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Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen at Fan Expo Chicago 2025. Photo: Marielle Bokor We got to catch Ewan McGregor on his Fan Expo “Please Hire Me Back as Obi-Wan” Tour, where he was accompanied by his former on-screen padawan Hayden Christensen. However, beyond an impressive lightsaber demonstration, the two didn’t interact much beyond Ewan McGregor telling Christensen that he’ll call him–or at least that’s what I got through gestures and lip reading. So it was really two half panels rolled into one, but McGregor turned out to be the real charmer. Before the panel started we were treated to a fan tribute, which Ewan McGregor genuinely appreciated, calling it ‘touching.’ He seems to understand the fan’s love of everything Star Wars and even acknowledges the fans will know more than him when most subjects are discussed. As it turned out, fan knowledge came up quite a bit. The real deep cuts from fans came when the subject of lightsaber fights came up. McGregor was telling about how his fights with Christensen would be so fast and brutal, that not only did they need to manipulate the film to make the speeds seem more believable–they were also constantly switching out lightsabers with ones with fresh “blades” as the hollow tubed lightsaber blades used on set would bend after a while. When McGregor was talking about the sci-fi prop armorer responsible for changing those blades, an audience member yelled out “Thomas!” to which McGregor replied “I don’t even know why I’m here! You all know more than I do!” Ewan McGregor at Fan Expo Chicago 2025. Photo: Marielle Bokor McGregor also talked about his love for Andor , and how while watching it he got the idea of a potential Obi-Wan in season 3. Said Ewan said “I really liked ( Andor ) and then I got really excited. I was thinking ‘I could be in this timeline. I think I am! I think I could be in season three!." And then I realized "Oh No!” In another fun moment the actor portraying the wise Jedi Master mistook a General Kenobi figure in maroon armor as a sort of Mandalorian x Obi-Wan hybrid. But when he found out the truth, he took it in grinning stride, saying “oh, that’s right, that’s right.” In a few rapid fire question moments we got to find out whether Obi-Wan is a dog or a cat person. After a nearly 20 second pause McGregor concedes that Ob-Wan would be a dog person. Despite being a cat person, I can get behind this. When the vague question “Star Destroyer or Death Star” McGregor said “Star Destroyer.” and offered up reasons such as “they’re very pointy” and “they do that stop there” while mimicking a Star Destroyer dropping out of hyperspace with his hands. Then he spontaneously admitted “I’m still embarrassed about that Mandalorian thing.” It’s okay Ewan, we forgive you. Hayden Christensen @Fan Expo Chicago. Photo: Marielle Bokor When McGregor left the stage for Hayden Christensen’s portion of the panel, there was a bit of lightsaber fun before they parted ways. And the subject of lightsabers came up rather quickly with the prop armorer Thomas being mentioned immediately.Thinking Christensen was continuing a “bit” about Thomas the lightsaber maker, the actor instead went into how he was genuinely appreciative at the sci-fi prop armorer’s contributions–as we all are. I guess the real hero of the story here is Thomas–bringing sci-fi magic to life. Christensen also mentioned how exciting it is to work on a Star Wars film. On his experience working on the prequels he said that “one of the unique things about working on a Star Wars project is that everyone is just so excited to be there. And George Lucas got the very best people in each of their respective fields to come in and participate. "The costume design. The set design.” And of course, Thomas.

John Cena at Fan Expo Chicago 2025. Photo: Aaron Cynic John Cena made an appearance at Fan Expo 2025 in promotion of his retirement from WWE and Peacemaker Season 2, and like he has at many panels in the past, packed the room full to capacity. Also as usual, Cena, one of the most decorated WWE superstars in history, wowed his fans with his dedication and humble nature. Despite being there to promote his acting work, his wrestling career outshined anything else, as he’s retiring from an epic 20 year career. John insisted on an unmoderated panel, so he could focus on only speaking to the fans.  During his time on stage, Cena focused heavily on the three pillars of his career: Hustle, Loyalty and Respect, emphasizing that it’s more than a motto - it's how he’s lived his entire life. This showed in his humble demeanor and measured communication to the audience. He chose his words carefully, so as not to overstep but to also set communicative boundaries regarding how he interacted with the audience.  Initially, Cena insisted he didn’t want praise, but would acknowledge every single word of praise thrown at him from the audience with kindness, regardless. John Cena at Fan Expo Chicago 2025. Photo: Aaron Cynic John spoke on his “make 70% good decisions a day,” adage, initially talking about his diet but taking it to his personal life as well. The wrestler also touched on his viral video about earning the sunset every single day through positive work. Cena even spoke on his rap career, admitting he hasn’t flexed those muscles in a long time so he no longer had the skills necessary to continue rapping.  By the end of the panel, Cena had cemented himself as one of the most straightforward Hollywood/WWE superstars out there. From his modest start at the All State Arena with WWE to being in some of the biggest action and comic book IP on the planet, even if you weren’t initially a fan, he will make you a fan, if anything, out of pure respect for what he is trying to achieve every single day. As quoted by Cena: “I just want to do the most positive thing for the world that I can with my talent.” That's a goal we can all work towards. For more from Fan Expo Chicago 2025, keep it here. We've got even more amazing celebrity interviews and panel roundups to share with you.

Fan Expo Chicago 2025 was one for the record books, with a fantastic guest list and a lot of exciting things to see and do. One of the highlights of the entire con came when we had a chance to interview some of the cast of Aliens , who we'd had the pleasure of seeing together in their Friday panel. For this task, we enlisted Antal Bokor, an editor, combat veteran, and lifelong fan of Aliens , to take on the herculean task of interviewing people who quite literally influenced all of our lives growing up. Enjoy! Mark Rolston, appearing alongside cast members including William Hope at Fan Expo Chicago 2025. Photo: Marielle Bokor CULTURE COMBINE: Obviously, you played an iconic sci-fi role in Aliens . And you have been an inspiration for hundreds of soldiers -I don't know if you're aware of this. I was in the Army. I was an infantryman, and my dad was in the Army. I probably would have joined the Marines, but there were no Colonial Marines, obviously.  So, you know, I met him halfway and joined the Army infantry. And, we were either, you know, quoting Kubrick from Full Metal Jacket or Aliens , and you're obviously one of the most iconic Aliens Marines. How does it make you feel knowing that we’re quoting you, and that when I think of, badasses you’re one of the faces that comes to mind? MARK ROLSTON: I - I'm honored. I appreciate it…but you know, you all are the real deal. You know, we're just we're playing at it. We were lucky to have people like Al Matthews on set. And we had guys that were British SAS. So you know, anyone who's a soldier knows, what you, what you went through.  And luckily, they imbued us with the real reality. You know, we've had numerous former Marines and soldiers come up and say, “hey, you guys are an inspiration,” or, or “you're the reason why I joined the corps,”  and I quickly reply ‘I can’t be responsible for that.’ (Editor’s note: Al Matthews, who portrayed Gunnery Sgt. Apone in Aliens, was a member of the US Marine Corps who spent six years in service, during which he not only won thirteen combat awards, but was also the first black Marine in the 1st Marine Division to be meritoriously promoted to the rank of sergeant) CULTURE COMBINE: Good answer. MARK ROLSTON: It's amazing, you know. In Aliens , we formed bonds over a two-week rehearsal period, and then we went through a mini boot camp when all the guys from Hollywood arrived, and I think all of that preparation just, not only complements details, characterizations, and script, but, you know, obviously, also our performances.  CULTURE COMBINE:   That boot camp you went through, uh, with the SAS guys, that's famous. Everybody talks about that. I fought alongside those guys, and I know they’re tough as nails. Was that your impression? MARK ROLSTON:   I mean, well...yeah. So, first day when we had the group boot camp, the Hollywood guys arrive, and you know, we have a five o'clock a.m. call and first thing out of the gate was a five mile run. CULTURE COMBINE: Oh my. MARK ROLSTON: And I was in incredible shape because I had been training at Pinewood Studios for three and a half months prior to that because I had to go from 182 pounds - to - eventually  I was close to 230, in 3 ½ months.  CULTURE COMBINE: Yeah, i was going to say… MARK ROLSTON: I was just pumping, working, doing running, doing all that and eating like a fiend. So all the guys arrived, of course. I'm in the lead, just kicking it out, but pulling up the rear was (Bill) Paxton going  “Oh hey man, I just got here. Like, you know, uh, do I have to do this? Like, I think I’ve got jet lag”  and they were like “MOVE SOLDIER!”  I mean, they were up his ass… CULTURE COMBINE: That's hilarious. MARK ROLSTON: And yeah, just memories like that. And some of the guys who played secondary roles: Tip Tipping, Trevor Steedman,who played Wierzbowski, they had served. We were surrounded by guys who had experience. Yeah I’m lucky Jim Cameron saw what he saw in me, and when he offered me the role he said,  ‘I'm offering this to you with a mandate,” he said. “You know, you gotta bulk up.” So I wasn't doing HGH or anything, but I was drinking this Bragg's amino acid, and what it did was it increased my metabolism and, you know, I’m working out, but I was hungry all the time. And I - my first wife, you know, I'd come home from the day of working out I’d hit the door sometimes, and I'd be, you know, so into character, you know,  I was just like ‘What's for dinner!?’, you know, and she was, like,  “Oh no, no, no, no. Go outside and let all that go and then come in and say,  ‘Hello, honey! Is there dinner?’ I mean, great memory. CULTURE COMBINE: Amazing. The cast of Aliens at Fan Expo Chicago 2025. William Hope, Mark Rolston, Ricco Ross, Jenette Goldstein and Paul Reiser MARK ROLSTON:  I mean, Jim Cameron is probably the most prepared director I've ever worked with. I mean, Scorcese’s prepared, but I, we, witnessed it. Like, the day that I was offered the role I went into his office, and plastered on all four walls of his office in sequence was his storyboard, and it wasn't - he doesn't do stick figures. Jim is an extremely fine artist. They were fine art storyboards. I asked Jim a couple of years ago I said. ‘Jim, you know, do you still have your storyboards,’ He goes “Yeah, they're in a box somewhere,” and I said, ‘Dude, you should create a coffee table book with your storyboard. I'm telling you. The audience will flip out.’  CULTURE COMBINE: I can't imagine, especially with collectors. MARK ROLSTON: And I bet a million bucks that what he drew on those pictures is exactly what he shot. I'll bet I bet a million bucks. Seriously, I would. CULTURE COMBINE: He (James Cameron) sounds like an impressive man. It's amazing that you got to work with him. I've never met the man, but I know he's rumored to be extremely, you know,  intense, on set. I know he has his methods. Did you feel like you were being directed a lot by him singularly, or did he direct you guys more as a whole? MARK ROLSTON:  Pretty much as a whole - as a team. Uh, you know, because we were always on point whenever we were deployed And you know, Jim was interesting. If you were in the zone of what he wanted, he didn't mess with you. He didn't mess with me a lot. And I also wasn't a type of character that was going to, you know, scene steal, whereas Bill Paxton was always improvising and trying to get a joke in, and Jim sometimes had to say, ‘Oh, Bill, keep that, or ‘Cut  it out. Don't say that.’  So if you were in the pocket of his vision, he didn't mess with you. CULTURE COMBINE: Well, sir, your screen presence. You don't need to try to steal the scene because you are the scene. A lot of times, you're standing in it. You are incredibly intimidating.  In fact, you've kind of had a reputation for being villains, and you were on Shawshank Redemption as Bogs Diamond. That man - that man scares me. In fact, every time I think of the consequences of going to prison, I see your face.  And I don't know if that's the best thing to admit, but you are an intimidating person on screen. MARK ROLSTON:   Well, you know, I'm a classically trained actor. I've been blessed with the presence.  I mean, I can. I can stand on a stage, and I mean, I toured playing Richard II for a year early in my career out of New York, and, uh, you know, I've stood on the stage in front of 5000 people. Using my voice, no microphones. That's a gift. And Morgan Freeman was very instrumental.  And I mean I did it before, but really in Shawshank there was the quiet stillness, which makes it even more menacing, but also in film, you can just hang in the gap, you hang in the frame.  You can't be doing a whole bunch of stuff. So when I was studying acting, I used to do little student films and stuff.  And my son's godfather - he was a camera man. I remember we were on a roof in London and doing an extreme close-up. And you know he was one of the first people to say “Mark, I don't want you to turn and look. You can't do this when we're extreme.' So yeah, my very best buddy, was the first one to give me the lesson on stillness. CULTURE COMBINE: Well, you are a menacing person when you want to be. MARK ROLSTON:  I have had people say. You're the reason I never went to prison. CULTURE COMBINE: Yeah, you are. Yes, sir. You're the reason I would never go to prison.  But, back to Aliens .  Your death scene is shocking - probably one of the most shocking beside Frost's death scene in the film, because you're a badass. You've got it all together. In fact, you’re in a situation where your boss, you know, doesn't know what he's doing. So, ‘we're going to take it in our own hands.’ Even for me as a soldier, we emulated you guys, because you're taking initiative.   You know, our higher ups don't know what they're talking about, and they didn't sometimes. And so, we would take the initiative, and uh, pretty much take your role in that.  But when you died, it was shocking. And obviously, it's a script and it's all pre-decided.  What's your thoughts on that as the actor or as the character in that moment, when you take the acid to your face? MARK ROLSTON:  It was -I mean, I just watched it again. I was a guest at a film festival in Spain, and they played that whole sequence. I mean, talk about action packed. I mean, that was - the actual fall, the firing of the flamethrower and the acid was the very first shot we did in the movie and then all the rest of the action was later on: a couple of days later, a week later… But, it's one hell of a sequence of action. You know, Drake is bringing up the rear. I'm just blasting away, and I think I remember the armorers giving me an extra long ribbon of dummy rounds, just so I could blast off with the area I had to cover. And you know, they were 50 caliber rounds. They made a hell of a lot of noise. And you wouldn’t do that today. Well, you wouldn't get away with it.  They don't do it on set anymore.  Now, if I think about the coolest thing, Jim had the armorer drill the muzzle of the gun in random ways so that we fired the flare -the light would refract, not just go out the end of the muzzle. Next time you see it, you’ll notice it. CULTURE COMBINE: I have noticed that, in fact. And that was James Cameron, who decided that?  I keep getting so much cool insight from you guys,  When I spoke to Jenette earlier (Editor’s note: More on this later!) I was nervous. But I’m a huge fan of hers and yours, obviously and was kind of star-struck when I talked to her, so I didn't get to ask her this question, but you guys are kind of a duo on screen - a partnership. How did that dynamic come to be between you, because it almost looks like you two could just talk without words? MARK ROLSTON:  Almost, yeah. I mean, we were in rehearsal, and Jen and I just took ourselves aside, and we were talking about things like,  ‘What do you reckon our background was?’ We came up with the fact that we were in a forced service role. And this opportunity came, and we were lifers that we weren't going to get out, and we took the opportunity to get out of the hell hole, even though we were going to take on a mission and we could die. But even if we died it was better than where we were. And she just came to me and said, “Look, you know, you've always had my back here, and vice versa, so cover me on this mission." And it was strictly platonic. There's no romance. But yeah, it's mainly because we made a pact. CULTURE COMBINE:  Well, it was conveyed very well on screen. You did an excellent job with that. I didn't realize how much of a fan I was of yours at first, because I know you portrayed Drake. and Bogs Diamond, but I didn't realize how many voiceover roles you did.  MARK ROLSTON: Yeah! CULTURE COMBINE: I guess my journalistic pedigree, so to speak, is that I'm a games journalist. I started with video games, and I noticed you, you were in Blade Runner - that old, old Blade Runner video game and you've done stuff as recent - well, I could be wrong and there’s things that are even more recent, but I know you're doing like Spider-Man 2, too because you're Norman Osborne.  MARK ROLSTON:  And we’re about to start number three. CULTURE COMBINE: Oh, okay! What's the difference between, I guess? Blade Runner and Spider-Man 2 as far as voice acting. MARK ROLSTON:  In the Blade Runner game, I was a voiceover, but for Spider-Man, I do complete motion capture, voice, and everything. CULTURE COMBINE: I didn’t realize that. That’s very cool. MARK ROLSTON: Same thing with the Batman Arkham Shadow VR game. We're about to start another one of those. I play Commissioner Gordon. CULTURE COMBINE: You were also Death Stroke/Slade Wilson for the Arkham franchise Your voice for that is amazing, and you are pretty much 'my Deathstroke' in my head the same way Kevin Conroy is Batman for me. It’s iconic. I don't really see people talking about that much. I know you were on a podcast during Spider-Man 2 for Norman Osborne, I believe.  The Behind the Voice podcast? Do a lot of people recognize you for your voiceover work? Do people talk to you about that a lot?  MARK ROLSTON:  Yeah, yeah people mention it a lot. We're a big fans of the game. Spider-Man 2 was - both of the games got great reviews. The company we work for, Insomniac Games, are really a great group of creatives who are determined to top themselves with each iteration of the game. CULTURE COMBINE: Do you have a different process for a voice role? MARK ROLSTON:  Yeah, because we’re on a stage and we’re doing a scene, and so the fascinating, thing is, when we do the next virtual reality game, I won't have to wear a suit and I can just wear street clothes, but I'll have glasses whereby when I look at you, I see your avatar and you see, mine, my avatar itself, and we'll be acting to avatar CULTURE COMBINE: That’s so cool I’ve got just a couple more things to ask about your voiceover work. When you did Norman Osborne - your voice is very iconic, and unique. But it sounds like, and I guess I should ask you - it sounds like you’re channeling a little Willem Defoe in that, from his performance.  Now, whatever, I think, it’s because I think there’s overlap that just comes from the type of character you're portraying anyways.  Just all Mark Rolston? MARK ROLSTON:  I am gonna watch Willem's performance as Green Goblin before we do the next two games, because I haven't seen a script yet to say whether number three… Number three, I have a feeling what’s gonna happen is is number three is going to show how, because it was a cliffhanger at the end of two. I let Otto Octavius out of jail and we form a pact to get Spider-Man, so I think most of the game may be us - what kind of pact we make, how… And after the cliffhanger, I imagine, might be a suggestion of being Goblin, or of my face, and I'm just trying to pad my pockets, you know, and make some more money. It's quite possible that the studio is going to have it all happen in the next game, and I'm - and I'll be involved. They have told me to be - continue to do my yoga, remain limber, because when you do the games like, I'm not gonna have to do all the stunts because you’ve obviously got to fight a lot. I just have to, you know, maintain, and get into a position. And then the stunt guy comes in. He takes the air and flips around. I’ve done a lot of stunts in my career but yeah, I'm not doing that.  CULTURE COMBINE: Besides your other upcoming video game voiceovers, do you have any other projects that are in the works coming up? Yeah, you know, I've got a film in development we're really excited about. It's a drama set in Massachusetts. My son, who is a producer, is running with it. It looks like we may get backed by the agency, and you know, we'll see. It’s an extremely well written story, so ask us. And other than the game, that’s all right now.  CULTURE COMBINE: Well, thank you. I hope to see you again soon. I've been a huge fan my whole life. Thank you so much. Like I said, you've been an inspiration for me. It's surreal that I got a chance to talk to you. So, thank you so much again. Don't miss all the Fan Expo Chicago fun with our cosplay galleries and even more celebrity news from panels , and watch out for a few more amazing interviews with some of the cast of Aliens coming soon!

Aliens cast at Fan Expo Chicago 2025. Photo: Marielle Bokor I’ve been to many, many convention panels. There's few of them I attend as a fan, and there has never been a panel that was met with such reverence by the panel moderator as the Aliens cast panel this year at Fan Expo. No shade to the moderator: she was amazing, and Aliens is a pretty big deal. I write about video games, and without Aliens, early video game history would look much different. Games like Contra, Halo, Half-Life  and many more wouldn’t exist or would look a whole lot different without Aliens . And it's not just video games.  I’m not trying to discount Ridley Scott’s contribution with Alien,  which introduces us to the seemingly unstoppable and terrifying xenomorph. But James Cameron saw this creature, and had a vision that has yet to find a worthy successor. I got the chance to sit in on the Aliens panel featuring Jeannete Goldstein, Paul Reiser, Mark Rolston, William Hope and Rico Ross. It’s a legendary cast from a legendary film made by a genius of a director, and the cast is absolutely aware of James Cameron’s genius. According to PFC Drake, who we know as actor Mark Rolston, James Cameron wanted to make an Aliens sequel earlier but was turned away by Fox. According to Rolston: Fan Expo Chicago 2025. Photo: Marielle Bokor  “(Fox) literally told him, you know, go away and do  a sci-fi action film, and then we'll, we'll reconsider. So, what does the genius do? He goes away and makes Terminator . And on the strength of that, and Jim being the perfectionist he is, I imagine, he was continually revisiting the ( Aliens) script because the characters are so well drawn, his dialogue was so well drawn…” and then Lt. Gorman actor, William Hope, chimed in with a “his drawings are so well drawn” in reference in Cameron’s impressively drawn storyboards. The panel moderator brought up to Vasquez actor Jeanette Goldstein that “I loved seeing you on screen as a young girl because you’re so bloody cool” with Goldstein replying: “I know, I never got to see a girl like that, so I had to go make it.” Goldstein went on to say, “It’s amazing that i got the opportunity to do it. When I was a young girl, I was a tomboy. I mean, I was just me, you know?” And it turned out that Goldstein also had the physique for Vasquez.  “It was just a coincidence, but I had (been going to the gym) for two years before walking in the room (for my audition.) I had been going to a gym, like every day, and working out. Before that I had been a gymnast and I’d done boxing. I was always sporty.”  This turned out to be advantageous for a young Goldstein, as she was chosen for the part of Vasquez, even over a female bodybuilder they had in mind for the role that they were giving acting lessons. Famously, Jeanette Goldstein went into her Aliens audition not at all prepared to look like a badass marine, despite her impressive physique, which is a story that has been retold thousands of times at this point–but interestingly, one Paul Reiser had never heard it before. Fan Expo Chicago 2025. Photo: Marielle Bokor Paul Reiser plays Weyland Yutani company man Burke in Aliens , and even though he was used to having roles with extensive speaking parts, Reiser had to convey his character’s evil intentions silently in the background.  “You know, his is not really a basis of a, a result of the film, but just the half of the shooting schedule. My first, I think, two weeks I was in scenes, but I didn't have any lines. And so I'm used to talking, you know,so I was like, 'well, when do I get to say something funny?' "It's, like, 'oh, I don't say anything,' so it really made me think more deeply and intensely. Like, 'well, where are you? What are you doing? ' Um. That's why, a lot of times, if you look carefully, you see me twirling my mustache in the background. That way you know I'm evil.” That’s definitely insight into the filming of Aliens I never had before.  Fan Expo Chicago 2025: Photo: Aaron Cynic I can honestly say Fan Expo's Aliens cast panels may well have been one of my favorites in all my years of convention panel attendance and I will always have a special place in my heart for those wily xenomorphs. There's even more to explore from Fan Expo including interviews with Jeanette Goldstein, Mark Rolston, and Ricco Ross as well as more panel fun from the likes of Orlando Bloom, Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen so keep it parked here to enjoy the best from the con floor.

No matter what day of the expo you attend there are some guarantees you should come to expect. Great atmosphere, fantastic entertainment guest, resplendent vendors, and of course out of this world cosplay! The final day of Fan Expo 2025 gave us exactly that with a barrage of fun get ups that brightened every attendee's day. Almost made us forgot that it was the last day to enjoy the pop culture creativity till next year! No matter what your specific interest is there is surely someone walking around the con cosplaying it! There's honestly few things better than seeing you favorite characters from comics, anime, movies and TV shows come to life thanks to these talented cosplayers! And while this may be the end of this year's Fan Expo, fret not! You can head over to their website and sign up for updates on when next years passes go on sale . In the meantime, warm up your sewing machines and start things of a cosplay to join in on the fun next year! And be sure to check out all of our fantastic Fan Expo coverage and discover just how fun this pop culture gathering truly is!

Photo: Marielle Bokor Ok, so to start off - there was an inordinate amount of tea talk that actually happened in the panel we attended Friday afternoon as Fan Expo Chicago kicked off. This heavily attended day one panel was the first of two for the beloved Nickelodeon epic. It featured Zach Tyler Eisen (Aang), Jack De Sena (Sokka), Greg Baldwin ( Uncle Iroh 3rd season forward), Dante Basco (Zuko), Michaela Jill Murphy (Toph), and Mae Whitman (Katara). Photo: Marielle Bokor There's oftentimes a hesitation in our brains about "meeting" celebrities, whether it's at an autograph table or just from a seat in a convention panel. After all, they're not their characters, and it's hard to tell what their experiences were like on the show, what their relationship to the material is or even what their relationships with other cast members was like. If you had those reservations going into the Avatar panel though, they'd have been resolved instantly. This was one of the panels with the most people on it at the convention, but as soon as everyone got on stage it was all hugs, giggles, and smiles. Aang and the gang weren't simply a figment of our imagination -- it turns out, the cast actually seems to enjoy each other's company, and has all along. It's also clear the love they have for Avatar: The Last Airbender and its fans. "I mean, I think one thing that's really cool when you get to be part of a really cool project is that the people that respond to it are usually really cool. So it's a really amazing thing to be part of a fan base --you have to be sort of a special person to appreciate something like this because it's so specific. It's deep, it's philosophical, it's emotional, it's like - there's lots and lots of layers to it." said Dante Basco, who played the unforgettable role of Zuko in the series. And fortunately for those of us who've been scarred by the knowledge that some of our favorite properties were full of abusers behind the scene, the cast allayed that fear quickly. Whether it was working with the other adults or goofing off about snacks that may or may not have been for them, time on the show for the cast seemed to have only good memories to recall, even for Zach Tyler Eisen (Aang) and Michaela Jill Murphy (Toph) who were 11 and 12 at the time they took on these incredibly complex and challenging roles. The moderator took some time aside to talk to Murphy specifically about playing Toph Beifong, a powerhouse of a character who is also blind, and the immense strength she displays in the role, and whether or not the actress had a sense of how important Toph was to young women everywhere even as she was a young girl herself when portraying her. Michaela Jill Murphy, whose 30th birthday was just yesterday, talked a lot about how she feels about Toph now as a grown woman. "They do say, you know, that the years start coming and they don't stop coming. Someone said that," Murphy joked. "Anyway, as I've gotten older, I've definitely learned to appreciate Toph a lot more. I too, yes, was a proper child when I was cast in the role. I was 12 and 13 for season 2 and 3... " "Like, she had so much power and I knew she was powerful, but I didn't know how powerful. She was just kind of on her own for so many different reasons. And I often go back to her now because it's funny. I feel like I was almost more confident at 12 than I am now. And so there's some days where I wake up and I'm like 'Well I'm Toph today' and not care what people say. Toph tough. Yes." Photo: Marielle Bokor It wasn't all serious though, as a fan question about tea's importance in the series and to soothe voice actors throats brought out the beverage preferences and sponsorship bids, with everything from Bigelow tea to Hello Matcha being name-dropped, and Basco hilariously revealing he was much more of a coffee person. Just like with the show, when you get the Avatar cast together there's laughter, hugs, heart and tea, and we're so glad we showed up to see everyone reunited. If you're looking for more from Fan Expo Chicago's panel rooms, there's even more still to come, so stay tuned right here!

As afternoon was turning into evening on Saturday, actor Rainn Wilson took the stage in the main hall at Fan Expo Chicago. The questions were less about his most famous role as Dwight in The Office and instead more meandering and a little all over the place. For some, that might have been a bummer, but Wilson is a quick-witted, FUNNY person, and the panel was an absolute joy to watch. Photo by Aaron Cynic Wilson opened by affirming that the Fan Expo crowd is indeed “his tribe,” joking about how long he’s been playing Dungeons and Dragons. “I guarantee you I was playing D&D before any of y’all. Was there anyone here playing before 1977?” After one person in the crowd raised their hand, Wilson remarked “that’s bullshit. No way you were you playing before '77 – they didn’t even have a monster manual.” but after the moderator pointed the fan out, Wilson quipped “he looks ancient.” Wilson added that he spent a birthday watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy in its entirety. “Here’s what I did for a birthday,” he said. “I got the DVDs of the extended versions of all three Lord of the Rings movies. For the day I watched them all. It was a 10-hour birthday celebration for me…I’m just proving my street cred here, folks.” Wilson said one of the challenges in acting is making pages of dialogue come alive for viewers. “The things that actors complain about are mostly bullshit. ‘Oh we had to be there at 5am.’ Boo hoo, so did my stepdad, he was a clam digger. That was a lot harder than being in your trailer and deciding what kind of omelet you want at dawn. What’s hard is…a lot of times what’s hard in TV…I had to memorize 7-9 pages of dialogue a day. Not only memorizing it but…it was hard stuff. It was funny, it was dark, it was complicated dialogue. Day in and day out, not just to memorize them, but make them come alive. Make them sing. Figure out your take on the scene while you’re in at 4 or 5 in the morning trying to get your bearings. It can be really challenging creatively.” Some of the curated fan questions did hit on the beloved character of Dwight Schrute. Wilson said one common misconception people have about him is that they’re surprised to see he’s “not exactly like Dwight,” which he takes as a complement. Photo by Aaron Cynic “There’s not very much of me that's like Dwight. Although obviously some mannerisms because I played him for 200 episodes over 9 years,” said Wilson. “One of the things that’s great, and maybe you’ve noticed this, Dwight is a little bit of a dick. And Rainn is a little bit of a dick. It allows me – having played Dwight – allows me to kind of be a dick to people like the guy in the pink shirt who played D&D before me and people laugh. I can be kind of an asshole and people are like ‘oh isn’t that charming.’ But I talk to Jenna (Fischer). And Jenna plays Pam, who’s so sweet, and she can’t tell any edgy jokes because people are like ‘Pam would never say that. Pam is so sweet.’ So Jenna has to keep her dark, raunchy sense of humor in check, because people recoil.” Wilson also talked about his environmental activism and balancing that with his career. “I always have felt from the beginning as I got well known as an actor that I have an obligation and responsibility to use my platform for some kind of social good,” he said. Wilson said that a few years ago he realized that though he felt very passionate about climate change, he needed to become more involved. “All I was doing was sending out angry tweets at climate change deniers. I realized I needed to do more than be a keyboard warrior. I started getting involved with some organizations, shooting some stuff, making some videos and installations and applications, speaking about climate in various ways. I think that everyone…some people are like ‘actors should just shut up and stick to acting.’ I don’t think anyone should stick to their profession. I think everyone should speak up about what they’re passionate about. I don’t pretend to be a climate scientist, but I know how to read science and communicate findings to people as a storyteller and actor. There are things we’re passionate about, it’s time to get from behind the keyboard, get involved. That’s all of our responsibility.” Photo by Aaron Cynic While there are 40 rules for the Schrute boys to follow, Wilson said the most important rule was to “be kind.” “Be like 20 percent nicer than you think you need to be,” he said. “Going out into the world, I’m a pretty decent, reasonable pretty nice person. Give that extra 20 percent. How’s that? And if you don’t you get eaten in your sleep.”

As we have come to expect, Chicago doesn't mess around when it comes to cosplay. Saturday was every bit the slay Friday had been, but the floor was even more packed with people. It was hot, it was sticky, it was crowded - but it's still some of our favorite work. Photographers: Aaron Cynic, Marielle Bokor, Alex Orona Next time you attend a convention, we encourage you to stop for just a little bit and watch all the wonderful cosplay pass you by. If you see something incredible, give them a compliment or two, take some pictures of their hard work, and trade insta handles. It's a welcoming world full of fun creative folks, and one of the best ways to bond with other people who like the things you do or find new things to love. Here's some of the best things we saw on Saturday at Fan Expo There's still one more day of amazing cosplay to share, so don't forget to check back tomorrow, too!

Photo: Aaron Cynic Fan Expo is known for its packed schedule full of A-list celebrity appearances but one of the major highlights this year was Saturday's Guardians of the Galaxy panel. Five members of the rag-tag group of space bandits shared behind the scenes stories and real life factoids about their lives on the Fan Expo main stage.  The Guardians panel consisted of Michael Rooker (Yondu,) Karen Gillen (Nebula,) Pom Klementieff (Mantis,) and Sean Gunn (Kraglin.) There was an obvious comradery among the crew, especially after multiple movies and specials. Photo: Aaron Cynic Michael told stories of his past as a life guard at North Ave beach in Chicago, a fact about the actor that shocked his colleague Pom. The cast also had a lot to share about Michael’s on set antics including his habit of mooning people as they rehearsed. These were probably the peak of the pranks, but other pranks included posing Rocket around set.  The cast also mentioned that Sean would often stand in for Rocket. In some scenes, his director brother, James Gunn, would stand in for Groot, which allowed them to share a few memorable scenes together, including the celebration scene at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Photo: Aaron Cynic Also, through fan questions, the group revealed some of their biggest weaknesses, such as Pom’s love of snuggling horses and Karen’s addiction to reality television. The crowd questions were provided online and the cast welcomed them all. We loved our time with the Guardians, and can't wait to see what other adventures the actors and potentially their characters go on. For more from the Fan Expo Floor stay tuned!

It’s been two years since the series finale of The Flash on the CW. After 184 episodes and nine seasons, it’s a good time to reflect. Some of the cast reunited at Fan Expo Chicago to discuss their experiences on set as members of Team Flash.  Team Flash consisted of Grant Gustin (The Flash), Danielle Panabaker (Caitlin Snow), Carlos Valdes (Cisco Ramon), Tom Cavanagh (Dr. Harry Wells), and Candace Patton (Iris West.) Both Grant and Carlos recently spent time on Broadway, so there was a lot of discussion on the anxieties of a different format of acting with Tom offering advice about his experience in the past. The team was all smiles while recounting Grant’s  ability to act realistic sprinting or make up woes within episode filming. Danielle dug deeper into her time filming Sky High now on the eve of its 20th anniversary as well as her first ever directing job, which also came with some helpful advice from Tom. Funny enough, Tom did in fact direct a good amount of the Flash episodes, claiming a successful director relies on the trust and chemistry of the actors, as they generally know more about their characters than the director does. Candice provided some insight on her ground breaking role as Iris West and how she felt it impacted female African American women in superhero roles.  Overall it was a fun and fascinating dive into becoming the characters of the Flash.  Did you want more from Fan Expo's panels? Stay tuned!

Photographers: Julian Ramirez, Marielle Bokor, CC Staff We're showing our hometown stripes (stars, really) but IYKYK -- while we've heard tales of conventions and other giant events like music festivals, what have you having beautiful weather, clear skies and that breeze that reminds you why life is so sweet - that's not a thing for Chicago. Oh sure, you think May is delightful even in the Midwest, or that a nice October trip would be just fine Life finds a way and in this case it means, if you're at Fan Expo Chicago 2025, it's HOT. Like, the kind of hot where you're like "it wasn't supposed to be this HOT" where everyone's putting a premium on cold drinks and Kirby fans. Fortunately for the roving group of photographers and writers here at Culture Combine, what else is fire is the cosplay. Don't take our word for it, though. Check it out! Then come back for day two and three on the following days, cuz we can do this all weekend long!

Putting the F in Family The Fantastic Four was known as Marvel's 'first family' back when they were originally invented in the 1960’s. Bombarded by interstellar rays while on a space flight, they were bestowed with amazing super powers, and the Fantastic Four was born. Reed Richards, AKA Mr. Fantastic with his ability to stretch and extreme intelligence, his wife Sue Storm AKA Invisible Woman, with her ability to create light bending force fields to make her and other things invisible, her brother Johnny Storm, AKA the Human Torch, with the ability to set himself on fire and fly, and Ben Grimm, Reed’s best friend, AKA The Thing, with a rock-like exterior, who now has super strength and rock hard skin. As a kid, I read a lot of their adventures but always felt like they were the more plain jane, vanilla of all of Marvel's slate of heroes. Just a happy family that works together to overcome adversity, with the biggest drama coming from the Thing hating his rocky appearance. It wasn’t until the 80’s and 90’s that they really got more of a personality. That follows suit with a lot of the film adaptations as well. There has always been a struggle adapting the Fantastic Four, because as a property made in the 1960s, there’s always been a lot of campyness in how it was written. Characters using phrases like “it’s clobbering time” can generate a lot of eye rolls, and while the 2005 and 2007 sequel really leaned heavily into the campit was more of a 2000’s style camp, which was generally a lot less fun. Still, even those were a breath of fresh air when compared to Josh Trank's 2015 gritty reboot that forced an edge onto the characters to the point of being completely unrecognizable. It seemed impossible to find the right kind of angle to attack these characters, and most had given up hope.  Considering the MCU is long in the tooth at 17 years running, how does the Fantastic Four’s own brand of quirkiness fit? And the answer is generally, it doesn’t, so don’t include it. The current MCU is going through a phase of multiverses and what better way to use them then by having them in their own retro future universe that looks similar to the world of The Jetsons. Here is where our story takes place, and from the start of it, the film is visually stunning. Everything from the television graphics to the lovingly crafted Baxter building where the Fantastic Four reside. Also, I am loving this new trend in superhero movies where we skip the origin story we’ve heard so many times before and are shown an already established world. The Fantastic Four are the only heroes of this universe, and have been doing their thing for a couple of years, having become quite the celebrities in their own right--to the point of having Coppertone style sunscreen ads. It’s all very tongue-in-cheek, but it works in building a lived-in world.   Next we are introduced to our heroes. Pedro Pascal, playing Mr Fantastic - is there anything this man cannot do? As a big fan of the source material, Pedro was not my first choice here, but he did his best to play the character right. Invisible Woman, played by Venessa Kirby, is the linchpin of the family, and she holds the role with a quiet reserved strength that is very on brand for her character, Susan Storm. The Human Torch is played by Stranger Things’ Joseph Quinn, and while this character has always been displayed as a playboy, Quinn provides new context for the character, making him more of a scientist than previously portrayed and it gives a real sense of depth to him. Rounding out the cast is Ebon Moss-Bachrach, as the Thing, who plays the hulking rock with a sense of humanity that makes you feel for him as a person outside of just a muscle bound brute with silly catch phrases. Overall, the cast really plays off each other well, and you feel the family in every quiet moment. Galactus and his herald The Silver Surfer, played by Ralph Ineson and Julia Garner, are menacing with their powerful demeanor of impending doom. Whenever they are on screen, they draw all attention.  The primary focus of the film is that family dynamic, especially when we are presented with sizzle reels of all of the action that’s happened in previous years, interspersed with homey Sunday dinners. There’s a lot to love about this family, but that harmony is disrupted when Galactus the Devourer of Worlds comes to eat Earth. Of course, he could leave Earth alone - in exchange for Susan and Reed’s unborn child Franklin. While most super hero movies would push into a massive large scale battle, the Fantastic Four do what they do best: Research! Inevitably they are able to outsmart Galactus by using their combined intelligence and the strength of co-operation, which is pretty much the point of the Fantastic Four. Still, I guess the question is, is that entertaining? And the answer is....kinda? While it’s easy to punch your way to a solution like most Marvel shows and movies tend to do, this new crop of films, first Thunderbolts and now Fantastic Four, we are choosing a different route. Thinking through our issue and coming to a solution that’s more about outsmarting our enemy. In preparation for this movie, I re-read some of my favorite Fantastic Four comics, and what always struck me with them was how often they were kind of slow-moving, dull or anti-climactic, and this movie hits that chord particularly well. Still, this is a welcome change to the mindlessness we’ve seen in the previous clunkers in the multiverse saga, I’m looking at you Thor Love and Thunder.  Despite feeling the lack of action beats, Fantastic Four First Steps properly introduces us to the new First Family in a way that gives proper context for their chemistry and history as a team, complete with their robotic helper H.E.R.B.I.E. (Dear Lord please give me more H.E.R.B.I.E.!) That being said, the overall plot feels relatively low energy. There are a few moments of excitement in chase sequences and the final face off against Galactus, but generally the movie is a story about a family, and the world that loves them. Humanity united around their protectors and what that means to all involved. It’s written well, and I’m excited to see how they are incorporated into future films. It’s not the best Marvel film but it’s exactly what Marvel needs right now. Grounding, levity, and a little bit of wholesome family. Fantastic Four First Steps and Thunderbolts tells me that Marvel is definitely in need of a sea change, and these two films show me a bright future in looking inward, as opposed to dumbed down fisticuffs.