Actress Natalie Martinez first gained attention for her leading role opposite action star Jason Statham in Death Race, but has recently earned critical acclaim for her performance in two gritty action thrillers. The first was for her role in last year’s cop drama End of Watch, the second came earlier this year in director Allen Hughes’ crime noir film Broken City starring Mark Wahlberg, which will be available on Blu-ray and DVD beginning April 30th. 

In Broken City Martinez plays Natalie Brown, the actress girlfriend of ex-cop-turned-private eye Billy Taggart (Wahlberg). Early in the film, Taggart is arrested for the murder of the man who raped and killed Natalie’s 16-year-old sister. His police Captain (Jeffrey Wright) and the Mayor (Russell Crowe) decide to help Taggart by eliminating the evidence against him, making the murder look like self-defense, yet forcing him to leave his position with the police in shame. The film’s story begins when seven years later the Mayor asks Billy to return the favor and investigate his wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones), who he believes is cheating on him. However, Taggart soon realized that things are not as they seem and the Mayor may be involved in several crimes himself. Meanwhile, the years of guilt start to weigh heavy on Billy and begin to tear a riff in his relationship with Natalie, who is still haunted by the ghost of her sister and is trying to move on with her own life. 

I recently had a chance to speak with actress Natalie Martinez about her work on Broken City, as well as her new TV series Under the Dome based on the novel by Stephen King. The up and coming young actress discussed Broken City, her character, working with actor/producer Mark Wahlberg, director Allen Hughes, her favorite cop genre movies, what she looks for when choosing a role, Under the Dome, her character on the show, and working with producers Stephen King and Steven Spielberg. 

Premiering April 12th on Starz is the new historical fantasy series Da Vinci's Demons from creator David S. Goyer (Blade, Batman Begins, Man of Steel). The show features an excellent cast that includes actor Tom Riley (A Few Days in September) as Leonardo da Vinci, as well as Laura Haddock (Captain America: The First Avenger), Ian Pirie (The Dark Knight), Blake Ritson (RocknRolla), Eros Vlahos (Anna Karenina), Lara Pulver (Legacy), and Alexander Siddig (TV's 24).

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had the pleasure of sitting down with series creator David S. Goyer to talk about his work on Da Vinci's Demons. The extremely successful writer and director discussed the new series, it's premise, playfully calling it "Da Vinci Begins," comparisons to the Caped Crusader, developing the series, his fascination with Da Vinci, researching the famous artist and inventor, gadgets that fans can expect to see in the first season, and casting actor Tom Riley in the title role. 

Premiering on Direct TV April 3rd is the new crime drama Rogue from creator Matthew Parkhill (Primeval). The series stars Thandie Newton (Crash, Mission: Impossible II), as well as Marton Csokas (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter), Leah Gibson (Watchmen), Philip Granger (Tucker and Dale vs. Evil), and W. Earl Brown (HBO's Deadwood).

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Thandie Newton to talk about her work on the new series Rogue, as well as her upcoming film Half of a Yellow Sun. The beautiful actress discussed her new series, why she wanted to do it, working in episodic television as apposed to film, being the lead in a series, her character, what she looks for when choosing projects, playing Condoleezza Rice in W., Eddie Murphy's thee roles in Norbit, her upcoming film - Half of a Yellow Sun, working with actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, and why she is so proud of the movie. 

No less a source than Cobie Smulders – S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Maria Hill – is sharing some inside information on next year's Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the possibility that we'll see the character in action on the S.H.I.E.L.D. television series.

Anyone who has read more than a few superhero comics knows that no death, regardless of how dramatic or devastating, need not stay permanent.  Just because your favorite hero pops his or her clogs doesn't mean you won't see them again.  And again, possibly after another death or two.  As Marvel Studios continues to build its onscreen universe, the flexibility of mortality might be jumping into the cinematic realm.

Clark Gregg's Agent Phil Coulson will return in some form or another on SHIELD, the Marvel television series that ABC is preparing for fall of 2013.