Judy Reyes to Star in ABC’s Character-Based Procedural Drama Pilot “HPI (High Intellectual Potential)”

Posted on February 23, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Judy Reyes is reaching new potential…

The 55-year-old Dominican American actress and former Scrubs star has landed a series regular role opposite Kaitlin Olson and Daniel Sunjata in ABC’s character-based procedural drama pilot based on TF1’s popular detective series HPI (High Intellectual Potential).

The project hails from top TV and film writer Drew Goddard and ABC Signature, where Goddard and his Goddard Textiles are based.

Written by Goddard, the untitled HPI remake centers on Morgan (Olson), a single mom with three kids and an exceptional mind who helps solve an unsolvable crime when she rearranges some evidence during her shift as a cleaner for the police department. When they discover she has a knack for putting things in order because of her high intellectual potential she is brought on as a consultant to work with a by-the-book seasoned detective, Karadec (Sunjata), and together they form an unusual and unstoppable team.

Reyes will play Selena Soto.

In addition to Olson and Sunjata, series regular cast also includes Javicia Leslie as Daphne and Deniz Akdeniz as Lev “Oz” Osman.

In the original French series Haut Potentiel Intellectuel (HPI), created by Alice Chegaray-Breugnot, Stéphane Carrié and Nicolas Jean, the leads were played by Audrey Fleurot and Mehdi Nebbou.

Goddard and Sarah Esberg executive produce the ABC adaptation for Goddard Textiles; Rob Thomas, who serves as showrunner, and Dan Etheridge for Spondoolie Productions; and Pierre Laugier and Anthony Lancret for Itinéraire Productions, a UGC company. Alethea Jones is director and executive producer. Olson serves as producer.

Known for her work on Scrubs, Devious Maids and Claws, Reyes was recently seen in Birth/Rebirth, the AMC/Shutter film that premiered this year at Sundance.

Up next, Reyes can be seen in recurring roles in Season 2 of the Peacock anthology series Dr. Death and in Amazon’s The Horror of Dolores Roach.

On the film side, she’ll next be seen in a lead role in New Line’s Turtles All The Way Down for HBO Max. Most recently, she starred on the big screen in Paramount’s Smile.

Daniella Pineda Joins Cast of ABC’s “Home Economics” in Recurring Role

Posted on November 21, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Daniella Pineda is heading home…

The 49-year-old Cuban American actor has joined the cast of ABC’s Home Economics in a recurring guest star role for Season 3.

Home Economics, inspired by series co-creator Michael Colton’s real-life experiences, documents the uncomfortable yet heartwarming relationships of three siblings in very different situations: one in the ultra-rich, one in the middle class, and one scraping by.

Pineda will play the role of Nikki, a woman Connor (Jimmy Tatro) meets and tries to impress.

The series stars Topher Grace, Caitlin McGee, Karla Souza, Sasheer Zamata, Shiloh Bearman, Jordyn Curet, Chloe Jo Rountree and JeCobi Swain.

The comedy series currently airs on Wednesday nights at 9:30 pm.

Home Economics is produced by Lionsgate and ABC Signature.

Pineda most recently starred in Jurassic World: Dominion returning to the role of Zia Rodriguez from the 2018 film, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom where she co-starred opposite Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. In 2023, she will star in the feature film comedy In Town, which she also executive produced. Additionally, she will work opposite Gerard Butler and Mike Colter in the upcoming film, Plane, for Lionsgate and Di Bonaventura Pictures.

Her television credits include Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop, AMC’s Tales of the Walking Dead, and TBS’ The Detour. Pineda is repped by UTA, Kirsten Ames Management, and attorney Isaac Dunham.

Eddie Cibrian to Appear on Season 3 of ABC’s “Home Economics”

Posted on November 21, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Eddie Cibrian is building up his acting resume…

The 49-year-old Cuban American actor has joined the cast of ABC’s Home Economics in a recurring guest star role for Season 3.

Cibrian will portray the character of Santiago, an extremely good-looking contractor who starts working with Marina (Karla Souza).

The series stars Topher Grace, Caitlin McGee, Jimmy Tatro, Souza, Sasheer Zamata, Shiloh Bearman, Jordyn Curet, Chloe Jo Rountree and JeCobi Swain.

The comedy series currently airs on Wednesday nights at 9:30 pm.

Home Economics is produced by Lionsgate and ABC Signature.

Cibrian most recently starred in Netflix’s Country Comfort where he portrayed the character of Beau.

Prior to that, he was a lead in ABC’s Take Two and Fox’s Rosewood.

His other television credits include CBS’ CSI: Miami, ABC’s Ugly Betty and NBC’s Third Watch.

Hulu Renews Chris Estrada’s “This Fool” for Second Season

Posted on November 11, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Chris Estrada will be fooling around a little longer…

Hulu has renewed This Fool, starring the Latino comedy writer and actor, for a second season.

This Fool is a half-hour comedy set in working-class South Central Los Angeles. The show centers around Julio Lopez (Estrada), a 30-year-old who still lives at home, has been dating his girlfriend (Michelle Ortiz) on and off since high school, and finds any excuse to avoid dealing with his own problems. Julio works at Hugs Not Thugs, a gang rehabilitation non-profit, where he butts heads with his older cousin Luis (Frankie Quiñones), an ex-gang member who just got out of prison and moved in with Julio and his family.

The cast also includes Laura Patalano, Julia Vera and Michael Imperioli.

The first season premiered on August 12 and all 10 episodes are now streaming on Hulu.

This Fool is written and executive produced by Estrada, Pat Bishop, Jake Weisman and Matt Ingebretson. Jonathan Groff and Fred Armisen also serve as executive producers on the series. It’s a Hulu Original series from ABC Signature.

The second season will also consist of 10 episodes.

Eugenio Derbez’s 3Pas Studios Signs Multi-Year First-Look Deal with ABC Signature for English TV Content

Posted on October 29, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Eugenio Derbez is hoping to develop new television projects in English…

The 61-year-old Mexican actor and comedian’s 3Pas Studios, which he runs will Ben Odell, has signed a multi-year first-look deal with ABC Signature for English-language television content.

As part of the deal, 3Pas will develop and produce English-language projects for the studio.

Reporting to Derbez and Odell, Sonia Gambaro, the vice president of 3Pas’ English-language television division, will oversee development, identify and source talent, ideas, and IP for ABC Signature across all platforms.

“Eugenio and Ben transcend culture through their diverse and inclusive storytelling, driven by their deep connection to talent and source material from Latin America,” said Jonnie Davis, president of ABC Signature. “We couldn’t be more excited to shepherd their next wave of brilliant and culture-defining English language projects at the studio.”

3Pas has been creating content in both English and Spanish with multiple studio and platform partners over the last several years.

Most recently, the company’s series Acapulco premiered its second season on Apple TV+. It stemmed from the television deal 3Pas previously had at Lionsgate.

On the film front, Hulu recently released 3Pas’ film The Valet following the success of other Derbez-led projects including Overboard and How To Be A Latin Lover.

Derbez’s workplace comedy series titled They Came At Night is in development at Vix+, a project that stems from 3Pas’ deal with TelevisaUnivision for Spanish-language film and TV projects.

Additionally, they recently premiered their first Vix+ series, La Noche Del Diablito which premiered on October 13.

3Pas also recently re-upped its first-look film deal with Lionsgate.

“For actors, writers, directors, and creators like myself, Disney has long been a leader in inclusive and diverse storytelling. We are so grateful for this incredible opportunity to lift up new, diverse voices with ABC Signature,” said Derbez.

Added Odell, “At the heart of our stories we bring people together and celebrate our common humanity. We have a treasure trove of incredibly diverse stories, talent, and creators across the United States and Latin America. We can’t wait to start the party with ABC Signature and their fantastic team.”

Cristela Alonzo Partnering with Dan Bucatinsky to Develop “She Gets It From Me” for CBS

Posted on October 28, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Cristela Alonzo gets it…

The 43-year-old Mexican American comedian, actress, writer and producer will partner with Dan Bucatinsky to develop the series She Gets It From Me for CBS.

The semi-autobiographical single-camera comedy is inspired by Bucatinsky’s journey as an adoptive parent.

Alonzo, the first Latina woman to create, produce, write and star in her own US primetime comedy, will star in, co-write and executive produce the project.

The intention is for Bucatinsky to also star, but there isn’t an acting deal for him at this time, according to Deadline. Jennifer Lopez’s Nuyorican and Ryan Seacrest Prods. are producing for ABC Signature.

She Gets It From Me centers on what happens when the teenaged, adopted daughter of two hyper-devoted, straight-laced, suburban gay dads seeks out a relationship with her uniquely bold, take-no-prisoners, Latin birth mom (Alonzo). The series examines a contemporary blended family, a poignant and hilarious exploration of the shotgun marriage of not only the birth mom and the adoptive parents, but also the complications and joys of blending both of their big, noisy, multiethnic and multigenerational families.

She Gets It From Me draws on parenthood experiences Bucatinsky chronicled in his 2012 bestselling comedic memoir Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight?: Confessions of a Gay Dad. He’s reuniting with Lopez on the CBS comedy after appearing opposite her in the romantic comedy film Second Act.

Alonzo broke ground in 2014 with her ABC comedy Cristela. Her other television credits include HBO’s His Dark Materials, and Nickelodeon’s The Casagrandes and Legends of the Hidden Temple.

Alonzo has done two stand-up comedy specials for Netflix: 2017’s Lower Classy and 2022’s Middle Classy.

Paramount+ Confirms “Criminal Minds” Revival, Starring Adam Rodriguez

Posted on July 16, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Adam Rodriguez is heading back to his roots…

Following more than a year of on- and off- deal-making, Paramount+ has confirmed it has ordered to series a Criminal Minds revival starring the 47-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American actor and some of his former cast mates.

In addition to Rodriguez, who portrayed Luke Alvez on the original series, the six fan favorites returning for the reboot includes Joe Mantegna, Kirsten Vangsness, A.J. Cook, Aisha Tyler and Paget Brewster.

Also back is the series’ longtime executive producer/showrunner Erica Messer, who closed her deal to return earlier a couple of months ago.

The actors’ contracts had been contingent on Messer signing a pact with ABC Signature where she is under an overall deal.

By February, Criminal Minds studios ABC Signature and CBS Studios had reached a license agreement with Paramount+ for a 10-episode new season of Criminal Minds. The last several months were spent getting Messer and the cast officially on board, triggering a formal green light, with production slated to begin Aug. 21 in Los Angeles. Mantegna teased the shoot on Twitter with a picture of him on a soundstage “doing a little inspection today for an upcoming project” and #criminalminds.

In the revival series, FBI’s elite team of criminal profilers come up against their greatest threat yet, an UnSub who has used the pandemic to build a network of other serial killers. Now, as the world opens back up, the network goes operational, and the team must hunt them down, one murder at a time.

Mantegna, Vangsness, Rodriguez, Cook, Tyler and Brewster represent the majority of Criminal Minds’ cast in its 15th and final season. As Deadline reported in February, missing from the list are original cast member Matthew Gray Gubler, who had indicated that he was ready to move on after playing Spencer Reid for 15 years, and Daniel Henney, who stars in The Wheel of Time. The Prime Video series, which films in Prague, and any potential Henney guest appearance on Criminal Minds would be subject to his commitment to Wheel of Time and scheduling.

The actors’ agreements for Criminal Minds are multi-year and are not fully exclusive, according to Deadline, with the cast members able to do major recurring roles on ongoing series and series regular parts on limited series if production does not interfere.

The Criminal Minds revival, whose formal green light was first reported by TVLine, was announced with much fanfare at the streamer’s coming-out presentation last February. By July 31, Brewster told fans on Twitter that “we think it’s dead.” Fast forward six months to Feb. 1 when Nicole Clemens, President, Paramount+ Original Scripted Series, told reporters that Criminal Minds is “alive and well.”

“For 15 seasons, Criminal Minds was at the forefront of cutting-edge scripted drama as it explored the psychology behind crime – thrillingly,” Clemens said in a statement Thursday. “The series never stopped evolving during its run, and we are beyond excited to bring it back into a new era with new stories for a new generation of viewers at Paramount+. Erica, the whole cast and creative team are building a season full of new twists that we are sure will electrify audiences.”

The original series, created by Jeff Davis, follows a group of criminal profilers who work for the FBI as members of its Behavioral Analysis Unit, using behavioral analysis and profiling to investigate crimes and find perpetrators. The group is led by Senior Agent David Rossi (Mantegna) and includes Agents JJ Jareau (Cook), Tara Lewis (Tyler) and Luke Alvez (Rodriguez) as well as Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia (Vangsness) and Unit Chief Emily Prentiss (Brewster).

The classic broadcast procedural is being serialized for binge-driven streaming consumption, with the team coming back together to investigate a single case over 10 episodes in the new season for Paramount+.

Messer serves as showrunner, executive producer and writer. Breen Frazier and Chris Barbour will serve as writers and executive producers, Glenn Kershaw will direct and executive produce, and Mark Gordon will also serve as executive producer.

Criminal Minds is among Paramount Global’s most prized titles in the streaming era.

It had been a top performer on Netflix since before the streamer started releasing viewership information. While Paramount+ has all 15 seasons, Netflix carries the first 12. They accounted for 33.9 billion minutes of viewing on the global platform, making it the most watched title on Netflix in 2021. Criminal Minds also was the third-most-streamed series in 2020 on Netflix behind The Office and Grey’s Anatomy, with 590M hours viewed.

Mariel Molino’s “The Watchful Eye” Drama Picked Up to Series by Freeform

Posted on June 30, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Mariel Molino fins herself under a watchful eye…

Freeform has picked up to series The Watchful Eye (fka The Nanny) drama starring the 29-year-old Mexican American actress.

Molino, who most recently starred in Promised Land, will lead the ensemble cast of the series, which was ordered to pilot last year. It hails from Julie Durk, Ryan Seacrest Productions and ABC Signature.

Created by Durk, who also serves as consultant, The Watchful Eye is described as a Hitchcockian contemporary thriller that follows a young woman as she is thrust into a world of old money and deadly secrets. It follows Elena Santos, played by Molino, a young woman with a complicated past, maneuvering her way into working as a live-in nanny for an affluent family in Manhattan. She quickly learns that everyone in the mysterious building has deadly secrets and ulterior motives. What they don’t know, however, is that Elena has some shocking secrets of her own.

Molino’s Elena is a bright, savvy young woman hired as the live-in nanny to a wealthy widower and his young son. When Elena moves into The Greybourne, a landmark Manhattan apartment building, she quickly learns about the complex politics among its wealthy inhabitants and a history riddled with mystery and tragedy. Luckily, Elena is more than equipped to handle anything that comes her way on her own terms. Previously announced Warren Christie plays Matthew, a self-made architect dealing with grief and confusion over his wife’s death and its impact on his young son. Kelly Bishop portrays Mrs. Ivey, a lifelong resident of The Greybourne who rules the roost and is accustomed to getting her way through a potent combination of wealth, power and sheer force of will.

Molino takes over the role from Andrea Londos, who was cast as Elena in the pilot.

“I’m incredibly excited about this series because it presents a contemporary twist on the classic mystery and thriller genre,” said Jamila Hunter, EVP Programming and Development, Freeform. “Julie, Emily and everyone on the team have created a surprising world of haves and have-nots that’s perfect for Freeform’s audience.”

Additional cast includes Amy Acker as Tory, a woman who instantly dislikes the fresh-faced, eager young nanny hired by her handsome brother-in-law, Matthew. Jon Ecker stars as Scott, Elena’s sharp and cunning boyfriend who has helped arrange for Elena to get a live-in job at The Greybourne. Lex Lumpkin portrays Elliott, a precocious teenager who lives in The Greybourne and strikes up an instant friendship with Elena. Henry Joseph Samiri as Jasper, Matthew’s son, an intelligent but withdrawn child still reeling from the recent death of his mother. Aliyah Royale rounds out the cast as Ginny, who works alongside Elena as a nanny and is one of the few people who can get past her new friend’s tough outer shell.

Emily Fox serves as showrunner and executive producer. The series is produced by ABC Signature.

“We are so excited to be working with our partners at Freeform and ABC Signature on The Watchful Eye, an updated twist on a classic Hitchcockian thriller featuring an empowered female lead who’s got an ax to grind,” say Fox, Wass and Shay. “An elegant New York City apartment building called The Greybourne provides a backdrop where nothing is as it seems and where the palace intrigue has an undercurrent of terror. Elena Santos is very much a force to be reckoned with, and the Manhattan power players who underestimate her may soon realize they’ve met their match. In this day and age, who doesn’t secretly long to eat the rich?”

Molino most recently starred as Carmen Sandoval in Promised Land, which aired for one season on ABC. On the film side, she’ll next be seen in Eric Nazarian’s Die Like A Man.

Jacob Vargas to Appear on Disney+’s TV Series “National Treasure”

Posted on June 22, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Jacob Vargas is treasuring his latest gig…

The 50-year-old Mexican-American actor and performer has landed a heavily recurring role in National Treasure, Disney Branded Television’s television series for Disney+ produced by ABC Signature.

Executive produced by the films’ producer Jerry Bruckheimer, director Jon Turteltaub and writers Marianne and Cormac Wibberley, the project is an expansion of the National Treasure film franchise told from the point of view of young heroine Jess (Lisette Olivera), 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, 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.

Vargas plays Rafael a rugged, treasure-obsessed, adventurous soul with a good sense of humor.

Vargas recently portrayed Tony Ochoa on Mr. Iglesias for Netflix. He also recurred on Mayans M.C. and appeared on Luke Cage and Sons of Anarchy.

On the film side, he most recently was seen in Steven Soderbergh’s Kimi. His other film credits include Princess of the Row, The 33 and Diego Luna’s biopic Cesar Chavez.

Brandon Larracuente Lands Recurring Role on Season 6 of ABC’s “The Good Doctor”

Posted on April 20, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Brandon Larracuente has landed a special internship…

The 27-year-old Puerto Rican actor, who most recently starred in Freeform’s Party of Five, has landed a major recurring role on ABC’s The Good Doctor.

Larracuenta and fellow cast newcomer Savannah Welch will serve as the series’ newest St. Bonaventure interns.

Their characters will be introduced at the start of the recently picked up Season 6 and, as is the case with any new class of interns, the recurring castings include options for Larracuente and Welch to become series regulars.

Larracuente will play Daniel (aka Danny). In the hospital, he’s known to charm doctors and nurses alike, even with his interest in somewhat controversial alternative medicine. Outside of the hospital, he is a bit of a lone wolf and an intriguing mystery to his co-workers.

As recently revealed when ABC announced its season-finale dates, The Good Doctor‘s fifth season will conclude with Episode 18 as its season finale. The show kept its traditional production schedule from the last couple of years, filming 20 episodes per season, with the last two now premiering in the fall.

Larracuente and Welch are currently shooting their first episode, which will air at the top of Season 6.

The Good Doctor, which airs Monday nights at 10:00 pm on ABC, stars Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy, Hill Harper as Dr. Marcus Andrews, Richard Schiff as Dr. Aaron Glassman, Christina Chang as Dr. Audrey Lim, Fiona Gubelmann as Dr. Morgan Reznick, Will Yun Lee as Dr. Alex Park, Paige Spara as Lea Dilallo, Noah Galvin as Dr. Asher Wolke, and Bria Samone Henderson as Dr. Jordan Allen.

The series hails from Sony Pictures Television and ABC Signature. David Shore is the executive producer and showrunner. Daniel Dae Kim, Erin Gunn, David Kim, Sebastian Lee, Liz Friedman and Mike Listo are also executive producers.

ABC Signature is a part of Disney Television Studios.

Larracuente headlined Freeform’s Party of Five reboot and is also known for his major recurring role on the hit Netflix show 13 Reasons Why and for playing Kyle Chandler’s son in Bloodline. Two of the series, Party of Five and Bloodline, were produced by Sony Television.

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