Krysta Rodriguez to Star in Broadway Production of Anthony McCarten’s “The Collaboration” 

Krysta Rodriguez is working on a new collaboration

The 38-year-old Latina actress/singer and Broadway star and Erik Jensen will complete the cast of the upcoming Broadway production of Anthony McCarten’s The Collaboration starring the previously announced actors Paul Bettany and Jeremy Pope.

Krysta Rodriguez,The play, a hit in London, depicts the artistic collaboration of painters Andy Warhol (Bettany) and Jean-Michel Basquiat (Pope), will make its American premiere in a Manhattan Theatre Club production beginning previews on Tuesday, November 29 ahead of a Tuesday, December 20 opening at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

Rodriguez will play Basquiat’s girlfriend “Maya” and Jensen will portray “Bruno Bischofberger,” the art dealer and gallery owner who brings Warhol and Basquiat together. Kwame Kwei-Armah directs.

The casting announcement was made today by Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow (Artistic Director) and Barry Grove (Executive Producer) and the Young Vic Theatre, Kwame Kwei-Armah (Artistic Director) and Lucy Davies (Executive Director) by special arrangement with Eleanor Lloyd Productions, Anthology Theatre, Stanley Buchthal, and Denis O’Sullivan.

Rodriguez’s previous Broadway credits include Spring Awakening, Into The Woods, Hercules, A Chorus Line and The Addams Family.

Melissa Barrera to Star in the Warhol-Basquiat film “The Collaboration

Melissa Barrera has a new collaboration

The 32-year-old Mexican actress and singer will star in Muse of Fire’s WarholBasquiat film The Collaboration, based on the acclaimed play by four-time Oscar nominee Anthony McCarten.

Melissa BarreraBarrera will star alongside Jeremy Pope, Paul Bettany and Daniel Brühl in the project.

The Collaboration revolves around the relationship of the two iconic artists, starting in the summer of 1984. International superstar Andy Warhol (Bettany) and the art scene’s newest wunderkind, Jean-Michel Basquiat (Pope), agree to work together on what may be the most talked about exhibition in the history of modern art. But can these two creative giants co-exist with such opposing views of life and art?

Today, Warhol and Basquiat’s works sell for tens of millions.

Barrera will play the role of Maya, a formidable truth-teller who loves Basquiat and is wary of Warhol.

McCarten penned the screen adaptation of his play, which made its world premiere at London’s Young Vic Theatre in February, with Bettany and Pope as Warhol and Basquiat, respectively. Renowned theatre director and writer Kwame Kwei-Armah is making his feature directorial debut with the project, after directing the play in its original run.

Production on The Collaboration begins this month in Boston at Marina Studios’ Quincy location.

Once production on the Collaboration film has wrapped, the play will head to Broadway, with Kwei-Armah, Bettany and Pope again returning. December 20 has been set as opening night, with previews beginning at MTC’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on November 29.

Barrera is best known for her turns in Paramount/Spyglass’ recent Scream reboot, Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit Broadway musical In the Heights for Warner Bros. and HBO Max, and the acclaimed Starz series, Vida.

She more recently led Keep Breathing, the Netflix series, which rose to #1 on the streamer when it premiered in late July.

She’s currently in production on Scream 6, reprising her role as Sam Carpenter, and will next be seen in Benjamin Millepied’s musical Carmen, which is world premiering this month at the Toronto Film Festival.

Daniel Brühl to Star in the Upcoming Warhol-Basquiat Film “The Collaboration”

Daniel Brühl is ready to collaborate

The 44-year-old Spanish-German actor and filmmaker has signed on to star alongside Paul Bettany and Jeremy Pope in the upcoming WarholBasquiat film The Collaboration, based on the acclaimed play by four-time Oscar nominee Anthony McCarten, which heads into production in Boston in September.

Daniel BruhlThe Collaboration revolves around the relationship between the two iconic artists, starting in the summer of 1984. International superstar Andy Warhol (Bettany) and the art scene’s newest wunderkind, Jean-Michel Basquiat (Pope), agree to work together on what may be the most talked about exhibition in the history of modern art. But can these two creative giants co-exist with such opposing views of life and art? (Things worked out in the end, of course, with Warhol and Basquiat’s works now selling for tens of millions.)

Brühl has been tapped for the role of Bruno Bischofberger, the legendary art impresario who first suggested a series of collaborations between Basquiat and Warhol, two artists at very different junctures in their lives and careers in the 1980s.

McCarten adapted his play, which made its world premiere at London’s Young Vic Theatre in February, with Bettany and Pope as Warhol and Basquiat, respectively. Renowned theatre director and writer Kwame Kwei-Armah is returning to mount the film, in his feature debut, after directing the play in its original run. Oscar winner Hannah Beachler will serve as its production designer, with Oscar nominee Robert Yeoman as its cinematographer.

Once production on the Collaboration film has wrapped, the play will head to Broadway, with Kwei-Armah, Bettany and Pope once again returning. Previews will begin at MTC’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on November 29, with December 20 set as opening night.

Brühl is a Golden Globe, SAG, and BAFTA Award nominee who has previously been seen starring in films like The King’s ManRush, Inglourious BasterdsCaptain America: Civil WarThe Bourne Ultimatum and A Most Wanted Man, as well as the series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and The Alienist.

His other upcoming projects include the sports drama 2 Win, from director Stefano Mordini, and the thriller Rich Flu, from director Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, in which Rosamund Pike and Macaulay Culkin are also set to 8-star.

Paz Vega to Star in the Neo-Noir Thriller “American Night”

It’s a big Night for Paz Vega… 

The 43-year-old Spanish actress will star in American Night, a neo-noir thriller helmed by first-time film director Alessio Jim Della Valle.

Paz Vega

Vega, who rose to acclaim in the United States after starring opposite Adam Sandler in Spanglish, will star opposite Jonathan Rhys MeyersEmile Hirsch and Jeremy Piven in the film.

Written by Della Valle, the plot follows Michael Rubino (Hirsch) who has just become the Don of the New York Mafia, but his greatest dream is to devote his life to painting and become a great artist. John Kaplan (Meyers), an art dealer, may feel like his life is in shambles, but he still has the best eye for spotting fakes in the world. Their paths, apparently distant, cross when Andy Warhol’s Pink Marilynis stolen, setting off a series of unexpected events that upend their lives.

Vega will play Sarah, who works as a museum curator and has earned her success without any shortcuts. Her only problem is being hopelessly in love with Kaplan

Rounding out the cast are Fortunato CerlinoAnnabelle BelmondoMara Lane, and Alba Amira Ramadaniwith cameo appearances featuring Michael MadsenMaria Grazia CucinottaMarco Leonardi, and international popstar Anastacia, who is writing and performing the song and main musical theme for the film.

The film also features artwork by Andy Warhol, Mario SchifanoJeff KoonsAnnamaria BarbaroGotti BernhoftTullio CraliDavide Dall’OssoEmanuele GiannelliAnthony MomanKouhei NakamaAndrea Roggi, and Simon Thompson.

Vega’s previous credits include I’m So ExcitedMary of Nazareth, 10 Items or Less and Grace of Monaco.

Michael to Display His Work in a Special Exhibit at the Polaroid Museum

Instagram may be all the rage… But Lucas Michael is making sure a pop culture classic isn’t forgotten…

The Argentine photographer is helping Florida-based retailer Polaroid Fotobar celebrate the opening of its flagship store inside Las Vegas’ The LINQ  this spring with four new exhibits at the Polaroid Museum, focused on Hollywood’s most celebrated stars.

Lucas Michael's Polaroids

The exhibits will feature shots by Michael, as well as fellow photographers Maurizio GalimbertiMarc Serota and Maripol.

Michael’s photos from last year’s Golden Globes will be on display, featuring candid shots of Jennifer Lawrence, Adele, Bryan Cranston, Ben Affleck, Daniel Day-Lewis and the cast of Girls.

Galimberti, who has worked with Polaroid cameras since 1983, will showcase his portraits of Kate Winslet, Benicio Del Toro and Javier Bardem.

Serota utilized a multi-step image-transfer process to create his large collection of Polaroid portrait prints (“pictorial biographies”), which include shots of Paul McCartney, Roger Daltrey, Kenny Rogers and Gloria Estefan.

Maripol’s 75-shot exhibit will include images of a young Madonna dancing the night away, Debbie Harry in a red sailor suit, and Andy Warhol walking the streets of New York.

The works of the four artists will also join other exhibits, including Warhol’s “Capturing Celebrity,” Tim Mantoani’s “Behind Photographs,” and the world-famous 20×24 Polaroid camera at the Polaroid Museum. The museum will also feature a history on Polaroid founder Edwin Land, as well as an extensive collection of rare artifacts, art and advertising from the Polaroid Historical Collection at MIT.

The exhibits will debut at the Polaroid Museum on April 17, with Polaroid Fotobar’s flagship store opening March 31.