Natalia del Riego to Star in Kurt Sutter’s Western Action Drama “The Abandons”

Natalia del Riego is abandoning her plans…

The Salvadoran & Mexican actress has joined the cast of Kurt Sutter’s Western action drama The Abamdons.

Natalia del Riegodel Riego is among a list of six new series regulars that includes Lucas TillNick RobinsonDiana SilversLamar Johnson and Aisling Franciosi.

They join previously announced cast members Lena Headey and Gillian Anderson, who lead the cast as Fiona Nolan and Constance Van Ness, respectively.

del Riego will portray Lilla Belle.

Created and executive-produced by Sutter, who also serves as showrunner, The Abandons follows a group of diverse, outlier families pursuing their Manifest Destiny in 1850s Oregon, as a corrupt force of wealth and power, coveting their land, tries to force them out. These abandoned souls, the kind of lost souls living on the fringe of society, unite their tribes to form a family and fight back. In this bloody process, “justice” is stretched beyond the boundaries of the law.

The Abandons will explore that fine line between survival and law, the consequences of violence, and the corrosive power of secrets, as this family fights to keep their land.

del Riego is best known for her work on shows like NCIS: Los AngelesPromised LandThe RookieHow to Get Away with Murder and American Crime.

David Del Rio to Star Opposite Kathy Bates in CBS’ Drama Pilot “Matlock”

David Del Rio is (Mat)locking in his next project…

The 35-year-old Latinx actor/director and former Baker and the Beauty star and Leah Lewis have been cast as series regulars opposite Kathy Bates and Skye P. Marshall in CBS’ drama pilot Matlock.

David Del RioThe project is a new take on the classic legal television drama starring Andy Griffith, which hails from Jane the Virgin creator Jennie Snyder Urman and NCIS: Los Angeles star Eric Christian Olsen.

In Matlock, written by Urman and to be directed by Kat Coiro, after achieving success in her younger years, the brilliant septuagenarian Madeline Matlock (Bates) rejoins the work force at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within.

Del Rio plays Billy, a charismatic young associate a few years out of law school and assigned to work on one of the firm’s biggest cases.  He helps Matty navigate her new work environment as he seemingly knows more than he should.

Lewis plays Sarah, a Junior Associate eager to get ahead and not worried about being liked. Sarah is all ambition, determined to be seen for her smarts and willing to do anything to move up a peg at the firm. She is not pleased when she’s forced to work alongside Matty, lowering her position at the company even further.

Bates executive produces alongside Sutton Street’s Urman and Joanna Klein, Coiro, as well as Cloud Nine’s Olsen and John Will.

Del Rio can be seen as a lead in the Hulu Original series, Maggie, opposite Rebecca Rittenhouse. His most recent credits include starring as Mateo in ABC’s Baker and the Beauty. He also replaced Lin-Manuel Miranda in his Tony winning role on Broadway as Sonny in In the Heights, and teamed up with Miranda to star in the Emmy nominated Grease: Live on Fox.

Fernanda Andrade to Appear on Paramount+’s Crime Thriller “Finestkind”

It’s the finest hour for Fernanda Andrade.

The 38-year-old Brazilian actress and model has joined the cast of Paramount+’s crime thriller, Finestkind.

Fernanda AndradeAndrade joins an ensemble cast that includes Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Foster, Toby Wallace, Jenna Ortega, Aaron Stanford, Scotty Tovar, Tim Daly, Lolita Davidovich, Clayne Crawford, Meghan Leathers and Ismael Cruz Cordova.

Set in America’s biggest commercial fishing port of New Bedford, Massachusetts, Finestkind tells the story of two brothers (Foster and Wallace) from opposite sides of the tracks, who are reunited as adults over one fateful summer. When desperate circumstances force them to strike a deal with a dangerous Boston crime syndicate, a young woman (Ortega) finds herself caught in the middle. Along the way, sacrifices must be made, and bonds between brothers, friends, and a father (Jones) and his son are put to the test. Andrade plays Anne Marie, a great mom and loving wife to Cordova’s fisherman, Costa.

Brian Helgeland wrote and is directing the film, which will debut exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. later this year, becoming available for streaming in Australia, Canada, Latin America, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and South Korea when the service launches in those markets.

Andrade was recently seen on Disney+’s Moon Knight, and will soon recur on Showtime’s vampire drama series Let the Right One In, opposite Demián Bichir and Nick Stahl. The actress has also been seen on series including Next, Narcos: MexicoThe First, NCIS: Los AngelesHere and NowScorpion and Sons of Anarchy, among others.

Additional film credits include Lying and StealingDie Like Lovers and The Devil Inside.

Fernanda Andrade to Appear in Showtime’s Vampire Drama Series “Let The Right One In”

Fernanda Andrade is letting the right role in…

The 37-year-old Brazilian actress and model will appear in the new Showtime series Let The Right One In in a recurring role.

Fernanda AndradeAndrade, known for her work in Narcos: Mexico and Songs of Anarchy, will play Elizabeth, the spirited wife of Mark (Demián Bichir) and devoted mother of Eleanor (Madison Taylor Baez). Elizabeth’s love for her family motivates her to go to any length to protect them.

The roles has been recast. Andrade replaces Susan Santiago, who played the role in the pilot.

The vampire drama series is inspired by the bestselling 2004 novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist and its 2008 Swedish film adaptation. It’s described as an exploration of human frailty, strength, and compassion through an elevated genre lens.

It centers on Mark and his daughter Eleanor, whose lives were changed forever 10 years earlier when she was turned into a vampire. Locked in at age 12, perhaps forever, Eleanor lives a closed-in life, able to go out only at night, while her father does his best to provide her with the human blood she needs to stay alive.

Let the Right One In is produced by Tomorrow Studios. Bichir will serve as a producer on the series.

Andrade most recently appeared in Fox’s NeXt in the role of Shea Salazar. She also has credits in big and small screen projects including Sons of AnarchyScorpionNCIS: Los Angeles, and Narcos: Mexico.

Juan Carlos Coto Developing First-Responders Drama Series for CBS, “Rescue: MIA”

Juan Carlos Coto is coming to the rescue

The Latino producer, writer, and veteran film and television showrunner is developing Rescue: MIA, a first-responders series for CBS.

Juan Carlos Coto

Coto, executive producer on 9-1-1 who also served as consulting producer on 9-1-1: Lone Star, wrote the pilot from a story co-written by NCIS: Los Angeles director James Hanlon who also has directed episodes of Station 19 and Chicago Fire.

The drama is executive produced by a star of one of CBS’ hit procedurals, NCIS: Los Angeles’ Eric Christian Olsen, via his Cloud Nine Productions.

Somewhat in the vein of CBS’ juggernaut Blue Bloods, Rescue: MIA revolves around a legendary family of first responders that works together to rescue the citizens of Miami from emergencies and disasters, even as long-buried secrets threaten to tear apart their familial bonds.

Hanton was a NYC firefighter on the ground during and in the aftermath of 9/11, and his documentary film 9/11 won a Peabody Award as well as two Emmys.

Coto, Hanlon and Olsen executive produce Rescue: MIA. CBS Studios where Cloud Nine has a deal, is the studio.

Coto is writing and serves as executive producer/showrunner on The Ledgeran action drama at Will Packer Media headlined by Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña.

Known for his work as showrunner on Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, Coto also previously co-executive produced the CW’s Nikita and worked on NBC’s Heroes and Fox’s 24.

Esai Morales to Star as the Villain in “Mission: Impossible 7”

Esai Morales has found a new mission…The 57-year-old Puerto Rican actor has joined the cast of Mission: Impossible 7, replacing Nicholas Hoult s the film’s villain.

The Paramount and Skydance co-production was close to starting production in Italy, when the world shut down due to COVID-19 and that included the Christopher McQuarrie-directed film, which will see Tom Cruise reprise his Ethan Hunt spy character. 

Esai Morales

The delay put Hoult in conflict with another commitment.

Mission: Impossible 7 is expected to start production in late summer or early fall. 

The film was scheduled for release on July 23, 2021 but has been moved to November 19, 2021 to account for the delay. 

The entire franchise through six movies has amassed over $3.57 billion for Paramount.

Morales, who rose to acclaim as Bob Morales in La Bamba, most recently completed a stint on How To Get Away With Murder

His other credits include television roles on Magic CityChicago P.D. and NCIS: Los Angeles, and film roles in Gun Hill RoadFast Food Nation and Spare Parts.

Alana De La Garza Appears in CBS’ New Video Tribute to America’s COVID-19 Frontline Health Workers & First Responders

Alana De La Garza is helping honor the country’s coronavirus pandemic frontliners…

The 43-year-old half-Mexican American actress appears in a special CBS video tribute to America’s frontline health workers and first responders.

Alana de la Garza

The “Better Days” tribute, which features a new OneRepublic track, kicks off a new campaign the network has dubbed “CBS Salutes.” 

It premiered between 10:00 and 11:00 pm ET/PT during the season finale of Survivor on CBS and across social media. 

OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder introduces the tribute, which appears over a live acoustic quarantine version of the song.

“There aren’t enough thank-yous in the world for all the amazing people working on the front lines saving lives right now,” Tedder says. “I, along with everyone at CBS, salute you.”

In addition to de la Garza, who appears on CBS’ FBI series, appears alongside othe CBS stars, including Walton Goggins (The Unicorn), LL Cool J (NCIS: Los Angeles) and Sonequa Martin-Green (CBS All Access’ Star Trek: Discovery), among others.

But the real stars of the video are the doctors, nurses, hospital staffers, police, firefighters, EMTs and others who’ve worked to keep the rest of us healthy and safe, with plenty of them spotlighted in the video.

This is the first salvo in the “CBS Salutes” initiative that’ll use popular music artists along with CBS talent saluting special causes. 

Sofia Lama to Recur on Season 4 of USA Network’s “Queen of the South”

Sofia Lama is South-bound…

The 31-year-old Mexican actress has landed a recurring role on the upcoming fourth season of USA Network’s Queen of the South, from Fox 21 Television Studios and UCP.

Sofia Lama

Starring Alice BragaQueen of the South is based on the bestselling book La Reina del Sur by Arturo Pérez-Reverte. It tells the powerful story of Teresa Mendoza (Braga), a woman who is forced to run from the Mexican cartel and seek refuge in America. 

In Season 3, Teresa struck out on her own, determined to build a new empire for herself. But as enemies old and new closed in, she realized that being queen would require more work — and more sacrifice — than she ever imagined.

Lama will portray Emilia, Boaz Jimenez’s (Joseph T. Campos) nervous & frightened former fiancee with a secret that could cause things to turn ugly fast.

Dailyn Rodriguez and Ben Lobato will serve as co-showrunners for Season 4 and will executive produce alongside David T. Friendly.

Lama’s recent credits include guest-starring roles on NCIS: Los AngelesChicago P.D.and Designated Survivor.

Fernanda Andrade to Star in Fox Drama Pilot “neXt”

Fernanda Andrade’s got next!

The 34-year-old Brazilian actress/model has been cast in the Fox drama pilot “neXt,” according to Variety.

Fernanda Andrade

She joins previously announced cast member Eve Harlow.

neXt is described as a fact-based thriller grounded in the latest A.I. research. It features a brilliant but paranoid former tech CEO who joins a Homeland Cybersecurity Agent and her team to stop the world’s first artificial intelligence crisis: the emergence of a rogue A.I. with the ability to continuously improve itself.

Andrade will play Shea, an FBIagent with the cybercrime division. Shea has overcome a troubled, sometimes violent past in her home country to become the youngest agent to run her own cyber division. 

Andrade recently appeared in The FirstNCIS: Los Angelesand Here and Now. She’ll also appear in Season 2 of Narcos: Mexicoon Netflix

Her other television credits include Sons of AnarchyScorpionand Kingdom.

Manny Coto, who previously worked on Fox shows like 24 and 24: Legacy, will write and executive produce neXtTwentieth Century Fox Televisionwill produce.

Esai Morales Lands Recurring Role on CBS’ “NCIS: Los Angeles”

Esai Morales is getting deputized

The 55-year-old Puerto Rican actor has landed a recurring role on the upcoming tenth season of CBSNCIS: Los Angeles.

Esai Morales

Morales will play Deputy Director Gaines. Smart, authoritative, polished and trustworthy, Gaines accompanies a special prosecutor from the Department of Defense who is investigating the NCIS office and its employees. He is there to protect his people and advise them on how to navigate the prosecutor’s interviews. The character will be introduced in a late October episode.

“Following the rescue mission in Mexico from last season’s finale and this season’s premiere, our NCIS: Los Angelesteam will face challenging repercussions but they will have a new ally in the Deputy Director,” said executive producer R. Scott Gemmill. “We are thrilled that the talented Esai Morales has signed on to this recurring role.”

Starring Chris O’Donnell, LL Cool J, Linda Hunt, Daniela Ruah, Eric Christian Olsen, Barrett Foa, Renée Felice Smith and Nia Long, NCIS: Los Angelesis produced by CBS Television Studios and executive produced by Gemmill, John P. Kousakis and Frank Military.

Morales, who rose to acclaim in the 1987 biopic La Bamba,was most recently seen in a major arc on Netflix’s Ozark and as a recurring on Nat Geo’s MarsOn the big screen, Morales’ credits include Sony Pictures’ Superfly.

Season 10 of NCIS: Los Angelespremieres Sunday, September 30 at 9 PM on CBS.