America Ferrera to Serve as Presenter at This Year’s Oscars

Win or lose, America Ferrera will be taking the Oscars stage…

The 39-year-old Honduran American actress, who earned her first-ever Academy Awards nod this year for her performance in Barbie, will serve as a presenter at Sunday’s Oscars.

She’s part of a roster of new presenters that includes Emily Blunt, Cynthia Erivo, Sally Field, Ryan Gosling, Ariana Grande, Ben Kingsley, Melissa McCarthy, Issa Rae, Tim Robbins, Steven Spielberg, Mary Steenburgen, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlize Theron, Christoph Waltz and Forest Whitaker.

They join previous announced presenters Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Keaton, Regina King, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate McKinnon, Rita Moreno, John Mulaney, Catherine O’Hara, Octavia Spencer and Ramy Youssef, Mahershala Ali, Nicolas Cage, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Fraser, Jessica Lange, Matthew McConaughey, Lupita Nyong’o, Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ke Huy Quan, Sam Rockwell, Michelle Yeoh and Zendaya.

The Oscars will be broadcast live on March 10 ceremony from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.

Jimmy Kimmel is returning to host the ceremony for a fourth time.

ABC, which has aired the Oscars since 1976, is televising the show live starting at 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT — an hour earlier that usual. The network, which has begun to use the Oscars as a lead-out to showcase its top programming, will follow its coverage of the live ceremony with an original episode of Abbott Elementary.

ABC’s time tweak also means that its annual pre-show will now run for 30 minutes — instead of the usual 90 — beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. As per usual, the main Oscar telecast will be rebroadcast in the Pacific Time zone in primetime after the live presentation.

Raj Kapoor will serve as showrunner and executive producer of the 96th Oscars, with Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan executive producers. Hamish Hamilton is directing.

Bad Bunny to Serve as Presenter at This Year’s Academy Awards

Bad Bunny has a date with Oscar…

The 29-year-old Puerto Rican Grammy-winning superstar has been added to the list of presenters for this year’s Academy Awards show.

Bad BunnyBut the “Monaco” singer is not the only Puerto Rican artist set to take the stage.

West Side Story star Rita Moreno, an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar & Tony Award) winner, will also serve as a presenter.

Bad Bunny and Moreno are among the list of recently added presenters for the March 10th Oscars telecast that includes Chris Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Keaton, Regina King, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate McKinnon, John Mulaney, Catherine O’Hara, Octavia Spencer and Ramy Youssef.

Moreno won an Oscar in 1962 for West Side Story. In 1977, she became the first Latina (and just the third person overall) to complete the EGOT.

In 2022, Bad Bunny made history when Un Verano Sin Ti became the first Spanish-language album to top Billboard’s year-end chart and to receive a Grammy nod for album of the year. His acting credits include Bullet Train, Narcos: Mexico and Cassandro,

Earlier this week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced that another popular Latin star, Becky G, would perform the nominated “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot on the telecast.

Previously announced Oscars presenters are Mahershala Ali, Nicolas Cage, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Fraser, Jessica Lange, Matthew McConaughey, Lupita Nyong’o, Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ke Huy Quan, Sam Rockwell, Michelle Yeoh and Zendaya.

The 96th Oscars will air live on ABC and broadcast to outlets worldwide on Sunday, March 10, at the new, earlier time of 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT.

Jimmy Kimmel is hosting the show for the fourth time. It will be held at its usual home, the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.

Raj Kapoor is executive producer and showrunner for the 2024 Oscars. Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan are also executive producers. Hamish Hamilton is directing. Rickey Minor is music director.

Peacock to Exclusively Stream “Renfield,” Featuring Adrian Martinez

Adrian Martinez will be vamping it up online…

Universal Pictures has set the streaming premiere date for its Chris McKay-directed horror comedy Renfield, featuring the 51-year-old Mexican American actor.

Adrian MartinezStarring Nicholas Hoult and Nicolas Cage, the film will bow exclusively on Peacock on Friday, June 9th.

Released in theaters on April 14th, the film follows Renfield (Hoult), the tortured aide to history’s most narcissistic boss: Dracula (Cage). For centuries, Renfield has slavishly served Dracula by procuring his master’s prey and doing his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, Renfield is ready to look for a new life outside the shadow of The Prince of Darkness, if only he can figure out how to end the toxic, co-dependent relationship.

Martinez portrays Chris Marcos, a traffic cop and Rebecca’s (Awkwafina) co-worker.

The film was scripted by Ryan Ridley, from a story by Robert Kirkman — one of a number of projects through which Universal has looked to leverage its movie monster library for a modern audience.

 

Lisette Alexis to Star in Disney+’s “National Treasure” Television Series

Lisette Alexis has struck gold…

The young Mexican American actress will star as the lead in Disney+’s National Treasure television series from Disney Branded Television and ABC Signature.

Lisette Alexis

The project, executive produced by the films’ producer Jerry Bruckheimer, director Jon Turteltaub and writers Marianne and Cormac Wibberley, is an expansion of the National Treasure movie franchise told from the point of view of a young heroine (Alexis) — a DREAMer in search of answers about her family–who embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to uncover the truth about the past and save a lost Pan-American treasure.

The series, whose pilot episode is written by the Wibberleys and will be directed by Mira Nair, centers on Jess (Alexis), a Latina whose brilliant and resourceful mind loves a good mystery, and she has a natural talent for solving puzzles. Over the course of the show, Jess will uncover her own buried history, as well as the truth about her parents and her connection to a long-lost treasure.

In the television extension of the National Treasure franchise, Jess is taking the proverbial torch from Benjamin Gates, the National Treasure films’ protagonist played by Nicolas Cage.

Production is starting in early 2022.

Alexis stars opposite Sierra McCormick in the Tribeca Film Festival selection We Need To Do Something, produced by Josh Mallerman.

The “National Treasure” Television Reimagining of the Nicolas Cage Films to Star a Latina

The long-gestating National Treasure television series will feature some Latina power…

The project, which has been granted a 10-episode order, explores the timely issues of identity, community, historical authorship and patriotism, told from the point of view of Jess Morales, a 20-year-old DREAMer who, with her diverse group of friends, sets off on the adventure of a lifetime to uncover her mysterious family history and recover lost treasure.

National Treasure

The series, which hails from the films’ producer Jerry Bruckheimer and original writers Marianne and Cormac Wibberley, is a reimagining of the National Treasure franchise.

Written by the Wibberleys and to be directed by Mira Nair (Vanity Fair), the series sees Jess Morales taking the torch from Benjamin Gates, the National Treasure films’ protagonist played by Nicolas Cage.

The development of the National Treasure series has been on parallel tracks with the long gestating threequel to Jon Turtletaub’s film franchise starring Cage, which brought in Chris Bremner as writer in January 2020.

Disney+ has several upcoming series based on the Disney movies, including Turner & HoochThe Mighty Ducks and a Beauty and the Beast spinoff.

Emily Tosta to Star Opposite Nicolas Cage in the Thriller “Wally’s Wonderland”

Emily Tosta is rebelling…

The 21-year-old Dominican & Venezuelan actress is set to star opposite Nicolas Cage in the genre thriller Wally’s Wonderland, currently shooting in Atlanta.

Emily Tosta

Tosta, who currently stars on Freeform’s Party of Fivereboot, will portray the rebellious teena lead in the film from director Kevin Lewis

Tosta’s character Liv joins Cage’s character The Janitor in their bid to survive a hellish night trapped inside an abandoned family entertainment center populated by possessed animatronics.

The film also stars Beth GrantRic ReitzandChris Warner. The screenplay is written by G.O. Parsons.

“I’m so excited to be working with Nicolas Cage, who has always been one of my favorite actors, in this totally fun and unique feature film,” said Tosta.

“When I first saw Emily in Mayans M.C., I was struck by her unique combination of toughness and sensitivity and knew immediately we found our perfect Liv,” added Lewis.

In addition to her roles on Party of Fiveand Mayans M.C., Tosta’s other credits include The ResidentRosewoodand The Last Ship.

Anabelle Acosta to Star in Millennium Media & CineTel Films’ “Kill Chain”

Anabelle Acosta is linked to a new project…

The 31-year-old Cuban actress will star opposite Ryan Kwanten in Kill Chain, the thriller from Millennium Media and CineTel Films toplined by Nicolas Cage.

Anabelle Acosta

Ken Sanzel wrote and directed the film, which has just wrapped production in Colombia and will be on offer later this month at the American Film Market.

The film opens with a hotel room shootout between two assassins, kicking off a long night where bodies fall like dominoes as we follow a chain of crooked cops, gangsters, hitmen, a femme fatale and an ex-mercenary through a relay of murder, betrayal, and revenge.

Enrico Colantoni and Alimi Ballard co-star.

Acosta’s previous credits include HBO’s comedy series Ballers and ABC’s thriller series Quantico.

Sony Pictures Animation & Columbia Pictures Release New Trailer for Luna Lauren Velez’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse”

Luna Lauren Velez is spinnin’ a new web…

Sony Pictures Animation and Columbia Pictures has unveiled a new trailer for Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, featuring the 53-year-old Puerto Rican actress as part of the voice cast.

Luna Lauren Velez 

The film, an animated take on the Spider-Manfranchise masterminded by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, will be released in theaters on December 14, with a New York Comic-Con appearance later this week in the offing.

After the success in June of the first trailer, which scored 44 million views in its first 24 hours, comes more of the storyline this time around.

It centers on a new Spider-Man, Brooklyn teen Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), who discovers he is only the Spidey in his, well, “soggy, weird, gross” French Fry universe, as portals open and many other versions come through. Others include a past-his-prime Peter Parker (Jake Johnson) who acts as Miles’ mentor, Spider-Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld), Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage), Penny Parker and her robot SPDR (voiced by Kimiko Glenn) and Spider-Ham (John Mulaney).

In addition to Velez, the loaded voice cast also includes Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin and Liev Schreiber.

Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman are the directors, and Rothman wrote the script with Lord who created the story.

Natalie Eva Marie Starring in the Thriller “Inconceivable”

Natalie Eva Marie is preparing to make her film debut…

The 32-year-old half-Mexican American actress, fitness model and professional wrestler is starring opposite Nicolas Cage in the thriller Inconceivable.

Natalie Eva Marie

The film, which also stars Gina Gershon, Faye Dunaway and Nicky Whelan, follows Katie (Whelan), who moves to town with her young daughter in order to start a new life after enduring abuse in her past and she quickly befriends another mother, Angela (Gershon), and her husband Brian (Cage). Angela notices odd behavior from Katie, and begins to question whether Katie’s intentions are as innocent as she makes them out to be, or if something dark is lurking beneath the surface.

Written by Chloe King, filming is set to begin next month with Lionsgate Premiere releasing the picture in the U.S., while Highland Film Group will sell internationally.

Natalie previously appeared on the reality television series Total Divas as part of the main cast.

Ferreira is Moving From CAA to William Morris Endeavor (WME)

Sky Ferreira is switching teams…

The 23-year-old part-Brazilian singer-songwriter, model and actress has moved from Creative Artists Agency (CAA) to William Morris Endeavor (WME).

Sky Ferreira

She already was represented by IMG Models, which was part of the WME | IMG acquisition last year.

Ferreira is currently the face of the Jimmy Choo fragrance Illicit and will soon be featured in Paco Rabanne’s next fragrance campaign with Gabriel Day-Lewis.

She starred in Eli Roth’s cannibal horror film The Green Inferno, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2013 and will be released in the U.S. later this month.

Ferreira will also be seen in the true-life drama Elvis & Nixon, starring Michael Shannon and Kevin Spacey as the titular title characters, and in crime thriller The Trust, starring Nicolas Cage and Elijah Wood.

As a recording artist, Ferreira’s 2013 Capitol Records debut Night Time, My Time opened at No. 45 on the Billboard 200 before finding its way onto Rolling Stones list of that year’s top albums and Pitchfork‘s list of the decade’s top 100 albums.

She currently is recording her sophomore album, Masochism, due out next year.