Rosa Salazar to Star Opposite Michael Peña in Prime Video’s Film “A Million Miles Away”

Rosa Salazar is traveling a million miles…

The 37-year-old half-Peruvian Canadian actress has joined the cast of Prime Video’s Michael Peña starrer A Million Miles Away, which has entered production in Mexico City.

Rosa SalazarSalazar is among a list of new cast additions that includes Bobby Soto, Julio César Cedillo, Veronica Falcón, Sarayu Blue and Eric Johnson.

Others rounding out the ensemble of the Alejandra Márquez Abella-helmed film include Jordan Dean, Ashley Ciarra, Michelle Krusiec, Emma Fassler, Michael Adler, Carlos S. Sanchez and Isaac Arellanes.

A Million Miles Away is based on the inspiring true story of Jose Hernandez, who defied insurmountable odds to become the first migrant farmworker to travel to space. From six years old, he toiled in the fields between Michoacán and Stockton, California —dreaming of traveling the night skies on a rocket ship. Through his family’s support and his unrelenting determination, pushing through 11 rejections from NASA, Jose’s story is a tale of perseverance, community and sacrifice to accomplish an impossible dream.

Abella is directing from the script she wrote alongside Hernàn Jiménez and Bettina Gilois.

The Amazon Original Movie will ultimately stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Salazar stars in Prime Video’s animated series Undone, and has also been part of such series as Big MouthBrand New Cherry FlavorB PositiveMan Seeking WomanParenthood and American Horror Story, among others.

She recently appeared in Dean Fleischer-Camp’s live-action-animated hybrid Marcel the Shell with Shoes On for A24, and has also been seen in multiple Maze Runner films, as well as such titles as Pink Skies AheadAlita: Battle AngelBird BoxThe Kindergarten Teacher and The Divergent Series: Insurgent.

The actress will next be seen in the Hulu series Wedding Season, launching in September.

Soto has been seen on series like Narcos: Mexico, and in such films as The Tax CollectorThe Quarry and A Better Life. He’ll next be seen in Chase Joliet’s drama Grapefruit, as well as Eva Longoria’s Flamin’ Hot for Searchlight and Michael Lozano’s Bridge to Somewhere.

Cedillo is perhaps best known for turns on such series as CoyoteNarcos: Mexico and Queen of the South. Notable film credits include The Harder They FallSicarioFronteraCowboys & Aliens, The Mist and Bordertown. The actor will next be seen in Jonás Cuarón’s feature Chupa, as well as Adrian Grunberg’s thriller The Black Demon, Lance Larson’s action-thriller Deadland and Mark Lambert Bristol’s dramedy Chocolate Lizards.

Falcón has previously appeared on series including Perry Mason, OzarkWhy Women Kill and Queen of the South, among many others. Notable film credits include The StarlingJungle Cruise, The Forever Purge and Voyagers. The actress will next be seen in Aitch Alberto’s film Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, based on the book by Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

Disney Releases Trailer for Pratts’ “McFarland, USA”

Carlos Pratts is ready to run into a theater near you…

Disney has released the official trailer for McFarland, USA, starring the 28-year-old Latino actor.

McFarland, USA

Inspired by the 1987 true story, the sports biopic follows novice runners from McFarland, an economically challenged town in California, as they give their all to build a cross-country team under the direction of Coach Jim White (portrayed by Kevin Costner), a newcomer to their predominantly Latino high school.

They ultimately bond to build not only a championship cross-country team, but an enduring legacy as well.

Niki Caro directs from a screenplay by Christopher Cleveland & Bettina Gilois and Grant Thompson, and story by Cleveland & Gilois.

McFarland USA is set to hit theaters on February 20, 2015.

Tapia’s Tragic Story Headed to the Big Screen

He’s was as one of the most successful Chicano boxers… And now a new biopic will shine a spotlight on Johnny Tapia’s life and death.

Entitled Johnny, the indie filmbased on true events of Tapia’s early years—will shed new light on his tragic story. The five-time world champion boxer started fighting in the ring at age nine, becoming a star in the late 1990s after winning titles in the WBO Super flyweight and WBO Bantamweight divisions.

Johnny Tapia

Tapia’s life had a streak of tragedy even as he fought to stand his ground against what life threw at him. His father was murdered while he was still in the womb and his mother was brutally kidnapped, raped and murdered when he was eight.

Tapia’s childhood traumas led to a life of drug addiction. When he was 40, Tapia suffered an overdose from cocaine abuse, and his brother-in-law and nephew were killed in a car accident on the way to see him at the hospital.

Red Riding Hood actor Shiloh Fernandez has signed on to play Tapia, who was found dead in his Albuquerque home on May 27, 2012 at the age of 45.

Eddie Alcazar is directing the indie, and co-writing the script with Bettina Gilois.

Filming onJohnny, which was already in development for months before his recent passing, is expected to start in 2013.