Anthony Ramos to Receive Rising Star of the Year Award at Cinema Con 2023

Anthony Ramosstar is on the rise… 

The 31-year-old Puerto Rican Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and actor and Dominique Fishback have been set to receive the Rising Stars of the Year Award at CinemaCon 2023.

Anthony RamosThe Transformers: Rise of the Beasts stars will receive the recognition from NATO’s official convention at its Big Screen Achievement Awards ceremony, which takes place at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas the night of April 27.

They join a list of honorees that also includes Oppenheimer‘s Christopher Nolan & Emma Thomas (NATO Spirit of the Industry Award), the cast of Lionsgate’s Joy Ride (Comedy Ensemble of the Year Award) and the Dune franchise’s Zendaya (Star of the Year Award).

The new Steven Caple Jr.-helmed Transformers film set for release in theaters June 9 hails from Paramount Pictures and Skydance, in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures.

It’s billed as a globetrotting adventure transporting audiences back to the ’90s alongside the iconic Autobots, which also introduces a brand-new faction of Transformers, the Maximals, to join them as allies in the ongoing battle for Earth.

Ramos’ and Fishback’s human characters participating in that fight are tech wiz Noah Diaz and museum artifact researcher Elena Wallace, respectively.

“With a breadth of experience across theater, television and film, Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback will undoubtedly captivate audiences as they take on their first action-packed franchise film in this summer’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” CinemaCon managing director Mitch Neuhauser said. “We are thrilled to be honoring these two talented individuals with this year’s CinemaCon Rising Stars of the Year Award.”

A Grammy winner, as well as a Golden Globe and Emmy nominee, Ramos is best known for originating the roles of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton in the Tony-winning Broadway smash Hamilton, and for leading Warner Bros’ feature adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s other famed musical In the Heights. He’s also previously been seen in films like Godzilla: King of the Monsters and A Star Is Born, along with series including She’s Gotta Have It and In Treatment. Other upcoming projects include the films Distant and Dumb Money, as well as the Disney+ Marvel series Iron Heart.

CinemaCon takes place this year from April 24-27.

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez Joins Cast of Paramount’s “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts”

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez is ready for a transformation

The 31-year-old half-Puerto Rican Golden Globe-winning actress has joined the cast of Paramount’s upcoming Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

MJ RodriguezRodriguez, who portrays Nightbird, is among a list of new cast additions that includes Peter Dinklage (as the voice of Scourge), Liza Koshy (as the voice of Arcee), John DiMaggio (as the voice of Stratosphere), David Sobolov (as Rhinox/Battletrap), Cristo Fernández (as Wheeljack) and Tobe Nwigwe (as Reek).

They all join previously announced cast members Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Michelle Yeoh (as Airazor), Pete Davidson (as Mirage), Peter Cullen (as Optimus Prime) and Ron Perlman (Optimus Primal) in the Steven Caple Jr. directed next installment of the franchise.

The film will hit theaters on June 9, 2023.

The screenplay is by Joby Harold, Darnell Metayer & Josh Peters, and Erich Hoeber & Jon Hoeber, with story by Harold.

The new movie will take audiences on a ‘90s globetrotting adventure with the Autobots and introduce a whole new breed of Transformer – the Maximals – to the existing battle on earth between Autobots and Decepticons.

Hasbro is executive producing; Skydance is co-financing and executive producing; New Republic Pictures is also co-financing and executive producing.

Rodriguez has starred on Pose, Loot, Luke Cage, Nurse Jackie and in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s feature tick, tick…Boom! 

Fernandez stars as Dani Rojas on Ted Lassoin the movie Creatures and the $1.9 billion grossing movie, Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Marquis Rodriguez to Star on Season Two of Amazon’s Anthology Series “Modern Love”

Marquis Rodriguez has found a new love

The Latino actor has been cast in Season 2 of Amazon’s anthology series Modern Love.

Marquis Rodriguez

In addition to Rodriguez, Season 2 of the series will feature episodes starring: Minnie Driver, as previously announced, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Susan Blackwell, Lucy Boynton, Tom Burke, Zoe Chao, Maria Dizzia, newcomer Grace Edwards, Dominique Fishback, Kathryn Gallagher, Kit Harington, Garrett Hedlund, Telci Huynh, Nikki M. James, Aparna Nancherla, Larry Owens, Zane Pais, Anna Paquin, Isaac Powell, Ben Rappaport, Milan Ray, Jack Reynor, Miranda Richardson, James Scully, Zuzanna Szadkowski, Lulu Wilson, Don Wycherley, and Jeena Yi.

“We’re so excited to bring a second season of this series to life, and give an opportunity to really shine a light on what matters most,” said series showrunner John Carney. “With so much uncertainty in our current world, these stories bring truth and love to people everywhere, and I’m so appreciative to be a part of making that happen.”

Carney also serves as writer, director and executive producer. John Crowley, Marta Cunningham, Jesse Peretz, and Andrew Rannells will also direct episodes of this season, with Celine Held and Logan George co-directing an episode. The episode Rannells will direct is based upon a personal essay that he penned for the New York Times column.

The series is produced by Amazon Studios, Storied Media Group, Likely Story, and The New York Times.

Rodriguez’s previous credits include When They See Us, Chicago Fire and Definitely, Maybe.

Rodrigo Santoro to Star in Netflix’s Still-Untitled Sci-Fi Thriller

It’s a thrilling time for Rodrigo Santoro

The 43-year-old Brazilian actor has joined the supporting cast of Netflix’s yet-to-be-titled sci-fi thriller.

Rodrigo Santoro

Jamie FoxxJoseph Gordon-Levitt, and Dominique Fishback are set as leads in the film, which will be directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman.

Other supporting cast members include Allen Maldonado,  Amy Landecker, Colson Baker, aka Machine Gun Kelly, Andrene Ward-Hammond and Kyanna Simpson.

Mattson Tomlin penned the screenplay. Filmmakers are staying mum on plot details.

Santoro, best known for his portrayal of Persian King Xerxes in the movie 300 and its sequel 300: Rise of an Empire, was most recently cast in theHulupilot Reprisal. His other credits include HBO’s Westworld.

Maldonado co-starred in the Sony film, Superfly and Netflix’s First Match.