JD Pardo Signs First-Look Deal with FX Productions to Develop New TV Programming for FX

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

JD Pardo is getting a first look… Deal, that is.

The 43-year-old Argentine & Salvadoran American Emmy-nominated actor, who starred in five successful season of Mayans M.C., has signed a first-look deal with FX Productions to develop new television programming for FX.

Pardo portrayed Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes on the hit Sons of Anarchy spinoff, created by Kurt Sutter and Elgin James, from 2018 to 2023.

On-screen, Pardo’s EZ went from prospect to influential member of the M.C. to leader of it all by series end.

Pardo also grew professionally and creatively, he began his journey as the show’s lead actor, later adding producer to his credits to making his directorial debut in the Season 5 episode titled, “I See The Black Light.”

Additionally, Pardo was also recently seen starring in Prime Video’s action-thriller series The Terminal List, alongside Chris Pratt.

He will next be in Prime Video’s reimagining of the 1989 MGM film Road House, starring alongside Jake Gyllenhaal. Directed by Doug Liman, the film will premiere in early 2024.

Born and raised in Panorama City, CA, Pardo the son of an Argentinean father and El Salvadorian mother, found his love for acting while taking a high school theater class. He began his career with recurring arcs on NBC’s 2004 musical series, American Dream and in the CBS series Clubhouse. Two years later, Pardo starred in the Lifetime movie A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story, which chronicles the true story of the titular transgender teen (played by Pardo) who was murdered by four male acquaintances. The movie was honored with the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Movie for Television in 2006.

Additional film credits also include F9: The Fast Saga (2021), Guillermo Arriaga’s The Burning Plain (2008), Snitch (2013) and Summit’s final installment of the Twilight Series Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012).

In 2016, Pardo was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor in a Digital Daytime Drama Series for his work on Hulu’s East Los High. His additional television credits include starring roles in JJ Abram’s NBC drama Revolution and CW’s The Messengers, among others.

Anya Taylor-Joy’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” Towers Over Global Box Office Charts with $366 Million in Ticket Sales

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Everything’s peachy for Anya Taylor-Joy…

The Super Mario Bros. Movie, starring the 26-year-old Argentine American Golden Globe-winning actress, towered over box office charts with $377 million in global ticket sales, taking the title for the biggest worldwide debut of the year from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania ($225.3 million).

The animated film — a collaboration between Illumination, Nintendo and Universal — crushed already-high expectations, igniting to $173 million internationally and $204 million in its first five days at the domestic box office.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie opened in 70 overseas territories, including Mexico ($27.4 million), the U.K. and Ireland ($19.6 million), Germany ($14 million), China ($12 million), France ($10.4 million), Spain ($8.6 million) and Australia ($8.3 million).

With those ticket sales, The Super Mario Bros. Movie landed several overseas records, including the best international debut of the year and second-biggest animated opening of all time (behind Frozen 2 with $228.2 million). It also scored the biggest animated opening in 11 individual markets, as well as the best start for a video game adaptation in 42 individual markets.

“It’s a phenomenal number all around,” says Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, president of distribution for Universal Pictures International. “The film is based on incredible IP, which is beloved by people of different generations– young and old. This is great news for the industry.”

In addition to brand recognition and nostalgia for the popular video game, the film benefitted from positive word-of-mouth, premium theatrical formats and a months-long lack of movies targeted at family audiences.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie particularly delivered in Imax, bringing in $5 million overseas and $21.6 million globally. Those ticket sales rank as the highest animated debut ever for the company in 22 markets, including Ireland and the UK, Germany, Sweden and Netherlands.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie features the voices of Chris Pratt as Mario, Charlie Day as Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach and Jack Black as Bowser.

Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, the story follows the mustachioed plumber and friends as they prepare to stop the all-powerful King Koopa from world domination.

Anya Taylor-Joy & “Super Mario Bros. Movie” Cast Mates Join Jimmy Fallon & The Roots to Perform Game’s Original Theme

Posted on March 10, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

It’s theme on for Anya Taylor-Joy…

In celebration of MAR10 Day (March 10), the 26-year-old Argentine American Golden Globe-winning actress joined her Super Mario Bros. Movie, Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon and The Roots to one-up the game franchise’s original theme song.

Taylor-Joy, who portrays Princess Peach, Chris Pratt, Jack Black, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Keegan-Michael Key and Charlie Day joined Fallon and his in-house band for a special Tonight Show video, singing a choral rendition of the instantly recognizable video game’s theme song.

The actors make up the main voice cast of the upcoming animated Super Mario Bros. Movie, which will arrive in theaters April 5.

In the video, Fallon and the actors take turns taking center stage as Questlove and other members of The Roots add layers of suave harmony. All the while, the singers are edited into the pixelated landscape of the Mario universe, where they pop in and out of green pipes and send shells flying at one another.

Then, Nintendo legend and Mario game creator Shigeru Miyamoto makes an appearance, and even has a little solo at the very end of the video.

Fans in the comments absolutely loved the creative take on the Mario music.

“Broooo… This is so awesome!” wrote one. “Just to see the voice cast of The Super Mario Bros Movie and even seeing Miyamoto singing [an a cappella] cover of the iconic Super Mario tracks is just phenomenal to watch.”

“The ending was a masterpiece in every way,” added another.

Anya Taylor-Joy’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” To Open Earlier Than Expected, on April 5

Posted on February 28, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Anya Taylor-Joy’s super launch will begin sooner than expected.

Illumination Entertainment/Universal’ film The Super Mario Bros. Movie, starring the 26-year-old Argentine American actress, will open around the world on Wednesday, April 5, before Easter weekend.

The film had been set for Good Friday, April 7.

In what arguably could be one of the biggest openings of the spring, the animated film featuring Chris Pratt, Chris Day, Taylor-Joy, Seth Rogen, Jack Black, et al., is going earlier to capitalize on spring breaks stateside and so that fans can experience it around the globe at the same time.

Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, the film will launch in more than 60 markets on its opening day.

Ten markets for Super Mario Bros. in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe are opening on a variety of dates in April and May including Japan, where it will open on April 28 timed to the Golden Week holidays.

Should this film open big it will be a huge win for Nintendo on the big screen. The last Super Mario Bros movie in 1993 — a live-action adaptation of the hit videogame franchise released by Buena Vista and starring the late Bob Hoskins as Mario and John Leguizamo as Luigi — was expected to be a summer tentpole back then, but tanked off a mid-$40M production cost with a global gross near $39M.

This Super Mario Bros animated film is produced by Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and by Shigeru Miyamoto for Nintendo, and was co-financed by Universal Pictures and Nintendo.

First Trailer Released for Zoe Saldaña’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”

Posted on December 2, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Zoe Saldaña is on guard…

The first trailer has been released for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, starring the 44-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress, which marks the end of an era for Marvel.

The film is the final adventure of this iteration of the cosmic team, and it is also a final Marvel bow for James Gunn, who has departed the MCU to take a job as a top executive at DC Studios, where he co-runs its film, television and animation efforts.\

In addition to Saldaña, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 also stars Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel, and introduces the character Adam Warlock, played by Will Poulter.

The first Guardians of the Galaxy was a game-changer for Marvel, which had already made $1 billion brands out of so-called “B-level” characters such as Iron Man.

But 2014’s Guardians took that formula to new heights, turning obscure characters into a global brand. The film, which earned $773.3 million internationally, ushered in an era in which quirky filmmakers such as Gunn put their own stamps on Marvel properties. A sequel followed in 2017, with the third eyed for 2020 before Gunn was fired from the property over old, offensive tweets before eventually being reinstated.

The Guardians, and the voice Gunn established, have been important to Marvel in between Vols. 2 and 3.

The characters appeared in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, released last month on Disney+.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens on May 5, 2023.

The new trailer is soundtracked by the 1996 top 40 Billboard Hot 100 hit “In the Meantime,” by (appropriate to the intergalactic films) Spacehog.

The soundtracks to the first two installments in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, both of which were studded with carefully curated 1970s pop gems, were both big hits.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1, which featured such hits as Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling” and Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love,” topped the Billboard 200 for two consecutive weeks in August 2014.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 2, which contained such hits as ELO’s “Mr. Blue Sky” and Looking Glass’ “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl),” reached No. 4 in 2017.

Nintendo Direct Releases Second Trailer for “Super Mario Bros Movie” with First Look at Anya Taylor-Joy’s Princess Peach

Posted on November 30, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a peachy moment for Anya Taylor-Joy…

The Nintendo Direct YouTube channel has unveiled the second trailer for Illumination’s Super Mario Bros Movie, starring the 26-year-old Argentine American actress as Princess Peach.

In the new trailer, Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) enters a cheering arena where he faces off with Donkey Kong (voiced by Seth Rogen). Mario jumps and the big ape catches the little guy in mid air before whacking him repeatedly.

Meanwhile, Koopa has Luigi in his grip.

“One problem, there’s a human who has a mustache just like you,” says the ogre voiced by Jack Black.

We also see Taylor-Joy’s Princess Peach for the first time.

“There’s a huge universe out there with a lot of galaxies,” Peach tells little mushroom guy, Toad.

Super Mario Bros Movie will be released next Easter Weekend, April 7-9.

On hand to introduce the trailer were the film’s producers Chris Melendandri, and Donkey Kong and Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto, as well as Rogen (with his dog named Zelda) and Taylor-Joy.

Daniella Pineda Joins Cast of ABC’s “Home Economics” in Recurring Role

Posted on November 21, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Daniella Pineda is heading home…

The 49-year-old Cuban American actor has joined the cast of ABC’s Home Economics in a recurring guest star role for Season 3.

Home Economics, inspired by series co-creator Michael Colton’s real-life experiences, documents the uncomfortable yet heartwarming relationships of three siblings in very different situations: one in the ultra-rich, one in the middle class, and one scraping by.

Pineda will play the role of Nikki, a woman Connor (Jimmy Tatro) meets and tries to impress.

The series stars Topher Grace, Caitlin McGee, Karla Souza, Sasheer Zamata, Shiloh Bearman, Jordyn Curet, Chloe Jo Rountree and JeCobi Swain.

The comedy series currently airs on Wednesday nights at 9:30 pm.

Home Economics is produced by Lionsgate and ABC Signature.

Pineda most recently starred in Jurassic World: Dominion returning to the role of Zia Rodriguez from the 2018 film, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom where she co-starred opposite Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. In 2023, she will star in the feature film comedy In Town, which she also executive produced. Additionally, she will work opposite Gerard Butler and Mike Colter in the upcoming film, Plane, for Lionsgate and Di Bonaventura Pictures.

Her television credits include Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop, AMC’s Tales of the Walking Dead, and TBS’ The Detour. Pineda is repped by UTA, Kirsten Ames Management, and attorney Isaac Dunham.

JD Pardo to Star in Robert Rodriguez’s Action-Thriller “Hypnotic”

Posted on October 13, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a hypnotic time for JD Pardo…

The 41-year-old Argentine Salvadoran American actor will star in Robert Rodriguez’s action-thriller Hypnotic, alongside Ben Affleck, Alice Braga, Dayo Okeniyi, William Fichtner and Hala Finley.

Currently filming in Texas, Hypnotic follows a detective (Affleck) who becomes entangled in a mystery involving his missing daughter (Finley) and a secret government program – while investigating a string of impossible high-end crimes.

Rodriguez and Max Borenstein wrote the film.

Pardo recently had a cameo as character Jack Toretto in Universal’s blockbuster hit F9: The Fast Saga and he’ll next be seen in STX’s Violence of Action alongside Chris Pine and Ben Foster.

He recently wrapped work on Amazon’s conspiracy-thriller series The Terminal List opposite Chris Pratt. Earlier this week he was awarded the Imagen Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of EZ Reyes in FX’s hit show Mayans M.C. which has been picked up for a fourth season.

Anya Taylor-Joy Among Cast for Illumination’s ‘Super Mario Bros.’ Animated Film

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Anya Taylor-Joy is preparing for her next royal excursion…

Illumination and Nintendo have announced the powerhouse voice cast for their upcoming Super Mario Bros. animated film, which includes the 25-year-old Argentine American actress.

Taylor-Joy, who earned an Emmy nomination for her performance in Queen’s Gambit, will star as Princess Peach in the film, which will hit cinemas on December 21, 2022.

Playing the fraternal, mushroom digesting plumbers and squashers of turtles are Chris Pratt as Mario and Charlie Day as Luigi.

Playing bad guy Bowser is Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, and stand-up comedian Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike.

“Each voice actor was cast for their ability to capture the unique spirit of their character,” reads the release.

The co-financed feature between Universal and Nintendo will be directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, who previously collaborated on the animated series Teen Titans Go! and the film Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.

The film’s screenplay will be written by Matthew Fogel, whose credits include The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part and the upcoming Illumination feature Minions: The Rise of Gru.

Future offshore release dates will be announced.

“Mario and Luigi are two of the most beloved heroes in all of popular culture, and we are honored to have the unique opportunity to work so closely with Shigeru Miyamoto and the widely imaginative team at Nintendo to bring these characters to life in an animated movie, unlike any film Illumination has made to date,” said Chris Meledandri who is also an outside director of Nintendo.

“We are collaborating with Chris and his experienced team to not just create a character licensed film, but a new piece of entertainment which brings Super Mario Bros. to life on the screen, and allows everyone to enjoy whether or not they know about the game. The production so far is constructive and going very well, and both parties are learning a lot from each other. We humbly ask that fans wait just a little longer for the premiere, and we hope they look forward to seeing the unique characters from Super Mario Bros. on the big screen,” said Miyamoto.

Super Mario Bros. is a huge franchise play for Universal and Illumination. Already, there’s a Super Mario Bros. land open at the Universal Japan theme park with others under construction at Universal Hollywood and Universal Orlando.

The movie has been a long awaited revival for fans. There was a live action movie in 1993 starring Bob Hoskins as Mario and John Leguizamo as Luigi and Dennis Hopper as baddie King Koopa. There was also in the late 1980s The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! animated series which starred Captain Lou Albano as the voice of Mario and Danny Wells as the voice of Luigi.

Mario Brothers was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi, Nintendo’s chief engineer in 1983. Super Mario Bros. the subseries, was launched in 1985. It is the best-selling video game franchise of all time, with more than 758.06 million copies of games sold, including 388.92 million for the Super Mario games alone.

Gissette Valentin to Appear on AMC’s “The Walking Dead: World Beyond”

Posted on June 29, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Gissette Valentin is heading into the world beyond…

The Latina actress has landed a recurring role on AMC’s The Walking Dead: World Beyond.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond delves into new TWD mythology to follow the first generation raised in a surviving civilization of the post-apocalyptic world. Two sisters along with two friends leave a place of safety and comfort to brave dangers on an important quest. Pursued by those who wish to protect them and those who wish to harm them, a tale of growing up and transformation unfurls across dangerous terrain, challenging everything they know about the world, themselves and each other.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond is co-created by Scott M. Gimple and showrunner Matt Negrete. Produced and distributed by AMC Studios, the series is executive produced by Gimple and Negrete, Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, David Alpert and Brian Bockrath.

Valentin will play Corporal Diane Pierce, a smart, driven soldier who commands the respect of someone in a much higher position of authority.

The series’ cast features Julia Ormond, Nicholas Cantu, Alexa Mansour, Nico Tortorella, Aliya Royale, Hal Cumpston and Annet Mahendru.

Valentin will soon appear in Amazon’s The Tomorrow War, starring Chris Pratt. She has also appeared in Claws.

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