Rita Moreno Among the “Cast” for This Year’s Academy Awards Show

Rita Moreno has a special date with Oscar…

The producers of this year’s 93rd annual Academy Awards have cast an ensemble of 15 stars to handle all the presenting duties, including the 89-year-old Puerto Rican actress, singer and dancer.

Rita Moreno

Moreno, one of the few artists to have won all four major annual American entertainment awards: an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award, is part of a “cast” that includes last year’s Oscar winners Joaquin Phoenix, Renee Zellweger, Brad Pitt and Laura Dern.

It’s part of the producers’ pledge to do the entire broadcast as if it were a movie itself.

Last year’s Best Director winner, Bong Joon Ho, who made four trips to the stage for Parasite, is also part of this ensemble, presumably to present Best Director.

Other names announced — in alphabetical order — are Angela Bassett, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle, Bryan Cranston, Harrison Ford, Regina King, Marlee Matlin, Reese Witherspoon and Zendaya.

“In keeping with our awards-show-as-a-movie approach, we’ve assembled a truly stellar cast of stars,” said producers Jesse Collins, Stacey Sher and Steven Soderbergh. “There’s so much wattage here, sunglasses may be required.”

This idea of having a set group of presenters rotating in and out of the show is not new. When producer Gower Champion reimagined the 1969 Oscar show, he created what they called “Friends of Oscar,” with 10 stars exclusively serving as presenters (and no host). The format was then repeated successfully the next year, and has been tweaked occasionally over the decades — including for the innovative 2009 show produced by Bill Condon and Laurence Mark, which used combinations of five past winners each to present the acting awards.

Additional talent joining the April 25 live broadcast on ABC will be announced later.

Ana De Armas to Star in the Action-Thriller “Three Seconds”

It’s a matter of seconds for Ana De Armas

The 29-year-old Cuban actress has landed a role in Andrea Di Stefano’s Three Seconds, based on the best-selling Swedish novel by Anders Roslund and Börge Hellström.

Ana De Armas

She joins a cast that includes Joel Kinnaman, Rosamund Pike, Common and Clive Owen.

The action-thriller was written by Matt Cook, with revisions by Rowan Joffé and current revisions by DiStefano.

The story follows reformed criminal and former Special Ops soldier Pete Hoffman who, in order to free himself from jail and return to his wife and daughter, has been working undercover for crooked FBI handlers to infiltrate the Polish mob’s drug trade in New York. In a final step toward freedom, Hoffman must return to the one place he’s fought so hard to leave: Bale Hill Prison, where his mission becomes a race against time when a drug deal goes wrong and threatens his identity as a mole.

De Armas will play Hoffman’s wife, Sofia, a small-businesswoman who owns a grocery store. She most recently was seen in Hands of Stone with Edgar Ramirez and Robert De Niro, and War Dogs with Jonah Hill and Miles Teller.

She’ll next appear in Blade Runner 2049 with Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford, which will bow in the U.S. on October 6 via Warner Bros.

de Armas to Star in “Blade Runner” Sequel

Ana de Armas is extending her Hollywood Run(ner)

The 27-year-old Cuban-Spanish actress has joined the cast of Alcon Entertainment’s upcoming Blade Runner sequel.

Ana de Armas

de Armas’ role has yet been revealed.

The untitled Denis Villeneuve-directed sequel to the 1982 film sees Harrison Ford returning, joined by Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright and Dave Bautista.

It hits theaters October 6, 2017.

de Armas will soon star opposite Edgar Ramirez in Hands of Stone.

Pentatonix Performs Star Wars-Themed Medley at the American Music Awards

May the force and Princess Leia be with Kirstie Maldonado…

The 23-year-old half-Mexican, part Spanish-American singer and her fellow Pentatonix members performed a special Star Wars-themed medley at this year’s American Music Awards, complete with a surprise appearance by Han Solo himself.

Pentatonix

The a cappella pop group was accompanied by a 65-piece symphony orchestra to sing portions of John Williams‘ epic Star Wars score, which will be ringing in fans’ ears again soon when the franchise’s newest installment, The Force Awakens, comes out in theaters next month.

After AMAs host Jennifer Lopez introduced a new clip from the film, Harrison Ford appeared onstage to remind the audience, many of whom might not know John Williams by name, of his many other famous scores they would certainly recognize, such as from Jaws, E.T. and Indiana Jones.

He then let Pentatonix take it from there, with Maldonado even wearing Princess Leia-esque buns in her hair.

The group’s beatboxer Kevin Olusola recently talked to Rolling Stone about his own Star Wars obsession, saying, “When we’re on tour, I’m planning on re-watching each movie before we go onstage; then I’ll be ready to go for when the newest one comes out next month.”

Pentatonix previously dazzled audiences at this year’s Country Music Awards with their performance of the Oak Ridge Boys’ “Elvira.”

Lopez to Serve as a Presenter at the 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards

Jennifer Lopez has a golden responsibility this weekend…

The 45-year-old Puerto Rican actress/singer and American Idol judge is among the second batch of presenters announced today by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) for the 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards.

Jennifer Lopez

Lopez, who received a Golden Globe nomination in 1998 for her breakout role in Selena, joins a list of presenters that includes Jennifer Aniston, Kate Beckinsale, Bryan Cranston, Jamie Dornan, Colin Firth, Jane Fonda, Harrison Ford, Bill Hader, Katherine Heigl, Dakota Johnson, Adam Levine, Matthew McConaughey, Seth Meyers, Lupita Nyong’o, Jeremy Renner, Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Vince Vaughn, and Kerry Washington.

They will join previously announced presenters; Amy Adams, Adrien Brody, Robert Downey Jr., Anna Farris, Ricky Gervais, Kevin Hart, Salma Hayek, Kate Hudson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Pratt, Channing Tatum, Kristen Wiig, Owen Wilson and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

The ceremony, hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler for the third year in a row, will air on Sunday, January 11 live coast-to-coast on NBC with the pre-show from 4-5 PM (PST)/7-8 PM (EST), and main telecast from 5-8 PM (PST)/8-11 PM (EST) from the Beverly Hilton.

First Full-Length Trailer Released for Banderas’ “Expendables 3”

It’s an expendable moment for Antonio Banderas

Millennium Films has released the first full-length trailer for the threequel to Expendables, featuring the 53-year-old Spanish actor in a new role.

Expendables 3

Expendables 3 reunites the key cast members including Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Statham and Dolph Lundgren, while adding new stars like Banderas, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Kelsey Grammer, and Kellan Lutz.

In the highly anticipated action flick, director Patrick Hughes plants the band of brothers on a quest for revenge after one of their men is murdered during what should’ve been an easy mission. But deep in enemy territory, they face an unexpected threat.

Expendables 3 begins its international rollout on August 13, and Lionsgate will release the PG-13 film in the United States on August 15.

Banderas & His “Expendables 3” Castmates to Storm the Cannes Film Festival

It appears Antonio Banderas will be expendable at this year’s Cannes Film Festival…

The 53-year-old and his Expendables 3 castmates will make an appearance on Sunday, May 18.

Expendables 3

It’s being heralded as “one of the greatest assemblages of international star power — and muscle— that Cannes has ever seen” by Deadline.com, with 13 members of the cast participating in a complete day of events.

In addition to Banderas, Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Wesley Snipes, Dolph Lundgren, Kelsey Grammer, Randy Couture, Kellan Lutz, Victor Ortiz and Glen Powell will take part in the day’s program, alongside director Patrick Hughes.

Millennium Films officials say the day will start with a screening of footage from the movie, followed by Banderas and the gang arriving at the Carlton Hotel for a press conference and photo call.

The actors will reportedly arrive in armored vehicles, with banners representing each of the characters adorning the façade of the hotel.

Later that evening, there will be a big soirée at the Palm Beach nightclub.

Expendables 3 will begin rolling out across the globe on August 13.

Isaac to Star in the J.J. Abrams-Helmed “Star Wars: Episode VII”

May the force be with Oscar Isaac

The 35-year-old Guatemalan/Cuban actor is among the stars joining the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII.

Oscar Isaac

Though casting rumors have been circulating for months about the upcoming prequel from filmmaker J.J. Abrams, an official cast announcement was made Tuesday on the movie’s official website by Disney and Lucasfilm.

Other newcomers to the Star Wars franchise include John Boyega, Adam Driver, Andy Serkis, Daisy Ridley and Max von Sydow.

Original stars returning for the film include Harrison FordCarrie FisherMark HamillAnthony Daniels, Kenny Baker and Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca.

“We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII,” Abrams said in a statement. “It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud.”

Disney and Lucasfilm did not reveal who the newcomers will be portraying in the film, but Driver and Boyega are reportedly playing the film’s villain, who will be in the vein of Darth Vader, and the lead, respectively.

Episode VII will take place 30 years after Return of the Jedi.

Star Wars: Episode VII is scheduled to open in theaters on December 18, 2015.

Banderas to Star in the Sylvester Stallone Action-Flick “The Expendables 3”

Antonio Banderas is apparently expendable in Hollywood…

The 53-year-old Spanish actor has joined he cast of the The Expendables 3, the third installment of the popular action film about a team of mercenaries

Antonio Banderas

No word yet on Banderas’ role in the Sylvester Stallone-starrer.

But Stallone is already looking forward to sharing the screen with Banderas once again; the two co-starred in 1995’s Assassins.

“He is a consummate actor and a gentleman,” Stallone said of Banderas in a statement to HuffPost Entertainment.

Along with Banderas, the cast includes Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Statham, Kellan Lutz and Victor Ortiz.

Rumored additional cast members are Jackie Chan, Wesley Snipes, Nicolas Cage and Milla Jovovich.

Expect confirmations on the rumored cast members soon.

The Expendables 3, to be directed by Patrick Hughes, is scheduled to arrive in theaters on August 15, 2014.

Plaza to Receive Breakthrough Performer of the Year Award at This Year’s CinemaCon

Aubrey Plaza is about to get her breakthrough

The Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation has announced that the 28-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/comedian and Parks and Recreation star will receive the Breakthrough Performer of the Year award at this year’s CinemaCon.

Aubrey Plaza

Plaza, who graces the cover of Complex Magazine’s April/May cover, earned kudos for her starring role in the indie film Safety Not Guaranteed. She’ll next star in The To Do List.

The awards dinner will take place April 15-18 at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

Others to be honored include: Breakthrough Filmmaker of the Year — Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cinema Icon Award — Morgan Freeman, Male Star of Tomorrow — Armie Hammer, Female Star of Tomorrow — Hailee Steinfeld, Award of Excellence in Acting — Elizabeth Banks, Comedy Duo of the Year — Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, Lifetime Achievement Award — Harrison Ford, Male Star of the Year — Chris Pine and Female Star of the Year — Melissa McCarthy.