Alonso to Star in NBC’s Drama Pilot “The Mysteries of Laura”

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a mysterious time for Laz Alonso…

The 39-year-old Afro-Cuban American actor has signed on to co-star opposite Debra Messing in NBC’s drama pilot The Mysteries of Laura.

Directed by McG, from a script written by Jeff Rake, the project is based on the popular Spanish series Los misterios de Laura.

The telelvision project centers on the life and relationships of Laura Diamond (Messing), a female homicide detective who can handle murderous criminals — but not her hell-raising twin children.

Alonso will portray Billy, Laura’s partner in crime.

Alonso’s casting stems from a talent holding deal the network inked with him following his stint on last season’s short-lived drama Deception.

The Mysteries of Laura is being produced by Warner Bros. Television, Greg Berlanti’s Berlanti Productions and Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment.

Alonso’s previous credits include Breakout Kings and Avatar.

Good Lands Bossy Role in “Anchorman” Sequel…

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Meagan Good will be making news on the big screen later this year…

The 31-year-old part-Puerto Rican actress, who currently stars opposite Laz Alonso in NBC’s Deception, has been cast in Anchorman: The Legend Continues, starring opposite Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and Christina Applegate.

In the sequel to the 2004 comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Good will reportedly portray Ron Burgundy’s (Ferrell) boss. Other new cast members include Kristen Wiig and James Marsden.

Filming on the Paramount project is expected to begin soon in Atlanta, with Anchorman: The Legend Continues slated for release on December 20.

Good’s credits include Think Like a Man, Jumping the Broom and The Baytown Disco.

Alonso is About to Get “Notorious”…

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Laz Alonso could be headed to the Peacock Network in the near future.

The 38-year-old Afro-Cuban American actor, who picked up his first NAACP Image Award last month, has been cast as the male lead opposite Meagan Good in NBC’s drama pilot Notorious.

Notorious is described as an opulent soap in which detective Joanna Locasto (Good) returns undercover to the wealthy and troubled Lawson family she grew up in — as the housekeeper’s daughter — to solve the murder of celebutante Vivian Lawson, who was once her closest friend.

Alonzo will play NYPD detective Will Sacovitch, who recruits former flame Joanna to infiltrate the Lawson home, in hopes that she’ll find evidence that Vivian was murdered.

Alonso, who most recently starred in A&E’s Breakout Kings, has starred in the feature film Jumping the Broom and guest-starred on Southland.

Alonso Wins NAACP Image Award

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Laz Alonso is jumping for joy after picking up his first NAACP Image Award…

The 37-year-old Cuban-American actor picked up the award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for his starring role in Jumping the Broom at the 43rd Annual NAACP Image Awards.

Alonso beat out stiff competition for the award, including Eddie Murphy (Tower Heist), Laurence Fishburne (Contagion) and Vin Diesel (Fast Five).

Meanwhile, Tatyana Ali picked up the award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series. The 32-year-old part-Panamanian actress/singer—who was named one of BET’s Black Girls Rock last fall— picked up the award for her recurring role as Roxanne on CBS’ The Young and the Restless.

The Image Awards are presented annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the group’s members select the winners.

Click here for a complete look at the night’s winners.

Zoë Saldaña Receives NAACP Image Award Nod

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Zoë Saldaña has received an NAACP Image Award nod for playing a stone-cold assassin in Colombiana.

The 33-year-old half-Dominican/half-Puerto Rican American actress, currently at work on the latest Star Trek film, will face off against Pariah’s Adepero Oduye, The Help’s Emma Stone, Jumping the Broom’s Paula Patton and The Help’s Viola Davis at the 43rd Annual NAACP Image Awards.

Presented by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to honor outstanding people of color in film, television, music and literature. Members of the NAACP vote for their favorites in the 35 categories that make up the Image Awards.

The Help led the pack with eight nominations, including nods for Best Picture, writing and directing, as well as dominating the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories.

But Saldaña isn’t the only Hispanic celebrity receiving an Image Award nod. Here’s a look at the other Latino/a stars in the running:

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Laz Alonso – Jumping the Broom

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Tatyana Ali – Love That Girl!

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Sofia Vergara – Modern Family

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
Esai Morales – We Have Your Husband

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
Rosario Dawson – Five

Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Tatyana Ali – The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Male Artist
Bruno Mars

The Image Awards will be presented on February 17 on NBC.

For the complete list of nominees visit the Awards’ official site.

“Black & Latino” with Milian and More

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Christina Milian and other Afro-Latino celebrities are sharing their uniquely bicultural stories with the world…

The 30-year-old singer/actress, who will be serving as the new Social Media Correspondent for NBC’s The Voice, will appear in mun2’s web original Black and Latino, which aims to shine a light on an important yet often misrepresented segment of the US Latino population.

Along with Milian, other celebrities, musicians and journalists of African heritage appearing in the web documentary are actor Laz Alonso, actress Tatyana Ali and journalist Soledad O’Brien, who relate their own previously untold experiences of working through the unreasonable constraints of stereotypes in both Hispanic and mainstream culture.

“It was kind of like a dual existence because outside of my house I would be just an African-American guy,” says Alonso, who recently appeared in Jumping the Broom. “But once I got home, I was Cuban again.”

Other interviews include The Voice season one winner Javier Colon, actresses Gina Torres and Judy Reyes, pop singer Kat de Luna and music video director Jessy Terrero.

“As part of our commitment to reflecting the diversity and dynamism of US Latino identity, we are honored to share these provocative and poignant stories of celebrities who live and work at the intersection of so many cultures,” says Jose Marquez, Telemundo and mun 2’s VP Interactive Strategy, Telemundo and mun2.

The short, made-for-web documentary also features man-on-the-street interviews with Generation Y Latinos who provide a refreshingly nuanced understanding of race and identity in contemporary America.

Click here to check out mun2’s Black and Latino.

Alonso Prepares to Shake His Groove Thing…

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Tom Castaneda

Laz Alonso is ready to bust a groove on the big screen…

The 37-year-old Cuban actor has been cast in “Planet B Boy,” a music-themed drama based on the award-winning documentary “Planet B-Boy.”

That documentary, released in 2007, shined a spotlight on the international world of b-boying, commonly referred to as breakdancing in the United States. While it may not be as popular as it was back in the 1980s in the U.S., the street dance continues to thrive in places like Japan, South Korea and France.

In this new film—co-starring Josh Holloway, Josh Peck, Caity Lotz and Chris Brown—an all-star American b-boy crew trains to compete in France at the Battle of the Year (BOTY) International Championships. After a decade of defeat, the crew and their coach must go up against the best b-boys in the world: the Koreans, the Russians and the French who have dominated the original American dance form for the last 10
years.”

Directed by Benson Lee, the movie will be filmed in Los Angeles and Montpellier, France.

Alonso previously starred in “Jumping the Broom,” “Fast & Furious” and “Just Wright.”

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

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