Oz Rodriguez Signs Two-Year Producing Deal with Universal Television

Posted on November 15, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

There are more Universal projects in Oz Rodriguez’s future…

The Latino Emmy-winning Saturday Night Live director has signed an exclusive two-year producing deal with Universal Television.

Rodriguez has been with SNL since 2013, first directing Digital Shorts. He went on to become head of the film unit, and won an Emmy for his behind-the-scenes series Creating SNL.

He’s next set to direct all six episodes of SNL star Michael Che’s new HBO Max sketch series from Universal Television.

“We feel so lucky to be solidifying our relationship with Oz, who has been in the family for many years and has played a key role in our success,” said Jim Donnelly, Universal Television EVP of Comedy Development. “He brings a creative vision and distinct visual style to every project he is involved in, and we couldn’t be more excited for all that’s to come.”

Rodriguez just wrapped the pilot of AMC’s Kevin Can F***k Himself. He directed the pilot and multiple episodes of AP Bio, in addition to the Kal Penn/Mike Schur pilot Sunnyside, both for NBC, as well as episodes of Last Man on Earth for Fox, Detroiters for Comedy Central, Shrill for Hulu, and Mixed-ish for ABC.

He most recently directed NBC & Peacock’s 30 Rock reunion, which aired on July 16.

On the film side, Rodriguez wrote and directed Vampires vs. the Bronx for Universal and Broadway Video, which premiered on Netflix earlier this month.

“I am very excited to continue my partnership with Universal Television,” said Rodriguez. “The studio has been my home for the last eight years, starting with my first season of Saturday Night Live. There are so many opportunities at the studio right now and we have a chance to tell stories that reflect characters that have been missing from television for far too long. It feels great to keep this creative partnership going with the studio that gave me my first big break.”

Becky G to Serve as Co-Host at This Year’s Global Citizen Festival

Posted on August 28, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Becky G is thinking globally…

The 22-year-old Mexican American singer/rapper and actress will serve as a co-host at this year’s Global Citizen Festival, taking place on September 28 at Central Parkin New York City.

The event has been held in New York every year since 2012, and calls on music fans to take action on a number of important issues to earn tickets to the show.

Global Citizen, a social advocacy group, hosts the festival to drive action toward its goal to end extreme poverty by 2030.

This year, Global Citizens are urged to pressure decision-makers to help end child marriage, support family planning, promote women’s entrepreneurship and shine a light on workplace safety.

In addition to Becky G, this year’s co-host roster includes Connie Britton, Nina Dobrev, Dakota Johnson, Becky Lynch,Aasif Mandvi, Bridget Moynahan, Kal Penn,Erin Richards, Seth Rollinsand Savannah Seller.

The lineup of performers includes David Gray, NCT 127, Queen + Adam Lambert, Pharrell Williams, Alicia Keys, OneRepublic, H.E.R., and Carole King, with special guests French Montana, Ben Platt, and Jon Batiste & Stay Human.

For the sixth straight year, MSNBCand Comcast NBCUniversalwill air a live simulcast of the event on MSNBC, and Ken Ehrlichand Live Nation will produce.

The festival will also be livestreamed on YouTubeand Twitter.

NBC Orders Diana-Maria Riva’s Immigrant Comedy “Sunnyside” to Series

Posted on May 7, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Diana-Maria Rivais ready for the Sunnysideof life…

NBC has picked up to series the Queens immigrant comedy Sunnyside, starring the 49-year-old Dominican American actress.

Co-written and executive produced by Kal Penn and Matt Murray and executive produced by Michael Schur, Sunnyside stars Penn as former New York City Councilman Garrett Shah, who finds his calling when faced with six recent immigrants in need of his help and in search of the American Dream. In keeping the authenticity of the project, the producers assembled a cast of predominantly immigrant actors to star opposite Penn, a rarity on broadcast television.

In addition to Riva and Penn, the cast includes Joel Kim Booster, Kiran Deol, Poppy Liu, Moses Stormand Samba Schutte.

Sunnyside is produced by Universal Televisionin association with Fremulonand 3 Arts Entertainment.

Riva previously starred on the short-lived NBC series Telenovela, as well as CBS’ Man with a Plan.

Diana Maria Riva to Star in NBC’s Comedy Pilot “Sunnyside”

Posted on March 10, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Diana Maria Riva is looking at the sunnyside of life…

The 49-year-old Dominican American actress has been cast opposite Kal Penn in NBC’s comedy pilot Sunnyside (formerly Untitled Kal Penn/Matt Murray).

Riva joins a cast that includes Kiran Deol, Moses Storm, Samba Schutte, Poppy Liu, Joel Kim Booster and Tudor Petrut.

Co-written by Penn and Matt Murray, Sunnyside is named after the neighborhood in the historically diverse Queens borough of New York where the show is set. It centers on former New York City Councilman Garrett Shah (Penn), who finds his calling when faced with seven recent immigrants — five of them played by immigrant actors — in need of his help and in search of the American Dream.

The single-camera comedy is being executive produced by Penn, writer-producer Murray, The Good Place creator/executive producer Michael Schur and Universal Television.

The seven recent immigrants are Jin Hao, played by South Korea-born Booster; Mallory, played by UK-born Deol; Mei Lin, played by China-born Liu; Drzen, played by Romania-born Petrut; Hakim, played by Africa-born Schutte; Griselda, played by Riva, a first generation Dominican; and Brady, played by Storm.

Directing the pilot is another immigrant, Oz Rodriguez. The ensemble was put together by casting director Allison Jones who also has worked with Schur on his other shows, Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Good Place.

Riva was last seen in the CBS sitcom Man with a Plan and NBC’s Telenovela. She’ll next appear in the Netflix series Dead to Me and the Appledrama series Morning Show.

Netflix to Stream Seasons 1 & 2 of Adan Canto’s “Designated Survivor”

Posted on October 1, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Adan Canto is headed to Netflix…

After being resurrected from its cancellation at ABC, the 36-year-old Mexican actor’s series Designated Survivor is officially moving seasons 1 and 2 to Netflix from its home at Hulu. The move comes after it was announced the political drama would get a third season at the streaming giant.

The news comes ahead of the release of season 3.

Originally, Hulu had U.S. SVOD rights to the first two seasons of Designated Survivor, which was originally on ABC. With the new Netflix deal, seasons 1 and 2 are now exclusively available on Netflix in the U.S. and Canada. Netflix originally had the series internationally, which made it a suitable home.

The first two seasons of Designated Survivor on ABC were co-produced by eOne and ABC Studios. Going forward, the series will be solely produced by eOne, with ABC Studios no longer involved.

The third season of the series, which stars Kiefer Sutherland, will have a new showrunner Neal Baer (Law & Order: SVU). The core cast of the series, including Sutherland, Canto, Kal Penn and Italia Ricci, are set to return, with Maggie Q in talks to join them.

Production on Season 3 is set to begin later this year for a 2019 premiere. Baer and Sutherland executive produce the series with series creator David Guggenheim.

In season 3, President Kirkman (Sutherland) will face a political reality… campaigning. What does it take to make a leader? What price will he be willing to pay? This season will explore today’s world of campaigning, smear tactics, debates, campaign finance and “fake news.” Democracy, as we know it, will hang in the balance.

The Netflix deal included a 10-episode season 3 order.

Demi Lovato to Serve as Co-Host at This Year’s Global Citizen Festival

Posted on September 10, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Demi Lovato is celebrating her global citizenship…

Global Citizen has announced several guest appearances for its annual Global Citizen Festival on September 23, including the 25-year-old part-Mexican American actress/singer.

Lovato will serve as a co-host, alongside Aaron Paul, Priyanka Chopra, Kal Penn, Lupita Nyong’o, Nashville‘s Connie Britton and many more.

Hugh Jackman and actor/producer Deborra-lee Furness will serve as lead hosts.

Dianna Agron, Freida Pinto, Wendy Williams, Mark Cuban, Bridget Moynahan, Daymond John, Camren Bicondova, Elaine Welteroth, Erin Richards, Latina supermodel Joan Smalls, Malin Akerman, Rachel Brosnahan, Michelle Monaghan and Serge Ibaka will also serve as hosts for this year’s festival, taking place in New York City’s Central Park.

The social advocacy group hosts the free festival each year to raise awareness of its goal to end extreme poverty by 2030.

Fans can earn their tickets by taking part in Action Journeys, a series of challenges designed to promote social activism.

This year’s headliners include Stevie Wonder, Green Day, The Killers and The Lumineers, with featured performances by The Chainsmokers, Pharrell Williams, Big Sean, Andra Day and Alessia Cara.

The one-day festival will also be broadcast live from Central Park on YouTube, Twitter and MSNBC.

To hear more from this year’s hosts and learn more about the festival, visit Global Citizen’s official site.

Brewster to Compete on the Next Installment of “Masterchef Celebrity Showdown”

Posted on October 20, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Jordana Brewster is ready to put her best apron forward for charity…

The lineup for the next installment of Masterchef Celebrity Showdown has been announced, with the 36-year-old Brazilian-Panamanian actress among those joining the two-hour charity event set to air January 2 at 8:00 pm on Fox.

Brewster, one of the stars of the The Fast and the Furious film franchise, joins a roster that includes Kal Penn, Anthony Anderson and former NFL stars Ronde Barber and Tiki Barber.

The special will also feature the first ever battle royale between Masterchef judges Gordon Ramsay and Christina Tosi, with Ramsay teaming up with Anderson to face off against Tosi and Brewster.

Here are the match-ups for the next Masterchef Celebrity Showdown:

Empire stars Trai Byers and Grace Gealey Byers representing Saving Our Daughters, vs. Nene and Gregg Leakes representing Broadway Cares.

Cheryl Hines cooking for United Cerebral Palsy of Central Florida, vs. Penn cooking for United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

Ronde and Tiki representing Kulture City, vs. Joel Madden and Benji Madden representing MusiCares.

Anderson and Ramsay representing Watts/Willowbrook Boys & Girls Club, vs. Brewster and Tosi competing for No Kid Hungry.

Canto to Star Opposite Kiefer Sutherland in ABC’s Conspiracy Thriller Drama “Designated Survivor”

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Adan Canto is a survivor…

The 34-year-old Mexican actor will co-star opposite Kiefer Sutherland in ABC’s straight-to-series conspiracy thriller drama Designated Survivor.

Canto, who emerged as one of the most sought after actors this pilot season, had been pursued for talent holding deals and received seven pilot offers since December until settling on Designated Survivor, signing a deal with the project’s leading studio, the Mark Gordon Company.

Designated Survivor, from ABC Studios, is building a formidable cast, with Canto joining previously cast Sutherland, Maggie Q, Kal Penn, Natascha McElhone and Italia Ricci. Paul McGuigan is directing.

Designated Survivor, written by David Guggenheim and executive produced by Simon Kinberg, centers on Tom Kirkman (Sutherland), a lower level United States Cabinet member who is suddenly appointed President after a catastrophic attack during the State of the Union kills everyone above him in the Presidential line of succession. Canto will play the aggressive deputy Chief of Staff Aaron who advises Kirkman after the attack and guns for a promotion.

Canto has been working continuously on American television over the past couple of years, including playing the male lead in the NBC pilot The Curse of the Fuentes Women last year. His series credits include Narcos, Second Chance, Blood & Oil and The Following.

Ortiz Joins the Cast of Voltage Pictures’ Untitled Detective Comedy Starring Bruce Willis

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Victor Ortiz has landed his next movie role…

The 28-year-old Mexican American actor and former boxer has joined the cast of Voltage Pictures’ untitled detective comedy starring Bruce Willis.

Ortize rounds out a cast that includes Tyga, Ken Davitian, David Arquette, John Goodman, Jason Momoa, Famke Janssen, Stephanie Sigman, Thomas Middleditch, Adrian Martinez, Kal Penn and Adam Goldberg.

Production began last month in Venice Beach on the film, which stars Willis as a down but not out L.A. private investigator whose professional and personal worlds collide after his loving pet Buddy is stolen by a notorious gang. A series of bizarre circumstances find him doing the gang’s bidding, while being chased by two vengeful Samoan brothers, a loan shark’s goons, and a few other shady characters.

Mark and Robb Cullen, who also wrote the Willis-starring movie Cop Out, are directing the film.

Ortiz, a former WBC Welterweight champion and Dancing with the Stars competitor, has starred opposite Antonio Banderas in The Expendables 3 and Jake Gyllenhaal in Southpaw.

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