Support for LAist comes from
Become a sponsor
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Donate
Stay Connected

LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network.

Listen
Donate
Podcasts The Frame
'Zoey’s Extraordinary' Co-Stars
solid pale red banner
()
The Frame Tile
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
Episode 20641
Listen • 25:45
'Zoey’s Extraordinary' Co-Stars

Alex Newell plays a nonbinary character and Mary Steenburgen is Zoey's mother on the new NBC show; Hollywood is bracing for fallout from the coronavirus.
Alex Newell as Mo in the NBC show, "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist."
Alex Newell as Mo in the NBC show, "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist."
(
Sergei Bachlakov/NBC
)

On today's show:

Alex Newell Is Full of Glee

Like a lot of singers, Alex Newell got his start performing in church, but his way into the industry takes a pretty unique turn from there. His first big break came from a reality TV competition he entered when he was just 18 years old. While he didn't come in first place in "The Glee Project," a consolation prize of an appearance on two episodes of "Glee" turned into a role as a series regular. Newell played Unique, a transgender high school student and star vocalist, for four seasons. He's gone on to roles on Broadway (including playing a historically female role in the Tony-winning revival of "Once on This Island"), and now is in the new NBC show, "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist," playing a religious, gender nonconforming  character named Mo. Newell spoke with The Frame about what the role means to him and how he hopes it inspires a new generation of kids who don't fit into ideas of traditional gender roles. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5be1Wa27U2o

Mary Steenburgen, Songwriter?

On “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist,” Jane Levy plays a young woman who, after a freak accident, can suddenly hear the thoughts of other people — in the form of popular songs. Levy’s mother is played by Mary Steenburgen, who had a real life episode that resulted in music taking over her brain. And it led to the veteran actress launching a career as a songwriter. The Frame contributor Tim Greiving has her story.

Hollywood and the Coronavirus

John talks with Brandon Katz from Observer.com about his story on how the coronavirus is already affecting Hollywood: "In an era of entertainment and media consolidation, declining theatrical ticket sales and a streaming stranglehold on TV, the tectonic shifts unbalancing the entertainment media industry make any sort of financial projection exceedingly difficult. Now, with the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, costing the entertainment industry millions of dollars every day, it’s near impossible to accurately survey the landscape, but there’s one all-but sure prediction: this year looks grimmer than last."