderful review! Check out his blog here!

Matthew Lewis talks hair and Tom Felton!

Lainey’s garden from Matt Lewis Daily met Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) at the recent Collectormania 14 in Milton Keynes, England, this past weekend and has the down low on the actor’s new buzz cut, along with scoop on Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy)’s hair!

Quote:
He told me he shaved his hair off as soon as he had an ok from the Potter bosses that no re-shoots were needed ’cause it was driving him mad. And Tom has kept his Draco hair ’cause he’s kinda got used to it now Matt was at Tom’s 21st birthday party last week.

Thanks to snitchseeker for the news!

www.snitchseeker.com