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I think A&E probably know deep down that they really messed up their story. They sold their birthright for a bowl of stew. As much as I love Neal and though I loved seeing Neal in 5×12, I’m wishing MRJ far better acting gigs than what A&E might offer him, especially since it seems clear that they’re going to continue to push CS. What would be the point of bringing back Neal now after Hook was brought back from the dead but Neal wasn’t? As to whether MRJ would even be inclined to accept again, I think he’s already said he’s said goodbye to Neal.

On a lighter note, how did your “surprise” Once Upon a Time encore come about?
[The idea of returning] had been broached before, but with everyone’s schedules it’s hard to find windows. I’ve been working pretty consistently the last couple of years, so I didn’t have a lot of time. But when their 100th episode came up, I was finishing up Game of Silence and I did have a window that they were able to work around. I missed the shooting of the actual episode, but they made accommodations to have me shoot the scene with Jen [Morrison] after they had moved on to a few episodes beyond that at that point. It worked out, and I’m glad it did. It was fun to do and it felt like a nice little bookend to the character. x

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I agree with everything both @Ranisha and @Rainbow wrote. I think the BAs in the Hook/CS fandom are perhaps by far the worst of the entire bunch. Neal and Rumple fans have been on the receiving end of many self-described Hookers’ hate for years. That might be in part due to shipping, but also, if you think about it, Hook was introduced as the man who ran off with Rumple’s wife and Baelfire’s mom. Their rationale for Hook fans hating the ‘Stiltskin men and their fans is right there in the script. However, the antagonism has grown as a result of ABC’s Hook worship. Sure, you get your BAs in Regina, Rumple, and other camps (though much less so in people who prefer the Charmings). But the BAs who worship Hook are most well known for antagonizing anyone on social media who isn’t as in love with Hook as they are. To this day, they continue to troll MRJ just because he played Neal and harass people both inside and outside the OUAT fandom. It’s a total nightmare.

I also think there is something deeply pathological about the need of some CS fans to prove or validate that their ship not only “won” but that it was somehow always planned since season one (even though it clearly wasn’t). (SQ fans also seem suffer from this need to prove their ship is end-game). Hook as a character started out as a classic bully like when he challenged a disabled man to a duel and called him a coward for being unable to fight. I think Hook, more than most, appeals to those cyber bullies who think that kind of bully behavior is somehow acceptable or admirable; they then engage in online bullying by making nasty, vindictive, and slanderous attacks on anyone who has a dissenting opinion on social media or other online media platforms.

Worst of all, Adam & Eddy not only placate them, but they then indirectly encourage rude behavior by not calling them out on it, as @rainbow wrote. In truth, I think A&E are secretly afraid of these online trolls. They’ve put all their chips down on Hook and his ability to keep their show afloat (even though I think Regina and Rumple are probably the most popular characters on the show). Thus, they don’t want to say anything that would upset the fans of the pirate.

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

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JMo did a solo interview at CC for Nerd HQ 2016. It shows how articulate she can be. She said that this interview is her favorite part of Comic Con. She seems most comfortable talking by herself versus with a bunch of her colleagues.  She also didn’t have to act or play to an audience with Colin, which was refreshing. While she was careful and measured to a certain degree, her true thoughts leaked through some.

For example, JMo’s response to the question at the 21:51 mark of whether she would ever direct an episode of OUAT if she could was quite revealing. She really didn’t seem to embrace the idea of wanting to associate with OUAT direction or production. This is my speculation, but that way she can probably look back and can distance herself from it some more if she’s not in charge of OUAT. She can maintain that she was just acting a part in the show and that she didn’t have a creative say in its outcome or message.

She had a lot more to say at the 31:50 mark, too. She basically said that part of the reason she even wanted to start directing was so that she could have more say in what she works on (despite basically saying before that she probably wouldn’t direct an episode of OUAT):

Jennifer Morrison: “When you get involved in a project, you might love the script, you might really love the character, you might believe in it, you might do so much work, and you might be great every day, but you have no control over what parts they choose, you have no control over how they cut it together. And so there could be a lot of great ingredients to a project and it could still end up being a really sh!ty meal. Is that okay to say? *nervous laughter*

I couldn’t help but wonder if she was describing giving her all to OUAT but not feeling like it had a good outcome. To use her metaphor, the show had all the right kinds of ingredients to start with, but it still ended up tasting like crap. Her reply seemed to be given in a covert, yet also really obvious way.

What bugged me the most, though, was her reply to the question presented by a father of three young daughters at the 23:15 mark. He asked her about playing strong female roles and being a female role model for his daughters. It made me sad since I think CS isn’t  a good thing for young girls to aspire to. I agree with JMo on the point that women can show strength of character through vulnerability. Emma did that when she said love was strength and then protected her mother from Cora. It was especially great in season one to see Emma finally let her guard down with Mary Margaret and her son. Let Emma drop her guard sometimes and show her love for her family.

However, Hook has really tried to hurt Emma and those she loves. He left Emma and her mother for dead in the EF to get revenge. He nearly killed Emma’s family this season in a dangerous quest for revenge. What the hell kind of message is that to send young, impressionable girls — to just take verbal and emotional abuse, all in the name of love? That’s a horrible message to send little girls!

As someone who really used to like Emma’s character in the show’s early seasons, it upsets me that Emma is no longer a good female role model, not because she’s vulnerable, but because she’s become the textbook example of a battered woman. In my estimation, JMo needed to address  how letting others hurt you or your family in the name of love is a big problem. “Love is a weapon” was a very clear theme of season five. However, because JMo does take the role of playing Emma so seriously, you can tell she’s trying to explain Emma’s mistakes in a way that makes sense to her but without outright condemning the writing of her character’s poor choices. Knowing that JMo is a big influence to many impressionable young girls, however, it makes me cringe to hear that she’s not being more vocal about the dangers of men tearing down women’s barriers and then mistreating them when let they become vulnerable the way Emma did.

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

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RumplesGirl wrote:

Colin probably wouldn’t get fired but that doesn’t mean ABC doesn’thave other ways to punish “bad behavior.” I’m not justifying Colin or JMo but we do hear stories all the time from, say, the music industry about producers holding on to the reigns of the singer; they may not lose their contract but the producer/company can threaten everything else—family, money, tour dates, ect.

This is where their unions should step in. Is there such a thing as an actors’ union? Also, are you serious about their family being threatened?!!

While actors probably get threatened on all-too-frequent basis, I agree that there must be some limit. There is such a thing as actors’ unions (e.g. Actors’ Equity Association for stage performers or the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists for other TV and radio artists).  I also seriously doubt Colin’s pay or family would be threatened by ABC if he just refused to play along with JMo to such an extent. There is legal action that could be taken if ever he felt his family were being extorted. There must be some CA state law about actors’ rights not to be exploited by their company. Even though I haven’t researched this issue, I wouldn’t be surprised if actors had filed and won law suits over this very issue. Also,  if Colin just refused, I think ABC would listen, especially if Colin has a competent agent who can negotiate his contract. While he didn’t have a household name like Robert Carlyle prior to the show, he has developed a large following; he must know he brings in a large number of eyeballs each week. At the same time, he might feel stuck between a rock and hard place, since it’s those same fans whom he’s likely playing it up for some.

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

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But how is it that Bobby can not even show up at some PR events without consequences? Same with Ginny. Doesn’t that show that these guys have at least some autonomy in how they present themselves? I’m genuinely confused.

I don’t think the actors are contractually obligated to attend CC, but there is probably an understanding that it’s still expected for them to put in appearance. For big-name actors like Bobby Carlyle and Ginny Goodwin — who were both established actors prior to being on OUAT–  however, they might feel that they have more options and therefore feel less obligated to attend. They’ll both have many more acting jobs even when OUAT ends, and they also might not be planning to renew their contracts with ABC after this year. Some of the other actors who weren’t as established prior to being on the show, however, probably feel that they have to put in an appearance. They cannot afford to burn their bridges. Then there are actors like JMo who take it to another level to promote their own personal celebrity by seeking and playing to her fans’ desires by flirting with her attractive, albeit married, male co-star.

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

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The former from what I can tell. People were angry that the magazine/interviewer was treating her like an object, forcing her to drape herself on Colin, be near Coin, ect. I still haven’t seen a video of this interview.

The video can be found here, and the joke from Emilie and JMO about instructions at about the 9:00 mark. The instructions came from Entertainment Tonight that JMo be next to Colin. But that then raises the issue of how much was JMo and how much was ET. For example, did JMo really have to lean on Colin during the interview? Colin’s body language is visibly closed and hands off, whereas JMo was leaning in on him with her arm on his shoulder throughout the interview. By contast, Lana was also seated closely next to him, but even on a tight couch, Lana wasn’t leaning into Colin and her arms weren’t angled towards him the way JMo’s were.

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

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Nothing is sacred. Its all a gimmick to grab at as many viewers as they can.

Sadly true.

I think that was part of what got people so upset. JMo and Emilie made a joke about how standing next to Colin/being touch feely/whatever are part of her official instructions.

Even if JMo was given instructions to be so touchy-feely with Colin in front of the camera, she doesn’t seem to put up much resistance. She even jokes about it being her job to flirt with Colin, which it is (to a certain extent), but I think she likes the media attention. She’s very flirty in front of the camera for a reason. Also, while Colin doesn’t seem to fight it either (perhaps he should), he seems more visibly uncomfortable to me with the kinds of crazy fan-girl attention he gets both from CS fans and perhaps even his female colleagues. He doesn’t seem to be the one to initiate the cuddles, kisses and flirts. Colin could object more if he wanted and more than he perhaps does. He doesn’t have to go along with it so much, even despite the pressure from media outlets and/or ABC. Colin is OUAT’s poster boy. He’s not going to get fired over objecting to it for the sake of his marriage.

Yeah, it’s inappropriate, though sadly common in media. I wonder what would happen if actors just flat out said ‘no’? I mean, I’m sure there’s pressure, but nobody can force them, right? Actors can refuse on the basis that they need some control over their image as they’re the face for the show and hence targets for hate.

I think they can refuse to engage in that kind of publicity stunt–especially Colin, since he’s not going to get fired. Another rumor circulating (that @RG mentioned in another thread) is that Bobby Carlyle didn’t appear at CC because he doesn’t like the fans insinuating that he’s having an affair with his co-worker, Emilie de Ravin. Some crazy fans have been so insulting as to speculate that the father of Emilie’s newborn is Bobby! It’s really insulting to the actors and their wives & husbands to tarnish the actors’ reputations and smear them with adultery. Moreover, when Sean Magurie left, some crazy “fans” made up crap and said the reason he left was because he’d made an unwanted pass on a make-up artist from set. His wife and the make-up artist then had to tweet to publicly counter that malicious slander. There are no boundaries anymore with these so-called fans. @TheWatcher is right. Nothing is sacred anymore to these fans. I think that is why Ginny Goodwin and Josh Dallas probably deleted their twitter accounts in an effort to shield themselves from the depravity of this fandom.

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

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Of course, none of it is real. But I feel bad for Mrs. O’Donoghue because there are sadly many vocal fans who cannot tell the difference between acting and reality. JMo has even had to tweet her fans to respect Colin’s wife and his marriage, based on the kinds of inappropriate tweets they send her and Colin sometimes. Given that they know how crazy the fans can be, one would think they could at least play things down at CC. Instead, they seem to play it up for the camera. I’m sure it’s part of the job, but they don’t have to do it to such an extent.  Just my opinion.

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

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Well. Apparently she was forced to sit like that. Or ordered. It’s unclear and mostly everyone is just yelling right now but it sounds like whatever interview it was from told her to sit on his lap (ET or EW, no one knows right now). It’s getting seriously ugly on Twitter.

I suppose I could believe that she was forced to sit on his lap had it not been for JMo kissing Colin on the head during the panel. Again, I know it’s for publicity, but the lady needs a lesson on boundaries. It’s one thing to get along with a co-worker, but Colin’s wife cannot be too comfortable with a gorgeous blonde hanging all over her husband like that, even in the name of “promotion.” Some crazy fans cannot tell the difference between acting and reality.

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

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So there’s an official OUAT picture from Comic-Con floating around that makes me feel bad for Colin’s wife.  JMo sitting on Colin’s lap. What is she even thinking? I know it’s probably for publicity, but he’s married to someone else! Does she have no awareness of how that will feed the madness of the “Colifer” crap? It’s already happening, and it’s so disrespectful to Mrs. O’Donoghue.

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

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