Starz Releases Season 2 Trailer for Allen Maldonado’s Wrestling Drama “Heels”

Posted on June 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Allen Maldonado is returning to the mat…

Starz has released the official Season 2 trailer for its wrestling drama Heels, starring the 40-year-old Afro-Puerto Rican actor and filmmaker.

The series will return on Friday, July 28 at midnight (ET) on the Starz app. It will also debut on the Starz channel at 10:00 pm ET/PT in the United States and Canada on Friday, July 28.

The second season brings fans back to the family-owned wrestling organization, Duffy Wrestling League (DWL), where brothers and rivals, Jack (Stephen Amell) and Ace Spade (Alexander Ludwig), continue to fight over their late father’s legacy and their individual versions of success, while also working to find their own identity as a “face” or a “heel.”

Maldonado portrays Rooster Robbins on the series.

This season also stars Alison Luff as Staci Spade, Mary McCormack as Willie Day, Kelli Berglund as Crystal Tyler, Chris Bauer as Wild Bill Hancock, Trey Tucker as Bobby Pin, Robby Ramos as Diego Cottonmouth, Alice Barrett Mitchell as Carol Spade, and Roxton Garcia as Thomas Spade, David James Elliot as Tom Spade, Joel Murray as Eddie Earl. CM Punk as Ricky Rabies, AJ Mendez as Elle Dorado, Josh Segarra as Brooks Rizzo and Emmy Raver-Lampman as Jen Lussier.

Season two begins after a spectacular showing at the South Georgia State Fair, and the Duffy Wrestling League’s popularity is suddenly on the upswing. Hoping to seize the opportunity, Jack and his cohorts prepare for a possible business deal with a new streaming service that may propel them onto a national stage. But the past threatens to upset everything when Ace leaves Duffy and the Dome.

Heels is produced through Mike O’Malley Ink and LBI Entertainment in association with Lionsgate Television for Starz.

Allen Maldonado Co-Developing Comedy Series “Get Buckets” for Fox TV

Posted on January 24, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Allen Maldonado is expanding his buckets list…

Fox is developing the single-camera comedy series Get Buckets with the 39-year-old Afro-Puerto Rican actor and filmmaker and his fellow executive producers/writers Stephen Falk, Darrell Britt-Gibson and Brandon Mychal Smith.

Maldonado, Britt-Gibson, and Smith will also star.

Get Buckets follows three estranged brothers who must band together following their billionaire father’s untimely death to figure out how to run the professional basketball team he left behind — and how to be a family.

In addition to Falk, Maldonado, Britt-Gibson and Smith, Blake Griffin, Ryan Kalil, and Noah Weinstein of Mortal Media will also executive produce. Fox Entertainment is the studio.

Maldonado is gearing up for his return to the small screen in Season 2 of the Starz wrestling drama series Heels in the role of Rooster Robbins. Additionally, he’ll reprise the role of Coach Long in ABC’s The Wonder Years for its sophomore season dropping this summer.

On film, he currently stars as Kyle in House Party, the reboot/remake of the 1990 comedy of the same name. Other credits include Straight Out of Compton, Maya and the Three, The Last O.G., and Black-ish.

Allen Maldonado Joins Netflix & Legendary’s “Tomb Raider” Anime Series

Posted on October 30, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Allen Maldonado is ready to raid tombs…

The 38-year-old half-Puerto Rican actor and filmmaker has joined the voice cast of of Netflix and Legendary’s Tomb Raider anime series alongside Shadow of the Tomb Raider video game franchise alum Earl Baylon.

The project is based on the Square Enix action-adventure video game that has spawned comic books and three feature films, with a fourth on the way.

Maldonado and Baylon join previously announced Hayley Atwell, who voices iconic adventurer Lara Croft. The announcement comes as part of Square Enix, Crystal Dynamics, and Eidos-Montréal Tomb Raider 25th anniversary celebration.

The series will pick up after the video game reboot trilogy and follow the heroine 25 years after her first game appeared as she explores new territory.

Tomb Raider will be written by Tasha Huo, who is executive producing with dj2 Entertainment founder and CEO Dmitri M. Johnson, Stephan Bugaj and Howard Bliss. Jacob Robinson will be an executive producer via his company Tractor Pants.

Baylon will reprise his role from the video game as the voice of one of Lara’s most-trusted friends and voice of reason, Jonah Maiava.

Maldonado will voice tech expert and colleague Zip.

The Tomb Raider video games, developed by Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montréal and published by Square Enix, have sold more that 85 million copies in their quarter-century of existence. The most recent release in the series was 2018’s Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Allen is a series regular on Starz’s Heels. He’s also been cast in New Line’s reimagining of the 1990 hit comedy House Party for HBO Max and will be seen in Psych 3.

Allen Maldonado to Appear on ABC’s “The Wonder Years” Revival

Posted on July 31, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a Wonder-ful time for Allen Maldonado.

The 38-year-old Afro-Puerto Rican actor has landed a recurring role on ABC’s The Wonder Years revival.

Maldonado will portray Coach Long, an affable guy who takes his job coaching a pre-teen baseball team very seriously. His son Tony is part of the team, Dean Williams (Elisha E.J. Williams) the center character of the story. Both Tony and Dean ask their Coach if they can scrimmage against an all-white team across town, Long is not interested— that is until Dean’s mom Lillian (Saycon Sengbloh) convinces him that it’s a good idea.

Written by Saladin Patterson and directed by Fred Savage, the revival of the classic 1980s family comedy-drama is set in the same era as the original. It looks at how the Williamses, a Black middle-class family in Montgomery, AL, in the turbulent late 1960s made sure it was the Wonder Years for them too. Lee Daniels serves as executive producer.

Dulé Hill portrays Dean’s dad Bill Williams and Don Cheadle narrates as adult Dean.

Maldonado currently stars in the Starz wrestling drama Heels.

Netflix Picks Up Allen Maldonado’s Comedy Series “Sneakerheads”

Posted on August 18, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Allen Maldonado is (sneaker)heading to Netflix…

Netflix has picked up Sneakerheads, a six-episode comedy series starring the 37-year-old Afro-Puerto Rican actor and Andrew Bachelor.

Hailing from creator Jay Longino and Complex Networks, the Netflix original series is set to premiere on September 25.

The series centers around Devin (Maldonado), a former sneakerhead turned stay-at-home dad who gets back in the game only to quickly find himself five G’s in the hole after falling for one of old friend Bobby’s (Bachelor) get-rich-quick schemes. Desperate to get his money back before his wife finds out he’s fallen off the wagon, Devin enlists the help of a ragtag group of fellow shoe lovers on his global hunt for the elusive “Zeroes,” the holy grail of hard-to-find kicks.

The series also stars Jearnest Corchado, Matthew Josten, Yaani King Mondschein, Justin Lee, and Aja Evans.

Sneakerheads is a Complex Networks production.

Maldonado’s previous television credits include The Last O.G., Black-ish, You’re The Worst and The Young and the Restless.

Rodrigo Santoro to Star in Netflix’s Still-Untitled Sci-Fi Thriller

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a thrilling time for Rodrigo Santoro…

The 43-year-old Brazilian actor has joined the supporting cast of Netflix’s yet-to-be-titled sci-fi thriller.

Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Dominique Fishback are set as leads in the film, which will be directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman.

Other supporting cast members include Allen Maldonado, Amy Landecker, Colson Baker, aka Machine Gun Kelly, Andrene Ward-Hammond and Kyanna Simpson.

Mattson Tomlin penned the screenplay. Filmmakers are staying mum on plot details.

Santoro, best known for his portrayal of Persian King Xerxes in the movie 300 and its sequel 300: Rise of an Empire, was most recently cast in theHulupilot Reprisal. His other credits include HBO’s Westworld.

Maldonado co-starred in the Sony film, Superfly and Netflix’s First Match.

Esai Morales to Star in Sony Pictures’ “Superfly” Remake

Posted on January 30, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Esai Morales’ career is soaring to new heights…

The 55-year-old Puerto Rican actor will star in the Director X-helmed Superfly remake from Sony Pictures, which will debut in theaters June 15.

Morales will portray play Adalberto.

The Alex Tse-penned script is based on the 1972 original blaxploitation crime drama, which followed an African American cocaine dealer who tries to secure one more deal before getting out of the business.

Morales joins a cast that includes Trevor Jackson, Jason Mitchell, Lex Scott Davis, Andrea Londo, Jacob Ming-Trent, Omar Chapparo, and Allen Maldonado.

Joel Silver is producing the film with rap star Future, who is also putting together the film’s soundtrack.

Morales, who currently stars on ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder, rose to acclaim in the Richie Valens biopic La Bamba. He’s also appeared in PBS’ American Family, Showtime’s Resurrection Blvd., NYPD Blue and Caprica.

Allen Maldonado to Star in Sony’s “Superfly” Remake

Posted on January 25, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Allen Maldonado is flying high…

The 34-year-old part-Puerto Rican actor will star as Litty in Sony’s Superfly remake, which has Director X at the helm.

Alex Tse will pen the screenplay based on the original Gordon Parks Jr.-directed blaxploitation crime drama, which follows an African American cocaine dealer who tries to secure one more deal before getting out of the business.

Lex Scott Davis, Andrea Londo, Jacob Ming-Trent, and Omar Chapparo will co-star.

The film is slated to open in theaters on June 15.

Maldonado, who recurs on ABC’s Black-ish, co-stars opposite Tracy Morgan and Tiffany Haddish on TBS’ Jordan Peele-created comedy series, The Last O.G, which premieres in April.

Maldonado to Star Opposite Tracy Morgan in Still-Untitled TBS Comedy Series

Posted on March 15, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Allen Maldonado is ready for a little family bonding.

The half-Puerto Rican actor will star opposite Tracy Morgan in Morgan’s straight-to-series comedy at TBS.

The untitled series centers on Tray (Morgan). After being released on good behavior from a 15-year prison stint, he’s shocked to see how much the world has changed in his absence. Returning to his newly-gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood, Tray discovers that his former girlfriend has married an affable, successful white man, who’s helping raise the twin sons Tray never knew existed. Wanting nothing more than to connect with his children, but having no money to support them or himself, Tray falls back on the skills he learned in prison to make ends meet.

Maldonado will play Cousin Bobby, Tray’s loyal cousin, not the brightest tool in the shed. He was just 15 when Tray first went to prison, and he’s grown up to be a small-time hustler who is always looking for the latest scam. He helps Tray adjust to life on the outside.

The project, executive produced by Jordan Peele, was first set up at FX with a pilot order. It was picked up by TBS after FX opted not to move forward.

Maldonado has starred for the past three seasons as Curtis on ABC’s Black-ish. He previously played DeShauwn on Survivor’s Remorse and also appeared in the feature Straight Outta Compton.

Maldonado Lands Recurring Role on ABC’s “Black-ish”

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Allen Maldonado is ready to assist…

The 31-year-old half-Puerto Rican actor has landed a recurring role in ABC’s breakout comedy series Black-ish.

Maldonado will portray Curtis, the new assistant to Andre “Dre” Johnson’s (played by Anthony Anderson).

Created and executive produced by Kenya Barris, Black-ish centers on an African-American family man who struggles to gain a sense of cultural identity while raising his kids in a predominantly white, upper-middle-class neighborhood.

Maldonado, best known for starring as Honey Nutz on the television series You’re the Worst, appears alongside Jennifer Aniston in the feature film Cake. His upcoming projects include Forest Whitaker’s Dope and Ice Cube’s N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton.

He also had a recent guest turn on Adult Swim’s Black Jesus.