“West Side Story” Star Ariana DeBose Wins Two “Dorian Awards,” Including GALECA’s Rising Star Prize

Posted on March 17, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

They’re Wilde about Ariana DeBose at GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics.

The organization has revealed the winners of its 13th annual Dorian Awards, with the 31-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/singer/dancer taking home two awards.

DeBose took home the “We’re Wilde About You!” Rising Star prize for her breakthrough role as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation of the legendary Broadway musical West Side Story.

DeBose also took home the Best Supporting Performance award for her scene-stealing work in the musical.

But DeBose wasn’t the only double Latinx winner.

Pedro Almodovar, the mastermind behind the acclaimed Spanish language film Parallel Mothers, was named Wilde Artist, for being a groundbreaking force in film, theatre and/or television.

The 72-year-old Spanish film director, screenwriter, producer and former actor also earned the GALECA LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer prize.

Rita Moreno was honored with the Timeless Star prize.

The 90-year-old Puerto Rican actress, singer and dancer earned the award for an “exemplary career” marked by character, wisdom and wit.

The Dorian Awards are given to the best in film and television, mainstream to queer+, voted on by members of GALECA, a group of 350 critics, journalists and broadcasters in the U.S., Canada and

Here’s the full list of winners:

BEST FILM
The Power of the Dog (Netflix)

BEST LGBTQ FILM
Flee (Neon, Participant)

BEST NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE FILM
Drive My Car (Janus)

BEST UNSUNG FILM
Passing (Netflix)

BEST DIRECTOR
Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog (Netflix)

BEST SCREENPLAY
The Power of the Dog (Netflix) – Jane Campion (adapted)

BEST FILM PERFORMANCE
Kristen Stewart, Spencer (Neon)

BEST SUPPORTING FILM PERFORMANCE
Ariana DeBose, West Side Story (20th Century Studios)

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Flee (Neon, Participant)

BEST LGBTQ DOCUMENTARY
Flee (Neon, Participant)

MOST VISUALLY STRIKING FILM
Dune (Warner Bros.)

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Flee (Neon, Participant)

BEST FILM MUSIC
Tick, Tick… Boom! (Netflix)

“WE’RE WILDE ABOUT YOU!” RISING STAR
Ariana DeBose

WILDE ARTIST
(to a truly groundbreaking force in film, theatre and/or television)
Pedro Almodóvar

CAMPIEST FLICK
House of Gucci (United Artists)

TIMELESS STAR
(to an actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit)
Rita Moreno

GALECA LGBTQIA+ FILM TRAILBLAZER
Pedro Almodóvar

First Look Footage Released for Rita Moreno’s Dark Comedy “The Prank”

Posted on March 12, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Rita Moreno is pulling pranks…

The 90-year-old Puerto Rican Hollywood legend is heading back to high school in The Prank, a dark comedy from director Maureen Bharoocha.

In a role unlike anything the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar & Tony Award) winner has played throughout her lengthy career, she stars as the stern, mean, and cruel physics teacher, Mrs. Wheeler. She has been teaching at the high school for decades and has a reputation for being the hardest, coldest, strictest faculty member.

Mrs. Wheeler crosses paths with the film’s protagonist, Ben (Connor Kalopsis), a typical overachiever who is an organized, careful, goal-oriented, and extremely dedicated student who he ends up assigned to her class.

When Mrs. Wheeler discovers someone in her class is cheating, she threatens to fail Ben and his classmates unless the cheater reveals themselves.

But when no one does, Ben and his best friend Tanner (Ramona Young) hatch a plan to ruin her life and frame her for murder on social media.

Rounding up the cast are Keith David, Kate Flannery, Meredith Salenger, Jonathan Kimmel, Nathan Janak, Betsy Sodaro, and Romel De Silva.

The Prank was penned by Rebecca Flinn-White and Zak White. Michael Y. Chow and Glenn Rigberg executive produce and Steven J. Wolfe served as producer.

Ariana DeBose Makes SAG Awards History with Best Supporting Actress Win for “West Side Story”

Posted on February 28, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Life’s a real SAG for Ariana DeBose…

The 31-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/singer/dancer earned her first-ever SAG Award.

DeBose won the Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture prize from the Screen Actors Guild for her scene-stealing turn in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story.

With the win, DeBose becomes the first openly queer woman of color to win an individual film SAG Award.

“I think it’s just indicative that the doors are opening,” DeBose said in the SAG Awards press room while talking with the media. “It’s an honor to be seen, it’s an honor to be an Afro-Latina—an openly queer woman of color, a dancer, a singer, and an actor. It’s indicative to me that I will not be the last, and that’s the important part. Whatever firsts are attached to my name, they are immensely special to me, but I’m focused on the fact that if I’m the first of anything that means I won’t be the last.”

DeBose, the latest Latina to portray Anita in West Side Story, also honored her predecessors, Rita Moreno and Chita Rivera for paving the way.

“The legacy of Anita means a great deal to me, for many different reasons,” she shared. “I’m a Broadway girl at heart. We speak so frequently about Rita Moreno, as we should, she’s legendary. But the OG Anita on stage is Chita Rivera, and I have looked up to Chita for such a long time. She [paved the] way for me on the stage for me to be able to do what I do in that facet of the industry. So, to be able to be a part of the legacy of Anita that includes both Chita and Rita—and now Ariana— it’s really special to me. And we’re all very different types of Latinas, that’s beautiful and important too. There’s no one way to be Latina or Hispanic. There are many beautiful ways. I think each one of us is a testament to that.”

Eugenio Derbez has earned his first career SAG Award…

The 60-year-old Mexican actor, comedian, and filmmaker was among the winners in the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for their work in CODA.

The Apple film is the first movie with a predominantly deaf cast to win the top prize at the awards honoring actors. Derbez is not hearing impaired.

In the television categories, Cristo Fernandez picked up his first-ever SAG Award…

The 31-year-old Mexican actor, and former professional footballer for the Estudiantes Tecos Club of the Liga Premier de México and his Ted Lasso cast mates took home the Comedy Ensemble trophy.

The SAG Awards aired live on TNT and TBS from The Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, with a red carpet, a maskless crowd and a full roster of A-listers part of the show.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
CODA
EUGENIO DERBEZ / Bernardo Villalobos
DANIEL DURANT / Leo Rossi
EMILIA JONES / Ruby Rossi
TROY KOTSUR / Frank Rossi
MARLEE MATLIN / Jackie Rossi
FERDIA WALSH-PEELO / Miles

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
WILL SMITH / Richard Williams
KING RICHARD

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
JESSICA CHASTAIN / Tammy Faye Bakker
THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
MICHAEL KEATON / Dr. Samuel Finnix
DOPESICK

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
KATE WINSLET / Mare Sheehan
MARE OF EASTTOWN

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
SUCCESSION
NICHOLAS BRAUN / Greg Hirsch
JULIANA CANFIELD / Jess Jordan
BRIAN COX / Logan Roy
KIERAN CULKIN / Roman Roy
DAGMARA DOMINCZYK / Karolina Novotney
PETER FRIEDMAN / Frank Vernon
JIHAE / Berry Schneider
JUSTINE LUPE / Willa
MATTHEW MACFADYEN / Tom Wambsgans
DASHA NEKRASOVA / Comfrey Pellits
SCOTT NICHOLSON / Colin
DAVID RASCHE / Karl Muller
ALAN RUCK / Connor Roy
J. SMITH-CAMERON / Gerri Kellman
SARAH SNOOK / Shiv Roy
FISHER STEVENS / Hugo Baker
JEREMY STRONG / Kendall Roy
ZOË WINTERS / Kerry Castellabate

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
JUNG HO-YEON / Kang Sae-byeok
SQUID GAME

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
LEE JUNG-JAE / Seong Gi-hun
SQUID GAME

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
TED LASSO
ANNETTE BADLAND / Mae
KOLA BOKINNI / Isaac McAdoo
PHIL DUNSTER / Jamie Tartt
CRISTO FERNÁNDEZ / Dani Rojas
BRETT GOLDSTEIN / Roy Kent
BRENDAN HUNT / Coach Beard
TOHEEB JIMOH / Sam Obisanya
NICK MOHAMMED / Nathan Shelley
SARAH NILES / Dr. Sharon Fieldstone
JASON SUDEIKIS / Ted Lasso
JEREMY SWIFT / Leslie Higgins
JUNO TEMPLE / Keeley Jones
HANNAH WADDINGHAM / Rebecca Welton

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
JEAN SMART / Deborah Vance
HACKS

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
JASON SUDEIKIS / Ted Lasso
TED LASSO

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
ARIANA DeBOSE / Anita
WEST SIDE STORY

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
TROY KOTSUR / Frank Rossi
CODA

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
NO TIME TO DIE

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series
SQUID GAME

SAG Life Achievement Award
HELEN MIRREN

Producers Guild to Honor Rita Moreno with Stanley Kramer Award

Posted on January 27, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Rita Moreno is earning yet another honor…

The Producers Guild will present the 90-year-old Puerto Rican actress, singer and dancer with the 2022 Stanley Kramer Award at the 33rd annual PGA Awards, set for March 19 at the Fairmont Century Plaza.

The honor goes to a production, producer or other individuals “whose achievement or contribution illuminates and raises public awareness of important social issues.”

Moreno, an EGOT winner, will join previous recipients including Jane Fonda as well as Get Out, Loving, Fruitvale Station, The Normal Heart, Bombshell, The Hunting Ground, An Inconvenient Truth and Hotel Rwanda.

Kramer’s work included such iconic films as Inherit the Wind, On the Beach, The Defiant Ones and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.

“With grace, intelligence, charisma, and kindness, Rita Moreno made her mark in history as a brilliant entertainer and leveraged that star power to shepherd stories that tap into the human experience and represent people and communities we rarely see celebrated in film and TV,” PGA presidents Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher said Wednesday. “Beyond her on-screen contributions, she has used her unmistakable voice to hold a mirror to the prejudices and inequities that she so often experienced throughout her career. Her activism, strength, and artistic contributions set the precedent for how to be a changemaker in Hollywood, and it is our great honor to present Rita with the Stanley Kramer Award this year.”

Moreno most recently appeared and executive produced Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story after winning an Oscar for the original film, the latest in a seven-decade career that began with her Broadway debut at 13. She has appeared in more than 40 feature films and countless TV series including most recently Norman Lear’s remake of One Day at a Time. Her documentary Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It had its world debut at Sundance Film Festival last year.

Moreno previously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush, the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama, the SAG Life Achievement Award, the Peabody Career Achievement Award and a Kennedy Center Honor.

“The last thing I ever dreamed of in my young life was being honored in any circumstance,” Moreno said. “That the Producers Guild of America has chosen to honor me not only for my work but for the principles I have tried to uphold and live by throughout my life is so gratifying. I am thrilled.”

MJ Rodriguez Becomes First Trans Actress to Win a Golden Globe

Posted on January 10, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the golden hour for Michaela Jaé (MJ) Rodriguez…

In a subdued version of its annual awards show, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association revealed this year’s Golden Globe winners at Los Angeles’ Beverly Hilton hotel on Sunday, with the 31-year-old part Puerto Rican actress among the honorees.

Rodriguez was named Best Actress in a Television Drama for her role as house mother and nurse Blanca on FX’s Pose, marking the first time in history a trans actress has won a Golden Globe.

Rodriguez had previously made history for the first time in the summer of 2021 after becoming the first transgender performer to earn an Emmy nomination in a lead acting category. Rodriguez didn’t end up winning that award.

This time around, Rodriguez proved victorious. And, she took to Instagram to celebrate her win.

“Wow! You talking about sickening birthday present! Thank you! This is the door that is going to open the door for many more young talented individuals,” she wrote on Instagram. “They will see that it is more than possible. They will see that a young Black Latina girl from Newark, New Jersey who had a dream, to change the minds others would WITH LOVE. LOVE WINS. To my young LGBTQAI babies WE ARE HERE the door is now open now reach the stars!!!!!”

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But Rodriguez wasn’t the only Latina winner this year…

Rachel Zegler, a newcomer to Hollywood, picked up the Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy/Musical.

The 20-year-old half-Colombian American actress/singer took home the award for her starring role as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, which was named Best Motion Picture, Comedy/Musical.

“I got cast as María in ‘West Side Story’ on 1/9/19. and I just won a Golden Globe for that same performance, on 1/9/22. Life is very strange,” Zegler tweeted late Sunday.

Meanwhile, Zegler’s West Side Story co-star, Ariana DeBose, was named Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture.

The 30-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/singer and Broadway star won the award for portraying Anita in the movie musical, a role that earned Rita Moreno a Golden Globe (and Oscar) in 1961.

“There is still work to be done,” DeBose wrote about this year’s controversial Golden Globes. “But when you’ve worked so hard on a project- infused with blood, sweat, tears and love- having the work seen and acknowledged is always going to be special. Thank you.”

Disney’s Latin-themed Encanto, tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, was named Best Animated Feature Film.

Here’s a complete look at this year’s Golden Globe winners:

Best motion picture, drama
“The Power of the Dog”

Best actress in a motion picture, drama
Nicole Kidman, “Being the Ricardos”

Best actor in a motion picture, drama
Will Smith, “King Richard”

Best motion picture, comedy or musical
“West Side Story”

Best actress in a motion picture, comedy or musical
Rachel Zegler, “West Side Story”

Best actor in a motion picture, comedy or musical
Andrew Garfield, “Tick, Tick… Boom!”

Best director, motion picture
Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”

Best supporting actress in a motion picture
Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story”

Best supporting actor in a motion picture
Kodi Smit-McPhee, “The Power of the Dog”

Best TV series, drama
“Succession” (HBO)

Best actress in a TV series, drama
Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, “Pose”

Best actor in a TV series, drama
Jeremy Strong, “Succession”

Best TV series, comedy or musical
“Hacks” (HBO Max)

Best actress in a TV series, comedy or musical
Jean Smart, “Hacks”

Best actor in a TV series, comedy or musical
Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso”

Best limited series or TV movie
“The Underground Railroad” (Amazon)

Best actress in a limited series or TV movie
Kate Winslet, “Mare of Easttown”

Best actor in a limited series or TV movie
Michael Keaton, “Dopesick”

Best supporting actress in a TV series
Sarah Snook, “Succession”

Best supporting actor in a TV series
O Yeong-su, “Squid Game”

Best original score, motion picture
Hans Zimmer, “Dune”

Best screenplay, motion picture
Kenneth Branagh, “Belfast”

Best animated feature film
“Encanto”

Best foreign language film
“Drive My Car” (Japan)

Best original song, motion picture
“No Time to Die,” from “No Time to Die”

Rita Moreno Earns Career-First “Critics Choice Awards” Nod in a Film Category for “West Side Story” Performance

Posted on December 14, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Rita Moreno is a Critics Choice…

The 90-year-old Puerto Rican actress/singer and Latina living legend has picked up the first Critics Choice Awards nominations in the film category of her storied career.

Moreno is nominated in the Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, a remake of the 1961 musical romantic drama that earned her an Academy Award.

In addition, Moreno and her West Side Story co-stars are nominated in the Best Ensemble category.

Moreno’s co-star Ariana DeBose is also a Best Supporting Actress nominee.

The 30-year-old half-Afro-Puerto Rican actress, singer and dancer, and first-time Golden Globe nominee this year, is nominated for her performance as Anita, a role that earned Moreno her Oscar in 1961.

Rachel Zegler, who earned her first-ever Golden Globe nomination on Monday, has earned a Critics Choice Awards nod in the Best Young Actor/Actress category for her starring role in West Side Story.

Jared Leto has earned a nod in the Best Supporting Actor category for his work in House of Gucci.

Guillermo del Toro is nominated for Best Director for helming Nightmare Alley, while Kid Cudi is nominated in the Best Song category for co-penning the track “Just Look Up” from the film Don’t Look Up. Kid Cudi will go against Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is nominated for penning the track “Dos Oruguitas,” a single from Disney’s Encanto.

“We are so proud to be honoring this amazing list of films and the incredibly talented people who made them during this extremely challenging time,” said Critics Choice Association CEO Joey Berlin. “All eyes are going to be on the Fairmont Century Plaza red carpet and ballroom on January 9th, when the biggest stars in movies and television will be gathered to celebrate the best of the best in entertainment this past year. In the safest possible environment, it will mark the return of the kind of glitz and glamor we haven’t been able to enjoy in far too long.”

The Critics Choice Awards nominations are selected from a membership of over 500 have often proved to be a harbinger of what is to come for the Oscars.

Winners in all categories will be revealed at the Critics Choice Awards gala, hosted by Taye Diggs and Nicole Byer and broadcast live on The CW and TBS on Sunday, January 9 from 7:00 – 10:00 pm ET (delayed PT – check local listings).

Here’s the full list of Critics Choice Awards film nominees:

BEST PICTURE
Belfast
CODA
Don’t Look Up
Dune
King Richard
Licorice Pizza
Nightmare Alley
The Power of the Dog
tick, tick…Boom!
West Side Story

BEST ACTOR
Nicolas Cage – Pig
Benedict Cumberbatch – The Power of the Dog
Peter Dinklage – Cyrano
Andrew Garfield – tick, tick…Boom!
Will Smith – King Richard
Denzel Washington – The Tragedy of Macbeth

BEST ACTRESS
Jessica Chastain – The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Olivia Colman – The Lost Daughter
Lady Gaga – House of Gucci
Alana Haim – Licorice Pizza
Nicole Kidman – Being the Ricardos
Kristen Stewart – Spencer

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jamie Dornan – Belfast
Ciarán Hinds – Belfast
Troy Kotsur – CODA
Jared Leto – House of Gucci
J.K. Simmons – Being the Ricardos
Kodi Smit-McPhee – The Power of the Dog

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Caitríona Balfe – Belfast
Ariana DeBose – West Side Story
Ann Dowd – Mass
Kirsten Dunst – The Power of the Dog
Aunjanue Ellis – King Richard
Rita Moreno – West Side Story

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Jude Hill – Belfast
Cooper Hoffman – Licorice Pizza
Emilia Jones – CODA
Woody Norman – C’mon C’mon
Saniyya Sidney – King Richard
Rachel Zegler – West Side Story

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Belfast
Don’t Look Up
The Harder They Fall
Licorice Pizza
The Power of the Dog
West Side Story

BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson – Licorice Pizza
Kenneth Branagh – Belfast
Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog
Guillermo del Toro – Nightmare Alley
Steven Spielberg – West Side Story
Denis Villeneuve – Dune

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Paul Thomas Anderson – Licorice Pizza
Zach Baylin – King Richard
Kenneth Branagh – Belfast
Adam McKay, David Sirota – Don’t Look Up
Aaron Sorkin – Being the Ricardos

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog
Maggie Gyllenhaal – The Lost Daughter
Siân Heder – CODA
Tony Kushner – West Side Story
Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, Eric Roth – Dune

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Bruno Delbonnel – The Tragedy of Macbeth
Greig Fraser – Dune
Janusz Kaminski – West Side Story
Dan Laustsen – Nightmare Alley
Ari Wegner – The Power of the Dog
Haris Zambarloukos – Belfast

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Jim Clay, Claire Nia Richards – Belfast
Tamara Deverell, Shane Vieau – Nightmare Alley
Adam Stockhausen, Rena DeAngelo – The French Dispatch
Adam Stockhausen, Rena DeAngelo – West Side Story
Patrice Vermette, Zsuzsanna Sipos – Dune

BEST EDITING
Sarah Broshar and Michael Kahn – West Side Story
Úna Ní Dhonghaíle – Belfast
Andy Jurgensen – Licorice Pizza
Peter Sciberras – The Power of the Dog
Joe Walker – Dune

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Jenny Beavan – Cruella
Luis Sequeira – Nightmare Alley
Paul Tazewell – West Side Story
Jacqueline West, Robert Morgan – Dune
Janty Yates – House of Gucci

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP
Cruella
Dune
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
House of Gucci
Nightmare Alley

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Dune
The Matrix Resurrections
Nightmare Alley
No Time to Die
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

BEST COMEDY
Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar
Don’t Look Up
Free Guy
The French Dispatch
Licorice Pizza

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Encanto
Flee
Luca
The Mitchells vs the Machines
Raya and the Last Dragon

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
A Hero
Drive My Car
Flee
The Hand of God
The Worst Person in the World

BEST SONG
Be Alive – King Richard
Dos Oruguitas – Encanto
Guns Go Bang – The Harder They Fall
Just Look Up – Don’t Look Up
No Time to Die – No Time to Die

BEST SCORE
Nicholas Britell – Don’t Look Up
Jonny Greenwood – The Power of the Dog
Jonny Greenwood – Spencer
Nathan Johnson – Nightmare Alley
Hans Zimmer – Dune

Critics Choice Association to Honor Rita Moreno at Inaugural “Celebration of Latino Cinema”

Posted on September 21, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a special celebration for the legendary Rita Moreno…

The 89-year-old Puerto Rican actress, dancer and singer will be honored alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda and Demián Bichir at the Critics Choice Association’s inaugural Celebration of Latino Cinema.

Moreno, Miranda and Bichor will be honored alog with a group of additional honorees, many associated with upcoming 2021 films, still to be announced.

The Celebration of Latino Cinema, to be presented virtually, will take place on Thursday, December 9, 2021 and aims to put a spotlight on the contributions of great Oscar-winning and -nominated artists like Moreno, Miranda and Bichir, but also Latino filmmaking in general, a facet of the motion picture industry that doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves during awards season.

Among other things, the CCA’s Celebration of Latino Cinema aims to change that.

“We are thrilled to be launching the first annual Celebration of Latino Cinema which recognizes the talented performers and skilled professionals who create the acclaimed films we are so proud to honor,” said Claudia Puig, a CCA member and co-programmer of the event.

“Films by our honorees represent the diverse and multi-faceted Latino community, and reflect our increasingly inclusive industry” said CCA board member and event co-programmer Clayton Davis.

The Celebration of Latino Cinema will be produced by Madelyn Hammond and Javier Infante of Madelyn Hammond & Associates. Stagedge will be responsible for transforming the show into an immersive virtual experience.

A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to LA Collab, whose mission is to accelerate Latino access, visibility and representation in the entertainment industry.

Moreno has won all four of the most prestigious awards in show business: an Oscar, a Tony, two Emmys, and a Grammy. She recently co-starred in the Latinx reimagining of Norman Lear’s classic sitcom One Day at a Time, and her documentary Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It had its world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival before being released in theaters; it will be broadcast on PBS’ American Masters in October. Moreno also co-stars in and executive produces Steven Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story.

She is a recipient of the Peabody Career Achievement Award, a Kennedy Center Honor, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Arts.

Miranda is a Pulitzer-, Grammy-, Emmy– and Tony Award-winning songwriter, actor and director, and creator and original star of Broadway’s Hamilton and In the Heights. A recipient of the MacArthur Foundation Award, a Kennedy Center Honor and the Portrait of a Nation Prize, he received an Emmy with Tom Kitt for their song “Bigger” from the 67th Tony Awards. Upcoming projects include Disney’s Encanto and his directorial film debut, tick, tick… BOOM!

Bichir received a Best Actor Oscar nomination in 2012 for his role in Chris Weitz’s A Better Life, becoming the first Mexican-born actor to be nominated in that category by the Academy since Anthony Quinn in 1957. He more recently received rave reviews for his performance in the film Land, directed by Robin Wright. His film credits include Steven Soderbergh’s Che, Oliver Stone’s Savages, Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight, Robert Rodriguez’s Machete Kills, Paul Feig’s The Heat, Richard Shepard’s Dom Hemingway, Ridley Scott’s Alien, George Clooney’s The Midnight Sky, and Adam Wingard’s Godzilla Vs. Kong.

Rita Moreno to Star in the Feature Film “The Prank”

Posted on August 13, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Rita Moreno is pranking around…

The 89-year-old Puerto Rican actress, singer and dancer, an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar & Tony Award winner) has landed a starring role in the feature film The Prank, which will be directed by Maureen Bharoocha.

Moreno will star opposite Connor Kalopsis and Ramona Young.

The Prank follows two high school students who play a prank on their physics teacher, Mrs. Wheeler, played by Moreno. When she fails them on a test; they teach the imperious, demanding, insulting instructor a lesson by falsely accusing her of the murder of a missing student.

Other cast in The Prank includes Keith David, Meredith Salenger, Jonathan Kimmel, Nathan Janak and Kate Flannery.

Filming begins this month in and around Los Angeles.

The dark comedy is written by Rebecca Flinn-White & Zak White.

“Rita Moreno is a force of nature and an icon who continues to redefine herself,” said Bharoocha. “Her brilliant comedic mind lends itself to the perfect ‘Mrs. Wheeler’, a character we have never seen her play, and one that will no doubt surprise audiences.”

Moreno has won an Oscar (West Side Story), a Tony (The Ritz), two Emmys (for her turns respectively in 1977 and 1978 on The Muppet Show and Rockford Files), and a Grammy (Best Children’s Album for The Electric Company).

Moreno has starred on Broadway and London’s West End, appeared in more than 40 feature films and has performed in numerous regional theaters, including her one-woman show, Life Without Makeup, at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. She recently co-starred in the critically acclaimed Latinx reimagining of Norman Lear’s classic sitcom One Day At A Time.

Her documentary, Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It, produced by Lear, Lin Manuel Miranda and Brent Miller had its world debut at the Sundance Film Festival this year. The film, which was met with acclaim from critics and audiences alike, will have its television debut on PBS’ American Masters nationwide on October 5.

Moreno also co-stars and is an executive producer of the Steven Spielberg remake of West Side Story, set to open on December 10.

The recipient of the Peabody Career Achievement Award and the Kennedy Center Honor for her lifetime contributions to American culture, she was also honored by her peers as the 50th recipient of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.

Moreno’s all-Spanish-language album, Una Vez Más, was produced by her good friend Emilio Estefan, and she is a New York Times bestselling author with her first book, Rita Moreno: A Memoir. Moreno has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush and the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama.

Rita Moreno to Perform in PBS’ “Wicked in Concert” Special

Posted on August 9, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a wicked time for Rita Moreno…

The 89-year-old Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer, a living Latina legend, will take part in PBS’ Wicked in Concert special.

Co-hosted by the Tony Award-winning musical’s original Broadway stars Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, the musical event will feature performances by Moreno, Mario Cantone, Gavin Creel, Ariana DeBose, Cynthia Erivo, Stephanie Hsu, Jennifer Nettles, Alex Newell, Isaac Powell, Amber Riley, Gabrielle Ruiz and Ali Stroker.

The starry line-up was announced by Nouveau Productions Executive Producer Robert Pullen. The concert special will air on Sunday, August 29 at 9:00 pm ET on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS Video App.

The concert, directed by Baayork Lee, is designed as a celebration of the return of Broadway following the 16-month COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.

This special will feature reimagined, never-before-heard Wicked musical arrangements created by music director and conductor Luke Frazier just for this broadcast, with performances filmed in multiple locations including Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and New York City.

Since opening on Broadway in 2003, Wicked, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman based on Gregory Maguire’s novel reimagining some characters from The Wizard of Oz, is the fifth longest-running show in Broadway history.

The musical has been seen by over 60 million people worldwide and has amassed over $5 billion in global sales.

Rachel Zegler to Star as Snow White in Disney’s Live-Action Adaptation of the Classic Animated Film

Posted on June 23, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Rachel Zegler’s royal coronation is around the corner…

The 20-year-old half-Colombian American actress and singer will star as Snow White in Disney’s live-action adaptation of the classic film that started it all for the studio’s legendary slate of animated features.

Marc Webb will direct the film, with Marc Platt producing. Production is expected to begin in 2022.

“Rachel’s extraordinary vocal abilities are just the beginning of her gifts,” said Webb of the actress who will star as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s new retelling of West Side Story. “Her strength, intelligence and optimism will become an integral part of rediscovering the joy in this classic Disney fairytale.”

The original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs cartoon, based on the Brothers Grimm fairytale, was released in 1938.

It was Disney’s inaugural animated feature and became a massive success for the studio.

Insiders say the live-action film will expand upon the story and music from the original. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the Oscar– and Tony Award-winning duo behind La La Land, The Greatest Showman and Dear Evan Hansen, will write new songs for the film.

The studio had been taking its time on the live-action adaptation because they wanted to get the music right, and insiders says higher-ups are excited with what Pasek and Paul have come up with so far.

As for the casting process, Webb and studio execs had been meeting with talent for several months for the role of Snow White. Zegler’s auditions impressed everyone, insiders say, but another factor was footage from West Side Story that blew away the Disney studio brass who’ve seen it, and helped push the decision across the finish line.

The casting also marks a step in the right direction of Disney diversifying its Disney Princess characters, after tapping Halle Bailey to play Ariel in the upcoming live-action The Little Mermaid film.

Zegler was just 17 when she beat out more than 30,000 actresses for the lead role of Maria in West Side Story. The new adaptation will debut on December 10 and also stars Ansel Elgort and Rita Moreno.

She’ll also star in her first big comic-book film, joining Zachary Levi in D.C.’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

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