CSI: MIAMI - Neutra Production

TELEVISION NEWS
BY NELSON BRANCO
You live in L.A. and shoot CSI in Miami; how are
you adjusting to our winter weather now that
you’re filming The Border in Toronto? I’m not a
fan of the cold, but that’s the only trade-off, so I
can’t complain.
Working in two countries on two different serials, how do you find time to work out and stay
in shape? With this show, we’re working our
booties off. My character is running around a
lot, so that helps out. When you work 15 hours
a day, working out becomes impossible, but
when I do find time, I love Pilates, spinning
and running.
Do you watch what you eat? For me, I’m gluten
intolerant, so I stay away from wheat and yeast
products, which is a carb diet in itself. However,
I eat so much Nutella and chocolate all yearround, they cancel each other out!
How did you spend your downtime? [Laughs.] I
dropped a lot of money at Holt Renfrew – and
still do! I love Yorkville and dining at restaurants
like Sotto Sotto and Trattoria Vaticano. The
food is divine and so diverse in Toronto.
Are you seeing anyone special? Yes, there is
someone wonderful in my life for the past year
and a half – and his name is Alessandro. He was
born in London, but is originally from Sicily.
Alessandro’s a custom-tailor designer and his
suits are actually featured on The Border; so you’ll
see them. I love his work – old-fashioned, handstitched suits.
Is it difficult spending time together when
you’re working in two different countries? We’ve
come up with a system – he’s here every two
weeks, and we’re together for 10 days each
time.
You are fluent in six languages – do you speak
any of them on the show? Yes, I do, which is a
nice bonus. I was born in Zurich and speak Greek,
Italian, English, Spanish, French and German.
Sofia Milos with her Canadian co-star Graham Abbey (below) in The Border, a 13-part
series about Homeland Security guards,
which debuts on the CBC Jan. 7.
‘CSI: MIAMI’ STAR SOFIA MILOS
SET TO MAKE A SPLASH IN CANADA
funny thing happened on the way to Toronto when CSI: Miami star Sofia Milos was en
A
route to Italy for a vacation. Having crossed the
border and touched down in Canada from L.A.,
Sofia got a call from her agent informing her
that she was scheduled for an impromptu casting
meeting at the airport with Emmy winner Peter
Raymont, who was producing a new CBC drama
series titled, appropriately, The Border. “The producers blocked off a section in the first-class
lounge during my two-hour layover in Toronto,
and by the time I boarded my plane to Italy, I had
another job. Not a bad way to start a vacation!”
the 42-year-old actress says with a smile.
86 HELLO!
Best known to audiences as Mafia boss Annalisa Zucca on The Sopranos and Yelina Salas on
CSI: Miami, Sofia soon can be seen on Canadian
television as fearless and patriotic U.S. Homeland Security agent Bianca LaGarda. Hello! Canada sat down with the Swiss-born, Greek-Italian
beauty at the CBC’s Toronto headquarters to
chat about her job, hobbies and romantic life.
We hear you get quite the spectacular entrance
when you première in episode two. [Smiles.] I
do! I enter the show flying in a sleek, black helicopter, with my shades and in a custom-tailored
suit! Not bad, huh? It’s an actress’s dream.
Canada launches its first TV show on border
security, complete with a Canuck spin
The Associated Press
Published: January 7, 2008
TORONTO: It is slick, fast-paced and is being touted as a Canadian contender in the popular roster of TV shows such as
"24," "Alias," and "The Unit" that focus on the ins and outs of government and military agencies.
Emmy-awarding winning documentary producer Peter Raymont launches "The Border" on Monday — his first television
show about an elite, Toronto-based immigration and customs security squad in the post-Sept. 11, 2001 world. The show,
whose stars include Sofia Milos of "CSI: Miami," deals with security challenges such as human trafficking and terrorism
that define the daily struggle in securing the porous 8,891 kilometers-long (5,522 miles-long) U.S.-Canadian border.
"America is a country under war — the war on terror — and Canada hasn't been immune from these issues," said
Raymont, on route to Palm Springs, California, where his documentary "A Promise to the Dead: The Exile Journey of Ariel
Dorfman," is being screened for the Academy Awards short list.
"It seemed like a perfect time to address these issues," he said.
While shows like Fox's "24" play up the gunslinging, patriotic image of the zealous, terror-busting operative, "The Border,"
predictably reflects some deep-rooted stereotypes about Canadians, who have a reputation for being more understated,
understanding, and open-minded than their neighbors to the south.
Milos, who plays a U.S. Department of Homeland Security agent based in Canada, comes across as quick to judge while
James McGowan, who plays Major Mike Kessler, her Canadian counterpart, is seen as more willing to not assume the
worst and just. Call it naiveté, but it is an image of which many Canadians are proud.
"The issues facing the border are pretty controversial," said Raymont. "A lot of nations have geared up their rhetoric to a
shrill level, and we're just trying to bring a reasonable voice to that, make sense of what's happening and hopefully incite
debate and public discourse."
Janet MacLean, the series' co-creator, producer and writer, stressed that they strive to "root ourselves more in what's
going on, we try to be more engaging, rather than blowing up cities on a regular basis."
"We look at urgent issues from a Canadian perspective and we have that classic Canadian quality of being a little more
reflective because we're not on center stage like the U.S," she said. "We have to cope with the realities of rendition flights,
what's going on in Sudan, the issue of human rights in China, pedophile rings and international crime, but in a slightly
different light."
The rendition issue — which refers to the CIA's much-criticized practice of transporting terror suspects to a third country
— is featured in the pilot episode.
In that episode, the Immigration and Customs Security Squad arrest Tariq Haddad, a Syrian suspected of being a
terrorist, at an airport. Also arrested is the man seated next to him, Nizar Karim, to whom Haddad passes a suspicious
note.
From there the plot involves the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Karim being sent to Syria's notorious
Tadmoor prison.
The episode bears a striking resemblance to the case of Syrian-born Canadian Maher Arar, who was detained because of
suspected links to Islamic extremists in 2002 by U.S. authorities on a tip from Canadian authorities. Arar was transferred
by the U.S. to Syria, where he was held for a year and allegedly tortured before being freed without charge.
His case gravely embarrassed the Canadian government and prompted a lengthy investigation that ended with financial
compensation from Canada and an apology by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
"The Border's" producers and executives insist that any similarity is purely coincidental.
Raymont came up with the idea for "The Border" with his late spouse, Lindalee Tracey, shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks.
They frequently drew on newspaper headlines for story ideas, said Raymont.
MacLean said the realities of these issues often presented themselves in uncanny timing while producing the show.
"When we were in production, we started noticing that scripts from the show began showing up in news headlines. For
example, we did a show about a woman in a burqa being interrogated, and suddenly on the front pages, the issue erupted
of Muslim women in Quebec and whether they had to remove their burqas to vote," she said, referring to the cloaks worn
by some devout Muslim women and which reveal nothing but the women's eyes.
Ken Girotti, the Canadian-born director who has been at the helm of episodes of the critically acclaimed "Law and Order:
Criminal Intent," "Rescue Me," and "24," has also directed an episode of "The Border."
Along with the Swiss-born Milos, the cast includes Canadians James McGowan and Graham Abbey.
Milos, who is of Greek and Italian heritage and who speaks six languages, said she jumped at the chance to play Bianca
LaGarda, a Toronto-based U.S. Homeland Security agent, because of the scripts' strengths and Raymont was so
convincing about the project's merits.
Milos said she believes the show could become a global hit since the issues it tackles are universal and drawn from
today's headlines. A French channel has already bought the distribution rights to the series
LaGarda often makes life difficult for her Canadian colleagues as they grapple with a litany of border security issues. In
particular, she clashes with her Canadian counterpart, played by James McGowan, about the American versus Canadian
way of investigating suspects and incidents, often ridiculing him for his naiveté.
"The characters on the show are often dealing with moral dilemmas, not just political ones, and whether they're doing the
right thing," said Milos.
"The Border" will air Mondays nights on CBC and will be podcast following Monday's broadcast.
AOL Entertainment
CBC's 'The Border' Premieres
Source: By LEE-ANNE GOODMAN
Posted: 01/02/08 4:26PM
TORONTO (CP) - From the initial frames of the slick new CBC show "The Border," it's clear the public
broadcaster has entered the big leagues.
With its fast pace, international scope and sleek production values, "The Border" should silence naysayers
who gripe that the CBC can't compete with the quality of the American shows that often trounce it in the
ratings when they air on rivals CTV and Global.
The show's executive producer - award-winning documentarian Peter Raymont - has called the big-budget
show "'24,' but with a conscience."
Every week, a crack team of Canadian immigration and customs agents deal not only with the latest bordersecurity crisis, but also with the consequences of their actions. Are they rushing to judgment? Are the bad
guys really bad guys, or just victims of racial profiling?
In a recent interview, American actress Sofia Milos says the scripts were so strong, and Raymont so
convincing about the merits of the project, that she jumped at the chance to play Bianca LaGarda, a
Toronto-based U.S. Homeland Security agent.
LaGarda often makes life difficult for her Canadian colleagues as they grapple with a litany of border
security issues. In particular, she clashes with her Canadian counterpart, played by James McGowan, about
the American versus Canadian way of investigating suspects and incidents, often ridiculing him for his
naivete.
"The characters on the show are often dealing with moral dilemmas, not just political ones, and whether
they're doing the right thing," says Milos, of "CSI: Miami" fame.
"It's a character-based series, not just high action-packed drama - it's both. The audience will be very
engaged because of the broad issues it covers like terrorism, money-laundering, organ trafficking. But even
though it's entertainment, the show really raises awareness on certain human rights issues and asks some
really difficult questions."
The Swiss-born Milos, of Greek and Italian heritage who speaks seven languages, says she believes the
show could become a global hit given the issues it tackles are universal and drawn from today's headlines.
A French channel, in fact, has already bought the distribution rights to "The Border."
"This show has the potential to be an international hit everywhere," says Milos. "Peter Raymont, with his
energy and his purpose, has really managed to bring together an amazing group of people both in front of
the camera and behind the camera."
McGowan's Mike Kessler is the moral centre of the show, something he credits to Raymont, the show's
executive producer, and his late wife, Lindalee Tracey, who died in October 2006 after battling breast
cancer.
The couple's strong personal beliefs about human rights issues significantly shaped every aspect of "The
Border," the Montreal-born McGowan says.
"Their humanity really influences this show ... it's their convictions that are at the heart of the whole show.
From the get-go, I was excited about this show and after meeting with both of them, I was even more
excited. They really moved me, and I immediately wanted on board."
McGowan is so proud of "The Border," he says, that he's jittery about how it's going to be received on
Monday night, although hopeful Canadians will tune in because so many American shows are in reruns due
to the continuing Hollywood writers' strike.
"I am very nervous, but I just have to sit back now and hope the Canadian public embraces it," he says.
"What I love about it, and I think Canadians will too, is that it's a very confident show, in every aspect.
Everyone is just going ahead, there are no apologies, there's nothing about this being a great Canadian show
- it's just a great show, period. It's not Canadian subject matter. It's told from a Canadian perspective, but
these are global issues."
The CBC has poured big money into promoting "The Border," with rumours that it's the most money the
network has ever committed to a show.
The marketing efforts include an online reality game (cbc.ca/theborder) which places the user in a firstperson interrogation sequence. The game proceeds depending on the user's responses.
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BOOKS MOVIES MUSIC THEATRE ART HAPPENINGS
NORBERT MAYER; STYLIST, ALISA KROST/THE ARTIST GROUP; MAKEUP, GIANLUCA ORIENTI/PLUTINO GROUP
N
azneen Contractor is
an actress without borders, a woman without
roots. The Toronto-based 25-yearold stage (Stratford Festival) and
screen (Relic Hunter, Street Time)
star doesn’t even know what it
means to be Canadian. “It’s an
identity that’s constantly changing
because of the large flow of immigration,” she says, using her own
life story to make the point: she
was born in Mumbai, spent some
of her childhood in Nigeria and
went to boarding school in London
before moving, as a young adult, to
Toronto. “I’m always going to be an
immigrant, but it’s a positive thing,”
she says. “If you feel you’re a bit of
an outsider, it can only help you.”
It sure didn’t hurt Contractor’s
chances of landing the coveted
role of Layla Hourani in CBC
Television’s 13-part drama The
Border. Layla is a Canadian-born
Muslim sergeant and a member of
the elite Immigration and Customs
Security Squad, and her task is
to protect “the world’s longest undefended border” from human
trafficking, terrorist attacks and
asylum seekers.
“Layla is constantly trying to
prove herself,” explains Contractor.
“She’s also persecuting her own
people, so she’s split between her
devotion to her religious beliefs h
EL L ECA NA DA .COM
*- "( .
Nazneen Contractor plays
a fab and feisty crime fighter.
Does she always get her man
TEXT: KAMAL AL-SOLAYLEE
ELLE C AN ADA 37
ONE TO WATCH!
--
Who Bridgett Zehr, first soloist with
the National Ballet of Canada.
Big break The 22-year-old was
hand-picked by Karen Kain after
she saw her perform with the
Houston Ballet and later at a company audition. “Karen went out of
her way, and now I owe her my
hard work.”
Quick sketch At seven, Zehr was
one of 100 students chosen to
attend a free dance program for
underprivileged children in her
native Florida. Scholarships followed until, at 16, she was dancing lead roles in productions of
The Nutcracker with the Sarasota
Ballet of Florida.
Biggest hurdle Last fall, Zehr was
set to make her New York debut
with Christopher Wheeldon’s new
company, Morphoses, when she
injured her foot. “I was disappointed, but it won’t define me!”
Up next The Sugar Plum Fairy in
The Nutcracker (Dec. 8 to 30,
Toronto). DEIRDRE KELLY
KAREN
WENT OUT
OF HER WAY,
AND NOW I
OWE HER MY
HARD WORK.
Be Kind
Rewind
3MOVIES
TOP
•
Mad Money
He charmed us in The Science of Sleep with his quirky take on love. Now, in Be
Kind Rewind, director Michel Gondry charms us again with his quirky take on laughs.
Jack Black plays a video-store clerk who erases films through some magnetic force
he transmits. His solution? With a bunch of homemade costumes, he and his buddies
remake customer favourites that become local cult classics. Katie Holmes returns
in Mad Money, a madcap crime caper about employees at the United States Mint who
have access to money that is slated to be burned. They feel (and who wouldn’t?) that
the cash would be better off in their hands than in the furnace. Diane Keaton, Queen
Latifah and Ted Danson co-star. Katherine Heigl is working her way through milestones on the Female Neuroses chart. Pregnant after a one-night stand? Done: Knocked
Up. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride? Done: 27 Dresses. The 28th time really stings
because her sister is marrying the man Heigl’s character secretly loves. EGLE PROCUTA
•
•
The Border debuts on January 7.
38 EL L E CA NA DA
ELLEC AN AD A.COM
NORBERT MAYER; STYLIST, ALISA KROST/THE ARTIST GROUP; MAKEUP, GIANLUCA ORIENTI/PLUTINO GROUP (N. CONTRACTOR);
SIAN RICHARDS (B. ZEHR); ABBOTT GENSER (BE KIND REWIND); COURTESY ALLIANCE ATLANTIS (MAD MONEY)
and her job. That makes for a great
conflict. She has a male partner, so
there’s sexual tension too.”
Contractor, who is a formally
trained ballerina, says that she
relished the physical challenges of
the role. “My character is the youngest; she’s the one who takes on the
bad guys and shoots them down—
like an Indian Charlie’s Angel.”
Although her film and TV cards
are full, Contractor has enrolled as
a part-time student at the University
of Toronto and still works weekends
as a waitress at Toronto’s Drake
Hotel. “It’s pure fun! I think it all
keeps me quite grounded and balanced. I’ve had joe jobs since I was
16,” she says, adding that most of
her extra income is spent on her
one true passion: travel. (In the last
couple of years alone, she has visited
Guatemala, Thailand, Cambodia,
Greece and Turkey.)
With her busy schedule,
Contractor admits that she doesn’t
have time to shop around for clothes.
She heads only to Holt Renfrew,
where—no surprise there—she once
worked. “My look varies depending
on my mood,” she says. “Sometimes
when I go out, I love to look sexy,
dressy and feminine. Other times, it’s
skinny jeans, a sweater and a jacket.
And I love scarves. I have, like,
15,000 scarves. They’re a staple—
and I totally love my staples.” N
Bridgett Zehr’s
jeté-set life.