Jaenada to Star Opposite Blake Lively in “The Shallows”

Posted on October 20, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Oscar Jaenada is heading to the shallows…

The 40-year-old Spanish actor has joined the cast of Jaume Collet-Serra’s The Shallows opposite Blake Lively.

Jaenada, a Goya Award winner, is crossing over into the mainstream after bringing beloved Mexican comedic icon Cantinflas to the screen in the 2014 movie of the same name.

He has a small, but book-ended role in The Shallows.

Written by Anthony Jaswinski, the story centers on a young woman (Lively) who is grieving the loss her mother and surfing in an isolated area when she gets stranded on a buoy. Things take a turn for the worse when a gigantic great white shark comes between her and the shore.

The film was known as In The Deep when Sony Pictures won a bidding war for the spec script in September 2014, and brought Collet-Serra aboard in June.

Jaenada, who appears in The Weinstein Company’s 2016 offering Hands Of Stone opposite Robert De Niro, will play Carlos in the film, described as a workman who drives Lively’s character to the beach and then shows up again at the end of the film to check on her.

The film is casting now and has three other small supporting roles that are earmarked for Hispanic actors.

Jaenada won the coveted Goya (Spain’s equivalent of the Academy Award) for his portrayal of Camaron de la Isla, the legendary Spanish flamenco dancer, in 2005’s Camaron: When Flamenco Became Legend.

Cantinflas was Mexico’s 2015 foreign-language Oscar submission.

In addition, the actor had a starring role in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and a critically praised appearance in Steven Soderbergh’s Che.

de Armas’ “Arms & The Dudes” Set for March 2016 Release

Posted on May 20, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Ana de Armas and her Dudes will be hitting theaters next March…

Warner Bros. has set the release date for Arms & The Dudes, starring the 27-year-old Cuban actress, for March 11, 2016.

Based on the Rolling Stone article by Guy Lawson, the film follows two arms dealers Efraim Diveroli and David Packouz, who get a government contract to supply weapons for US troops in Afghanistan.

The is set for release on March 11, 2016.

de Armas portrays Iz in the Todd Phillips-directed biographical crime comedy, which also stars Jonah Hill, Miles Teller and J. B. Blanc.

de Armas’ will next appear in the Edgar Ramirez-starrer Hands of Stone, which tells the story of boxing legend Roberto Duran.

The Weinstein Company Acquires U.S. Distribution Rights to Ramirez’s “Hands of Stone”

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Edgar Ramirez’s latest film will get the Weinstein treatment…

The Weinstein Company has closed a deal for the U.S. distribution rights to Hands of Stone, the Jonathan Jakubowicz-directed drama that stars the 38-year-old Venezuelan actor as iconic fighter Robert Duran.

Robert De Niro portrays Duran’s mentor and trainer Ray Arcel, and Usher appears as his ring nemesis Sugar Ray Leonard. Ellen Barkin, Ruben Blades and Ana de Armas also star.

The deal includes a theatrical commitment of around 2000 screens that will make this a precedent-setting release for a Latino film, with a strong P&A commitment and backend deals.

The deal makes sense, as The Weinstein Company bought the foreign rights for Hands of Stone a few months ago and now the company will release it globally.

The film tells the rags-to-riches story of Duran, who is best remembered for his two ring matches with Leonard. The first, in 1980, featured two proud all-time greats fighting toe to toe, with Duran emerging victorious to win the WBC welterweight title. And then came the rematch that November, where Duran shocked the world. He was being outclassed and pummeled by Leonard when he said “no mas,” and turned his back on Leonard and quit in the ring.

Jakubowicz wrote the script, and the core of the story is the relationship between Duran and Arcel and how each man changed the other in boxing’s Golden Era, when Duran and Leonard battled among a group of brawlers that included Thomas Hearns, Marvin Hagler, Hector Camacho and Vinny Pazienza.

The title Hands Of Stone came from Duran’s nickname, because the Panamanian hit so hard, with those heavy fists powering him to 103 victories in 119 fights. The “no mas” incident was a terrible ending to a rivalry that was everything depicted by De Niro and Martin Scorsese in Raging Bull, when Jake LaMotta had those classic brawls with Sugar Ray Robinson.

The film will most likely open sometime next winter.

Ramirez to Star Opposite Matthew McConaughey in the Mining Drama “Gold”

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Edgar Ramirez is ready to mine his own business…

The 37-year-old Venezuelan actor, who starred in Zero Dark Thirty, will star opposite Matthew McConaughey in Black Bear Pictures’ upcoming mining drama Gold.

In the Stephen Gaghan-helmed project, Ramirez will portray geologist Michael Acosta opposite the Oscar winner’s role of prospector Walsh.

Written by Patrick Massett and John Zinman and based on the true story about the 1993 Bre-X Mineral Corporation mining scandal, the film revolves around the unlikely pair traveling to the Indonesian jungle in search of the highly valued soft metal of the title.

Production begins in June with filming in New York, New Mexico and Thailand.

Best known for playing 1970s terrorist Ilich Ramírez Sánchez in the 2010 miniseries Carlos, a role that earned him the César Award for Most Promising Actor, Ramirez’s more recent credits include David O. Russell’s Joy opposite Jennifer Lawrence and the Alcon reboot of Point Break, both of which are set for Christmas Day releases this year. Additionally, the actor stars as boxer Roberto Duran in the biopic Hands of Stone opposite Robert DeNiro. Hands of Stone is scheduled to hit the big screen in October.

de Armas to Star Opposite Jonah Hill in “Arms and The Dudes”

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Ana de Armas is up in arms…

The 26-year-old Cuban actress has landed a starring role opposite Miles Teller and Jonah Hill in Warner Bros.’ Arms and The Dudes.

The Todd Phillips film, which heads into production this month, revolves around two buddies who join forces as young adults to become successful international arms dealers until they find themselves well beyond their depth.

The film is based on a 2011 Rolling Stone article by Guy Lawson.

de Armas was at the Sundance Film Festival last month with her latest movie, Eli Roth’s Knock Knock, in which she stars opposite Keanu Reeves.

Her credits include the upcoming Roberto Duran biopic Hands of Stone and she’s shooting Gee Malik Linton’s mystery-thriller Daughter of God right now in New York City.

Ramirez In Talks to Star Opposite Jennifer Lawrence in David O. Russell’s “Joy”

Posted on December 9, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It could be a joyous occasion for Édgar Ramírez…

The 37-year-old Venezuelan actor is in final talks to play the husband of Jennifer Lawrence’s character in Joy, director David O. Russell’s take on Miracle Mop inventor Joy Mangano.

Mangano (being portrayed by Lawrence) is a prominent fixture on the Home Shopping Network with her many inventions, though the mop was her claim to fame and fortune. She began inventing things as a teenager and kept on dreaming and tinkering while still a single mom raising three kids.

Ramírez will play Mangano’s dapper but cheating husband, whom she eventually divorces.

Robert De Niro is already on board to portray Mangano’s father.

Ramírez was last seen on the big screen this summer in Deliver Us From Evil, the supernatural thriller that also starred Eric Bana. He recently wrapped shooting on Point Break, the remake of the 1980s classic in which he plays Bodhi, the role first played by Patrick Swayze. Warner Bros. plans to release the film on July 31, 2015.

Additionally, he leads the cast of Hands of Stone, a biopic about boxer Roberto Duran that also includes De Niro. That movie is expected to be released sometime next year.

Joy is expected to begin production in early February.

Ramirez Hints at Possibly Starring in Marvel’s “Doctor Strange”

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Things could be become a little strange for Edgar Ramirez…

The 37-year-old Venezuelan actor has hinted that he may be starring in Marvel’s film adaptation of the Doctor Strange comics.

While speaking with IGN about his upcoming supernatural thrillerDeliver Us from Evil, Ramirez revealed that he’d been “talking” with director Scott Derrickson about joining the film.

“We’re talking. We’ve been talking,” he said cryptically.

Marvel is currently still looking for a perfect actor to play Stephen Strange a.k.a. Dr. Strange. Jared Leto has been mentioned as a possible frontrunner for the title role, especially after new reports emerged saying that he wouldn’t be replacing Will Smith in Brilliance.Tom Hardy and Benedict Cumberbatch are also rumored to be in contention for the role.

Casting is expected to start in a month or two, while production is scheduled to begin in spring 2015. No specific release date has been set for the film at this time.

After Deliver Us from Evil hits U.S. theaters on July 2, Ramirez will next be seen in The Liberator and Hands of Stone.

Izzo to Star Opposite Keanu Reeves in Eli Roth’s “Knock, Knock”

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Knock, knock! Who’s there? It’s Lorenza Izzo…

The 22-year-old Chilean actress, who starred opposite Selena Gomez in Eli Roth’s Aftershock, has signed on to star opposite Keanu Reeves in Knock, Knock.

The psychological thriller, written and directed by Roth, centers on a happily married family man (Reeves) who’s left alone for the weekend, when two beautiful girls show up at his house and turn his life upside down.

Izzo, who just starred Roth’s The Green Inferno, will portray one of those girls.

The other will be portrayed by Cuban actress Ana de Armas, who just played Robert Duran’s wife in Hands Of Stone opposite Edgar Ramirez and Robert De Niro.

Meanwhile, Chilean actress Ignacia Allamand will portray Reeves’ wife in the film.

Roth wrote the script with his Green Inferno collaborators Nicolas Lopez and Guillermo Amoedo.

Production on Knock, Knock is set to start on April 14 in Santiago, Chile.

de Armas to Star Opposite Edgar Ramirez in “Hands of Stone”

Posted on October 11, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Ana de Armas is gearing up to bring a little Felicidad to the big screen…

The 25-year-old Cuban actress has signed on to star in the Jonathan Jacubowicz-directed film about legendary boxer Roberto Duran, Hands of Stone.

de Armas, who will be making her English-language debut in the film, will portray Duran’s gorgeous wife Felicidad.

She’ll star alongside Edgar Ramirez, who’s playing the great fighter, Robert De Niro, who’s playing trainer Ray Arcel, and Usher, who’s playing Sugar Ray Leonard.

Hands of Stone centers on the life of the Panamanian boxer, who was nicknamed “Manos de Piedra” during his career.

de Armas’ first film success was Una rosa de Francia, starring with Alex Gonzalez. She later appeared in other films such as Madrigal by Cuban director Fernando Pérez as well as telenovelas like El último Edén.

Blades May Sign with Nacional Records

Posted on July 13, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Rubén Blades is looking to become a Nacional star…

The 64-year-old Panamanian salsa singer/songwriter/actor, is looking to make Los Angeles-based Nacional Records the possible home for his new music, according to Billboard.com.

Blades, who spoke at this week’s Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) in New York, said he was still unsigned with several music projects on the way.

The singer also confirmed he has two upcoming feature films in the works, including The Counselor with Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt and John Leguizamo.

“I’m not signed to a label,” said Blades during an interview at the conference, adding that he’s been working on several projects including the re-recording of his music from his time at Fania, the salsa label that was co-founded in the mid ’60s by Dominican-born composer Johnny Pacheco.

Tomas Cookman, who founded the LAMC, owns Nacional Records and confirmed that he had a weekend meeting with Blades about working with the singer.

“We had an amazing time together,” said Cookman. “The coming weeks will get us closer to potential next steps. I can’t wait.”

So it looks like Blades, who is also attached to the feature Hands of Stone with Robert De Niro, could have a bright future at Nacional.

“We’re going to look forward [to meeting with Blades in the upcoming weeks],” Cookman said. “He’s so beloved. It’s an exciting time for Nacional Records. We have plans to expand in 2014.”

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