FX’s “Justified” continues to be one of the best series on television, with a lot of the credit for its success rightfully being attributed to Elmore Leonard’s original source material and the love and respect series creator Graham Yost and his writers have for Leonard’s work. Lest we forget just how important the cast is to the success of the series, however, I wanted to make sure that I took advantage of the opportunity to chat with at least one of the actors from the ensemble after they wrapped the “Justified” panel at the January TCA tour. As there’s such a wealth of talent to choose from, I’m sure you’ll believe me if I assure you that it was complete coincidence that I just happened to end up talking to the most gorgeous one of the bunch.

Okay, so maybe it wasn’t entirely coincidental. Look, I’ve been smitten with Natalie Zea since she first crossed my radar as part of the cast of ABC’s “Dirty Sexy Money,” and I had the chance to talk to her in a perfectly legitimate capacity. So sue me.

Also, just so it’s out there, I should probably also mention that I sound like a complete doofus a couple of times, responding to her responses by simply saying, “Really?” I’m not usually like that, but, hey, this is what happens when you’re blindsided by a beautiful woman…

Bullz-Eye: So what was it like when the cast gathered back together for the first table read of Season Three?

Natalie Zea: We, uh, don’t do table reads. [Laughs.]

BE: [Surprised.] Really?

NZ: Regretfully. I think they’re very handy. I think it’s that Graham (Yost) is not a fan of table reads. I’m not sure why. So, yeah, you kind of get thrown back into it on the first day. My first scene of Season Three was a love scene. And it’s, like, “Oh, hello, haven’t seen you in six months! How are you doing? Great! Let’s get into bed!” [Laughs.] And then, y’know, after the first 15 minutes, it’s like I never left.

BE: There’s at least a slightly different dynamic with your character this season, owing to her pregnancy, but you indicated during the panel that you’re not planning to play her a whole lot differently.

NZ: No, I’m not. Also, in regards to the pregnancy, what I realized but didn’t say is… We’re not really talking about the pregnancy as much as we are the baby. So I think probably Winona’s pregnancy is going quite well. [Laughs.] She’s having a really easy time of it. Which I like. I think…y’know, if there are concerns with viewers – and I think there would be, given the nature of this show – that it’s going to turn into this, like, “Baby? Pregnancy? I want ice cream and pickles! My feet hurt!” [Laughs.] It’s not happening. The pregnancy almost never gets addressed. But the issues…the outcome and the issues regarding the outcome, those are discussed. Because it’s life. And you have to discuss it.

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Adidas is done playing games and has laid down the gauntlet with the recently launched the adizero Rose 2.5 basketball shoe. Dubbed “Brenda,” the bold red colorway of the shoe represents family for Derrick and is his mother Brenda’s favorite color. The texture of the shoe’s nubuck upper is embossed with detailed rose material and features a full-grain nubuck leather toe for a strong off-court look. The shoe’s February on-court debut was a direct nod to the “Big Apple.” Rose is obviously proud of his new offering and explains some of the finer points of the new adizero Rose 2.5 in this video clip.

Rose’s fourth signature adidas basketball shoes tip the scales at just 11 ounces, making it the lightest signature sneaker he has ever worn on the court. The reduction in weight gives Derrick next-level speed and support for the second half of the season and the Bulls’ playoff run. Design features of the adiZero Rose 2.5 are highlighted by a top down satellite view of Derrick’s Englewood, Chicago neighborhood embossed in the toebox and throughout the upper. The map view is a continuation of the “Cleared for Flight” theme introduced with the adiZero Rose 2 and represents a view from high above. Additional details include the name “ROSE” on the tongue and 3-Stripes branding on the heel of the shoe to emphasize Derrick’s on-court speed. Featured on the sockliner is an infrared color and Derrick’s signature, saluting his personal motivation and inspired performance. His jersey number “1″ appears on the toebox!

Bottom line is the new adizero Rose 2.5 show looks amazing and will get you noticed both on and off the basketball court. The incredible light weight should help even the most challenged in “lifting” their game a few notches. The adizero Rose 2.5 “Brenda” is available at Foot Locker, Eastbay and Shopadidas.com for MSRP $110. The shoe will roll out in three additional colorways through April so stay tuned to the adidas Basketball Facebook page for exclusive images and content.

Admiring the curves of a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model is one thing, but actually driving it – that’s something only Lexus and its all-new 2013 GS sport sedan could do with style. As the official automotive marketing partner of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit property, Lexus created a multi-faceted campaign called TORI 500, showcasing an actual racetrack that the automaker created in the shape of model Tori Praver’s body.

“What better way to help introduce the bold new face of Lexus than with a bold new campaign featuring a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model?” said Brian Smith, Lexus vice president of marketing. “With the new GS, there’s no going back for Lexus. Instead of just looking at the pictures, consumers can share in the fun through our many campaign components, including having Tori appear in their own photos.”

That’s right, kids. Not only can you check out Tori Praver in the upcoming swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated, but you can also download a new iOS app called Supermodeled that lets you place the model in your photos with a click of a button. Additionally, you can watch two of the world’s best professional drivers – race car driver Scott Pruett (who took us for a ride in the all-new Lexus GS earlier this month) and stunt driver Greg Tracy – compete on the TORI 500 track on the company’s YouTube page.

Check out some photos from the print campaign in the gallery above, and be sure to read our impressions of the Lexus GS during our recent trip to Las Vegas Speedway.

Our friends at Busted Tees sent over a bunch of great t-shirts for our models and Amanda picked out two to take home. We got some quick shots of her in these great t-shirts as we were working on her next photoshoot (check back soon!).

Meanwhile, head to Busted Tees and check out hilarious shirts like the “Haters Gonna Hate” shirt in the slideshow above.

It’s another big week for Blu-ray fans, and not because you can finally watch the latest installment of the “Twilight” saga in the comfort of your own home. Though “Breaking Dawn: Part One” was released last Friday, therefore making it eligible for this week’s column, there were fortunately plenty of other great titles to choose from. And because I don’t want to waste another second on that godforsaken franchise, let’s get right to it.

It’s no secret that Johnny Depp is a big fan of Hunter S. Thompson (in addition to playing a fictional version of him in “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” he also narrated “Gonzo,” the 2008 documentary about the writer), and “The Rum Diary” was a project that he had been trying to get made for several years prior to Thompson’s untimely death. Unfortunately, while Depp clearly has a lot of fun channeling the eccentric journalist yet again in this adaptation of the writer’s “lost novel,” the movie is a rambling mess that fails to find any sort of rhythm over the course of its 120 minute runtime. The acting is solid and there are some great set pieces throughout, but it doesn’t really add up to anything of much substance. Having never read any of Thompson’s work, that may have very well been the point, but that doesn’t make the film any more accessible or entertaining.

Blu-ray Highlight: Though fans of Hunter S. Thompson will undoubtedly enjoy “The Rum Diary Back-Story,” a 2002 documentary that features Thompson and many others talking about the publication of the novel and the long road to adapting it for the big screen, I found the much briefer making-of featurette, “A Voice Made of Ink and Rage,” more interesting. In it, Johnny Depp and director Bruce Robinson discuss making the film while still keeping Thompson’s spirit alive on set. (Hint: It involved plenty of rum.)

There always seems to be at least one indie movie that emerges as a potential dark horse in the months leading up to the Oscars, and this year, that film is “Take Shelter.” Although it was overlooked by every major awards show, that hasn’t stopped some cinephiles from insisting that it deserved more recognition. In fact, my own critics group awarded the movie the #3 spot in our annual Top 10 and handed Best Actor honors to star Michael Shannon. But while “Take Shelter” is certainly a good film, I’m not convinced that it’s a great one, even in a year saturated with underwhelming movies. Shannon’s intense performance as a family man suffering from visions of an impending apocalypse has garnered a lot of attention, but it’s really no different from the work that the bug-eyed, off-kilter actor has been consistently delivering for years. Whether or not you actually like the film ultimately comes down to its polarizing ending, however, because it’s about as love-it-or-hate-it as they come.

Blu-ray Highlight: There are actually quite a few good bonus features on the disc – including an audio commentary by writer/director Jeff Nichols and actor Michael Shannon, as well as a short but sweet making-of featurette – but the best of the bunch is a surprisingly funny Q&A with Shannon and co-star Shea Whigham where they chat about how they got involved with the project and reveal other anecdotes from the set.

I missed out on seeing Lena Dunham’s “Tiny Furniture” when it debuted at SXSW two years ago; it was my first time at the event and I didn’t want to take the chance on a movie I knew nothing about. But after it won the festival’s award for Best Narrative Film, I made a mental note to watch it as soon as it was available on Blu-ray. Although I didn’t fall quite so head-over-heels for the movie as some, “Tiny Furniture” serves as a great showcase for a promising young talent who’s already drawn comparisons as a female Woody Allen. Granted, Dunham still has a ways to go – both behind the screen and in front of it – but the cornerstones are already there in her smart and funny writing. Your mileage will vary depending on how much you can tolerate Dunham’s hopelessly self-involved protagonist, but while “Tiny Furniture” is definitely rough around the edges, it’s worth seeing if only to bear witness to a filmmaker on the verge of a major breakout.

Blu-ray Highlight: Criterion always does a fantastic job with their Blu-ray releases, and “Tiny Furniture” is no exception. In addition to an engaging 30-minute conversation between writer/director/actor Lena Dunham and rom-com guru Nora Ephron, the single-disc effort also includes Dunham’s first feature, “Creative Fiction,” four of her early shorts, and an interview with Paul Schrader. They’re all highlight-worthy extras, but the discussion between Dunham and Ephron is something that any film fan will enjoy.