Lana Parrilla to Star Opposite J.Lo in Netflix’s AI Drama “Atlas”

Lana Parrilla is heading out of this world…

The 45-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress will star opposite Jennifer Lopez in Netflix’s AI drama Atlas, directed by Brad Peyton.

Lana ParrillaParrilla joins Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown and Abraham Popoola in the film penned by Aron Eli Coleite and Leo Sardarian.

In Atlas, an intelligence analyst gets stranded on a distant planet and must learn to fight inside a military-grade mech suit in order to survive.

Parrilla played Regina Mills, aka The Evil Queen, for 156 episodes on ABC’s hit series Once Upon a TimeHer work on the show earned her the NHMC Impact Award; an ALMA Award for Outstanding TV Actress; a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actress: Fantasy / Sci-Fi; and, as voted by fans, TV Guide’s Best Villain twice.

She recently starred on Marc Cherry’s Paramount+ series Why Women Kill, a role for which she received a Gracie Award for Best Supporting Actress in Comedy. She also starred alongside Bobby Soto, Shia LaBeouf and George Lopez in David Ayer’s indie thriller The Tax Collector.

Prior to that, Parrilla was a series regular on ABC’s sitcom Spin CityGraham Yost’s Boomtown24, Swingtown, and on Jerry Bruckheimer’s medical drama Miami Medical

In addition to her on-screen work, Parrilla stepped behind the camera and went on to direct one of the final episodes of Once Upon a Time. She also executive produced the documentary Split at the Root, which premiered this year at SXSW.

Jennifer Lopez to Star in Netflix’s Sci-Fi Thriller “Atlas”

Jennifer Lopez will be fighting to save the world…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican superstar will star in and produce the Netflix sci-fi thriller Atlas.

Jennifer Lopez

The film will be directed by Brad Peyton, with Aron Eli Coleite is writing the most recent draft of the script based off Leo Sardarian’s original script.

Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell will produce for Safehouse Pictures along with Peyton and Jeff Fierson for ASAP Entertainment, as well as Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina joining Lopez to produce through Nuyorican Productions.

The film follows Atlas, a woman fighting for humanity in a future where an AI soldier has determined the only way to end war is to end humanity. To outthink this rogue AI, Atlas must work with the one thing she fears most — another AI.

“I’m so honored to be working with Jennifer, Elaine and the rest of the team at Nuyorican Productions along with our partners Joby and Tory at Safehouse,” Peyton said. “Having the chance to direct Jennifer in the title role of this movie is a dream come true, as I know she’ll bring the incredible strength, depth and authenticity we’ve all come to admire from her work. Furthermore, Jeff and I are so excited to be back working with Scott, Ori and the entire team at Netflix. They have been nothing short of amazing to work with and we are blessed to have the opportunity to make another movie on the service.”

The film falls under the newly announced creative partnership between Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions and Netflix where Lopez, producing partner Goldsmith-Thomas and longtime manager Medina will produce a slate of films, television series, scripted and unscripted content, with an emphasis on projects that support diverse female actors, writers and filmmakers.

The first two announced projects both starring Lopez include The Mother, which is directed by Niki Carpo, and The Cipher, based on the novel by Isabella Maldonado.

Lopez can be seen next in the Universal rom com Marry Me opposite Owen Wilson and also has the Lionsgate action comedy Shotgun Wedding. Both films come out in 2022.

Martinez to Star in TNT’s Drama Pilot “Home”

Benito Martinez is coming home

The 44-year-old Latino actor has been cast in TNT’s drama pilot Home from writer Aron Eli Coleite and Jerry Bruckheimer Television.

Benito Martinez

Martinez joins a cast that includes Bethany Joy Lenz, Andrew Buchan, Bruce Greenwood, Nicole Muñoz and Roberta Colindrez. He joins previously announced cast members JoBeth Williams, Harris Dickinson and Sawyer Barth.

Home delves into the secrets lingering behind the façade of a seemingly idyllic suburban family. Rose Bell (Lenz) couldn’t be happier: An accomplished designer with a successful business, the newly pregnant Rose is thriving in a wonderful life with her husband, Joe (Buchan), a highly regarded prison psychologist, and enjoying being a stepmother to his two sons PK (Dickinson) and Nate (Barth). But her image of her perfect family is shattered when she discovers long-buried secrets that threaten to destroy the very foundation of her life.

Martinez is prison Warden Peter Ochoa, a former uniformed cop who doesn’t believe in rehabilitation and parole, which puts him in direct opposition to prison psychologist Joe, who is determined to prove that even the most sociopathic criminals are capable of redemption.

Muñoz plays Danica, a latch-key girl next door who instigates a love triangle when she falls for both her new neighbors, PK and Nate Bell.

Colindrez is Cassie, Rose’s best friend and business partner, a contractor who brings Rose’s design to life.

Home is being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer Television in association with Warner Horizon Television, with Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman serving as executive producers.