Critics Choice Association to Honor Rita Moreno at Inaugural “Celebration of Latino Cinema”

It’s a special celebration for the legendary Rita Moreno

The 89-year-old Puerto Rican actress, dancer and singer will be honored alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda and Demián Bichir at the Critics Choice Association’s inaugural Celebration of Latino Cinema.

Rita MorenoMoreno, Miranda and Bichor will be honored alog with a group of additional honorees, many associated with upcoming 2021 films, still to be announced.

The Celebration of Latino Cinema, to be presented virtually, will take place on Thursday, December 9, 2021 and aims to put a spotlight on the contributions of great Oscar-winning and -nominated artists like Moreno, Miranda and Bichir, but also Latino filmmaking in general, a facet of the motion picture industry that doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves during awards season.

Among other things, the CCA’s Celebration of Latino Cinema aims to change that.

“We are thrilled to be launching the first annual Celebration of Latino Cinema which recognizes the talented performers and skilled professionals who create the acclaimed films we are so proud to honor,” said Claudia Puig, a CCA member and co-programmer of the event.

“Films by our honorees represent the diverse and multi-faceted Latino community, and reflect our increasingly inclusive industry” said CCA board member and event co-programmer Clayton Davis.

The Celebration of Latino Cinema will be produced by Madelyn Hammond and Javier Infante of Madelyn Hammond & Associates. Stagedge will be responsible for transforming the show into an immersive virtual experience.

A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to LA Collab, whose mission is to accelerate Latino access, visibility and representation in the entertainment industry.

Moreno has won all four of the most prestigious awards in show business: an Oscar, a Tony, two Emmys, and a Grammy. She recently co-starred in the Latinx reimagining of Norman Lear’s classic sitcom One Day at a Time, and her documentary Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It had its world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival before being released in theaters; it will be broadcast on PBS’ American Masters in October. Moreno also co-stars in and executive produces Steven Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story.

She is a recipient of the Peabody Career Achievement Award, a Kennedy Center Honor, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Arts.

Miranda is a Pulitzer-, Grammy-, Emmy– and Tony Award-winning songwriter, actor and director, and creator and original star of Broadway’s Hamilton and In the HeightsA recipient of the MacArthur Foundation Award, a Kennedy Center Honor and the Portrait of a Nation Prize, he received an Emmy with Tom Kitt for their song “Bigger” from the 67th Tony Awards. Upcoming projects include Disney’s Encanto and his directorial film debut, tick, tick… BOOM!

Bichir received a Best Actor Oscar nomination in 2012 for his role in Chris Weitz’s A Better Life, becoming the first Mexican-born actor to be nominated in that category by the Academy since Anthony Quinn in 1957. He more recently received rave reviews for his performance in the film Land, directed by Robin Wright. His film credits include Steven Soderbergh’s Che, Oliver Stone’s Savages, Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight, Robert Rodriguez’s Machete Kills, Paul Feig’s The Heat, Richard Shepard’s Dom Hemingway, Ridley Scott’s Alien, George Clooney’s The Midnight Sky, and Adam Wingard’s Godzilla Vs. Kong.

Demián Bichir to Star in Jonas Cuaron’s Feature Film “Chupa”

Demián Bichir is getting mythical…

The 57-year-old Mexican Oscar-nominated actor has joined the cast of Jonás Cuarón’s feature Chupa alongside Dominic MaricheAdriel Manzano and Isabella Patron.

Demián Bichir

The film follows teenager Alex (Mariche), who while visiting his family in Mexico, gains an unlikely companion when he discovers a young chupacabra hiding in his grandpa’s shed. In order to save the mythical creature, Alex and his cousins (Manzano and Patron) must embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

Cuarón and Tim Sexton wrote the most recent screenplay based on an original script by Marcus Rinehart, Sean Kennedy Moore and Joe Barnathan.

“Demián, Dominic, Adriel and Isabella all bring a genuineness to the characters they play,” says Cuarón. “Growing up in both Mexico and the US, I’m fortunate to have my own life experiences to inspire the stories that I tell. It’s even more special to have found a cast that is able to lend an additional layer of authenticity to Chupa.”

The film is part of 26th Street Pictures’ first look deal at Netflix. 26th’s Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan and Mark Radcliffe are producing. EPs are G. Mac Brown and Brendan Bellomo.

Columbus said, “A story is only as good as the actors who can make it come to life. Demián is an acclaimed actor and after an extensive search, we’re thrilled with the true talent we’ve found in Adriel, Isabela and Dominic, all of whom lend heart and authenticity to their roles. We can’t wait for people around the world to meet them and see just how special they make this film.”

Bichir’s feature credits include Land, Godzilla vs. Kong, The Midnight Sky, The Hateful Eight and Alien: CovenantHe received a 2012 Best Actor Academy Award nomination for his turn in A Better Life

Mariche starred on television shows like The Good Doctor, See and Are You Afraid of the Dark?.

Demián Bichir to Star in Showtime’s Vampire Drama Pilot “Let the Right One In”

Demián Bichir is sinking his teeth into a new project…

Showtime has given a formal pilot green light to Let the Right One In, a vampire drama starring the 57-year-old Mexican Oscar-nominated actor.

Demian Bichir

The project hails from Andrew Hinderaker, who’ll serve as showrunner, Seith Mann, who will direct, and Tomorrow Studios, which has been the driver behind the project in its various incarnations for more than six years.

Inspired by the best-selling 2004 novel by Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist and its 2008 Swedish film adaptation, the series centers on a father, Mark (Bichir) and his 12-year-old daughter whose lives were changed forever 10 years earlier when she was turned into a vampire. Locked in at age 12, perhaps forever, Eleanor lives a closed-in life, able to go out only at night, while her father does his best to provide her with the minimal amount of human blood she needs to stay alive.

Bichir’s Mark is a husband and father who had the perfect life until it was turned upside down by a mysterious creature who bit his daughter (Eleanor) and then vanished into the night.

Let the Right One In, which had been in the works at Showtime for awhile and recently started casting the male lead, is described as an elevated genre drama, which is turning a naturalistic lens on human frailty, strength and compassion.

Let the Right One In quickly establishes itself as a thrilling, high-stakes drama that asks the question: How far would you go to save your child from the monsters out there – would you risk becoming a monster yourself?” said Amy Israel, Showtime’s EVP, Scripted Programming. “Demián Bichir is one of the world’s most dynamic and engrossing actors, and his charisma and vulnerability will surely bring Andrew Hinderaker’s exquisite script to life, guided by Seith Mann’s deft direction. We couldn’t be more excited about the potential of this show.”

Bichir will serve as a producer on the potential series.

“The series is both a love letter to the original film, and a story entirely our own,” said Hinderaker. “And casting a true artist like Demián epitomizes our bold aspiration to be one of the most terrifying shows on TV, and one of the most moving.”

Let the Right One In was originally developed by Tomorrow Studios and set up at A&E and A+E Studios in 2015. A year later, it moved to TNT where a pilot was ordered and cast but did not go to production. That version was closer to the original source material and was described as an eerie drama about a young boy, long tormented by his classmates, who finds solace in a friendship with a charismatic female vampire who appears to be near his age. Tomorrow Studios shopped the project and it ultimately landed at Showtime for redevelopment with a new writer.

Bichir received an Oscar nomination for his performance in the film A Better Life, becoming the first Mexican-born actor to be nominated in that category since Anthony Quinn.

His most recent films include starring in George Clooney’s The Midnight Sky, Robin Wright’s Land and the upcoming Godzilla vs. Kong.

Bobby Soto to Star in David Ayer’s Indie Crime Thriller “Tax Collector”

It’s Tax Collection day for Bobby Soto

The Latino actor is set to star in the indie crime thriller Tax Collector.

Bobby Soto

Written and directed by David Ayer, the film will also star Shia LaBeouf.

 Ayer has begun pre-production on Tax Collector, which will be shot in Los Angeles.

Tax Collectorharkens back to Ayer’s earlier gritty crime thrillers Training Day(which he wrote and Antoine Fuquadirected) and End of Watch, which Ayer directed.

The plot is being kept under wraps.

Soto’s previous credits include appearances on S.W.A.T.,Generator Rex, Lie to Meand For the People, as well as a role in the film A Better Life.

Raul Mendez to Star in Lifetime’s Original Movie “Cocaine Godmother”

Raul Mendez has landed a Godmother of a role…

The 42-year-old Mexican actor will star in Lifetime’s original movie Cocaine Godmother, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Raul Mendez

Directed by Guillermo Navarro, Cocaine Godmother is based on the life of Miami drug lord Griselda Blanco (Zeta-Jones), one the original “Cocaine Cowboys” who pioneered the drug trade between Colombia and the U.S. in the 70s and 80s.

Mendez will star as Dario, an associate of Pablo Escobar and Griselda’s third husband.

In addition to Mendez, the list of recent cast additions includes Jenny Pellicer (The Bridge) as Carolina, one of Griselda’s female lovers; Jose Julian (A Better Life)  as Uber, Griselda’s second-oldest son (she had 4 boys); Juan Pablo Espinosa (La Fan) as Alberto, one of Griselda’s criminal associates, and her second husband; and Warren Christie (The Catch) as Jimmy, the DEA agent who hunted her down.

Blanco was living in Queens, NY, when she became embroiled with local drug runners. After moving to Miami to expand her empire, the death of her second husband gave rise to her nickname The Black Widow. She later moved to California, was deported to Colombia and was gunned down in 2012. In her lifetime, Griselda’s drug distribution network spanned across the United States and she was suspected of ordering over 200 murders.

The film will go into production this year and premiere in 2018 on Lifetime.

Mendez’s credits include major recurring roles on Narcos and Sense8.

Cocaine Godmother is produced by Asylum Entertainment for Lifetime.

Navarro (Pan’s Labrynth, Narcos) will direct from a script written by David McKenna (American History X).

Cabral Returning for Season 3 of ABC’s “American Crime”

Richard Cabral isn’t leaving his Crime family…

The Mexican American actor has joined Felicity Huffman and Regina King as the third cast member to sign on for the upcoming third installment of John Ridley’s acclaimed ABC anthology series American Crime.

Richard Cabral

In Season 3, the series will be set in North Carolina and will deal with labor issues, economic divides and individual rights.

American Crime earned 10 Emmy nominations for its first season, winning for King. Cabral received a supporting actor Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Hector Tontz. The series, executive produced by Ridley and Michael McDonald, is coming off a well-received second season.

Cabral’s feature work includes Ridley Scott’s The Counselor, Chris Weitz’s A Better Life and End of Watch opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, and he also had guest-starring turns on ABC’s Body of Proof and HBO’s Luck.

He’ll next be seen in Blood Father, a Taken-style action thriller directed by Jean-Francois Richet (Mesrine) and starring Mel Gibson.

Bichir to Star Opposite Mateo Arias in the Teen Coming-of-Age Comedy “Good Kids”

Demián Bichir has landed a good role…

The 51-year-old Mexican actor has landed a role in in the teen coming-of-age comedy Good Kids.

Demian Bichir

Bichir, the star of FX’s border drama series The Bridge, will star opposite Ashley Judd, Nicholas Braun, Zoey Deutch, Israel Broussard and Mateo Arias in the teen coming-of-age comedy for Voltage Pictures.

The story follows four overachieving high school students living on Cape Cod who, upon graduation, realize that they’ve missed out on key life experiences by always being the “good kids.” They decide to completely reinvent themselves when the summer kids show up, in order to truly enjoy their last time together before college.

Bichir, who earned an Oscar nomination for his performance in A Better Life, will play the senior tennis coach at a local club. Judd will play a beautiful Cape Cod tennis wife.

Also joining the cast are Dayo Okeniyi, Julia Garner and Ginny Gardner.

Chris McCoy wrote the 2011 Black List script and is making his directorial debut on the film.

Produced by Depth of Field, Good Kids is currently shooting in Massachusetts.

Bichir Named an Ambassador for the American Civil Liberties Union

Demián Bichir’s new real-life role will put him in the middle of the immigration rights debate…

The 50-year-old Mexican actor has been appointed an ambassador for the American Civil Liberties Union to oversee immigration rights.

Demian Bichir

Bichir said he hopes to represent Latinos living and working in the United States, according to Hollywood.com.

“I’m going to be giving 12 million people a voice that they don’t have,” said Bichir, who earned an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of an illegal immigrant gardener living in East Los Angeles in A Better Life. “I get to go to Congress and the White House and host screenings… and pretty much tell everyone what this community actually (does) for us.”

Bichir currently stars in FX’s critically acclaimed drama, The Bridge,” which recently earned a Peabody Award.

The series, set on the Texas/Mexico border, shines a spotlight on the woes of the region.

Bichir’s New Series to Shine a Spotlight on U.S./Mexico Border Woes

Demián Bichir is hoping his new FX series will bridge the gap in understanding about life on the U.S./Mexico border.

The 49-year-old Mexican actor says one of the aims of The Bridge, which was named one of the year’s most exciting new shows, is to make viewers think about the woes of the border region.

Demian Bichir in The Bridge

“Different issues that concern both countries are implicit in the drama and the story,” said Bichir in a Mexico City press conference.

The series begins with the discovery of the dead, altered body of a controversial U.S. judge straddling the international boundary on the bridge that links El Paso, Texas, with the Mexican metropolis of Ciudad Juarez.

The first body is followed by others and it becomes apparent that a serial killer is operating on both sides of the border, forcing El Paso detective Sonya Cross (portrayed by Diane Kruger) and Mexican police officer Marco Ruiz (Bichir) to work together to solve the case.

Since the early 1990s, Juarez has been the scene of more than 700 mostly unsolved killings of women and girls.

“The fact that a series made in the United States talks about the deaths in Juarez is very interesting,” insisted Bichir, who earned an Academy Award nomination for the Best Actor in 2012 for his stellar performance in A Better Life.

The series makes it clear that people on the U.S. side of the border “are involved in the trafficking of human beings and undocumented workers at very high levels of government,” said Bichir.

The Bridge premieres on FX on Wednesday, July 10.

Bichir to Star in FX’s Drama Pilot “The Bridge”

Demián Bichir could be returning to American television in the near future…

The 49-year-old Mexican actor, who had a recurring role on Showtime’s Weeds, will star as the male lead opposite Diane Kruger in FX’s drama pilot The Bridge, which is being helmed by noted Mexican director Gerardo Naranjo.

Demian Bichir

The project, an adaptation of the Scandinavian series Bron, centers on two detectives from the United States and Mexico – El Paso Police Homicide Detective Sonya North (Kruger) and Marco Ruiz (Bichir) — who must work together to hunt down a serial killer operating on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Bichir’s character is described as a family man and one of the last good men in a corrupt and apathetic police force that is outgunned by the powerful drug cartels.

It’s the latest project for Bichir, who was nominated for an Oscar this year for his lead role in A Better Life.

He most recently signed on to appear in Dom Hemingway with Jude Law, as well as The Heat with Sandra Bullock.

He most recently appeared in Oliver Stone’s Savages opposite Benicio del Toro and Salma Hayek, and will next appear in Robert Rodriguez’s Machete Kills.

The Bridge is set to begin production this fall in El Paso and Los Angeles.