Ana Villafañe to Star in CBS’ Comedy Pilot “To Whom It May Concern”

Ana Villafañehas reason for concern

The 29-year-old Cuban and Salvadoran American actress has landed a series regular role opposite Michael Angarano and Briga Heelan in To Whom It May Concern, CBS’ comedy pilot from Gail Berman’s The Jackal Group and CBS Television Studios

Ana Villafañe

Mark Cendrowski willdirectthe pilot, which will also star Raymond Ablack, Michael Cassidy and Taylor Dearden.

Written by Mike MetzTo Whom It May Concern centers on Evan (Angarano), who with the help of his group of 20-something friends, sets out to accomplish a list of challenges he wrote for himself years ago in an effort to turn around his banal life.

Villafañe will play Lea Carter, an elementary school English teacher, who’s breezy and cool – like the Pittsburgh weather never is. Life decisions have always come easily, but when she reconnects with Evan and friends, she wonders for the first time if there’s more out there. The ever-smitten Evan has hoped that means him… since 9th grade.

Villafañe is best known for originating the role of Gloria Estefanin the Tony Awardnominated hit bio-musical about Estefan’s life, On Your Feet. She was most recently seen off-Broadwaystarring in the critically acclaimed production of Collective Rage.

Last year she booked the CBS pilot History of Them

Laysla De Oliveira to Star in the Romantic Drama “Acquainted”

It’s a new acquaintance for Laysla De Oliveira

The Brazilian actress will star in the romantic drama Acquainted, directed by Natty Zavitz from his own script.

Laysla De Oliveira

Acquainted centers on the not-so-young love that involves mortgages, temptation, and the threat of monotony. It’s set in Toronto with a backdrop of the shifting cultural attitudes towards marriage, monogamy, and the evolving generational identity.

Giacomo Gianniotti and De Oliveira portray former high school classmates who run into each other at a bar and form an immediate rapport before they both reluctantly confess that they’re in committed relationships. The shock of their burgeoning love forces them to choose between comfort or unpredictability.

The film follows up Zavitz’s first film, Edging, which recently won the Audience Choice Award for Best Film at the Canadian Film Fest.

Acquainted follows up his first film, “Edging,” which recently won the Audience Choice Award for Best Film at the Canadian Film Fest.

“Being heartbroken in Toronto was a wonderful experience,” Zavitz said. “Acquainted is that story and I’m thrilled to be making this film with such a remarkable group of filmmakers.”

Adelaide Kane, Rachel Skarsten, Raymond Ablack, and Jonathan Keltz also star.

De Oliveira starred in Code 8.