Celebrity Interviews

Michael Aaron Gallagher

As a journalist, Michael Aaron Gallagher has interviewed hundreds of people including some of the top movie stars, recording artists and celebrities.

His exclusive celebrity interviews have been featured in newspapers, award-winning magazines and online media outlets.

His first celebrity interview was in 2008, over the telephone with Jurassic Park star Ariana Richards, who played Lex Murphy in Steven Spielberg‘s big screen adaptation of the Michael Crichton book by the same name. Although he had no previous experience interviewing movie stars, she graciously took the time to answer his questions, which helped him build the confidence to continue pursuing his passion of being an entertainment news reporter.

The “Bailey sisters,” actresses Karolyn Grimes (who played Zuzu) and Carol Coombs Mueller (who played Janie) in the classic 1946 holiday film, It’s a Wonderful Life.

In 2010, when he was asked about his work Michael said, “Every time I do a new interview I think to myself, ‘This is the best interview, ever!’ I just really enjoy hearing how people respond to my questions. I try to ask celebrities questions that they haven’t been asked before and focus on the positive things they do. It always turns out better than I expected, and I usually learn something from them too.”

From press conferences and conference calls, to private sit-down meetings, late night voicemails and video chats around the world, the conversations were always entertaining and the moments were unforgettable.

Some of his most prominent celebrity interviews in television and film over the years include the following:

Actors

• The “Bailey sisters,” actresses Karolyn Grimes (who played Zuzu) and Carol Coombs Mueller (who played Janie) in the classic 1946 holiday film, It’s a Wonderful Life.
• Danny DeVito (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia)
• Jason Alexander (Seinfeld)
• Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings) – Interviewed 4 times
• Dylan McDermott (The Practice)
• Chloë Sevigny (American Horror Story)
• Colin Hanks (Fargo)
• Queen Latifah (Steel Magnolias)
• Jimmy Smits (Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith)
• Diane Kruger (Troy)
• Rachel Nichols (Continuum)
• John Ratzenberger (Cheers)
• AnnaSophia Robb (Soul Surfer)
• Elisha Cuthbert (The Girl Next Door)
• Ashley Tisdale (Scary Movie 5)
• Jason Biggs (American Pie)
• Sarah Chalke (Scrubs)
• Jamie-Lynn Sigler (The Sopranos)
• Drea de Matteo (The Sopranos)
• Vincent Pastore (The Sopranos)
• Emmanuelle Chriqui (Entourage)
• Maurice Benard (General Hospital)
• Judy Greer (The Wedding Planner)
• Kevin Sorbo (Hercules)
• Ally Walker (Profiler)
• Timothy Olyphant (Justified)
• Walton Goggins (Justified)
• Rockmond Dunbar (Prison Break)
• Chris Geere (You’re the Worst)
• Aya Cash (You’re the Worst)
• Kether Donohue (You’re the Worst)
• Desmin Borges (You’re the Worst)
• Franka Potente (The Bourne Identity)
• Flora Spencer-Longhurst (The Bastard Executioner)
• Bokeem Woodbine (Fargo)
• Ariana Richards (Jurassic Park)
• Nicole Gale Anderson (Mean Girls 2)
• Chelsea Kane (Baby Daddy)
• Keegan Allen (Pretty Little Liars)
• Jared Kusnitz (MTV’s Underemployed)
• Debby Ryan (Disney Channel’s Jessie)
• Alyson Stoner (Disney Channel’s Phineas and Ferb)
• Mitchel Musso (Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana)
• Adam Irigoyen (Disney Channel’s Shake It Up)
• Doug Brochu (Disney Channel’s Sonny with a Chance)
• Audrey Whitby (Disney Channel’s So Random!)
• Ainsley Bailey (Disney Channel’s Shake It Up)
• Kelli Berglund (Disney XD’s Lab Rats)
• Evan Hofer (Disney XD’s Kickin’ It)
• Victoria Justice (Nickelodeon’s Victorious)
• James Maslow (Nickelodeon’s Big Time Rush)
• Gracie Dzienny (Nickelodeon’s Supah Ninjas)
• Katie Barberi (Nickelodeon’s Every Witch Way)
• Autumn Wendel (Nickelodeon’s Every Witch Way)
• Jackson Brundage (One Tree Hill)
• Tristan Pasterick (Cartoon Network’s Incredible Crew)
• Austin Butler (Elvis)
• Thomas Kasp (Space Warriors)
• Savannah Lathem (California Solo)
• Jade Pettyjohn (McKenna Shoots for the Stars)
• Merit Leighton (A Tiger’s Tale)
• Mimi Kirkland (Safe Haven)
• Taylor Blackwell (Dolphin Tale 2)
• Noah Lomax (Playing For Keeps)
• Bianca D’Ambrosio and Chiara D’Ambrosio (The Young and the Restless)
• Chelsey Valentine (American Horror Story: Asylum)
• Jaidan Jiron (Nickelodeon’s Deadtime Stories)
• Mandalynn Carlson (Holiday Miracle)
• Isabella Palmieri (As the World Turns)
• Aisha Tyler (Ghost Whisperer)
• Holt McCallany (Lights Out)
• Callie Thorne (Rescue Me)
• Daniela Bobadilla (Anger Management)
• Daniel Gillies (The Vampire Diaries)
• Angelique Rivera (American Crime)
• Zach Sale (Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor)
• Mekenna Melvin (Chuck)
• Charlene Amoia (American Reunion)
• Natalie Zea (Justified)
• H. Jon Benjamin (Archer)
• Lizzie Brocheré (American Horror Story: Asylum)
• Kristen Renton (Sons of Anarchy)
• Winter Ave Zoli (Sons of Anarchy)
• Christopher Douglas Reed (Sons of Anarchy)
• Noah Emmerich (The Americans)
• Barry Floyd (The Game)
• Mehcad Brooks (Necessary Roughness)
• Lotte Flack (Pope Joan)
• Alon Aboutboul (The Dark Knight Rises)
• Mike Farrell (M*A*S*H)
• Barbara Hershey (Black Swan)
• Philip Martin (Phil Spector)
• Shaun O’Rourke (Port City)
• Carrie Manolakos (Broadway’s Mamma Mia)
• Pleasant Wayne (CSI:NY)
• Jet Jurgensmeyer (Last Man Standing)

Comedians

• George Lopez (Saint George)
• Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond)
• Margaret Cho (Drop Dead Diva)
• Louis C.K. (Louie)

Recording Artists

• Kenny G
• Jennifer Nettles of the country music duo Sugarland
• Train (Pat Monahan)
• Blues Traveler (Tad Kinchla)
• Gavin DeGraw
• STYX (Chuck Panozzo, James “JY” Young and Ricky Phillips)
• Kansas (Rich Williams)
• Brandy (Drop Dead Diva)
• Sara Bareilles
• Lead singer Harry Wayne “KC” Casey of KC and the Sunshine Band
• Trace Adkins
• R&B legend Charlie Wilson
• Multi-platinum recording artist Clay Aiken
• There for Tomorrow (Maike Maile)
• Lance Bass (*NSYNC)
• Boy band Mindless Behavior
• Kellie Pickler (American Idol)
• Little Big Town (Phillip Sweet)
• The Band Perry (Kimberly Perry, Reid Perry & Neil Perry)
• Steel Magnolia (Country music duo Meghan Linsey and Joshua Scott Jones)
• Sunny Sweeney
• Justin Moore
• Chris Young
• David Nail
• Jake Owen
• Maddi Jane
• Olivia Cella
• Tiffany Alvord
• Sara Skinner
• Landon Austin
• Estani Frizzell
• Guitarist Taj Farrant
• Brandon Hudson and Savannah Hudson (Brandon and Savannah)
• Academy Award-nominated composer Patrick Doyle (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire).

Television Hosts

• Ted Koppel (Legendary news anchor of Nightline)
• Legendary television host Jerry Springer (left) and Michael Aaron Gallagher after their interview in the green room.
• Mark Cuban (Billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks and star of Shark Tank)
• Lenay Dunn (MTV’s 10 on Top)
• Samantha Harris (Entertainment Tonight)
• Carly Steel (Entertainment Tonight)
• Chelsea Briggs (Hollywire TV)
• Jake Sasseville (Late Night Republic)
• Curtis Stone (Celebrity Chef – Top Chef Masters)

Fashion

• Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (fashion icons and former stars of Full House)
• Kelly Cutrone (fashion publicist and MTV star)
• Louise Roe (fashion stylist and host of The CW’s Plain Jane)

Models

• Kylie Bisutti (former Victoria’s Secret Angel)
• Mercedes Yvette (America’s Next Top Model)
• Morgan Cryer
• Trew Mullen

Dance

• Kelly Hyland (Dance Moms)
• Dancer Paige Hyland (Dance Moms)
• Dancer Jordyn Jones (Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition)
• Kelly Jones (Jordyn’s Mom)

Writers, Directors & Producers

• Director and producer Dani Menkin (J’taime, I Love You Terminal)
• Director Dallas Jenkins (What If…)
• Director Geo Santini (Hotel California)
• Executive producer Carlton Cuse (Lost)
• Executive producer Peter Tolan (Analyze This)
• Executive producer/showrunner Warren Leight (Lights Out)
• Writer/director Jeff Schaffer (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
• Writer/director Paul Leyden (Cleaners)
• Writer/producer Jackie Marcus Schaffer (The League)
• Show creator David Caspe (Happy Endings)
• Creator/executive producer/writer Rob McElhenney (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia)
• Executive producer/writer Glenn Howerton (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia)
• Actor/co-creator Jason Gann (Wilfred)
• Executive producer/creator/writer Josh Berman (Drop Dead Diva)
• Executive producer Neil Meron (Steel Magnolias)
• Executive producer Dominic Ianno (Soul Surfer)
• Acclaimed children’s author Bruce Coville
• NY Times Best-Selling author Laurie Halse Anderson
• Screenwriter Christine Conradt (Summer’s Moon)
• Novelist/screenwriter Allison Burnett (Resurrecting the Champ)
• Actor/director Craig Hurley (author of 27 and All Washed Up)
• Rani Bleier (Israeli TV Academy Award-winning director Screenwriter and head of the Israeli Directors Guild)

YouTubers

• Alexis G. Zall
• Alex Goyette (Awesomeness TV)
• Selena Caltabiano (Australia’s Neighbors)
• JennXPenn (Jenn McAllister)
• Meaghan Dowling (Awesomeness TV’s IMO)
• Teala Dunn (Enchanted)
• Lia Marie Johnson (Finding Cody)
• Painter Michael Chamberlain
• Kaitlin Stauffer (and her mom Katie Stauffer)

Michael’s questions have also been answered in online celebrity Q&A’s with the following:

• Rachel Bilson (Hart of Dixie)
• Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)
• Ali Larter (Heroes)
• Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly)
• Julianne Hough (Dancing with the Stars)
• Whitney Port (The Hills)
• Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries)

He has also composed the interview questions for interviews with celebrity chef Anne Burrell (The Food Network), Oscar-nominated actress Mary McDonnell (TNT’s Major Crimes), actress Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Travel Channel host Samantha Brown, Fox News host Megyn Kelly and actress Mimi Kennedy (CBS’s Mom).

In Memoriam
The following is a list of celebrities Michael has interviewed, who have sadly passed away:

• Jerry Springer (The Jerry Springer Show) – (1944-2023)
• Grammy award-winning Native American singer Joanne Shenandoah (1958-2021)
• Actress Athena Baumeister (1997-2014)
• Executive producer/writer/director Craig Zadan (1949-2018)
• New York Times Best-Selling author Elmore Leonard (1925-2013)