I recently had the immense pleasure of speaking with one of my all time favorite actors, Titus Welliver, about his prolific and impressive television work. But as accomplished as his TV resume is, the actor has just as distinguished of a film and stage career. Welliver first gained attention in the groundbreaking off-Broadway play “Riff Raff,” which was written, directed and co-starred actor Laurence Fishburne. He would eventually reprise the critically acclaimed role that he originated on stage as the sympathetic drug addict and part-time thief Billy “The Torch’ Murphy in the film adaptation of the play entitled Once in the Life, which also starred Fishburne and marked his feature film directorial debut. In fact, while the actor and I were chatting about the making of Once in the Life and his work in "Riff Raff," which also happens to be my all time favorite stage play, the actor happened to mention that he and Fishburne are discussing doing a revival of the show. “I have to say Laurence and I have been sort of toying with the idea of doing the play again even though it's been about twelve years since we made the film,” Welliver admitted.

While the actor is probably best known for his extensive television work that includes playing Silas Adams on HBO’s Western-based series Deadwood, the pivotal role of Kyle Hollis on the brilliant but short-lived NBC series Life, season three villain Jimmy O’Phelan on FX’s motorcycle gang series Sons of Anarchy, a recurring role on the current Fox series Touch with Kiefer Sutherland, and of course, as the Man in Black (A.K.A. the Smoke Monster) on ABC’s cultural phenomenon Lost. But he’s also appeared in many popular feature films including The Doors, Mobsters, Twisted, Assault on Precinct 13, and most recently Man on a Ledge, which opened on January 27^th and is in theaters now. But his most famous film roles have come from his collaborations with fellow actor and now critically acclaimed writer/director Ben Affleck. Welliver first appeared in Affleck’s Boston-based directorial debut Gone Baby Gone as Lionel McCready, and also appeared as FBI agent Dino Ciampa in The Town (also set in the Boston area) opposite Jon Hamm (TV’s Mad Men). Now, Welliver will achieve the hat trick by also appearing in Affleck’s upcoming third directorial effort Argo, which will be the first of his films, as a director, not set in Massachusetts.

In addition to his successful stage and film work, actor Titus Welliver has appeared on some of the most iconic and beloved television series of the last decade and a half. While he was a regular on HBO’s acclaimed series Deadwood, Welliver has been mostly featured as a guest star on such popular and critically acclaimed shows as NYPD Blue, Prison Break, Supernatural, Life, The Closer, Suits, The Good Wife, and Sons of Anarchy, where he played the season-three villain Jimmy O’Phelan. But the actor is definitely best known by television audiences for his role as the Man in Black (A.K.A. – the Smoke Monster) on ABC’s mysterious island-set series Lost.

Welliver’s television domination will continue this week with the conclusion of his three-episode arc on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which culminates with Wednesday night’s episode entitled Willows in the Wind. The actor will reprise his role on the long-running CBS series as Mark Gabriel, the CEO of a Blackwater type company. In fact, Wednesday January 25^th marks a big night for the accomplished actor because in addition to his episode of CSI airing, it is also the premiere of Fox’s new series Touch, which stars Kiefer Sutherland and features Welliver in a pivotal recurring role. The actor will also be appearing on an arc of NBC’s Grimm, as well FX’s upcoming series Powers, which is based on writer Brian Michael Bendis’ extremely popular comic book series of the same name.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Titus Welliver, who has truly been one of my favorite actors for a very long time. While we had a chance to discuss his latest film Man on a Ledge, and his role in Ben Affleck’s next directorial effort Argo, that portion of our conversation will run later in the week so that I can tell you now about what the actor had to say regarding all of his upcoming television projects. Welliver spoke candidly with me about working on multiple television shows, if he would like to return to being a series regular, his role on CSI, why Kiefer Sutherland’s performance on Touch will surprise you, which comic book character he will be portraying on Powers, his character on Grimm’s dark history, why he thinks the well reviewed series Life was short-lived, and what one fan of Lost said to him about his legendary role on the now-classic show.

Though he's known as the stylistically distinct director of films like Heat, Public Enemies, Last of the Mohicans, Collateral, and The Insider, Michael Mann is no stranger to televised drama, having served as executive producer on the pastel procedural Miami Vice.  He's returning to television as the executive producer of the new HBO series Luck, which stars Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte, Joan Allen, Dennis Farina, and Kevin Dunn.  Mann is also directing the pilot for the David Milch-scripted series, and a new behind-the-scenes video, courtesy of Slashfilm provides our first look at the characters and the rough and tumble world of horse racing and gambling that they inhabit.  Take a look.

If you're a fan of epic fantasy or good television and you've got about fifteen minutes to kill at work, then HBO has a treat for you.  Last night, the network previewed the first fourteen minutes of its upcoming fantasy series A Game of Thrones, adapted from the 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series of novels by George R.R. Martin.  The video comes from Badass Digest, and introduces us to the setting of Westeros and the politics at the heart of the series.

When Disney unveiled the domestic one-sheet for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides yesterday, I noted that the studio had taken their approach down to brass tacks, and sold the film based on the one element that you really need to sell a Pirates of the Caribbean movie: Johnny Depp.  The new international poster for the fourth swashbuckling adventure is even simpler, putting all the focus on the profitable mug of Captain Jack Sparrow.  Take a look at the poster and let me know who you think is starring in the movie.

According to Variety (via Collider), Oscar nominated character actor John Hawkes has nabbed the lead role in Surrogate.  Don't worry, this film is in no way affiliated with Surrogates, the sci fi actioner starring Bruce Willis.  This singular Surrogate is an independent drama, in which Hawkes, who won an Independent Spirit Award for his role in Winter's Bone, will play a real-life poet and journalist.