On the “Pod Meets World” podcast, co-hosts Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong and Will Friedle have often given their guests — many of whom are actors who grew up on TV in the 90s — the opportunity to debunk any headlines about them.
During the Feb. 12 episode, Andrew Keegan was ready to do just that.
“You mean when I woke up one day and I was anointed a cult leader?” he asked with a laugh during the iHeart podcast. Keegan, best known for his roles in “10 Things I Hate About You,” “7th Heaven,” “Party of Five” and for being a “heartthrob” in the early aughts, went on to explain that he moved to Venice Beach in his early 20s, and “got immersed in the culture and the community.”
“There was this interesting group of hippie types, if you will, in Venice. I’m sure if you went on the Westside, there’s definitely a lot of spirituality,...
During the Feb. 12 episode, Andrew Keegan was ready to do just that.
“You mean when I woke up one day and I was anointed a cult leader?” he asked with a laugh during the iHeart podcast. Keegan, best known for his roles in “10 Things I Hate About You,” “7th Heaven,” “Party of Five” and for being a “heartthrob” in the early aughts, went on to explain that he moved to Venice Beach in his early 20s, and “got immersed in the culture and the community.”
“There was this interesting group of hippie types, if you will, in Venice. I’m sure if you went on the Westside, there’s definitely a lot of spirituality,...
- 2/12/2024
- by Emily Longeretta
- Variety Film + TV
Earlier this year, we heard that Tim Blake Nelson and Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring) would be starring in The Leader, a true crime biopic about a story that shocked the world back in 1997, the mass suicide of the members of the Heaven’s Gate cult. Now Deadline reports that Michael C. Hall (Dexter) and Grace Caroline Currey (Shazam! Fury of the Gods) have joined the cast, which also includes Simon Rex (Red Rocket).
Farmiga will be playing cult leader Bonnie Nettles, a.k.a. Ti. Nelson’s character is the cult’s infamous frontman, Marshall Applewhite, a.k.a. Do. According to Deadline, “Hall will play a key devotee: a wealthy addict who attempts to win favor with Applewhite by financially supporting the cult with his trust fund. Currey will play an Oregon-based boutique owner who drops out of society in the late 1970s to join the cult – leaving her family and fiancé behind.
Farmiga will be playing cult leader Bonnie Nettles, a.k.a. Ti. Nelson’s character is the cult’s infamous frontman, Marshall Applewhite, a.k.a. Do. According to Deadline, “Hall will play a key devotee: a wealthy addict who attempts to win favor with Applewhite by financially supporting the cult with his trust fund. Currey will play an Oregon-based boutique owner who drops out of society in the late 1970s to join the cult – leaving her family and fiancé behind.
- 10/31/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
How to Become a Cult Leader has so far discussed building a foundation, gathering a large group, and how to control their minds. Viewers have been given three cult leaders as examples of those who master the above-mentioned aspects, but somewhere they lost grip on them and fell flat. The fourth episode brings to light another aspect of the cult leaders, which is making promises of another kind that convince the members to stay with the group till salvation is achieved.
Marshall Applewhite, aka Do, and his partner Bonnie Lu Nettles, aka It, were instrumental in forming Heaven’s Gate, a cult that was a mixture of science fiction, Christianity, and new-age mysticism, where the group leaders initially promised eternity to followers who joined the group. The group managed to convince a good number of people that they were aliens from the Next Level and were not humans. They are destined...
Marshall Applewhite, aka Do, and his partner Bonnie Lu Nettles, aka It, were instrumental in forming Heaven’s Gate, a cult that was a mixture of science fiction, Christianity, and new-age mysticism, where the group leaders initially promised eternity to followers who joined the group. The group managed to convince a good number of people that they were aliens from the Next Level and were not humans. They are destined...
- 7/28/2023
- by Smriti Kannan
- Film Fugitives
Two years ago, Netflix began the How to Become family of satirical documentary series, which became hugely popular. The first of the many in the line was released in the year 2021 and was titled How to Become a Tyrant. The satirical humor laced documentary series helped people understand what was not right with the tyrants who ruled their countries with absolute power. The second installment of this Netflix Original documentary series is How to Become a Cult Leader, you can guess what the content of the show will be and who it is going to be about.
How to Become a Tyrant takes no time to jump into the nitty gritty of what happens behind the closed doors of so-called ‘cult leaders.’ The documentary covers in detail world-famous gurus, hypnotists, pastors, yoga teachers, and preachers, and each episode of the show is dedicated to one leader who ran a commune...
How to Become a Tyrant takes no time to jump into the nitty gritty of what happens behind the closed doors of so-called ‘cult leaders.’ The documentary covers in detail world-famous gurus, hypnotists, pastors, yoga teachers, and preachers, and each episode of the show is dedicated to one leader who ran a commune...
- 7/28/2023
- by Smriti Kannan
- Film Fugitives
Tim Blake Nelson will be reprising his The Incredible Hulk role of Samuel Sterns in the upcoming Marvel movie Captain America: New World Order, where we’ll find that Sterns is now a villain known as The Leader. And while he gears up to work on that movie, Nelson has also signed on to star in a film called The Leader – but this isn’t a Marvel project. This one is a true crime biopic about a story that shocked the world back in 1997, the mass suicide of the members of the Heaven’s Gate cult. Nelson will be joined in the cast of The Leader by Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring).
Farmiga will be playing cult leader Bonnie Nettles, a.k.a. Ti. Nelson’s character is the cult’s infamous frontman, Marshall Applewhite, a.k.a. Do.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Leader tells the true story of...
Farmiga will be playing cult leader Bonnie Nettles, a.k.a. Ti. Nelson’s character is the cult’s infamous frontman, Marshall Applewhite, a.k.a. Do.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Leader tells the true story of...
- 2/16/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Berlin: Tim Blake Nelson, Vera Farmiga to Star in Heaven’s Gate Cult Biopic ‘The Leader’ (Exclusive)
Tim Blake Nelson and Vera Farmiga are set to play the founders of the religious cult Heaven’s Gate — which participated in a mass suicide in 1997 — in true-crime biopic The Leader, The Hollywood Reporter has learned
Being introduced to buyers at the European Film Market by The Exchange and with Cinemand and Balcony 9 Productions producing, the film sees Farmiga play cult leader Bonnie Nettles, aka “Ti,” with Nelson as the group’s infamous frontman, Marshall Applewhite, aka “Do.”
The Leader tells the true story of the 39 members of Heaven’s Gate — an American UFO cult that believed its followers could transform into immortal extraterrestrials and would ascend to heaven — and how they would commit the largest mass suicide to ever take place on American soil. The film tracks Nettles and Applewhite as they develop the religion, build a devout following and face unforeseen conflict when the spaceship they believed...
Being introduced to buyers at the European Film Market by The Exchange and with Cinemand and Balcony 9 Productions producing, the film sees Farmiga play cult leader Bonnie Nettles, aka “Ti,” with Nelson as the group’s infamous frontman, Marshall Applewhite, aka “Do.”
The Leader tells the true story of the 39 members of Heaven’s Gate — an American UFO cult that believed its followers could transform into immortal extraterrestrials and would ascend to heaven — and how they would commit the largest mass suicide to ever take place on American soil. The film tracks Nettles and Applewhite as they develop the religion, build a devout following and face unforeseen conflict when the spaceship they believed...
- 2/16/2023
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Evan Peters has been in more seasons of FX’s “American Horror Story” than any other male actor, appearing in all of them except for Season 9, “AHS: 1984,” and the upcoming Season 11, “AHS: New York City.” (Sarah Paulson matches his track record for female actors.) Soon after winning an Emmy in 2021 for HBO’s “Mare of Easttown,” Peters returned to “AHS” during the long-awaited pandemic-delayed Season 10, “Double Feature: Red Tide.” Over the past decade, nearly all of his characters have stuck with viewers (we’re going to pretend Jeff Pfister didn’t exist).
Read on for our listing of Evan Peters’ “American Horror Story” characters ranked worst to best. (Or scroll through our gallery for photos.) Agree or disagree with our picks? Be sure to sound off in the comments section. Peters is currently getting awards buzz for playing the titular serial killer in Netflix’s “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.
Read on for our listing of Evan Peters’ “American Horror Story” characters ranked worst to best. (Or scroll through our gallery for photos.) Agree or disagree with our picks? Be sure to sound off in the comments section. Peters is currently getting awards buzz for playing the titular serial killer in Netflix’s “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.
- 10/15/2022
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
In 1997, 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate cult were found dead by suicide in their Rancho Santa Fe, California, home, which they dubbed “The Monastery.” Central to the group’s belief was that they would go to heaven on a UFO. On March 11, a two-hour 20/20 special looks to unravel the mysteries surrounding the chilling, ritualistic mass suicide and what would lead people to follow its bizarre principles.
During The Cult Next Door: The Mystery and Madness of Heaven’s Gate special, Diane Sawyer interviews two survivors who share their stories for the first time.
During The Cult Next Door: The Mystery and Madness of Heaven’s Gate special, Diane Sawyer interviews two survivors who share their stories for the first time.
- 3/3/2022
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
From the 1975 disappearance of 20 people in small-town Oregon to the 1997 mass suicide of 39 people all wearing the same pair of Nike Decades in San Diego, “Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults” sketches the evolution of the UFO-worshipping cult that mystified Americans in the last quarter of the 20th century. Director Clay Tweel’s new four-episode HBO Max docuseries ambitiously works to humanize the otherwise dotty members of Heaven’s Gate, led by messiah-wannabe closet case Marshall Applewhite. While most viewers are likely to tune in for, and possibly even skip ahead to, the final episode that details “The Exit,” there’s plenty of fascinating material in the lead-up — even if it doesn’t exactly warrant four hourlong installments.
A half-baked, hokey blend of pseudo-Christianity, New Age mysticism, and “Star Trek” lore, Heaven’s Gate was built on the belief that humans were, in fact, extraterrestrials living in shells known among the sect’s members as “vehicles.
A half-baked, hokey blend of pseudo-Christianity, New Age mysticism, and “Star Trek” lore, Heaven’s Gate was built on the belief that humans were, in fact, extraterrestrials living in shells known among the sect’s members as “vehicles.
- 12/3/2020
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Frank Lyford left the Heaven’s Gate cult four years before 39 of his “classmates” committed mass-suicide in 1997. Now, you can watch him tell his story in HBO Max’s “Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults” docuseries — including a mid-series explanation of why his voice sounds the way it does.
Heaven’s Gate was led by Marshall Applewhite, who went by the name “Do,” and Bonnie Nettles, who went by “Ti.” Nettles died of cancer in 1985, but Applewhite went on to lead the cult until ’97, at which point he and the remaining cult members ingested barbiturate-laced apple sauce followed by vodka and covered their heads in plastic bags, which killed them. The group believed that once they freed themselves from their earthly bodies, they would be able to board an alien spacecraft that they thought was trailing behind the Hale-Bopp comet.
Lyford, who was part of the cult for 18 years, said that...
Heaven’s Gate was led by Marshall Applewhite, who went by the name “Do,” and Bonnie Nettles, who went by “Ti.” Nettles died of cancer in 1985, but Applewhite went on to lead the cult until ’97, at which point he and the remaining cult members ingested barbiturate-laced apple sauce followed by vodka and covered their heads in plastic bags, which killed them. The group believed that once they freed themselves from their earthly bodies, they would be able to board an alien spacecraft that they thought was trailing behind the Hale-Bopp comet.
Lyford, who was part of the cult for 18 years, said that...
- 12/3/2020
- by Margeaux Sippell and Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
"Do exactly as I say..." HBO has unveiled an official trailer for a documentary series titled Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults, available for streaming starting in December this year. This is the latest documentary made by filmmaker Clay Tweel, who has directed a number of my favorite docs over the years including Finders Keepers, Gleason, Print the Legend, and Make Believe. It will air as a four-part series next month on HBO Max. Most Americans will remember the shocking news story - in March of 1997, 39 people killed themselves in order to reach what they believed was an extraterrestrial spacecraft following Comet Hale–Bopp. This is the story of Heaven's Gate, a UFO religious cult based near San Diego that was founded in 1974 and led by Marshall Applewhite. We've seen many films about cults, many docs about cults, and plenty of TV specials examining Heaven's Gate and how so many...
- 11/27/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Even though “American Horror Story” Season 10 has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, there is good news for Evan Peters fans as the actor has offically signed on for the new episodes. Peters and co-star Sarah Paulson are the only two “AHS” cast members to appear in each of the first eight cycles of FX’s horror anthology series. They both sat out last year’s “1984” summer camp installment, but will now return along with several other fan-faves (see the Season 10 cast list).
In anticipation of Peters’ return to the franchise, we’ve ranked all 11 of his “American Horror Story” characters below from worst to best. Can You guess what’s our #1 choice? Sound off in the comments to let us know your personal rankings.
Captions by Kevin Jacobsen
11. Jeff Pfister (“Apocalypse”) — A robotics engineer who has sold his soul and plots the end of the world, all while...
In anticipation of Peters’ return to the franchise, we’ve ranked all 11 of his “American Horror Story” characters below from worst to best. Can You guess what’s our #1 choice? Sound off in the comments to let us know your personal rankings.
Captions by Kevin Jacobsen
11. Jeff Pfister (“Apocalypse”) — A robotics engineer who has sold his soul and plots the end of the world, all while...
- 8/29/2020
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
In 1997, 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate cult committed mass suicide in San Diego, CA. They believed in doing so that they would reach an extraterrestrial spacecraft that was trailing the Hale–Bopp as it passed by.
I remember seeing reports of this on the news and seeing the videos that were released of the cult leader Marshall Applewhite. That guy freaked me the hell out! Well, HBO Max is producing a four-part documentary series about Heaven’s Gate and it will focus on the fame, fortune and power from Marshall Applewhite.
The series is being developed by CNN Original Series, and it will explore “the infamous religious movement and the stranger-than-fiction circumstances that culminated in the biggest mass suicide to ever take place on U.S. soil.”
The series will be directed and executive produced by Clay Tweel (Gleason) and this is a story that I’ve been fascinated with for years.
I remember seeing reports of this on the news and seeing the videos that were released of the cult leader Marshall Applewhite. That guy freaked me the hell out! Well, HBO Max is producing a four-part documentary series about Heaven’s Gate and it will focus on the fame, fortune and power from Marshall Applewhite.
The series is being developed by CNN Original Series, and it will explore “the infamous religious movement and the stranger-than-fiction circumstances that culminated in the biggest mass suicide to ever take place on U.S. soil.”
The series will be directed and executive produced by Clay Tweel (Gleason) and this is a story that I’ve been fascinated with for years.
- 10/25/2019
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
To create infamous cult leaders (“American Horror Story: Cult”), a legendary painter (“Genius: Picasso”), a world-renowned designer (“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”) and the alter-egos of 1930s Hollywood (“The Last Tycoon”) — not to mention the return of one of the most beloved characters in television (Kyle MacLachlan’s FBI agent Dale Cooper in “Twin Peaks”) — the challenges in non-prosthetic makeup were equal parts honoring history and creating a legacy.
American Horror Story: Cult
FX
Eryn Krueger Mekash is often asked why “American Horror Story: Cult” used real footage of Marshall Applewhite when they recreated all other famous cult leaders. “We didn’t,” she says. “That’s Evan [Peters] in makeup. When you fool an audience like that, it’s very rewarding.” Especially when on a tight schedule: Mekash and her team are used to having just 24 hours to prep. On “Cult,” the challenge was being historically accurate while...
American Horror Story: Cult
FX
Eryn Krueger Mekash is often asked why “American Horror Story: Cult” used real footage of Marshall Applewhite when they recreated all other famous cult leaders. “We didn’t,” she says. “That’s Evan [Peters] in makeup. When you fool an audience like that, it’s very rewarding.” Especially when on a tight schedule: Mekash and her team are used to having just 24 hours to prep. On “Cult,” the challenge was being historically accurate while...
- 8/9/2018
- by Carita Rizzo
- Variety Film + TV
Despite pleas from fans and critics alike, Evan Peters was not able to secure an Emmy nomination for his role as blue-haired cult leader Kai Anderson on “American Horror Story: Cult.” While the 31-year-old actor has been with the show since Day 1, the Emmys still have yet to reward his talent. However, this seventh installment of FX’s anthology series did manage to scare up seven total noms: Best Movie/Mini Actress for Sarah Paulson, Best Movie/Mini Supporting Actress for Adina Porter, Best Hairstyling, Best Non-Prosthetic Makeup, Best Prosthetic Makeup, Best Production Design and Best Sound Editing.
SEE2018 Emmy nominations complete list: All the nominees for the 70th Emmy Awards
Besides Kai, Peters also took on such real-life monsters as Charles Manson, Marshall Applewhite, David Koresh and Jim Jones, plus Jesus and Andy Warhol during “Ahs: Cult.” Peters told us recently that he heavily researched cults in order to...
SEE2018 Emmy nominations complete list: All the nominees for the 70th Emmy Awards
Besides Kai, Peters also took on such real-life monsters as Charles Manson, Marshall Applewhite, David Koresh and Jim Jones, plus Jesus and Andy Warhol during “Ahs: Cult.” Peters told us recently that he heavily researched cults in order to...
- 7/12/2018
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Three of the best male performances of the year are on the bubble for Emmy nominations, based on Gold Derby’s racetrack odds. There’s still a chance that these actors can beat the odds and walk away with Emmy bids, so here’s my last-ditch effort to convince TV academy members to vote for them before nominations voting closes June 25 at 10 p.m. Pt. Below I’ve singled out one male underdog from a comedy, one from a drama and one from a movie/limited series. (Also see the three female performers I’m hoping for.) Let me know which bubble contenders You hope receive Emmy love down in the comments section.
Ted Danson (“The Good Place”) – Best Comedy Actor
Danson is no stranger to the Emmy Awards, receiving 11 nominations in this category alone for “Cheers” and winning twice in 1990 and 1993. However, a nomination for his role as Michael,...
Ted Danson (“The Good Place”) – Best Comedy Actor
Danson is no stranger to the Emmy Awards, receiving 11 nominations in this category alone for “Cheers” and winning twice in 1990 and 1993. However, a nomination for his role as Michael,...
- 6/25/2018
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Earlier this year Evan Peters received a Critics’ Choice nomination for his career-best performance as blue-haired cult leader Kai Anderson on FX’s “American Horror Story: Cult.” Will the Emmys now follow suit? The 31-year-old actor didn’t just portray Kai on “Ahs: Cult,” but he also took on such real-life monsters as Charles Manson, Marshall Applewhite, David Koresh and Jim Jones, plus Jesus and Andy Warhol. Remember, Emmy voters are suckers for actors who play multiple roles — just ask Tatiana Maslany who won in 2016 for embodying all those “Orphan Black” clones.
SEEEvan Peters (‘American Horror Story: Cult’) chats ‘intense, hard, exhausting’ role of cult leader Kai Anderson [Exclusive Video Interview]
In our recent interview Peters admitted that he heavily researched the parts in order to “immerse myself as much as I could into all those characters because they were real people, and I felt like it was important to try to make it as real as possible.
SEEEvan Peters (‘American Horror Story: Cult’) chats ‘intense, hard, exhausting’ role of cult leader Kai Anderson [Exclusive Video Interview]
In our recent interview Peters admitted that he heavily researched the parts in order to “immerse myself as much as I could into all those characters because they were real people, and I felt like it was important to try to make it as real as possible.
- 6/22/2018
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
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