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Tuesday, December 25, 2007
A Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! After a very productive year, Mike would like to offer his heartfelt thanks
and gratitude to all his fans who continue to support and believe in him. It is greatly appreciated!
Now for the news...
As you may already know, Hollywood has all but ground to a stop due to the strike by members of the Writer's Guild. We
hope it is settled soon as virtually all scripted productions, whether film or television, have been shut down during the
strike. Mike is very fortunate in that his parents continue to support him through these challenging times. Unfortunately,
the strike has impacted hundreds (if not thousands) of production workers idled as a result of the standoff. We hope all
of them and their families are finding ways to get by during these troubled times.
With that said, though the Hannah Montana episode that Mike appears in ("Test of My Love") has continued to
slip in the schedule, Disney has released a number of still photos of scenes from that episode. If you have not seen the
pix, please click on the Photos page of this website and then click on the "On the Set" section. We hope you enjoy
the photos as much as I am sure Mike enjoyed working on the show!
Stay tuned for more updates as we get them - and thanks again for your kind support!
 Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Another quick update...
Mike has been very busy filming several episodes of the new HBO hour-long dramedy, "12 Miles of Bad Road."
I have simply lost count of all the episodes in which he appears. We will all find out together once the show premieres.
Originally, it was intended to debut on HBO sometime in January of 2008. However, I have been seeing recent references in
the media to a March, 2008 release. Guess we'll all just have to hurry up and wait!
And wait we shall for Mike's debut on the Hannah Montana show in the episode entitled, "Test of My Love." Mike
filmed this way back in July. However, due to Ms. Cyrus being out on tour until February, the people at Disney are evidently
pacing the remaining episodes of season 2 until she is finished with her tour (and filming her new movie.) Anyway, by my
estimation, Mike's episode should be airing in either December or January. Keep checking back as we will try to keep you
posted.
Oh... and BTW, for those of you who are wondering why Mike's Hannah Montana credit has not yet appeared on IMDB.com, it
is because Disney does not acknowledge the credits until they officially submit the episode to IMDB.com. And that is usually
around the time the episode airs. The same is true for all of Mike's upcoming credits for "12 Miles of Bad Road."
Just an FYI.
Finally, Mike made his big screen debut at the Toronto Film Festival in September in the much anticipated and highly controversial
film by Alan Ball entitled, "Nothing Is Private." The movie generated a lot of press and impassioned responses
throughout the industry. There was much speculation that the film was too disturbing to ever make it to theaters. However,
Warner Independent Films, in conjunction with Netflix Red Envelope, has picked up the rights and should be releasing the film
to theaters sometime in 2008. No doubt after some "minor" editing... vbg
Stay tuned. We will post dates here as soon as we get them. In the meantime, check out the two new video trailers we
have put up on the website under the new "Videos" menu option. The first one is Mike's new promotional trailer
and the second one is a longer version of the original "Mirror" PSA that ran last summer on national television
for abovetheinfluence.com. We hope you enjoy them!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Just a quick note to announce that Mike has been called in by the producers of HBO's new series, "12 Miles of Bad Road,"
to film another episode of the show next Tuesday, August 28 in a reprise of his role as Cameron Shakespeare, heir to the billionaire
real estate family led by Lily Tomlin. The hour-long dramedy will be making its premiere sometime this January. We all look
forward to seeing Mike in his new television series!
On a lighter note, now that he is back from his brief vacation in Cape May, NJ, Mike has finally decided to get his driver's
license! After insisting he had no desire to get a license because of all the insane traffic getting to and from his auditions,
he has finally buckled under the pressure of prospective independence! vbg
We will see just how he does! Stay tuned!
As for the vacation, neither Mike nor his brother, A.J., have lost their prowess at body surfing. Though having missed
our annual Cape May trip for a couple of years, the boys picked up right where they left off! Though Mike was unable to successfully
defend his annual family Putt-Putt golf championship, he made quite a run at his dad, the eventual champ, at the end. Better
luck next year, Mike! vbg
All in all, it was good to get away with just the family as all of us enjoyed a little time off from the madness that
is life in LA...
Thursday, August 2, 2007
On a much sadder note, Michael's grandmother, Mary A. Sienicki, just passed away at the age of 83. All of us will miss her
dearly as she was Michael's most ardent fan. Despite the trials and tribulations of her generation, which survived the Great
Depression, Michael's grandmother recognized the importance of dreams in shaping one's entire life.
She believed in Mike and his dreams at all times and had been looking forward to seeing him in all his upcoming roles.
She will be forever missed by all of us...
Images of Mary A. Sienicki...
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Michael and his
beloved grandmother
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Homecoming Queen of
Troy (AL) High School
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Michael will be out of LA with his family attending the funeral in Wilmington, Delaware on the 8th of August before heading
to Cape May, NJ over the following weekend for a brief but well-deserved vacation.
Mike and his family want to thank you all for your kind condolences...
Friday, July 27, 2007
This fall and winter is shaping up to be a banner season for Mike, both on the big screen and on television!
After a steady summer diet of seeing Mike on his usual Disney promos and a highly successful and popular anti-drug public
service advertisement entitled "The Mirror" for AboveTheInfluence.com (see the website for his ad, if you have not
seen it already), Mike's visibility will continue to grow this fall.
First up will be his debut on the big screen in the highly anticipated (and sure to be controversial) feature film, Nothing
is Private, the directorial debut of Academy Award winning screenwriter Alan Ball. Mike will be playing a popular but tormenting
classmate of the lead character played by Summer Bashil in a story about a young Lebanese girl coming of age in Texas around
the time of the first Iraq war. The film opens at the Toronto Film Festival, September 6-15. Look for it in theaters later
this year following the film festival debut...
Next up will be Mike's prominent guest-starring role opposite Miley Cyrus in the upcoming episode of Hannah Montana (the
#1 teen television show) entitled, "The Test of My Love." Fans of the show will no doubt find this episode particularly
interesting! We certainly did! Judging by the show's popularity, Mike should see a significant increase in his exposure...
And if that wasn't enough, it is back to "Texas", this time as billionaire heir, Cameron Shakespeare, in the
highly anticipated new HBO dramedy, 12 Miles of Bad Road, where Mike will have a recurring role as a member of a star-studded
ensemble cast headed by Lily Tomlin. The series begins production in either August or September and will debut on air sometime
around the end of the year.
Finally, last but not least, we are awaiting word about a new, cutting edge television series being marketed to MTV entitled
"Buzz" about an online college newspaper where Mike plays a series regular role as Drew Cox, the newspaper's intrepid
music reporter. The show is a multi-platform (cable/internet) series that will allow the audience to interact with the cast
(in character) utilizing the newspaper's website. It is a bold new project spearheaded by veteran director/producer Bruce
Hickey and Emmy-nominated producer/actress Sharon Lawrence of NYPD Blue fame. If this gets the green light, Mike will be
VERY busy for quite awhile...
Keep your fingers crossed as this may very well be the season Mike finally breaks through and hits his stride in what
should be several highly acclaimed film and television productions... As usual, stay tuned!
Friday, July 6, 2007
We know more now! vbg
I am not really sure just how much information I should be disclosing, considering how popular the show, "Hannah
Montana" is around the world. In the past few days, I have discovered the show is supposedly the #1 rated show, worldwide,
for young teens. Not only that, but the star, Miley Cyrus - by virtue of the show and her new #1 hit music CD - is the most
popular teen idol on the planet right now.
So, of course, when Mike books a prominent guest-star role opposite this young lady, his career stands to gather a modest
amount of exposure... A slight understatement, perhaps??? vbg
Suffice it to say, my wife reported there were plenty of kids in the audience swooning with "oohs" and "ahhs"
during some of Mike's shared scenes with Miley during the live audience taping on Friday evening. And judging by my wife's
reaction, Mike seemed just a little TOO comfortable during some of those, eh, "shared moments."
Well... stay tuned. Mike's role has been described as "possibly recurring" and, having read through the entire
script for the episode, I can assure you it is quite possible, indeed!
But judging by the rabid fan sites that worship Ms. Cyrus and "Hannah Montana," I will choose not to reveal
anything else about the episode at this time. Suffice it to say, you will - like me - have to tune in once it airs on Disney.
As we get more information when that is, we will post it. In the meantime, keep checking back!
Monday, July 2, 2007
Yes, the rumors are true!
Yesterday evening around dinner time, we received a call from Michael's manager explaining he had a priority audition
2 hours later - for Hannah Montana. Normally, we get at least a day's notice for Mike's auditions but this was different...
At first glance, this was almost comical - as Mike has auditioned so often for them, he has come to know the casting directors
on a first name basis. The usual pattern has been for Mike to go to an audition, get a callback (almost always!) but, in
the end, lose the role to someone else. And since Mike has grown taller (5'10") with his voice growing deeper, we just
figured he had "graduated" from consideration for this show as there are plenty of talented, shorter and younger-looking
kids available.
But Monday evening was different. Much different.
Since Mike never originally auditioned for the role, we were a little surprised they wanted to see him on such short notice.
However, the original actor they had hired evidently did not work out after the first day of shooting. So, for whatever
reason, the casting directors and producers - all quite familiar with Mike, wanted to see him and several other actors at
an emergency producer callback audition in order to find a replacement.
Since Mike had tried every trick in the book on all his previous attempts, he just went in and improv-ed the whole audition,
not having the time to learn the sides.
To make a long story short, they all evidently loved him and the rest, so they say, is history!
As a result, Mike is filming as of this morning for the episode entitled, "Test of My Love." We have no air
date or additional information as yet. Stay tuned, as usual!
Anyway, congratulations, Mike! Maybe this is finally the big break we have been waiting for...
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