Norberto Barba to Direct Reshoot of FX’s “Sons of Anarchy” Spinoff Pilot “Mayans MC”

Posted on July 6, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Norberto Barba is stepping into a world of Anarchy…

The 53-year-old Latino television and film director, a three-time Alma Award-nominee, will direct and executive produce the redo of Kurt Sutter’s FX Sons of Anarchy spinoff pilot Mayans MC.

The pilot is undergoing a reshoot and a recasting of some key roles, according to Deadline.

Sutter, who initially was planning to direct the pilot, will focus on writing and hand reshoot duties to Barba.

Recasting is underway, with production expected to begin in late summer.

Set in the aftermath of Jax Teller’s death at the end of SOA’s seven-season run in 2014, Mayans MC will focus on the struggles of EZ Reyes, a prospect in the Mayan MC charter on the California/Mexico border.

Barba served as executive producer/director on all six seasons of Grimm and most recently directed episodes of Preacher and The Strain.

His other television directing credits include Designated Survivor, Chicago Justice, Pure Genius, Ice and The Bridge.

Montana to Appear on Fox’s Drama Series “Rosewood”

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Everything’s coming up rose(wood) for Manny Montana…

The 33-year-old Latino actor has landed a recurring role on Fox’s drama series Rosewood.

The Miami-set medical procedural follows top private pathologist Dr. Beaumont Rosewood Jr. (Morris Chestnut) and tough-as-nails Detective Annalise Villa (Jaina Lee Ortiz) as they investigate the East Miami Police Department’s most challenging cases.

Montana, best known for his work on USA Network‘s Graceland, will play Marcos Villa, brother of Detective Annalise Villa, who just finished his third tour in the Army. He’s recently returned to Miami but we have yet to find out exactly why he’s there.

Montana, who’s currently a series regular on ABC’s legal drama Conviction, has also appeared on Lucifer, The Following, Power and Grimm.

Rios Books Arc on HBO’s “True Detective”

Posted on December 6, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Emily Rios has found her true calling…

The 25-year-old Mexican American actress has landed a recurring role on the upcoming second season of HBO’s True Detective, which revolves around three police officers (Colin Farrell, Taylor Kitsch, Rachel McAdams) and a career criminal (Vince Vaughn), who must navigate a web of conspiracy in the aftermath of a murder.

Rios, who most recently starred on FX’s The Bridge, will portray Gabby Behenna, traumatized by life in a traumatic family.

Rios, who rose to acclaim in 2006’s Quinceañera, is currently shooting Paint It Black.

Her other television credits include guest appearances on Grimm, Almost Human, Private Practice, Breaking Bad and Friday Night Lights.

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.

Horror Film About the Legendary ‘La Llorona’ to Be Filmed This Spring

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

She’s already inspired an episode of NBC’s Grimm… And now the notorious La Llorona could be heading to the big screen.

BoulderLight is bringing to life a modern take on the legend of La Llorona (The Weeping Woman), which is widespread in North and South America, in a film called Weep.

While plot details are being kept hush-hush, the production company has confirmed that Blood List scribes T.J. Cimfel and David White are penning the screenplay.

Legend has it that a beautiful woman named Maria drowned her children in order to be with the man that she loved, but he spurned her. So the distraught woman drowned herself in a river in Mexico City. Challenged at the gates of heaven as to the whereabouts of her children, the woman isn’t allowed to enter the afterlife until she’s found them. Forced to wander the Earth for all eternity, searching in vain for her drowned children, with her constant weeping giving her the name La Llorona.

In some versions, La Llorona will kidnap wandering children who resemble her deceased kids, or children who disobey their parents. People who claim to have seen her say she appears at night or in the late evenings from rivers or lakes in Mexico. She’s said to cry, “Ay, mis hijos!” which is Spanish for, “Oh, my children!”

“We’re incredibly excited to be bringing this terrifying and rich legend to North American audiences, said the film’s producer J.D. Lifshitz. “David and TJ have helped cook up something truly scary and original, and we hope to thrill fans of the legend as well as garner new ones.

“It’s no big secret that the Hispanic community makes up a substantial portion of moviegoers,” says producer Raphael Margules. “We couldn’t be more enthusiastic about bringing one of the most well-known characters in Hispanic folklore to life on the big screen in a way that both honors ‘La Llorona’ and frightens audiences to their core.

No word on a cast yet, but production on Weep is scheduled to begin this Spring.

Zayas Starring in George Lopez’s New FX Series “Saint George”

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

David Zayas is one of the saints…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican actor, best known for playing Homicide Lieutenant Angel Batista on Showtime‘s serial killer drama Dexter, has joined the cast of FX‘s George Lopez comedy Saint George, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The comedy centers on the chaotic life of a recently divorced working-class Mexican-American man who becomes a successful entrepreneur.

Lopez is set to portray the man who struggles to balance his demanding ex-wife, his 11-year-old son, his overbearing mother who just moved in and his uncle as well as his new role as a philanthropist “giving back” by teaching history once a week at night school.

Zayas will appear in the recurring role of Junior, Tio’s (Danny Trejo) son and George’s cousin. Junior, like Tio, is a bit quirky and off-center. Both admire the other and take advantage of George’s success and are always brainstorming ways to make money — sometimes legally.

Saint George was co-created by Lopez, Matt Williams and David McFadzean, with the trio set to co-write the first episode of the project, which begins production this month.

Lionsgate Television is set to produce the series.

In addition to Dexter, which wraps its run on Sunday, Zayas most recently guest starred on Fox‘s The Following. His credits include Grimm and Person of Interest.

Zayas to Guest Star on Fox’s “The Following”

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

David Zayas is being promoted from homicide detective to FBI agent.

The 50-year-old Puerto Rican actor, whoportrays Sgt. Angel Batista on Showtime’s Dexter, will guest star on Fox‘s midseason drama The Following, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The psychological thriller centers on an Edgar Allan Poe scholar-turned-serial killer known as Joe Carroll (portrayed by James Purefoy) and stars Kevin Bacon as a troubles FBI agent on the case to recapture the killer and his army of copycats.

Zayas will play Tyson, a former FBI agent and good friend to Bacon’s Ryan Hardy. He’ll appear in the 10th episode of the Kevin Williamson drama, ultimately becoming an unlikely participant in Ryan’s effort to bring down Joe Carroll’s followers.

Zayas joins Marin Ireland, as recent additions to the drama, which premieres Monday, January 21 at 9:00 pm on Fox.

Along with starring on Dexter, Zayas’ credits include episodes of Grimm, Person of Interest and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

Richie’s “Fashion Star” Returning to NBC in March…

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Nicole Richie will have a standing date with the peacock network on Fridays beginning in March…

NBC has scheduled the second season of its reality competition series Fashion Star, featuring the 31-year-old part-Mexican reality-TV-star as a celebrity mentor, for a March 8 premiere and a run in the network’s Friday 8:00 pm ET time period.

The premiere of Fashion Star will lead into the spring return of Grimm at 9:00 pm ET after the show’s two-month hiatus.

NBC had previously left the Friday 8:00 pm slot open in its recent midseason announcements despite speculation that Fashion Star would fill the hour.

Fashion Star‘s first season ran on Tuesday nights. The retail chains who’ve partnered with the show this season are returning giants Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as Express, who will be replacing H&M.

Along with Richie, Jessica Simpson and John Varvatos are returning as celebrity mentors, while fashion columnist and television personality Louise Roe will be replacing creator/executive producer Elle Macpherson as host.

Barerra to Guest Star on Grimm’s La Llorona-Themed Episode

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

This upcoming pre-Halloween weekend is looking pretty grimm for David Barerra…

The Mexican American actor is set to guest star on a NBC’s supernatural crime drama Grimm, which takes place in a world where characters inspired by Grimms’ Fairy Tales exist.

Barrera will appear on the show’s Halloween-themed episode, which will feature an appearance by telenovela star Kate del Castillo as a mysterious detective from Albuquerque searching for a child abductor.

The episode, titled “La Llorona,” is loosely based on the Latin American legend of a woman who drowned her children. According to legend, a beautiful woman named Maria kills her children by drowning them; in order to be with the man she loves. When he rejects her, she kills herself. Challenged at the gates of heaven as to the whereabouts of her children, she isn’t permitted to enter the afterlife until she finds them. So Maria is forced to wander the earth for all eternity, searching in vain for her drowned offspring, with her constant weeping giving her the name La Llorona.

Barrera will portray a resident named Luis Alvarez, whose son is taken by La Llorona.

“The detectives and I spend the rest of the episode searching for him and trying to catch La Llorona,” says Barrera of his guest role. “It’s a really creepy episode, especially if you grew up with the legend of La Llorona.”

The deeper Grimm’s main character Nick (David Giuntoli) digs into the case, the more he realizes the pattern of the kidnapping matches those in the famed “La Llorona” legend, a story with its roots intertwined with his own family’s Grimm history.

Barrera – whose television credits include appearances on Heroes, CSI: Miami, Boston Legal, Medium, Nip/Tuck and 24 – enjoyed sharing screen time with his fellow guest star del Castillo.

“Kate was a really nice and approachable person,” says Barrera. “I had met her once before on the set of the PBS series American Family. She was really easy to talk to and is a very talented lady.”

The spooktacular episode featuring Barrera and del Castillo will air 9:00 pm on NBC. Friday, October 26 at 9:00 pm on NBC.

del Castillo to Guest Star on NBC’s “Grimm”

Posted on August 29, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Things are about to get pretty Grimm for Kate del Castillo…

The 39-year-old Mexican actress and telenovela star has signed to guest star on Grimm, NBC’s dark police procedural that takes place in a world in which characters inspired by Grimms’ Fairy Tales exist.

del Castillo will portray a Portland-based detective searching for a child abductor, and that criminal could very well be the legendary La Llorona.

Grimm fans know monsters play a part in each and every episode. And, La Llorona is expected to give the show a Latin twist, by shining a spotlight on one of Latin America’s most famous legends.

According to legend, a beautiful woman named Maria kills her children by drowning them; in order to be with the man she loves. When he rejects her, she kills herself. Challenged at the gates of heaven as to the whereabouts of her children, she isn’t permitted to enter the afterlife until she finds them. So Maria is forced to wander the earth for all eternity, searching in vain for her drowned offspring, with her constant weeping giving her the name La Llorona.

The episode featuring del Castillo, who had a guest-starring role on CSI: Miami last season, will air on October 26.

Meanwhile, del Castillo is set to star in the films No Good Deed and K-11.

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