Television Academy Names Rita Moreno to This Year’s Hall of Fame Class

Rita Moreno is entering a special hall

The Television Academy has announced its 26th Hall of Fame class, with the 90-year-old Puerto Rican entertainer among the honorees.

Rita Moreno,Moreno will be joined by choreographer and actress Debbie Allen, documentarian Ken Burns, BET founder Robert L. Johnson, CBS executive Bob Daly and cinematographer Donald A. Morgan.

Moreno, an EGOT winner (Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, Tony Awards), is a two-time Emmy winner for The Muppet Show and The Rockford Files.

She has starred in series including The Electric Company, Sesame Street, Nine to Five, Oz, Cane, Happily Divorced, Jane the Virgin, and the Latinx reimagining of Norman Lear’s One Day at a Time.

Moreno’s many accolades also include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Arts, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, the Kennedy Center Honors and the Peabody Award.

Moreno is among two of the honorees who’ve already received honorary awards from the Television Academy. She was awarded a “Televisionary Award” in 2008. Allen received a Governors Award last year.

The Hall of Fame event will take place on Wednesday, November 16, at the Television Academy’s Saban Media Center in North Hollywood, California.

In addition to the induction of the 2022 Hall of Fame recipients, the event will include the presentation of the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award to actor/director/activist Sean Penn and the unveiling of new busts of four previous inductees.

“These legendary performers, creators, craftspeople and television executives are luminaries in our industry,” Frank Scherma, chairman and CEO of the Television Academy, said in a statement. “Their work has influenced and immeasurably elevated the current television landscape and culture. We are proud to induct these trailblazers into the Hall of Fame and honored to celebrate their extraordinary contributions to our industry.”

“This year’s honorees have told the American story through television in ways that will forever shape our history and culture,” said Rick Rosen, Hall of Fame selection committee chair (who is also WME co-founder and head of television). “Whether they reshaped the industry itself through visionary leadership or created pieces of work that have had a lasting legacy, these individuals will forever be remembered for the impact they’ve had on the medium.”

The 2022 Hall of Fame honorees join more than 150 individuals previously inducted into the Hall of Fame since its inception in 1984. The honors were presented every year from 1984 to 1993, but the Academy has skipped 13 years since then for various reasons. This is the first induction class since 2019.

In addition to Rosen, this year’s Hall of Fame selection committee included Marcy Carsey, Emmy-winning producer; Pearlena Igbokwe, chairman of Universal Studio Group; Peter Roth, former chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group; Nina Tassler, co-chief executive officer of PatMa Productions; and Dana Walden, chairman of Disney General Entertainment Content.

Adrienne Bailon-Houghton to Co-Host NBCUniversal’s Revived “E! News”

Adrienne Bailon-Houghton is ready to start spreading the news…

NBCUniversal cable network is bringing back its long-running franchise E! News after a two-year break, with the 38-year-old Puerto Rican and Ecuadorian American actress, singer and television personality to serve as a co-host.

Adrienne Bailon HoughtonBailon-Houghton, who recently signed a talent deal with NBCUniversal,will be joined by Justin Sylvester, on the show, which will debut on November 14 at 11:30pm.

John Redmann, who was the executive producer of CBSThe Talk for 10 years, and John Pascarella, who was co-executive producer of Maury, will exec produce the nightly show.

In 2020, E! News became a morning show and after going on an indefinite hiatus in March 2020 as a result of the pandemic, it was canceled in August 2020 with its operation moving online as a web news service.

The show, which covers celebrity news and gossip as well as film and television news, is best known for being hosted by Ryan Seacrest. The new iteration will have an “emphasis on celebrity-friendly, fact-based reporting and serve as a platform for personalities to connect with their fans”.

It’s the latest shift at E!, which recently canceled Daily Pop and Nightly Pop, leading to the departure of production staff on those shows.

“E! News has a long history of entertainment news excellence, and we are excited to bring the show back and continue its legacy,” said Tracie Wilson, EVP, NBCUniversal Syndication Studios and E! News. “John Redmann and John Pascarella are strategic, respected executive producers with stellar reputations and Justin and Adrienne are charismatic, seasoned hosts with a genuine interest in pop culture. This is the perfect team to bring a fresh take to this franchise.”

Bailon-Houghton was the first Latina daytime talk show host on English-language television on the recently canceled daytime series The Real. In addition to hosting The Real, Bailon-Houghton has her own YouTube channel, All Things Adrienne, hosts design show House to Home on CleoTV, and was a contestant on Fox’s The Masked Singer in 2019.

Paul Calderón to Star on the Marvel Studios Disney+ Series “Ironheart”

Paul Calderón has ironed out details on his next project…

The 63-year-old Puerto Rican actor has joined the cast of the Marvel Studios Disney+ series Ironheart in an undisclosed role.

The 6-episode series, created by Chinaka Hodge, will star Dominique Thorne as Marvel character Riri Williams, a genius inventor and creator of the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man.

Previously announced cast also includes Anthony RamosShakira Barrera, Manny Montana, Alden Ehrenreich, Regan Aliyah, Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola, Shea Couleé, and Zoe Terakes.

Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes are directing, with Ryan Coogler’s Proximity among the production entities.

Coogler, Ironheart head writer Chinaka Hodge, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian serve as executive producers alongside Marvel StudiosKevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum and Zoie Nagelhout.

Calderón is a writer, actor, and director who most recently appeared in one of the final episodes of NBC’s This Is Us titled “Miguel,” which focused on the character of Miguel Rivas (Jon Huertas).

Additionally, Calderón starred in multiple seasons of Amazon’s Bosch in the role of Detective Jimmy Robertson.

His other notable TV credits include AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead, HBO’s Boardwalk EmpireHostages for CBS, NBC’s Law & Order, and Miami Vice.

On the big screen, he served as co-writer of Abel Ferrera’s Bad Lieutenant starring Harvey Keitel. Calderón also played a cop in the 1992 film. Film credits also include Sydney Pollack’s The Firm, Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp FictionCop Land by James Mangold, Steven Soderbergh’s Out of Sight, and Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s 21 Grams.

The U.S. Army veteran who studied acting under the G.I. Bill went on to become a founding member of the LAByrinth Theater Company where he mentored Philip Seymour Hoffman, Sam Rockwell and Lauren Luna Velez, among others.

Wilmer Valderrama to Appear in CBS’ “NCIS” and “NCIS: Hawai’i” Crossover Episodes

Wilmer Valderrama is heading to Hawaii…

The 42-year-old Venezuelan and Colombian American actor will take part in a NCIS and NCIS: Hawai’i crossover event.

Wilmer Valderrama, CBS, NCIS, NCIS: HawaiiThe two CBS series will kick off their respective new seasons with the crossover event beginning at 9:00 pm ET/PT on September 19.

Across two hours, the hunt for a dangerous suspect unveils a complex network and a larger sinister plan that will take the D.C. team to Hawai’i in a race to thwart the next large-scale attack.

It begins with the Season 20 premiere of NCIS at 9:00 PM. The “A Family Matter” episode picks up following the cliffhanger season 19 finale, with Special Agent Alden Parker (Gary Cole) still on the run with his ex-wife Vivian (Terri Polo) and the team investigating who from his past might have a personal vendetta against him in hopes of clearing Parker’s name. Enlisting the help of NCIS: Hawai’i’s Special Agent Jane Tennant (Vanessa Lachey) and computer specialist Ernie Malick (Jason Antoon), who are in town meeting with director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) in preparation for a global military exercise, the group tracks down their prime suspect, The Raven.

The crossover event concludes with the Season 2 premiere of NCIS: Hawai’i, which follows at 10:00 pm. In the “Prisoners’ Dilemma” episode, Tennant’s team, along with NCIS agents Nick Torres (Valderrama) and Jessica Knight (Katrina Law), track The Raven’s whereabouts to the island of Oahu and learn about his plans to attack RIMPAC (The Rim of the Pacific Exercises), the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise. NCIS stars Gary Cole, Brian Dietzen and Diona Reasonover also guest star in the episode.

The episodes will air on CBS and stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

J. Anthony Pena Upped to Series Regular on ABC’s “Big Sky”

There are more big (sky) moments in J. Anthony Pena’s future…

The Latino actor has been promoted to series regular for the upcoming third season of ABC’s Big Sky.

J. Anthony Pena Pena, who portrays Deputy Mo Poppernak, heavily recurred as the character in Season 2.

Additionally, Luke MitchellSeth GabelHenry Ian Cusick, Anirudh Pisharody and Madalyn Horcher have joined the cast in recurring roles.

Pena’s Poppernak is Jenny Hoyt’s (Katheryn Winnick) chatty, upbeat partner at the Sheriff’s Department and an indispensable right-hand man. He appeared in 16 episodes last season.

In Big Sky Season 3, private detective Cassie Dewell (Kylie Bunbury), under sheriff Jenny Hoyt, and newly appointed sheriff Beau Arlen (Jensen Ackles) maintain order in Helena, Montana. But when a local backcountry trip led by charismatic outfitter Sunny Barnes (fka Sunny Brick) (Reba McEntire) goes awry, the trio face their most formidable mystery yet.

Big Sky is produced by Disney Television Studios20th Television for ABC. David E. Kelley serves as the series creator.

Season 3 premieres on September 21 on ABC.

Pena previously recurred on FX’s Mayans M.C. and Crackle’s The Oath. Recently, he guest starred on CBS’ S.W.A.T., and Apple TV+’s The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey with Samuel L. Jackson.

Paramount+ Confirms “Criminal Minds” Revival, Starring Adam Rodriguez

Adam Rodriguez is heading back to his roots

Following more than a year of on- and off- deal-making, Paramount+ has confirmed it has ordered to series a Criminal Minds revival starring the 47-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American actor and some of his former cast mates.

Adam RodriguezIn addition to Rodriguez, who portrayed Luke Alvez on the original series, the six fan favorites returning for the reboot includes Joe Mantegna, Kirsten Vangsness, A.J. Cook, Aisha Tyler and Paget Brewster. 

Also back is the series’ longtime executive producer/showrunner Erica Messer, who closed her deal to return earlier a couple of months ago.

The actors’ contracts had been contingent on Messer signing a pact with ABC Signature where she is under an overall deal.

By February, Criminal Minds studios ABC Signature and CBS Studios had reached a license agreement with Paramount+ for a 10-episode new season of Criminal Minds. The last several months were spent getting Messer and the cast officially on board, triggering a formal green light, with production slated to begin Aug. 21 in Los Angeles. Mantegna teased the shoot on Twitter with a picture of him on a soundstage “doing a little inspection today for an upcoming project” and #criminalminds.

In the revival series, FBI’s elite team of criminal profilers come up against their greatest threat yet, an UnSub who has used the pandemic to build a network of other serial killers. Now, as the world opens back up, the network goes operational, and the team must hunt them down, one murder at a time.

Mantegna, Vangsness, Rodriguez, Cook, Tyler and Brewster represent the majority of Criminal Minds’ cast in its 15th and final season. As Deadline reported in February, missing from the list are original cast member Matthew Gray Gubler, who had indicated that he was ready to move on after playing Spencer Reid for 15 years, and Daniel Henney, who stars in The Wheel of TimeThe Prime Video series, which films in Prague, and any potential Henney guest appearance on Criminal Minds would be subject to his commitment to Wheel of Time and scheduling.

The actors’ agreements for Criminal Minds are multi-year and are not fully exclusive, according to Deadline, with the cast members able to do major recurring roles on ongoing series and series regular parts on limited series if production does not interfere.

The Criminal Minds revival, whose formal green light was first reported by TVLine, was announced with much fanfare at the streamer’s coming-out presentation last February. By July 31, Brewster told fans on Twitter that “we think it’s dead.” Fast forward six months to Feb. 1 when Nicole Clemens, President, Paramount+ Original Scripted Series, told reporters that Criminal Minds is “alive and well.”

“For 15 seasons, Criminal Minds was at the forefront of cutting-edge scripted drama as it explored the psychology behind crime – thrillingly,” Clemens said in a statement Thursday. “The series never stopped evolving during its run, and we are beyond excited to bring it back into a new era with new stories for a new generation of viewers at Paramount+. Erica, the whole cast and creative team are building a season full of new twists that we are sure will electrify audiences.”

The original series, created by Jeff Davis, follows a group of criminal profilers who work for the FBI as members of its Behavioral Analysis Unit, using behavioral analysis and profiling to investigate crimes and find perpetrators. The group is led by Senior Agent David Rossi (Mantegna) and includes Agents JJ Jareau (Cook), Tara Lewis (Tyler) and Luke Alvez (Rodriguez) as well as Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia (Vangsness) and Unit Chief Emily Prentiss (Brewster).

The classic broadcast procedural is being serialized for binge-driven streaming consumption, with the team coming back together to investigate a single case over 10 episodes in the new season for Paramount+.

Messer serves as showrunner, executive producer and writer. Breen Frazier and Chris Barbour will serve as writers and executive producers, Glenn Kershaw will direct and executive produce, and Mark Gordon will also serve as executive producer.

Criminal Minds is among Paramount Global’s most prized titles in the streaming era.

It had been a top performer on Netflix since before the streamer started releasing viewership information. While Paramount+ has all 15 seasons, Netflix carries the first 12. They accounted for 33.9 billion minutes of viewing on the global platform, making it the most watched title on Netflix in 2021. Criminal Minds also was the third-most-streamed series in 2020 on Netflix behind The Office and Grey’s Anatomy, with 590M hours viewed.

NBC Picks Up Jay Hernandez’s “Magnun P.I.” for Two Seasons Following Series’ CBS Cancellation

Jay Hernandez is continuing his PI journey after all…

NBC has come to the rescue with a two season, 20-episode order for Magnum P.I., starring the 44-year-old Mexican actor, following the show’s cancellation by CBS last month.

Jay Hernandez, Magnum P.I.“It was a bit circuitous but we did it!” tweeted  Hernandez, who stars as Magnum. “Your love & support helped get us over the finish line, thank you & thanks to @nbc for stepping up! Time to dust off the Aloha shirt! #ohana”

With the rescue, Magnum P.I. follows in the footsteps of fellow Universal Television-produced series, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which also was picked up by NBC after it had been canceled by its original network, Fox, after five seasons. The cop comedy ran on NBC for three additional seasons.

A reboot of the 1980s drama created by Donald P. Bellisario and Glen A. Larson that starred Tom SelleckMagnum P.I. follows Thomas Magnum (Hernandez), a private investigator and former Navy SEAL, who solves crimes in the state, after returning home from Afghanistan and repurposing his military skills.

https://twitter.com/jay_hernandez/status/1542832951708336130

“General Hospital” Star Nicholas Chavez Wins Outstanding Younger Performer Daytime Emmy

Nicholas Chavez is celebrating a big recognition…

The 49th annual Daytime Emmy Awards were doled out on Friday, with the 23-year-old Latino actor and daytime rising star taking home an award.

Nicholas ChavezChavez, who stars as Spencer Cassadine on ABC’s General Hospital, was named Outstanding Younger Performer in a Drama Series.

This was Chavez’s first win and first nomination.

Meanwhile, General Hospital — already the winningest soap opera in daytime history – was named Outstanding Daytime Drama.

The in-person ceremony aired live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

Here’s a look at this year’s Daytime Emmys winners from Friday’s awards show:

Outstanding Daytime Drama Series
General Hospital (ABC)

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama, Actress
Mishael Morgan, The Young and the Restless (CBS)

Outstanding Lead Performance In A Daytime Drama, Actor
John McCook, The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)

Outstanding Game Show Host
Steve Harvey, Family Feud (Syndicated)

Outstanding Game Show
Jeopardy! (Syndicated)

Outstanding Writing Team For a Daytime Drama
Days of Our Lives (NBC)

Outstanding Entertainment News Series
Entertainment Tonight (Syndicated)

Outstanding Younger Performer in a Drama Series
Nicholas Chavez, General Hospital (ABC)

Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host
Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show (Syndicated)

Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show
Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show (Syndicated)

Outstanding Directing Team for a Drama Series
General Hospital (ABC)

Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host:
Tamron Hall, Tamron Hall (Syndicated)

Outstanding Informative Talk Show
Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts (Disney+)

Outstanding Supporting Performance, Actor, in a Daytime Drama
Jeff Kober, General Hospital (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Performance, Actress, in a Daytime Drama
Kelly Thiebaud, General Hospital (ABC)

Ariana DeBose to Host This Year’s Tony Awards Show

Ariana DeBose has a date with Tony

The 31-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress, singer and Broadway star, who claimed her first Oscar in March for her performance in West Side Story, will host the 75th annual Tony Awards live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Sunday, June 12.

Ariana DeBose,DeBose was nominated for a Tony four years ago for playing “Disco Donna” in the acclaimed musical Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. She received a nod for best featured actress in a musical.

“I’m coming home! I’m so honored to celebrate 75 years of excellence in theater, but more importantly every member of this community who poured themselves into making sure the lights of Broadway have the opportunity to shine brightly once again!” DeBose said in a statement.  “This is a dream come true, and I’m excited to see you all on June 12.”

“We are thrilled to have Ariana DeBose, who has captivated audiences with her inspirational roles on stage and in film and television, host this year’s Tony Awards,” said Jack Sussman, executive vice president, specials, music, live event and alternative programming, CBS. “After the last challenging two years there is no one better to bring the theater community together on this important night honoring the best of Broadway, and share the joys of live performing once again than this extraordinarily talented artist.”

The Tonys will air live coast-to-coast for the first time. The show is set to air on Sunday, June 12, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET, and from 5 to 8 p.m. PT on CBS. It will also stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

The celebration will commence from 7 to 8 p.m. ET/4 to 5 p.m. PT, with exclusive content streaming only on Paramount+. Hosts and further information on the Paramount+ presentation will be announced at a later date.

Tony winner Adrienne Warren and Tony nominee Joshua Henry will host the 75th Annual Tony Awards nominations on Monday, May 9, at 9:00 am ET on the Tony Awards official YouTube page. The Tony Awards eligibility cutoff date has been extended for the 2021-22 season to Wednesday, May 4, for all Broadway productions which meet all other eligibility requirements.

DeBose has worked extensively in the theater. In 2015, she appeared alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda in the Tony-winning musical Hamilton as a member of the original cast in both the Broadway and off-Broadway productions, as well as the Emmy Award winning film version that was later released on Disney+.

After her departure from Hamilton in 2016, DeBose completed a run as Jane in the original Broadway cast of A Bronx Tale.  Other theater credits include: Leading Player in the Tony Award-winning revival of Pippin, Mary Wilson in Motown the Musical, Nautica in Bring It On: The Musical and ensemble in Stephen Sondheim’s Company.

She recently had a breakout role in Schmigadoon!, and received critical acclaim for her performance in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix adaptation of the hit Broadway musical The Prom. 

Next, DeBose will star in Sony Pictures’ Kraven the Hunter, Argylle from Apple, and the space thriller ISS.

A limited number of tickets to the 75th Annual Tony Awards will be made available.  Tickets will be available at www.TonyAwards.com/tickets starting on Monday, May 9, at 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT.

The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.