Tag Archives: Oprah Winfrey Network

Season Three of Lindsay Mendez’s Courtroom Drama “All Rise” to Premiere in June on OWN

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Lindsay Mendez will be OWNing the summer…

Oprah Winfrey Network announced that courtroom drama series All Rise, featuring the 39-year-old half-Mexican American actress, singer and Broadway star, will return for a third season on Tuesday, June 7 at 8:00 pm ET/PT on OWN.

The All Rise season three all-star cast includes Simone Missick as ‘Judge Lola Carmichael,’ Wilson Bethel as Judge Carmichael’s best friend, Deputy District Attorney ‘Mark Callan,’ Jessica Camacho as public defender ‘Emily Lopez,’ J. Alex Brinson as bailiff-turned-public defender ‘Luke Watkins,’ Ruthie Ann Miles as Lola’s J.A. ‘Sherri Kansky,’ Mendez as court reporter ‘Sara Castillo,’ Lindsey Gort as defense attorney ‘Amy Quinn’ and Marg Helgenberger as ‘Judge Lisa Benner.’

Recurring cast also includes Samantha Marie Ware as law clerk Vanessa “Ness” Johnson, Paul McCrane as Judge Jonas Laski, and Suzanne Cryer as Deputy District Attorney Maggie Palmer.

All Rise is a courthouse drama that follows the chaotic, hopeful, and sometimes absurd lives of its judges, prosecutors, and public defenders, as they work with bailiffs, clerks, and police to get justice for the people of Los Angeles amidst a flawed legal system. Among them is ‘Judge Lola Carmichael’ (Missick), a highly regarded and impressive former deputy district attorney who has shown she doesn’t intend to sit back on the bench, but instead leans in, pushing the boundaries and challenging the expectations of what a judge can be.

Season three of the show picks up six months after the events of the sophomore finale and will bring about new beginnings for these judges, prosecutors and public defenders. We return on election night as Judge Carmichael (Missick) awaits the results of her campaign; Emily (Camacho) returns from Puerto Rico with renewed drive and purpose about her career and Luke (Brinson) continues to shake things up through his work in the public defender’s office.

Star Wilson Bethel will make his directorial debut on an upcoming episode of the show slated to air this summer. Bethel joins fellow actor McCrane (Judge Laski) in stepping behind the lens, as McCrane will again direct an episode following the previous four he helmed in prior seasons. Bethel and McCrane join the directorial lineup including showrunner and executive Dee Harris-Lawrence, executive producer Michael M. Robin, Marie Jamora (Queen Sugar), Lionel Coleman (NCIS: New Orleans), Rob Greenlea (Madam Secretary), Neema Barnette (Black Lightning), Mo McCrae (All Rise) and David Harp (All Rise). This season, Adrian Younge (Luke Cage) joins as Composer and Natalie Montgomery returns as the Music Supervisor.

All Rise is produced by Warner Bros. Television. The series was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at both the 2021 NAACP Image Awards and the Black Reel Awards for Television in 2020.

The first two seasons of All Rise are available to stream on HBO Max and Hulu.

Amanda Tavarez to Star in OWN’s Original Holiday Movie “First Christmas”

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Amanda Tavarez is ready for her OWN Christmas…

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network has expanded its holiday season programming with the new original holiday movie First Christmas, starring the Dominican American actress.

Amanda Tavarez

First Christmas, which also stars Idara Victor and Tonea Stewart, will premiere on Tuesday, December 22. The movie joins the previously announced Our OWN Christmas gospel music special hosted by Meagan Good and DeVon Franklin, which airs on Tuesday, December 1 at 9:00 pm ET/PT.

Given up for adoption and placed in foster care at a young age, writer Halle Downing receives the blessing of a lifetime when she’s invited to spend Christmas in New Orleans with the biological family she never knew she had – The Moores. Halle’s grandmother “Memaw” welcomes the young woman with open arms, completely overwhelming Halle with emotion at the significance of finally finding her family. Extremely excited to meet her twin siblings Tiffany (Samantha Smith) and Glenn (Mason Beauchamp) along with younger brother Drew (Peyton Jackson) for the first time, Halle soon faces the hard reality that finding her place in this close-knit family is going to take longer than she thought, something that becomes particularly evident when she witnesses Tiffany’s apprehension about introducing her new girlfriend Paris (Tavarez) to the family for the first time. However, as Christmas approaches, Halle begins to gain perspective on the Moore family dynamic and ultimately comes to embrace and celebrate her first family holiday with a special gift that tells her she is right where she is supposed to be. 

First Christmas is produced for OWN by MarVista in association with Harpo Films.

Tavarez’s previous credits include Queen Sugar, Dynasty, Cake: The Series and The Resident.

Liza Colón-Zayas to Appear in OWN’s Coming-of-Age Drama Series “David Makes Man”

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Liza Colón-Zayas is OWNingthe day…

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network has added ten recurring and guest star cast members to the ensemble of its upcoming coming-of-age drama series David Makes Man, including the Puerto Rican actress and playwright.

Liza Colón-Zayas

From Oscar-winningMoonlight co-writer Tarell Alvin McCraney and Warner Horizon Scripted Television. David Makes Mancenters on David, a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is haunted by the death of his closest friend and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty. He must choose between the streets that raised him or the higher education that may offer him a way out.

Set in South Florida, the lyrical drama, inspired by events in McCraney’s own life, explores the inherent trauma sustained in the fight for survival.

In addition to Colon-Zayas, who starred in The Purge: Election Year, other cast additions include Lela Rochon, Trace Lysette, Juanita Jennings, Lindsey Blackwell, Solomon Valdez ([Bi]Polar), Teshi Thomas, and newcomers Nick Creegan, Kimaya Naomi and Logan Rozos.

Colon-Zayas plays Principal Fallow. She runs the magnet school that David, Seren and Marissa attend.

Valdezwill play Willie Derrick, an 11-year-old wanna-be dope dealer.

They join the previously announced series regular ensemble cast that includes Akili McDowell, Phylicia Rashad, Nathaniel Logan McIntyre, Isaiah Johnson, Ade Chike Torbert, Jordan Bolger, Cayden K. Williams, Travis Coles and Alana Arenas, along with guest stars Gillian Williams, Elvis Nolasco, and Ruben Santiago-Hudson.

Elvis Nolasco Joins Cast of OWN’s Coming-of-Age Drama Series “David Makes Man”

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Elvis Nolasco is the Man with a plan…

The Dominican actor has joined the ensemble cast of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network’s upcoming coming-of-age drama series David Makes Man, from Oscar-winning Moonlight co-writer Tarell Alvin McCraney.

Elvis Nolasco

David Makes Man centers on David, a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is haunted by the death of his closest friend and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty. He must choose between the streets that raised him or the higher education that may offer him a way out. Set in South Florida, the lyrical drama, inspired by events in McCraney’s own life, explores the inherent trauma sustained in the fight for survival.

In addition to Nolasco, who starred in ABC’s anthology series American Crime, cast additions include Alana Arenas, (L.A. Confidential, Chicago P.D.), while Gillian Williams (The Girlfriend Experience), Ruben Santiago-Hudson (The Quad, Billions) and Randy Gonzalez (Bloodline) are set for recurring roles.

They join previously announced cast Phylicia Rashad, Akili McDowell, Nathaniel Logan McIntyre, Isaiah Johnson, Ade Chike Torbert, Jordan Bolger, Cayden K. Williams and Travis Coles.

Directors joining the hour-long drama for Season 1 include Michael Francis Williams, Kiel Adrian Scott, Daina Reid and Cheryl Dunye.

The series, currently in production in Orlando, Florida, is set for a 2019 premiere on OWN.

Arenas will play Gloria, David’s young, hardworking, single mother who wants better for her children. A now-sober, former drug user, she worries that social services might take her sons away.

Williams will recur as Jessica Kelly, David’s former music teacher who is the mother of his best friend, Seren. Santiago-Hudson is Dr. Bree, a clinical psychiatrist who challenges David to examine the trauma of his past and his hopes for the future. Nolasco will play Tio-Teo, the uncle to David’s strained acquaintance, Raynan. He aims to expand his illegal prescription med operation . . . no matter what the cost. Gonzalez is Mr. Lopez, a teacher of remedial math who believes in David more than David believes in himself.

David Makes Man is produced by Page Fright and Outlier Productions in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television.

OWN Orders Docuseries Starring Evelyn Lozada

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Evelyn Lozada is venturing out on her OWN…

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network has ordered a brand new docuseries starring the 39-year-old Puerto Rican reality television star, one of the former cast members of VH1’s Basketball Wives.

Evelyn Lozada

Evelyn (working title) follows the lives of Lozada, and her 21-year-old daughter Shaniece. Evelyn is engaged to big league baseball player Carl Crawford and the couple just welcomed their first child, Carl Leo Jr., to the family last March.

Between learning to be a mom all over again, setting up a new home in Los Angeles for her family, running several businesses and dealing with issues surrounding her family back East… Evelyn has a lot on her plate. Not to be outdone, her daughter Shaniece’s modeling career is taking off resulting in a flood of business opportunities with no clear choice of which to pursue, leaning on her mom for advice which she (sometimes) takes. Each episode is filled with close friends and relatives in the ladies’ lives who help round out a world filled with laughter, support, encouragement and tears as we follow Shaniece carving out the new life before her and Evelyn finally feeling like she has the life she deserves.

Evelyn is scheduled to premiere in July.

Richie to Appear on the Oprah Winfrey Network Web Series “Who I Am”

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Nicole Richie is ready to answer the question, “Who Am I?”

The 32-year-old part-Mexican American fashion designer, author, actress and television personality will be part of a special Oprah Winfrey Network web series debuting on August 28.

Nicole Richie

OWN has been working out of YouTube Space LA for more than six months to experiment with digital formats and online talent. The result of that partnership is a growing slate of digital programming, including the new series Who Am I, which will feature interviews with celebrity guests, including Richie, about the qualities that define them.

After the first two episodes of Who Am I premiere this Thursday, subsequent two- to three-minute episodes will be made available each week.

In addition to Richie, guests will include beauty vlogger Michelle Phan, Brandy, former American Idol judge Randy Jackson and La Toya Jackson.

Who Am I is the second digital series from OWN. #OWNSHOW, a daily series that features stories from the Oprah community, debuted in March with the relaunch of Oprah.com, a digital hub for the network, O, The Oprah Magazine and Harpo Studios.

Henao to Star in Tyler Perry’s New OWN Drama Series “If Loving You Is Wrong”

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Zulay Henao has signed on for the wrong project…

The 35-year-old Colombian American actress has joined the principal cast of If Loving You is Wrong, the latest Tyler Perry drama series for OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

Zulay Henao

Premiering in September, the new series, which was formally called Single Mom’s Club, created, written, directed and executive produced by Perry, follows the relationships of a group of husbands and wives that live and love on the same street. While the neighbors come from very different backgrounds, their lives are similar — raising children, dealing with exes, worrying about money and keeping romance in their relationships. But just below the surface — secrets, lies and deception threaten to destroy what they have built.

Henao, who starred in The Single Moms Club, plays Esperanza, ex-wife of Edward, played by Joel Rush. She and Edward are parents of an eight-year-old girl. Esperanza is terrified what her ex will do when he finds out about her new boyfriend, Julius, played by Octavio Pizano.

The series also stars Amanda Clayton, Aiden Turner, Heather Hemmens, Eltony Williams, Edwina Findley, April Parker-Jones and Charles Malik Whitfield.

If Loving You is Wrong is Perry’s second drama series for OWN under his production deal with the network. The first, The Haves and the Have Nots, has been a breakout hit. It returned with new episodes May 27 to more than 3 million total viewers, becoming the network’s highest season premiere in history. Additionally, Perry’s OWN comedy, Love Thy Neighbor, returns with new episodes June 25.