Raúl Castillo Starring in Crypto-Heist Thriller “Cold Wallet”

Raúl Castillo is the cold

The 45-year-old Mexican American actor will star in Cold Wallet, a crypto-heist thriller from director Cutter Hodierne, which has wrapped production.

Castillo will star opposite Melonie Diaz, Tony Cavalero and Josh Brener in the project.

Inspired by real stories, the film follows a rag-tag team of Redditors who lose everything in a crypto ponzi scheme and plot to kidnap the ‘financial influencer’ who screwed them over.

The film was in production when news of the FTX scandal broke.

The script was written by John Hibey — the 2023 Sundance Screenwriting Lab Fellow with whom Hodierne penned his first feature, Fishing Without Nets. Serving as the foundation for it was a story by Hodierne, Derek McMurtry and Hibey.

Producers included Benjamin Wiessner of Vanishing Angle along with Hibey and Hodierne. McMurtry, Castillo, Cavalero, Diaz, Brener and crypto guru Justin Staple are the executive producers.

“I can’t stress enough how thrilled I am to be a part of Cutter’s new feature. I was a big fan of Fishing Without Nets and, though I feel our film is just as timely and relevant, I think he has managed to move in a whole new direction,” Castillo told Deadline. “He and his producers have put together an outstanding crew and an incredibly pitch-perfect cast. I am proud to share the screen with every single one of them.”

Castillo is a Gotham and Independent Spirit Award nominee coming off a year of work in decorated titles including The Inspection (A24), Hustle (Netflix) and Cha Cha Real Smooth (Apple TV+). Other upcoming feature projects for the actor include the action-thriller Breathe with Milla Jovovich, Sam Worthington and Common, FX’s limited series Class of ’09 premiering May 10th, and Prime Video’s Gael García Bernal starrer Cassandro from Roger Ross Williams, which world premiered this year at Sundance.

Best known for starring alongside Adam Devine in Danny McBride’s megachurch comedy The Righteous Gemstones, now heading into its third season on HBO, Cavalero has also been seen in ABC’s The Conners, TBS’ Miracle Workers, Hulu’s The Binge and the Netflix film The Dirt which had him playing Ozzy Osborne, among other projects.

A two-time Independent Spirit Award nominee, Diaz most recently led The CW’s reboot of Charmed, which ran for four seasons. Notable feature credits for the actress include The First PurgeAll About NinaThe Belko ExperimentThe CobblerFruitvale Station and Be Kind Rewind, to name a few.

Producers Guild to Honor Rita Moreno with Stanley Kramer Award

Rita Moreno is earning yet another honor…

The Producers Guild will present the 90-year-old Puerto Rican actress, singer and dancer with the 2022 Stanley Kramer Award at the 33rd annual PGA Awards, set for March 19 at the Fairmont Century Plaza.

Rita MorenoThe honor goes to a production, producer or other individuals “whose achievement or contribution illuminates and raises public awareness of important social issues.”

Moreno, an EGOT winner, will join previous recipients including Jane Fonda as well as Get Out, Loving, Fruitvale Station, The Normal Heart, Bombshell, The Hunting Ground, An Inconvenient Truth and Hotel Rwanda.

Kramer’s work included such iconic films as Inherit the Wind, On the Beach, The Defiant Ones and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.

“With grace, intelligence, charisma, and kindness, Rita Moreno made her mark in history as a brilliant entertainer and leveraged that star power to shepherd stories that tap into the human experience and represent people and communities we rarely see celebrated in film and TV,” PGA presidents Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher said Wednesday. “Beyond her on-screen contributions, she has used her unmistakable voice to hold a mirror to the prejudices and inequities that she so often experienced throughout her career. Her activism, strength, and artistic contributions set the precedent for how to be a changemaker in Hollywood, and it is our great honor to present Rita with the Stanley Kramer Award this year.”

Moreno most recently appeared and executive produced Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story after winning an Oscar for the original film, the latest in a seven-decade career that began with her Broadway debut at 13. She has appeared in more than 40 feature films and countless TV series including most recently Norman Lear’s remake of One Day at a Time. Her documentary Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It had its world debut at Sundance Film Festival last year.

Moreno previously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush, the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama, the SAG Life Achievement Award, the Peabody Career Achievement Award and a Kennedy Center Honor.

“The last thing I ever dreamed of in my young life was being honored in any circumstance,” Moreno said. “That the Producers Guild of America has chosen to honor me not only for my work but for the principles I have tried to uphold and live by throughout my life is so gratifying. I am thrilled.”

Diaz to Star in MGM’s Action Horror Film “The Belko Experiment”

It experiment time for Melonie Diaz

The 31-year-old Puerto Rican actress has joined the cast of the MGM action horror pic The Belko Experiment.

Melonie Diaz

Written and produced by Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, the film is set to begin production next month in Bogota with director Greg McLean.

Diaz will play Dany Wilkins, the new girl at Belko Corporation. It’s her first day working in the building, and she really couldn’t have chosen a worst first day, since this is the day the employees are forced to either kill each one other or be killed.

Diaz starred in 2014 Sundance hit Fruitvale Station, and her recent credits also include HBO’s Girls and the features X/Y and The Cobbler.

Diaz Cast in HBO’s Drama Series Project “Laughs Unlimited”

Melonie Diaz has plenty of reason to laugh

The 29-year-old Puerto Rican actress, who earned critical acclaim for Spirit Award-nominated her performance in Fruitvale Station, has landed the lead in HBO‘s Laughs Unlimited (working title).

Melonie Diaz

The drama series, which centers on a war vet’s struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder, has been in the works at HBO for several months.

While it hasn’t been picked up to pilot yet, the network is doing preliminary casting and working on the budget as it does on most scripts it is high on before making a formal pilot order.

Laughs Unlimited hails from Oren Moverman, who has directed Rampart and The Messenger, and Anthony Swofford, best known for writing the book Jarhead.

It centers on Army Reserve medic Billie Crown (Diaz) who, after fifteen months as a combat medic in Afghanistan, discovers that “real life” is just as perilous as war. Duty as a Sacramento cop offers the same dangers and thrills as combat, and repairing relationships with her husband and young daughter is as difficult as saving a comrade after an IED attack. Moverman and Swofford wrote the script

Diaz recently wrapped production on The Cobbler.

Peña to Star in the Heist Thriller “Triple Nine”

Michael Peña is heading back to the force…

The 36-year-old Mexican American actor, who earned a Spirit Award nomination for his performance in the police drama End of Watch, will star in the heist thriller Triple Nine.

Michael Peña

Directed by John Hillcoat, the drama centers on a crew of dirty cops that is blackmailed by the Russian mob to execute a virtually impossible heist. The only way to pull it off is to manufacture a 999, police code for “officer down.” Their plan is turned upside down when the unsuspecting rookie officer they set up to die foils the attack, triggering a breakneck, action-packed finale filled with double-crosses, greed and revenge.

In addition to Peña, the film’s all-star cast includes Fruitvale Station’s Michael B. Jordan, Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul, Warm BodiesTeresa Palmer and Gal Gadot, 12 Years A Slave‘s Chiwetel Ejiofor, Casey Affleck and Kate Winslet.

Open Road Films, which just completed a deal to pre-buy domestic distribution rights on Triple Nine, plans to release the film in 2015.

Isaacs Earns Spirit Award Nomination for His Role in “Inside Llewyn Davis”

Oscar Isaacs’ awards season is off to a great start…

The 33-year-old Guatemalan and Cuban actor has earned a Spirit Award nomination for his critically acclaimed role in Inside Llewyn Davis, which was nominated for Best Feature.

Oscar Isaac in Inside Llewyn Davis

Isaacs is up for Best Male Lead against Nebraska’s Bruce Dern, 12 Years a Slave’s Chiwetel Ejiofor, Fruitvale Station’s Michael B Jordan, Dallas Buyers Club’s Matthew McConaughey and All is Lost’s Robert Redford.

Melonie Diaz has earned a nod for Best Supporting Female for her role in Fruitvale Station.

Film Independent’s 29th Spirit Awards will be held on March 1 in Santa Monica with Patton Oswalt hosting.

Here’s the full list of 2014 nominees:

BEST FEATURE
12 Years A Slave
All Is Lost
Frances Ha
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska

BEST DIRECTOR
Shane Carruth, Upstream Color
J.C. Chandor, All Is Lost
Steve McQueen, 12 Years A Slave
Jeff Nichols, Mud
Alexander Payne, Nebraska

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Julie Delpy, Before Midnight
Gaby Hoffmann, Crystal Fairy
Brie Larson, Short Term 12
Shailene Woodley, The Spectacular Now

BEST MALE LEAD
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years A Slave
Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis
Michael B Jordan, Fruitvale Station
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
Robert Redford, All Is Lost

BEST SCREENPLAY
Woody Allen, Blue Jasmine
Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke & Richard Linklater, Before Midnight
Nicole Holofcener, Enough Said
Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber, The Spectacular Now
John Ridley, 12 Years A Slave

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Melonie Diaz, Fruitvale Station
Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Yolonda Ross, Go For Sisters
June Squibb, Nebraska

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Will Forte, Nebraska
James Gandolfini, Enough Said
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Keith Stanfield, Short Term 12

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Lake Bell, In A World
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Don Jon
Bob Nelson, Nebraska
Jill Soloway, Afternoon Delight
Mike Starrbury, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Sean Bobbitt, 12 Years A Slave
Benoit Debie, Spring Breakers
Bruno Delbonnel, Inside Llewyn Davis
Frank G. Demarco, All Is Lost
Matthias Grunsky, Computer Chess

BEST EDITING
Shane Carruth & David Lowery, Upstream Color
Jem Cohen & Marc Vives, Museum Hours
Frank G. Demarco,
All Is Lost
Matthias Grunsky, Computer Chess
Nat Sanders, Short Term 12

BEST DOCUMENTARY
20 Feet From Stardom, Director/Producer: Morgan Neville, Producers: Gil Friesen & Caitrin Rogers
After Tiller, Directors/Producers: Martha Shane & Lana Wilson
Gideon’s Army, Director/Producer: Dawn Porter, Producer: Julie Goldman
The Act of Killing, Director/Producer: Joshua Oppenheimer, Producers: Joram Ten Brink, Christine Cynn, Anne Köhncke, Signe Byrge Sørensen, Michael Uwemedimo
The Square, Director: Jehane Noujaim, Producer: Karim Amer

BEST INT’L FILM
A Touch of Sin (China)
Blue is the Warmest Color (France)
Gloria (Chile)
The Great Beauty (Italy)
The Hunt (Denmark)

BEST FIRST FEATURE
Blue Caprice, Director/Producer: Alexandre Moors; Producers: Kim Jackson, Brian O’Carroll, Isen Robbins, Will Rowbotham, Ron Simons, Aimee Schoof, Stephen Tedeschi
Concussion, Director: Stacie Passon, Producer: Rose Troche
Fruitvale Station, Director: Ryan Coogler; Producers: Nina Yang Bongiovi, Forest Whitaker
Una Noche, Director/Producer: Lucy Mulloy, Producers: Sandy Pérez Aguila, Maite Artieda, Daniel Mulloy, Yunior Santiago
Wadjda, Director: Haifaa Al Mansour, Producers: Gerhard Meixner, Roman Paul

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (best feature made for under $500,000)
Computer Chess, Writer/Director: Andrew Bujalski, Producers: Houston King & Alex Lipschultz
Crystal Fairy, Writer/Director: Sebastiàn Silva, Producers: Juan de Dios Larraín & Pablo Larraín
Museum Hours, Writer/Director: Jem Cohen, Producers: Paolo Calamita & Gabriele Kranzelbinder
Pit Stop, Writer/Director: Yen Tan, Writer: David Lowery, Producers: Jonathan Duffy, James M. Johnston, Eric Steele, Kelly Williams
This is Martin Bonner, Writer/Director: Chad Hartigan, Producer: Cherie Saulter

17th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD
Toby Halbrooks & James M. Johnston
Jacob Jaffke
Andrea Roa
Frederick Thornton

20th ANNUAL SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
My Sister’s Quinceañera, Director: Aaron Douglas Johnston
Newlyweeds, Director: Shaka King
The Foxy Merkins, Director: Madeline Olnek

19th ANNUAL STELLA ARTOIS TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD
Kalyanee Mam, A River Changes Course
Jason Osder, Let the Fire Burn
Stephanie Spray & Pacho Velez, Manakamana

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
Mud, Director: Jeff Nichols, Casting Director: Francine Maisler, Ensemble Cast: Joe Don Baker, Jacob Lofland, Matthew McConaughey, Ray McKinnon, Sarah Paulson, Michael Shannon, Sam Shepard, Tye Sheridan, Paul Sparks, Bonnie Sturdivant, Reese Witherspoon

 

Trailer Released for Diaz’s Latest Film “Fruitvale Station”

Sure, Melonie Diaz is a certified indie film star… But her latest project could put her on the Oscar track.

The Weinstein Co. has released the trailer for the 29-year-old Puerto Rican actress’ latest film Fruitvale Station.

Fruitvale Station

Starring Michael B. Jordan, the film tells the story of Oscar Grant, the 22-year-old San Francisco Bay Area man whose fatal 2009 shooting by Oakland BART police sparked outrage and protests against police brutality.

Diaz stars as Sophina, Grant’s girlfriend and the mother of his daughter.

The Weinstein Co. bought the film, the directorial debut by Ryan Coogler, at the Sundance Film Festival for $2 million even before it won the fest’s U.S. Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award.

Fruitvale Station is set for release on July 12.

The Name of Diaz’s Latest Film Changed to “Fruitvale Station”

Melonie Diaz’s latest film is getting a name change…

The 28-year-old Puerto Rican actress’ latest project, Fruitvale, which won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for U.S. Dramatic film at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, is getting an extra word in its title.

Melonie Diaz

The Weinstein Company, which picked up the film about the 2009 fatal shooting of 22-year-old Oscar Grant on San Francisco’s BART by security guards for more than $2 million, changed the name of the film to Fruitvale Station

The Ryan Coogler-directed drama will still be released on July 26 as part of the company’s Oscar-season arsenal for its story about the final day of Grant’s life (as portrayed by Michael B. Jordan), a young man who has been in trouble with the law but is decent at heart and tries to straighten out his life to care for his girlfriend and young daughter.

The shooting galvanized protests against police brutality in Oakland.