Jimmy Smits to Take Part in This Year’s Stand Up To Cancer SU2C Fundraising Special

Jimmy Smits is taking a stand (up)

The 68-year-old half-Puerto Rican actor will take part in this year’s Stand Up To Cancer SU2C fundraising special that’s set to air on Saturday, August 19 at 8:00 pm ET.

Jimmy SmitsIn addition to Smits, best known for his roles on L.A. LawNYPD Blue and The West Wing, other celebrities making a special appearance during the show include Elizabeth Banks, Jessica Biel, Don Cheadle, Katie Couric, Danai Gurira, Tony Hale, Ken Jeong, Maria MenounosJulianne Moore, Tig Notaro, Eric Stonestreet and Justin Timberlake.

A special montage of comedic skits from past shows will feature Jack Black, Ben Falcone, Zach Galifianakis, Brad Garrett, Bill HaderJon HammKevin Hart, Ed HelmsMelissa McCarthy, and Matthew McConaughey.

The televised special will also feature past musical performances from the likes of Brittany Howard, Simone Ledward Boseman, and The Who.

The one-hour televised celebration entitled “How It Started, How It’s Going” will recognize SU2C’s impact and progress over the last 15 years.

“We started this movement in 2008 to save lives and it is remarkable to see that in 15 years our scientists have accomplished this goal through breakthrough research that intercepts and treats cancer in ways we never thought possible,” said Katie Couric, SU2C co-founder. “There is more work to do to cure cancer and every dollar counts; we will not stop until we make every cancer patient a long-term survivor.”

The biennial special will air simultaneously on more than 50 participating media platforms across the United States and Canada, including all four major broadcast networks in the U.S. Broadcasters carrying the show are donating one hour of simultaneous commercial-free prime time. The telecast will also be available on-demand on several streaming platforms.

“Our telecast is a powerful tribute that demonstrates the importance of standing together to save lives,” said Russell Chew, president and CEO of SU2C. “Everyone plays a critical role in this goal, and we are so grateful for the support of the entertainment community, the broadcast networks, our generous donors, and the incredible researchers who work tirelessly to develop new cancer treatments.” Chew added, “100% of public donations to SU2C support innovative cancer research and vital awareness programs.”

Jimmy Smits to Star in CBS’ Cop Series Pilot “East New York”

Jimmy Smits is officially on the beat

The 66-year-old half-Puerto Rican actor and NYPD Blue alum has been cast as the male lead opposite Amanda Warren in CBS’ hourlong cop-series pilot East New York.

Jimmy SmitsCo-written by William Finkelstein and Mike Flynn and directed by Mike Robin, the project centers on Regina Haywood (Warren), the newly promoted deputy inspector of East New York, an impoverished, working-class neighborhood at the eastern edge of Brooklyn. She leads a diverse group of officers and detectives, some of whom are reluctant to deploy her creative methods of serving and protecting during the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds of gentrification.

Smits will play three-star Chief John Suarez, whose experience, commanding presence and strong moral center helps oversee the melding of communities and the precincts that serve them.

The Emmy-winning actor has a personal connection to the project. Born in Brooklyn, Smits grew up around the East New York section of the borough and went to school there. Additionally, East New York reunites Smits with Finkelstein, with whom he worked on NYPD Blue, and with Robin, who was a director-producer on the Smits-starring series, NYPD Blue and L.A. Law.

Warner Bros. Television is the studio.

Smits, who won an Emmy for L.A. Law, recently was recently seen in the feature adaptation of In the Heights. His series credits also include Sons of Anarchy and Dexter.

NBC Picks Up Jimmy Smits’ Legal Drama “Bluff City Law” to Series

Jimmy Smits is Bluffingit all the way back to a television near you…

NBC has picked up to series the Memphis legal drama Bluff City Law, starring the 63-year-old Puerto Rican actor.

Jimmy Smits

The project hails from The Brave creator Dean Georgaris and producer David Janollari

Co-created by Georgaris and Michael Aguilar and written by Georgaris, Bluff City Law is a character-driven drama, about which you can find more if you visit website, that follows the lawyers of an elite Memphis firm that specializes in the most controversial landmark civil rights cases. Led by legendary lawyer Elijah Strait (Smits) and his brilliant daughter, Sydney Keller (Caitlin McGee), they take on the toughest David-and-Goliath cases while navigating their complicated relationship.

This marks Smits’ return to NBC and the legal drama arena. He has starred in three previous NBC series: legal dramas L.A. Law and Outlaw as well as White Housedrama The West Wing.  

Launching a new hit legal drama series has been a priority for NBC. Recent attempts included the Chicago Justice spinoff from the Chicago franchise.

In addition to Smits and McGee, the cast includes Scott ShepherdBarry SloaneMichael Luwoye, MaameYaa BoafoStony Blydenand Jayne Atkinson.

Georgaris will write and executive produce. Aguliar and Janollari will executive produce.

Bluff City Lawis produced by Universal Televisionin association with David Janollari Entertainment.

Coll to Star in the CW’s Telenovela Adaptation “Jane the Virgin”

Ivonne Coll has landed another abuelita role…

The 66-year-old Puerto Rican actress, who has portrayed the grandmother to Naya Rivera’s character on Glee and Katie Leclerc’s abuelita on Switched at Birth, has landed a series regular role on the CW’s drama pilot Jane the Virgin.

Ivonne Coll

Based on the successful Venezuelan telenovela Juana la virgen, Jane the Virgin centers on Jane (portrayed by Filly Brown sensation Gina Rodriguez), a hardworking religious girl who, due to a series of outrageous events, is accidentally artificially inseminated.

Coll will portray Alba, Jane’s 60ish doting grandmother who teaches her at an early age the importance of staying pure until marriage. It’s later learned that Alba has actually been harboring a lifelong secret.

Early in her career, Coll, a former Miss Puerto Rico, starred in the films The Godfather, Part II and the Lean on Me.

Coll has appeared on television in shows like Teen Wolf, L.A. Law, Malibu Shores and Chicago Hope.

Worldview Entertainment Acquires Rights to del Toro’s “Jimmy P”

Benicio del Toro’s latest project will be heading to American theaters…

Worldview Entertainment has acquired the U.S. rights to Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian, which stars the 46-year-old Puerto Rican actor as the titular Native American character.

Jimmy Picard

The film is directed by Arnaud Desplechin and adapted from Georges Devereux‘s 1951 study Reality and Dream: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian.

The drama will make its debut at the Cannes Film Festival, where it has been selected to compete for the Palme d’Or.

The website Ioncinema.com rates the film favorably; judging it potentially the best film at Cannes and the second-most anticipated film of 2013.

The film also stars L.A. Law alumn A Martinez, Mathieu Amalric and Gina McKee.

Smits Headed to FX’s “Sons of Anarchy”

He may have played a detective on NYPD Blue… But Jimmy Smits’ next role will take him to the dark side.

The 56-year-old half-Puerto Rican actor has signed on for a season-long arc on Sons of Anarchy, FX’s dark biker drama.

Jimmy Smits

Smits will play Neron “Nero” Padilla, a Latino gangbanger with an exit strategy who becomes a dangerous mentor for Charlie Hunnam’s character Jax. The character of Nero is envisioned to be heavily tattooed and extremely dark.

Previously, Smits has previously starred in LA Law, for which he won an Emmy, He’s also stated in The West Wing and Outlaw.

Image courtesy of Tim Fraser.

Martinez’s “California Solo” Hitting Theaters This Fall

Former soap opera star A Martinez will be heading to the big screen this fall…

The 63-year-old part-Spanish/part-Mexican actor and singer, who rose to fame on the daytime sudser Santa Barbara, will be appearing in California Solo.

A Martinez

The film, which played at the Sundance Film Festival this year, stars Robert Carlyle as a former Britpop rocker-turned-farm worker who is charges with DUI, leading to possible deportation after living in Los Angeles for two decades.

Strand Releasing, which has taken the U.S. rights to California Solo, is planning a fall theatrical release.

California Solo (2012) Official film trailer from Edward Einhorn on Vimeo.

Along with his role on Santa Barbara, Martinez—whose real name is Adolfo Larrue Martinez, III—has also appeared on the primetime dramas L.A. Law and Profiler.