Tag Archives: Rake

Lauren Sanchez Starring in the Vito Schnabel-Led Dark Comedy “The Trainer”

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It’s training day for Lauren Sanchez.

The 52-year-old Mexican-American media personality, Emmy-winning journalist and actress, is starring in Vito Schnabel-led dark comedy The Trainer, which has wrapped filming in Los Angeles, New York and the Bahamas.

Lauren SánchezSanchez, who gained fame as an entertainment reporter and news anchor, is part of a cast that includes Paris Hilton, Finneas O’Connell, Sandra Seacat and journalist Gayle King.

Written by Schnabel and Jeff Solomon, the film is based on the former’s original story. It unfolds over eight days of sleep-deprived chaos and follows Jack (Schnabel), a down-on-his-luck fitness expert living with his mother in Los Angeles, who takes a maniacal swing at fame and fortune, trying to realize his version of the American dream.

Tony Kaye directed the film boasting one of the most eclectic ensembles in recent memory, which also includes Julia Fox, Steven Van Zandt, Taylour Paige, Stephen Dorff, John McEnroe, Gina Gershon, Luka Sabbat, Gus Van Sant, Lenny Kravitz, Beverly D’Angelo, Colleen Camp, Gavin Rossdale, Soo Joo Park, Brock O’Hurn, Bella Thorne, Laird Hamilton and Duke Nicholson.

Schnabel, Kaye and Jeremy Steckler are producing The Trainer, with George Paaswell serving as executive producer.

Sanchez has been seen on programs like The View, KTTV Fox 11’s Good Day LA, the Fox 11 Ten O’clock News, Extra, Larry King Live, The Joy Behar Show and Showbiz Tonight. Past film credits include Ted 2, White House Down, Celeste & Jesse Forever, We Bought a Zoo, Fantastic Four and Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Akeelah and the Bee, The Longest Yard, The Day After Tomorrow and Fight Club. She’s also been seen on series like Rake, Dirt and Girlfriends, among others.

Sanchez also notably founded aerial production company Black Ops Aviation and serves as Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund.

Jenna Ortega to Star in Netflix’s Addams Family-Themed Series “Wednesday”

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Jenna Ortega is all about Hump Day…

The 18-year-old Puerto Rican and Mexican American actress has landed the title role in Wednesday, Tim Burton’s live-action Addams Family series for Netflix focused on the iconic character of Wednesday Addams.

Jenna Ortega

The coming-of-age comedy, written by Smallville creators Al Gough and Miles Millar and to be directed by Burton, is a sleuthing, supernaturally infused mystery charting Wednesday Addams’ (Ortega) years as a student at Nevermore Academy. That’s where she attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that has terrorized the local town, and solve the supernatural mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago — all while navigating her new and very tangled relationships.

The YA series, Wednesday Addams’ first solo vehicle, marks Burton’s first live-action show and his television directing debut.

Ortega is taking over the role from Christina Ricci, the actress most closely associated the character, who played Wednesday in both feature films, The Addams Family in 1991 and sequel Addams Family Values in 1993.

Burton executive produces with Gough and Millar, who will serve as showrunners on the series. Wednesday is produced by MGM Television, which controls the underlying rights to the IP.

Ortega burst onto the scene in 2014 with two major recurring roles on Fox’s Rake and the CW’s Jane the Virgin. The latter, where Ortega played younger version of the title character, put her on the map, and Ortega quickly landed her first series lead role on Disney Channel’s Stuck In the Middle.

A lead role on Season 2 of Netflix’s You followed. On the streamer, Ortega also recently co-starred in hit feature comedy Yes Day.

Her recent feature credits also include leads in The Fallout and the upcoming Scream.

Ortega shared the news on Instagram:

Ortiz to Star in Legendary’s “Kong: Skull Island”

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John Ortiz is going bananas for his latest role…

The 47-year-old Puerto Rican actor, director and producer has joined the cast of Legendary’s Kong: Skull Island.

John Ortiz

Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts, the story is about a man (Tom Hiddleston) who travels to the mythical island and home of the king of the apes. A team of explorers ventures inside what they find to be a treacherous island. The story is said to honor the King Kong lore but in a different time period.

Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson and John Goodman also star in the project, which is expected to go before the cameras this fall.

No word on the character Ortiz will play.

Ortiz co-starred on Rake and just wrapped a role in Zach Braff’s remake of Going In Style. 

He’ll next be seen in Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs and Disney’s The Finest Hours.

Ortiz Cast in Fox’s Dramedy Pilot “Rake”

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Silver Linings Playbook’s John Ortiz could be appearing on the small screen in the near future…

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican actor has been cast opposite Greg Kinnear in Fox’s dramedy pilot Rake, which is based on an Australian series of the same name.

John Ortiz

In the project, Kinnear will portray a brilliant but self-destructive criminal defense lawyer named Keegan Joye.

Ortiz, who appeared in HBO‘s horse racing drama Luck, will play Ben, a friend of Keegan’s from law school and the yin to his yang. He’s conservative and not flashy, solid, reliable and a decent family man. Not one to seek out the spotlight, Ortiz’s character recognizes that Keegan is the performer of the two and together they make a solid team — both in and out of court.

Ortiz, whose credits also Fast & Furious, joins a cast that includes Miranda Otto as Keegan’s ex-wife, Necar Zadegan as one of his best friends and Bojana Novakovic as Mikki, the love interest for Kinnear’s character.