Mason to Star in ABC’s Midseason Drama “Of Kings and Prophets”

Jeanine Mason is the queen of kings

The 24-year-old Cuban American actress/dancer has been added to the cast of ABC’s midseason drama Of Kings and Prophets.

Jeanine Mason

The series, penned by Adam Cooper and Bill Collage, is described as an epic Biblical saga of faith, ambition and betrayal as told through the eyes of a battle-weary king, a powerful and resentful prophet and a resourceful young shepherd on a collision course with destiny.

Mason will portray Merav, the eldest daughter of King Saul and Queen Ahinoam, and sister of Michal.

Mason, the winner of Season 5 of Fox’s competition series So You Think You Can Dance.

Her television credits include Bunheads, Major Crimes, Big Time Rush, as well as the recent Fox pilots Studio City and Delirium.

Canto to Star in ABC’s Fall Drama Series “Blood and Oil”

There will be blood for Adan Canto.

The 33-year-old Mexican actor has been added to the cast of ABC‘s upcoming drama Blood and Oil as a series regular, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Adan Canto

Written by Josh Pate and Rodes Fishburne, the drama series follows Billy (Chase Crawford) and Cody Lefever (Rebecca Rittenhouse) who dream of a new life beyond their working-class roots and move to The Bakken in North Dakota, booming after the biggest oil discovery in American history. They’re soon pitted against a ruthless tycoon who forces them to bet big and put everything on the line, including their marriage.

Canto will portray AJ Menendez, taking over the role previously played by Yani Gellman in the pilot. The character is a geologist who has been hired to work with Briggs Oil and advise Hap Briggs (Don Johnson) on the Bakken Oil play. He’ll also help Hap around the ranch and eventually develops a romantic relationship with his daughter, Carla (Amber Valletta).

The cast also includes Delroy LindoScott Michael Foster and India De Beaufort, among others.

Blood and Oil, set to premiere on Sunday, September 27 at 9:00 pm, is produced by ABC Signature.

The casting brings Canto back into the ABC fold following his starring turn on the short-lived comedy series Mixology.

He most recently filmed NBC pilot The Curse of the Fuentes Women, which did not move forward. His credits include Fox‘s The Following and the feature film X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Orrantia to Star in “God’s Not Dead 2”

Hayley Orrantia is headed to the big screen…

The 21-year-old Mexican-American actress/singer has landed a leading role in God’s Not Dead 2, the sequel to the hugely profitable 2014 religious drama.

Hayley Orrantia

Much like its predecessor, God’s Not Dead 2 depicts the debate between a skeptic and an evangelical Christian who come into conflict in an educational setting, but in this outing the roles will be reversed.

Orrantia, who stars on ABC’s comedy series The Goldbergs, will portray Brooke, a high school student whose teacher, played by Melissa Joan Hart, quotes bible verses in class, causing Brooke’s parents to sue.

God’s Not Dead 2 is currently in production in Arkansas. Harold Cronk is directing from a script by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon.

Orrantia was a member of Lakoda Rayne, a country-pop girl group assembled by Simon Cowell during the first season of The X Factor.

Lapira to Star in Fox’s Comedy Series “The Guide to Surviving Life”

Liza Lapira is breathing new life into a Fox project…

The 33-year-old part-Spanish American actress has been cast as a regular on Fox’s midseason comedy series The Guide to Surviving Life.

Liza Lapira

The young ensemble comedy, created by Jay Lacopo, centers on a group of friends living together for the first time and celebrates the mistakes and misadventures of post-college life.

Lapira will portray Leslie Barrett, the wife of Josh Barrett (Justin Bartha).

Lapira replaces Maureen Sebastian who played the role in the pilot.

While Sebastian comes from drama background, Lapira has comedy series experience with co-starring roles on ABC’s Don’t Trust The B— and Super Fun Night as well as CBS’ comedic drama Battle Creek.

At Fox, she previously co-starred on comedy Traffic Life and drama Dollhouse. The network also cast her as a lead in its comedy pilot The Perfect Stanleys this past season.

Lapira’s feature credits include Crazy Stupid Love and Fast & Furious.

The Guide To Surviving Life will start production in August for a midseason launch behind New Girl

de la Garza Lands Recurring Role on CBS’ Drama Series “Scorpion”

Alana de la Garza is about to feel the sting

The 39-year-old half-Mexican American actress has been cast in a recurring role on the second season of CBS’ drama series Scorpion.

Alana de la Garza

de la Garza, who recently played the female lead on the ABC drama Forever, will portray the smart, tough and driven new Head of Homeland Security who needs the Scorpion team to be successful. But is it because it’s best for the team or because it’s best for her?

de la Garza’s character will succeed Homeland Security Director Merrick (David Fabrizio) who in the Season 1 finale relegated Cabe (Robert Patrick) to a desk job at the Pomona airport, prompting Cabe to quit.

The Season 2 opener, slated for September 21, will find Cabe taking a job as a Hollywood tech advisor until he is summoned back by the new head of Homeland Security to reassume his old position as a liaison for the Scorpion team.

Scorpion is executive produced by Roberto Orci and more for CBS Television Studios.

de la Garza’s previous television credits include Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Los Angeles, as well as the short-lived series Do No Harm.

Nolasco Returning for Season Two of ABC’s Drama “American Crime”

There’s more crime in Elvis Nolasco’s future…

The Dominican actor is returning for the second season of ABC’s drama American Crime.

Elvis Nolasco

Nolasco, who portrayed addict Carter Nix on the show’s first season, and fellow standout Richard Cabral join returning cast members Timothy Hutton, Regina King and Felicity Huffman. Those actors returning for Season 2 of American Crime will play new characters in a new setting. 

“After playing individuals on the fringes of the law, Season 2 will offer complete role reversals for both Elvis and Richard,” American Crime executive producer John Ridley told Deadline. “Elvis playing a fundamentally good man scapegoated by the system in which he works. Richard as someone who takes it upon himself to stand for the rights of others, even if it means he stands alone. Elvis and Richard both gave revelatory performances last year, and we are so happy to have them rejoining Felicity, Tim and Regina.”

While the first season followed the aftermath of a murder in Modesto, CA, Season 2 will film in Austin, with production likely to begin in July.

In terms of season 2’s exact locale, Ridley says the story takes place “in the Midwest, which is where I grew up…it’s a place that when you hear it, there’s no preconceived notions.”

Ridley told Deadline previously that King’s character in Season 2 “is going to be at the center of a story that deals with physicality, sexuality and societal boundaries with the same urgency as our first season dealt with race and faith.”

Further expounding on season 2’s themes, Ridley added during the American Crime Q&A that season 2 will also deal with “sexual orientation and boundaries as it relates to young people and the system that we hope has the best interests of our families and hearts.”

 

Maldonado & Her Pentatonix Crew Release “Evolution of Michael Jackson” Video

Kirstie Maldonado is helping breathe new life to the King of Pop’s musical…

The 22-year-old half-Mexican, part Spanish-American singer and her fellow Pentatonix members have released an impressive medley of Michael Jackson‘s hits to remind fans that they haven’t forgotten about them.

Pentatonix

The impressive video by the Grammy-winning a cappella group, who had the best-selling album by a group in 2014, awesome video titled “Evolution of Michael Jackson” follows the group’s normal formula, highlighting some of Jackson’s best known hits, including “ABC” “Thriller” and “Billie Jean,” in an intriguing five-part a cappella performance that seamlessly weaves much of his music into one cohesive piece.

Pentatonix won the group’s first-ever Grammy this year in the Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella category for their acclaimed “Daft Punk” medley.

Pentatonix previously released “The Evolution of Beyonce” video, which has garnered more than 30 views on YouTube.

Pentatonix recently released a documentary, On My Way Home, and have been in the studio working on their next album, which will be all original music.

Ariza Cast in HBO Films’ “Confirmation,” Starring Kerry Washington

Kristen Ariza is getting confirmed

The part-Hispanic actress has been added to the cast of HBO FilmsConfirmation, starring Kerry Washington.

Kristen Ariza

Ariza joins Kimberly Elise and Malcolm Gets in the film, which details the Supreme Court hearings for Clarence Thomas (Wendell Pierce) that were rocked by testimony by Oklahoma law professor Anita Hill (Washington).

The hearings brought the country to a standstill and forever changed the way we think about sexual harassment, victims’ rights and modern race relations.

Ariza will play Judy Smith, the White House press liaison.

Interestingly, it’s a reunion of sorts for Washington and the Smith character. Smith is the founder, CEO and president of the crisis-management firm Smith & Co., the inspiration behind Washington’s ABC drama series Scandal. Smith was Special Assistant and Deputy Press Secretary to President George H.W. Bush and reportedly was instrumental in guiding his administration through the controversies surrounding the Thomas nomination.

Ariza’s credits include appearances on Parks and Recreation, Scorpion and Castle.

Szifron to Direct Sci-Fi Series “The Stranger” for Media Rights Capital

It’s stranger times for Damian Szifron

The 39-year-old Argentine film and television director, whose Relatos Salvajes was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards, is set to helm a sci-fi series in the United States.

Damian Szifron

Szifron will make his directorial debut on the small screen in the U.S. with “The Stranger,” a series limited to 10 episodes that he’ll write and direct for Media Rights Capital (MRC) studios.

The format will include stories that go global, with multiple locations and different languages, according to Deadline.com.

The agreement gives Szifron a new project in the U.S. market, where he recently closed a deal to write the screenplay for the film The Six Billion Dollar Man starring Mark Wahlberg and directed by Peter Berg.

That film is a movie adaptation of the TV series of the same name that was a hit on the ABC network in the United States between 1974 and 1978.

Szifron has also signed a deal to write and direct a future thriller for TriStar.

Rodriguez to Direct Warner Bros. Live Action Adaptation of Hanna-Barbera’s “Jonny Quest”

Robert Rodriguez has a new quest

The 46-year-old Mexican American filmmaker is set to direct Warner Bros. Jonny Quest, film adaptation of the Hanna-Barbera boy hero.

Robert Rodriguez

The studio is hoping to create a live-action family adventure franchise.

Rodriguez and Terry Rossio are rewriting a Dan Mazeau draft that made the Black List.

Jonny is the kid who accompanied his scientist father, their bodyguard Race Bannon and Jonny’s pal Hadji on a series of global adventures that always involved some evil conspiracy that forced Jonny to work his way out of danger. Created and designed by Doug WildeyJonny Quest was wildly popular when first introduced. The series ran for a season on ABC primetime in 1964 and lives forever in reruns, an updated animated series, and in comic book and merchandising incarnations.

Warner Bros, which got the Hanna-Barbera catalog in the Turner acquisition, has tried numerous times to get this right. Richard Donner took a shot at it; Peter Segal did too. A version had Zac Efron poised to play the title character and Dwayne Johnson to play Bannon.

Rodriguez previous has success with the kid empowerment theme with his own popular Spy Kids films.