Danny Pino Lands Leading Role in MGM+’s Crime Thriller “Hotel Cocaine”

Posted on March 15, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Danny Pino is checking in to a new project…

The 48-year-old Cuban American actor, who stars in Mayans M.C., will star as the lead in Hotel Cocaine, MGM+’s upcoming crime thriller from creator Chris Brancato.

Hotel Cocaine is the story of Roman Compte (Pino), a Cuban expatriate who fought against Fidel Castro in the Bay of Pigs invasion and re-made his life in Miami. He is general manager of the Mutiny Hotel, the glamorous epicenter of the Miami cocaine scene of late ‘70s and early ‘80s. The Mutiny Hotel was Casablanca on cocaine, a glitzy nightclub, restaurant and hotel frequented by Florida businessmen and politicians, international narcos, CIA and FBI agents, models, sports stars and musicians. At the center of it all was Compte, who was doing his best to keep it all going and fulfill his own American dream.

Brancato serves as executive producer and showrunner. Guillermo Navarro will direct the pilot episode and executive produce the series, with Michael Panes and Alfredo Barrios Jr. also serving as executive producers. The eight-episode series from MGM+ Studios, in partnership with MGM Television, will begin production in May in the Dominican Republic, and is slated to premiere in early 2024.

Pino, born and raised in Miami, stars as organized crime boss Miguel Galindo in Mayans M.C., which is heading into its fifth and final season on FX.

He made his episodic directorial debut in the drama’s fourth season. Pino, also known for his roles as police detective Nick Amaro on Law & Order: SVU and Detective Scotty Valens on Cold Case, recently completed the short film, Union de Reyes (Union of Kings), which he wrote, directed, produced and starred in.

Hotel Cocaine will be distributed internationally by MGM.

Frankie Loyal Upped to Series Regular on FX’s “Mayans M.C.”

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

There are more rides in Frankie Loyal’s future…

The 51-year-old Latino actor/producer has been upped to series regular on FX’s biker drama Mayans M.C. alongside Joseph Lucero and Vincent Vargas for season 4, which is scheduled to return in early 2022.

Loyal, Lucero and Vargas took on larger roles in season 3, which saw their characters Hank Loza, Neron “Creeper” Vargas, and Gilly Lopez, respectively, flourish and develop into fully rounded characters with storylines fans embraced fully.

The trio have been a part of the series throughout its three-season run.

Mayans M.C., a spin-off series of the network’s hit Sons of Anarchy, follows a motley crew of Latino men who found a family in the motorcycle club charter Santo Padre on the California and Mexico border. While the story is about the M.C., it also features powerful female characters that are bold and powerful in their own right.

The character of E.Z. Reyes (JD Pardo) is at the center of the story as he finds his place in the gray area of a world that is mostly black and white.

It’s helmed by co-creator and executive producer Elgin James; and co-stars Clayton Cardenas, Danny Pino, Richard Cabral, Michael Irby, Carla Baratta, Sarah Bolger, Emilio Rivera, Edward James Olmos, Raoul Trujillo, Emily Tosta, and Sulem Calderon.

Loyal, whose character Hank serves as Sergeant-of-Arms to the M.C., guest-starred on FX’s Better Things opposite Pamela Adlon. On the big screen, he starred in The Deep End alongside Tilda Swinton and Goran Visnjic. He will next be seen in the drama feature Die Like A Man.

Lucero made his debut in the 2006 drama Gridiron Gang alongside Dwayne Johnson, Xzibit, Moe McCrae, and Jurnee Smollett. He was also featured in Father G and the Homeboys, an award-winning documentary chronicling Father Greg Boyle’s work with Los Angeles’ toughest gang members. Lucero’s television credits include Dirt, ER, The Shield, Cold Case, Criminal Minds, The Closer, Shameless, S.W.A.T., and FBI.

Vargas is a veteran of the U.S. Army that served three combat deployments who continues to serve his country today for the Army Reserve. In 2009, he became a Federal Agent with the Department of Homeland Security and was a Medic with the Special Operations Group.

He has starred and produced several films including Lucy Shimmers and the Prince of Peace (co-executive producer), Not a War Story (executive producer), and Dads in Parks (writer). Vargas pulled double duty since season 2 on Mayans M.C. as recurring star and technical advisor.

Universal Pictures to Release Film Adaptation of “Dear Evan Hansen,” Starring Danny Pino, in September

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Danny Pino is set to have a dear fall season…

The movie adaptation of Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen, starring the 46-year-old Cuban American actor, will hit theaters on September 24, according to Universal Pictures.

Ben Platt is reprising his Tony-winning title role alongside Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, Colton Ryan, Nik Dodani, DeMarius Copes and Pino, who portrays Larry Murphy.

The story follows Evan Hansen (Platt), a high schooler with social anxiety who unintentionally gets caught up in a lie after the family of a classmate who died by suicide mistakes one of Hansen’s letters for their son’s suicide note.

Stephen Chbosky directed the film from a script by Steven Levenson, who wrote the book for the stage musical, with music and lyrics by La La Land Oscar winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Pino, an Imagen Award winner, previously starred in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Cold Case and Mayans M.C.

Danny Pino to Star in Universal’s Film Adaptation of the Broadway Hit Musical “Dear Evan Hansen”

Posted on August 29, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Danny Pino has landed a Dear role…

The 46-year-old Cuban American actor has joined the ensemble cast of Universal’s film adaptation of the Broadway hit musical Dear Evan Hansen, joining Ben Platt, Kaitlyn Dever, Amy Adams and Amandla Stenberg.

The story follows Hansen, a high school student with social anxiety. He unintentionally gets caught up in a lie after the family of a classmate who committed suicide mistakes one of Hansen’s letters for their son’s suicide note.

Pino will play the stepfather to the classmate that commits suicide.

Steven Levenson, who wrote the book for the stage musical, wrote the script, and Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote the music and penned the original lyrics for the musical and film.

Stephen Chbosky will direct.

Pino is best known as the cartel boss Miguel on FX’s series Mayans M.C.

His other credits include Cold Case, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Across the Hall and The Burning Plain.

Shalim Ortiz to Appear in Starz & Lionsgate’s “Power” Spinoff “Ghost”

Posted on July 24, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Shalim Ortiz is seeing ghosts…

The 41-year-old Dominican and Puerto Rican actor and singer has landed a recurring role in Starz and Lionsgate’s Power spinoff Ghost.

The spinoff picks up shortly after thePowerseries finale, with Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) working to get his mother Tasha (Naturi Naughton) out of jail after she took the fall for her son in James St. Patrick/Ghost’s (Omari Hardwick) murder.

Ortiz will play Danilo Ramirez, an NYPD officer stationed in the Tejadas’ backyard of Queens, NY. Ramirez will find himself torn between the duties of his badge and duty to the ones he loves.

Mary J. Blige and Cliff ‘Method Man’ Smith also star.

Executive produced by series creator and showrunner Courtney Kemp (End of Episode) and Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson (G-Unit Film and Television), Ghost also stars Power alum Shane Johnson once again as federal prosecutor Cooper Saxe.

Ortiz most recently appeared in ABC’s Grand Hotel. He previously starred on Starz’s Magic City.

His other notable television credits include CSI: Miami, Cold Case and NBC’s Heroes.

On the film side, Ortiz has appeared in The Winged Man and Bad Ass, among others.

Shalim Ortiz to Star in ABC’s Drama Pilot “Grand Hotel”

Posted on March 6, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Life is Grand for Shalim Ortiz…

The 39-year-old Puerto Rican actor/singer has been cast in a series regular role on ABC’s drama pilot Grand Hotel, hailing from Eva Longoria’s production company, Brian Tanen and ABC Studios.

Written by Tanen, Grand Hotel is based on a Spanish format and directed by Ken Olin.

It’s described as a soapy drama set against the backdrop of a Miami Beach hotel, centering on the family who owns the business, the staff who run it and the explosive secrets they hide under the perfect exterior.

Ortiz will portray Mateo, the Director of Guest Experiences at the hotel who knows every guest by name.

Ortiz played Alejandro Herrera on NBC’s Heroes and had a recurring role on HBO’s Ballers. His other credits include CSI: Miami, Lizzie McGuire and Cold Case.

Pino to Star in Procedural Drama Series “Gone”

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Danny Pino is going, going, Gone…

The 42-year-old Cuban American actor and former Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Cold Case alum will star opposite Chris Noth and Leven Rambin in Gone, a 12-episode procedural drama series for NBCUniversal International Studios, Germany’s RTL and France’s TF1.

The series, which eyes a launch in winter 2017-18, was created by Matt Lopez (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice) based on Chelsea Cain’s novel One Kick.

The project tells the fictional story of Kit “Kick” Lannigan (Rambin), survivor of a famous child-abduction case, and Frank Booth (Noth), the FBI agent who rescued her. Determined never to fall victim again, Kick trains in martial arts and the use of firearms. She finds her calling when Booth persuades her to join a special task force he created dedicated to solving abductions and missing persons cases. Paired with former Army intelligence officer John Bishop (Pino), Kick brings her unique understanding of the mind of a predator. Bishop is initially skeptical about bringing Kick onto the team, but over the course of the season, he will come to appreciate her unique skill-set and they will become a formidable crime-solving duo.

Pino most recently starred opposite Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Tony Shalhoub in CBS’ critically praised series Braindead. He previously played Detective Nick Amaro on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for multiple seasons, and starred for seven seasons as Detective Scotty Valens on Cold Case. He also recurred on ABC’s Scandal.

Rodriguez to Appear on the Fourth Season of NBC’s “Grimm”

Posted on July 18, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Elizabeth Rodriguez’s acting prospects look grimm…

The 33-year-old Latina actress and Tony Award nominee has landed a recurring role on NBC’s supernatural crime drama Grimm, co-created by Angel co-creator David Greenwalt.

Rodriguez will portray Special Agent Chavez, an FBI agent with a hidden agenda and a secret identity.

Rodriguez, who starred on All My Children, can currently be seen as Aleida Diaz on Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black.

Her other credits include television appearance on Power, Cold Case, FlashForward, Law & Order, The Shield and ER.

Grimm was renewed for a fourth season in March.

Gallegos to Star in Clint Eastwood’s New Film “American Sniper”

Posted on March 22, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Rey Gallegos is getting Clint Eastwood’s SEAL of approval…

The Latino actor, one of the stars of Fox’s upcoming action-drama Gang Related, has joined the cast of the legendary actor-turned-director’s latest film American Sniper.

Starring Bradley Cooper as decorated marksman Chris Kyle, the film is based on Kyle’s memoir American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History.

Gallegos will portray Tony, chief of a U.S. Navy SEALs team and one of the instructors during Kyle’s training.

In addition to Cooper and Gallegos, the film also stars Navid Negahban, Eric Close and Eric Ladin.

Filming on the Warner Bros. project is set to start at the end of March in Morocco.

Gallegos’ previous credits include appearances on Sons of Anarchy, Castle, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Saving Grace, Cold Case, 24 and Prison Break.

Garcia’s “The Lifeguard” Acquired by Focus World & Screen Media Films

Posted on March 23, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like Liz W. Garcia’s first feature film will be released in the United States.

Focus World and Screen Media Films have partnered to acquire the U.S. distribution rights to the 35-year-old Latina filmmaker’s The Lifeguard, which made its debut at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

Written and directed by Garcia, The Lifeguard marks her first feature after working as a writer and producer on television shows like Cold Case and co-creating Memphis Beat with her husband Joshua Harto.

Kristen Bell stars alongside Mamie Gummer, Martin Starr and Amy Madigan in the film, which centers on Leigh (Bell), almost 30 and living a seemingly perfect life in New York. But when her career and love life both come crashing down, she flees to her suburban hometown and regresses back into high school life. Picking up right where her teen halcyon days left off, she moves into her old room with her parents, hangs out with friends who never left town and reclaims her high school job as a condo-complex lifeguard. But as Leigh enjoys shirking adult life and responsibilities and enters into an illicit affair, she begins a chain reaction that affects those closest to her.

Focus World, the alternative label owned and operated by Focus Features, and Screen Media will release The Lifeguard in theaters and on digital platforms in the summer.

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