Rosie Perez to Star in Apple TV+’s Limited Series “Before”

Rosie Perez is embracing the before

The 59-year-old Puerto Rican Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actress, choreographer, dancer and activist will star in the Apple TV+ limited series Before alongside executive producer Billy Crystal and Judith Light.

Rosie PerezPerez will portray Denise, a caring and strong-willed foster mother to Noah, one of Eli’s [Crystal] patients.

Written by Sarah Thorp, Before is a 10-episode atmospheric, character-driven psychological thriller about Eli, a child psychiatrist who, after recently losing his wife, Lynn (Light), encounters a troubled young boy who seems to have a haunting connection to Eli’s past.

Seductively enigmatic, Lynn is the love of Eli’s life, but her recent death may not be quite what it seems. As Eli digs deeper into the hidden life of the wife he thought he knew, he soon finds Lynn haunting him from beyond the grave.

Hailing from Paramount Television StudiosBefore will be showrun by Thorp. Emmy Award-winner Adam Bernstein will direct the pilot.

Most recently, Perez recurred in the Showtime drama series Your Honor opposite Bryan Cranston, Netflix’s Human Resources and as a series regular in Max’s The Flight Attendant.

Perez has dazzled audiences on the stage and screen for more than three decades while paving the way for Latinos and women in Hollywood.

She’s best known for her roles in various projects including her breakout in Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing and later White Men Can’t JumpIt Could Happen To You and Birds of Prey.

But it all began with her role as choreographer and Fly Girl on the Fox sketch comedy series In Living Colour, which earned her three Emmy nominations.

In 2021, she was nominated again for her work in The Flight Attendant. Additionally, she was nominated for an Academy Award in 1993 for her role in the Peter Weir-directed film Fearless.

Gloria Estefan to Host This Year’s Kennedy Center Honors Ceremony

Gloria Estefan is preparing to take Center stage.

The 66-year-old Cuban Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and entrepreneur will return as host of this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, which will air on CBS on Wednesday, December 27.

Gloria EstefanBilly Crystal, Renée Fleming, Barry Gibb, Queen Latifah and Dionne Warwick are this year’s recipients.

The ceremony will air from 9:00 – 11:00 pm ET/PT and stream on Paramount+.

The actual ceremony, one of the biggest entertainment events of the year for D.C. politicos and media, will take place on December 3. This year’s event also will honor the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.

Done+Dusted is returning as producer in association with ROK Productions. Elizabeth Kelly is executive producer along with David Jammy, and Alex Rudzinski is the director.

Estefan received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2017.

The ceremony traditionally has been preceded the night before by a dinner hosted by the U.S. Secretary of State. Just before the event, the president hosts a reception at the White House for the honorees. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have attended the ceremonies the past two years.

Gloria Estefan to Perform at ‘Nurse Heroes Live’ Benefit Virtual Concert on Thanksgiving

Gloria Estefan is giving special thanks to some of our frontliners…

The 63-year-old Cuban singer will be among the entertainers honoring nurses in a star-studded benefit virtual concert on Thanksgiving.

Gloria Estefanria

Nurse Heroes has announced that the concert called Nurse Heroes Live will stream on the organization’s YouTube and Facebook pages along with LiveXLive on November 26 at 7:00 pm EST.

The benefit will provide money for a variety of programs including scholarships for nurses and their children.

Estefan joins a lineup of performers that include Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Black Eyed Peas, Pitbull, The Wailers, Carole King, Maluma and Andrea Bocelli.

Whoopi Goldberg will host the concert with special appearances by Oprah Winfrey and Billy Crystal.

Taylor Swift will donate a signed collectible edition “Folklore” guitar, which will be auctioned for the benefit of the Nurses Heroes Foundation.

The nurses of New York’s Northwell Health will be the first beneficiaries of the concert. The event will also showcase 50 nurses from the hospital in an ensemble performance with several celebrities.

The concert will be produced by Emilio Estefan and Times Square Live Media.

George Lopez to Take Part in Comedy Fundraiser for Feeding America

George Lopez is helping to feed America

The 59-year-old Mexican American comedian and actor will take part in the Byron Allen-driven comedy fundraiser for Feeding America.

George Lopez

The fundraiser will be held on Sunday, May 10 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm ET, with NBCbroadcasting the show. 

In addition to Lopez, the program will include participation from Sebastian Maniscalco, JB SmooveJim GaffiganJudd Apatow, Jack BlackCedric the EntertainerWhitney CummingsJim GaffiganBrad GarrettWhoopi GoldbergKevin James, Sarah Silverman and Kenan Thompson.

Others taking part include Kevin HartChris RockAdam SandlerEddie MurphyBilly Crystal, Marlon WayansHowie MandelTiffany HaddishBrad GarrettTaraji P. HensonLouie AndersonMargaret Cho, Kenan ThompsonMarc MaronJon LovitzCaroline RheaByron AllenBilly Gardell, Tim MeadowsJamie KennedyBill Engvalland Sheryl Underwood.

Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group television production division Entertainment Studios and Funny or Die will be producing the live-streaming comedy event.

The fundraiser will support the hunger-relief organization Feeding America

Additionally, the event will livestream on the Allen Media Group TV networks Comedy.TV and The Weather Channel, as well as on the free streaming service app Local Now.

Pre-recorded comedy segments will be featured during the three-hour event. Committed to appearing are Hart, Sandler, Murphy, Rock, etc.

Allen, founder/chair/CEO of Entertainment Studios/Allen Media Group, said the benefit will help hungry people who are straining the resources of the nation’s food banks during the pandemic shutdown. 

“Laughter is often the best medicine, and we are extremely motivated to bring attention to issues of food insecurity, and to assist in providing meals to families across the country who are financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said Wednesday.

“The coronavirus pandemic and the economic downturn it has created is shining a light on the fragile nature of people’s household budgets,” said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, a nationwide network of 200 food banks. “Millions more of our neighbors are turning to food banks for help and we cannot thank Byron Allen and Allen Media Group enough for their support to raise funds and awareness of our work.”

David Castañeda to Star in Netflix’s Live-Action Series “The Umbrella Academy”

David Castañeda is joining the Academy…

The Latino actor has been cast in Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy, a live-action series based on the popular graphic novels by Gerard Way and illustrated by Gabriel Bá.

David Castañeda

Castañeda joins a cast that includes Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan and Aidan Gallagher.

The story follows the estranged members of a dysfunctional family of superheroes known as the Umbrella Academy — Luther (Hopper), Diego (Castañeda), Allison (Raver-Lampman), Vanya (Page), Klaus (Sheehan) and Number Five (Gallagher) — as they work together to solve their father’s mysterious death while coming apart at the seams due to their divergent personalities and abilities.

Castañeda’s character, Diego, is described as a skilled, intense vigilante who has a real problem with authority. He isn’t as naturally strong or smart as his siblings, so he’s worked three times as hard for everything. Believing he should have been the leader of his family instead of his brother, he carries a massive chip on his shoulder that makes him hostile to just about everyone.

Castañeda is currently shooting the Billy Crystal/Ben Schwartz comedy, We are Unsatisfied. His recent work includes a lead role in indie feature El Chicano and he also stars in Lionsgate’s forthcoming Sicario sequel Soldado.

The Umbrella Academy will be produced by Universal Cable Productions. Steve Blackman will serve as executive producer and showrunner, with executive producers Bluegrass Television and Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg from Dark Horse Entertainment.

Armisen to Appear on the “Saturday Night Live” 40th Anniversary Special

Fred Armisen is coming home, so to speak…

The 48-year-old half-Venezuelan actor, who currently stars on IFC’s recently renewed Portlandia series, has been added to the list of guests for Saturday Night Live‘s SNL 40th Anniversary Special on Sunday.

Fred Armisen

Armisen, who was a cast member on the long-running NBC late-night sketch comedy series from 2002 until 2013, had quite a number of memorable characters and impersonations during his run, including President Barack Obama, Garth (of Garth and Kat), Steve Jobs, Liberace and Prince.

The special will be expanded to 3 1/2 hours to accommodate the growing roster of guest stars, including SNL icon Billy Crystal; Bradley Cooper and Edward Norton; singer Miley Cyrus; and ex-castmembers Kevin Nealon, Ana Gasteyer, Colin Quinn, Joe Piscopo, Tim Meadows and Will Forte.

The SNL 40th Anniversary Special will air from 8:00 – 11:30 pm ET/PT on Sunday, February 15 on NBC.

Here’s the full list of guests set for the special:

Fred Armisen
Dan Aykroyd
Alec Baldwin
Jim Carrey
Dana Carvey
Chevy Chase
Dane Cook
Bradley Cooper
Billy Crystal
Jane Curtin
Miley Cyrus
Robert De Niro
Jimmy Fallon
Will Ferrell
Tina Fey
James Franco
Will Forte
Zach Galifianakis
Ana Gasteyer
Bill Hader
Jon Hamm
Tom Hanks
Derek Jeter
Norm Macdonald
Peyton Manning
Steve Martin
Melissa McCarthy
Paul McCartney
Tim Meadows
Seth Meyers
Garrett Morris
Eddie Murphy
Bill Murray
Mike Myers
Kevin Nealon
Laraine Newman
Jack Nicholson
Edward Norton
Joe Piscopo
Amy Poehler
Colin Quinn
Chris Rock
Paul Rudd
Maya Rudolph
Andy Samberg
Adam Sandler
Jerry Seinfeld
Molly Shannon
Martin Short
Paul Simon
David Spade
Emma Stone
Jason Sudeikis
Taylor Swift
Justin Timberlake
Christopher Walken
Kerry Washington
Kanye West
Betty White
Kristen Wiig

Disney/Pixar Releases Final “Monsters University” Trailer Featuring Molina & Plaza

It’s time for a little higher education for Alfred Molina and Aubrey Plaza

Disney and Pixar have released the final trailer for Monsters University, which features the 60-year-old Spanish actor and the 28-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress as part of incoming class of 2013.

Monsters University

The prequel to Monsters, Inc. focuses on Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sulley (John Goodman) as they study to become “scarers.”

Along with Molina, Plaza, Crystal and Goodman, the voice cast Steve Buscemi, Helen Mirren, Dave Foley, Sean P. Hayes, Charlie Day, Nathan Fillion, John Krasinski and Bonnie Hunt.

Directed by Dan Scanlon, Monsters University opens nationwide on June 21.

International Trailer Released for “Monsters University,” Featuring Molina’s New Character

He played the villainous Doc Ock in Spider-Man 2… And, now Alfred Molina will be portraying a more animated monster.

The 59-year-old half-Spanish actor, who recently starred in TNT’s medical drama Monday Mornings, is lending his voice to Disney/Pixar’s Monsters University, which just saw its international trailer released.

Monsters University Professor Knight

Molina will voice the character of Professor Knight in the prequel to Monsters, Inc., which focuses on Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sulley (John Goodman) as they study to become “scarers.”

In addition to Molina, the film introduces Helen Mirren’s Dean Hardscrabble. Steve Buscemi, John Krasinski and Nathan Fillion also star.

Monsters University opens in the U.S. on June 21.

Carey to Perform on NBC’s “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” Special

It looks like Mariah Carey will have a Green Christmas in the Big Apple…

The 42-year-old Grammy-winning singer and new American Idol judge has signed on to participate in NBC’s 15th annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center television special alongside The Voice’s Cee Lo Green.

Mariah Carey

The holiday special, which celebrates the lighting of the Christmas tree in New York’s Rockefeller Center, will air on Wednesday, November 28 at 8:00 pm ET.

Carey and Green will be joined by other big-name performers during the special, including Rod Stewart, country crooner Trace Adkins, singer-songwriter Victoria Justice, former The Voice competitor Chris Mann, and Italian pop-opera trio Il Volo.

Celebrities Billy Crystal and Bette Midler will also make appearances during the special event hosted by Today co-host Savannah Guthrie and weatherman Al Roker.

This year’s telecast will also include a special one-hour pre-show broadcast from 7:00 -8:00 pm ET.

The special holiday event will feature the lighting of the 80-foot tall, world-famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.