Ana Ortiz to Star in Season 2 of Disney+’s Anthology Series “Goosebumps”

Posted on March 21, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Ana Ortiz is (goose)bumping up her television plans…

The 53-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress will star opposite David Schwimmer in the Disney+ anthology series Goosebumps for Season 2 as a series regular.

From Disney Branded Television and produced by Sony Pictures Television, the series is based upon R.L Stine’s bestselling Scholastic series. Each season features a new story, setting and cast. Season 2 will follow teenage siblings who discover a threat stirring, triggering a chain of events that unravel a profound mystery. As they delve into the unknown, the duo find themselves entangled in the chilling tale of four teenagers who mysteriously vanished in 1994.

Ortiz will play Jen, a dedicated police detective who remains rooted in her Brooklyn neighborhood after experiencing a tragic event that involved her friends in adolescence.

Nicholas Stoller and Rob Letterman developed the series and serve as executive producers, alongside showrunner Hilary Winston, Neal H. Moritz, Scholastic Entertainment’s Iole Lucchese, Pavun Shetty, Conor Welch, Scholastic Entertainment’s Caitlin Friedman and Erin O’Malley.

Ortiz broke out as Hilda Suarez on ABC’s hit comedy Ugly Betty, earning both American Latino Media Arts and Imagen Awards prizes for “Best Supporting Actress” for her portrayal as Betty’s (America Ferrera) sassy older sister.

Additional television credits include roles in Marc Cherry’s Devious Maids, The Mindy Project from Fox/Hulu, ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder, FX’s Over There and ABC’s Boston Legal, to name a few.

Most recently, Ortiz was a series regular on the Hulu series Love, Victor.

Isabella Ferreira Signs With Innovative Artists

Posted on October 18, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Isabella Ferreira is officially innovating…

The 20-year-old Latina actress, one of the young stars of Hulu’s teen dramedy Love, Victor, has signed with Innovative Artists for representation.

Set in the same universe as the hit 20th Century Fox film Love, Simon, based on the novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, Love, Victor wrapped up a three-season run on the streamer last summer. Created by Love, Simon scribes Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, who also served as showrunners, the show follows the journey of Victor, a high school student coming to terms with his sexuality while navigating the ups and downs of love, family, and friendships.

Starring alongside Michael Cimino as Victor, as well as Ana Ortiz, James Martinez, Rachel Naomi Hilson and others, Ferreira played the role of Pilar, Victor’s sullen younger sister in the throws of teenage angst.

The Philadelphia native also recently starred alongside Rowan Blanchard and Auli’i Cravalho in Crush, the coming-of-age rom-com marking the directorial debut of Sammi Cohen, which was produced for Hulu by companies including American High. In the film released in April of last year, a young aspiring artist is forced to join her high school track team, using it as an opportunity to pursue the girl she’s been harboring a long-time crush on. But she soon finds herself falling for an unexpected teammate and discovers what real love feels like.

Ferreira previously appeared in Jenji Kohan’s Emmy-winning series Orange Is the New Black, as well as the pandemic-inspired anthology series Social Distance, on which Kohan was an EP, both of which were for Netflix.

She’ll next be seen starring alongside Kaitlin Olson, Bobby Cannavale, Scott MacArthur, Mason Thames and more in the upcoming Spyglass film Incoming, a comedy from filmmakers John and Dave Chernin that watches as four freshmen navigate the terrors of adolescence at their first-ever high school party.

Ana Ortiz In Final Talks to Star in the HBO Max Drama Pilot “More”

Posted on November 23, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Ana Ortiz is thisclose to one more project…

The 51-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress is finalizing a deal to lead the cast of the HBO Max drama pilot More, from Amy Chozick, Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television.

Ortiz, who will star alongside Christian Serratos, replaces Veronica Falcón, who originally was tapped for the role.

The recasting decision was made after the table read, according to Deadline.com

Written by journalist Chozick and inspired by her reporting, More follows the Lorenz family, a tight-knit clan of seemingly flawless Latinas led by mom/mastermind Leona (Ortiz). The Lorenzes are the Vanderbilts or the Astors of the Instagram era. Drawing some parallels to the Kardashians and their “momager” Kris Jenner, the Lorenzes pulled their way up from debt and obscurity to reality TV stardom and forged a billion-dollar mega-conglomerate not from oil or steel but from something more elusive and modern: influence.

Ortiz’s Leona Lorenz is the matriarch of the Lorenz family media dynasty. A former single mom, Leona used her formidable, self-taught business skills to scrap her way to the 1 percent, parlaying her four glistening daughters (Serratos, Ceci Fernandez, Yvette Monreal, Georgie Flores) into a billion-dollar media empire, with a top-rated reality TV show and lucrative brand partnerships. But can this stage mom for the Instagram era acquire more fame and power than even she could imagine, without losing her grip on her daughters?

Chozick and Natalie Chaidez serve as executive producers and co-showrunners.

Best known for her role as Hilda Suarez on Ugly Betty, Ortiz recently starred as Isabel, Victor’s mother, on Hulu/Disney+’s Love, Victor. She also co-starred on Whiskey Cavalier, which aired for one season on ABC, and recurred on the second season of Netflix’s Special.

Charlie Sheen to Star in the New Hollywood Dramedy Series “Ramble On”

Posted on March 3, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Charlie Sheen is ready to ramble…

The 56-year-old part-Spanish American actor and former Two and a Half Men star will be heading back to television.

He has partnered with Entourage creator Doug Ellin for Ramble On, a new dramedy series set in Hollywood.

The series will star Sheen and Entourage’s Kevin Connolly and Kevin Dillon as themselves as Hollywood veterans looking to reinvent their voices alongside up and comers looking to establish their own.

It will also feature Sheen’s father Martin Sheen, Kimiko Glenn, Bre-Z, John C. McGinley, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Zulay Henao, Mark Cuban, James Hiroyuki Liao, Harvey Guillén, Ana Ortiz, Sara Sanderson, Mikaela Hoover and Adam Waheed with a guest appearance by Entourage alum Emmanuelle Chriqui.

Ramble On is produced by Angry Lunch, a new production company founded by Ellin and Ted Foxman, in association with Action Park Media. The pair will executive produce alongside Gary Goldman with Jeremy Alter producing.

A pilot episode, which is being financed by Foxman and Ellin, wrapped this week. The producers are in talks with buyers for the show but could also look at new ways of distribution.

“This idea has been spinning in my head for years and seeing it come to life is incredible,” said Ellin. “I feel beyond grateful that so many of my Entourage crew and cast members, along with some of the most talented, comedic forces in the industry, have joined us on this exciting new journey. We cannot wait to share this with the world.”

Eva Longoria Among Celebrities & Entertainment Figures Encouraging World Leaders to “End the COVID-19 Pandemic Now”

Posted on September 21, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is urging on world leaders to take action to end the ongoing coronavirus pandemic…

Tuesday morning, just before President Joe Biden addressed the United Nations for the first time, more than 80 celebrities and entertainment figures, including the 46-year-old Mexican American actress, producer and activist, issued an open letter to world leaders calling for them to end “the COVID-19 pandemic now.”

The letter, which mentioned the United Nations General Assembly Session specifically, was posted on the website of CARE, an organization dedicated to ending poverty worldwide.

It was signed by a raft of boldfaced names including Longoria, Debra Messing, Alyssa Milano, Anne Hathaway, Malin Akerman, Debbie Allen, Jordana Brewster, Connie Britton, Ciara, Peter Dinklage, Richard Gere, Dolores Huerta, Joel McHale, Iman, Edward James Olmos, Laura Linney, Julianna Margulies, Joel McHale, Idina Menzel, Ana Ortiz, Adam Shankman, Michael Sheen, Adam Shulman and Sarah Silverman.

Specifically, the letter calls COVID-19 “a manmade pandemic of apathy.” It states that “Only 2% of people in low-income countries have received a single dose.” The signatories call on “global leaders to make 7 billion vaccine doses available before the end of 2021, and an additional 7 billion doses by mid-2022 to fully vaccinate 70% of the world by next summer.”

Those are lofty goals given the world’s most highly vaccinated countries, like the U.S., remain well under 70%.

It also asks leaders to “invest in last-mile delivery systems, public education, and frontline healthcare workers to get vaccines from tarmacs into arms.”

Here’s the full letter:

An open letter to world leaders on ending the COVID-19 pandemic now.

None of us are safe until all of us are safe.

We call on leaders gathering at the United Nations General Assembly Session to boldly act
together to end COVID-19 everywhere.

COVID-19 is now a manmade pandemic of apathy. Only 2% of people in low-income countries have received a single dose, leaving the world’s most vulnerable to face COVID with no
protection. This situation also lets new variants, like Delta, emerge and ravage the lives of
millions.

We are joining with CARE to call on global leaders to make 7 billion vaccine doses available before the end of 2021, and an additional 7 billion doses by mid-2022 to fully vaccinate 70%
of the world by next summer.

To get this done the world community must also invest in last-mile delivery systems, public education, and frontline healthcare workers to get vaccines from tarmacs into arms. Millions
of doses could go to waste because low-income countries don’t have the support they
need to get vaccines to vulnerable people.

We can save millions of lives — and trillions in further economic damage — by meeting this moment with the resources and political will needed to end COVID-19 for everyone,
everywhere. Because none of us are safe until all of us are safe.

Malin Akerman
Debbie Allen
Dorothy Amuah
Morena Baccarin
Adriana Barraza
Troian Bellisario
Bobby Berk
Jordana Brewster
Connie Britton
Karamo Brown
Gloria Calderón Kellett
Ciara
Tena Clark
Kim Coates
Madison Cowan
Alexandra Daddario
Peter Dinklage
Melinda Doolittle
Tan France
Richard Gere
Duff Goldman
Tony Goldwyn
Fiona Gubelmann
Anne Hathaway
Ingrid Hoffmann
Anders Holm
Dolores Huerta
Osas Ighodaro
Joel McHale
Iman
Edward James Olmos
Sonam Kapoor Ahuja
Ellie Krieger
Iskra Lawrence
Annie Lennox
Lola Lennox
Esther Lewis
Laura Linney
Kimberly Locke
Eva Longoria
Anja Manuel
Julianna Margulies
Catherine McCord
Joel McHale
Spike Mendelsohn
Idina Menzel
Debra Messing
Alyssa Milano
Sepideh Moafi
Tamera Mowry-Housley
Yvette Nicole Brown
Christina Ochoa
Ana Ortiz
Helen Pankhurst
Jessica Pimentel
Julie Plec
Adina Porter
Zac Posen
Leven Rambin
April Reign
Holland Roden
Sheila Shah
Adam Shankman
Omar Sharif Jr.
Michael Sheen
Adam Shulman
Sarah Silverman
Hannah Skvarla
Todd Snyder
Kimberly Steward
Curtis Stone
Christy Turlington Burns
Laura Vandervoort
Gabby Williams
Michelle Williams
Kimberly Williams-Paisley
Russell Wilson
Scott Wolf
Kelley Wolf
Bellamy Young
Rachel Zoe

Hulu Releases First Trailer for Season 2 of Michael Cimino’s “Love, Victor”

Posted on May 21, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cimino is returning to Love in June…

Hulu has released the first trailer for its popular teen dramedy Love, Victor, starring the 21-year-old part-Puerto Rican actor.

The new season finds a newly out of the closet Victor (Cimino) entering his junior year at Creekwood High — a new chapter that brings with it new challenges. As he navigates his romance with Benji, Victor juggles a family struggling with his coming-out, his heartbroken ex-girlfriend Mia, and the difficulties of being an openly gay star athlete.

Rachel Hilson, Anthony Turpel, Bebe Wood, Mason Gooding, George Sear, Isabella Ferreira, Mateo Fernandez, James Martinez and Ana Ortiz also star.

Love, Simon original writers Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger serve as executive producers alongside Brian Tanen, Jason Ensler, Isaac Klausner, Marty Bowen, Adam Fishbach, Wyck Godfrey, Pouya Shahbazian and Adam Londy.

Season 2 premieres on June 11 with all episodes on Hulu.

Ana Ortiz to Appear on Second Season of Netflix’s Comedy Series “Special”

Posted on March 29, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a special time for Ana Ortiz…

The 50-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress has landed a recurring role on the second season of Netflix’s Emmy-nominated comedy series Special, created by and starring Ryan O’Connell.

Ortiz joins a roster of cast newcomers that includes Charlie Barnett, Max Jenkins, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Lauren Weedman, newcomer Buck Andrews, Anjali Bhimani, Ajay Mehta and Karan Soni.

Additionally, Leslie Jordan (Will & Grace) will appear in a guest-starring role.

Based on O’Connell’s part-memoir, part-manifesto I’m Special: And Other Lies We Tell Ourselves, Special hails from Warner Bros. Television, Jim Parsons and Todd Spiewak’s That’s Wonderful Productions, Campfire and Stage 13.

The semi-autobiographical centers on a gay man with mild cerebral palsy, played by O’Connell, who decides to rewrite his identity as an accident victim and finally go after the life he wants. O’Connell also writes the series and executive produces.

The Season 2 logline: “Ryan really needs to get his shit together. It’s been two months and he still hasn’t spoken to Karen since their fight and he has a gnarly case of writer’s block that’s getting him in hot water with Olivia. Enter Tanner, a fun, flirty dance instructor who charms Ryan despite not being totally available. When his writer’s block eventually lifts, he’s inspired to write a longform piece about disability. From there, he begins a journey of self-discovery that creates unexpected complications in his relationship with Tanner. Meanwhile, Kim lets her guard down when she meets Harrison, a sensitive tech mogul with a humble background – but her insecurities and jealous tendencies continue to hamper her personal life and threaten to push Harrison away. With her spiraling credit card debt driving Kim even further towards rock bottom, she makes a hard choice to regain control of her finances and personal life. Since taking care of Ryan was her life’s purpose until their fight, Karen realizes that she needs to take an active approach to create a fulfilling life for herself – beyond just taking care of her ailing mother. Will she be content with continuing to clean up everyone else’s messes, or will Karen be able to lean into her newfound independence and create a life that centers around her own desires for once? This season is about our primary characters—Ryan, Karen and Kim—coming into their power and realizing they all deserve big gorgeous lives—whether society agrees or not, bitch!”

Ortiz plays Susan, Phil’s new girlfriend. Charming and outgoing, she empathizes with Karen’s struggle to parent Ryan, as she also has a strained relationship with her child.

In addition to O’Connell, Jessica Hecht and Punam Patel return as series regulars. Marla Mindelle, Gina Hughes and Patrick Fabian return as guest stars this season.

Special is created, written and executive produced by O’Connell.

Craig Johnson will direct episodes 205-208.

Jacob Vargas to Star in Steven Soderbergh’s Next Film “KIMI”

Posted on March 18, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Jacob Vargas has lined up his next big role…

The 49-year-old Mexican actor has joined the cast of Steven Soderbergh’s next film, the New Line Max Original feature KIMI, with Zoë Kravitz on board to star.

Byron Bowers and Jaime Camil are also on board.

The film will premiere exclusively on HBO Max. David Koepp penned the script and will produce with Michael Polaire.

Plot details are being kept under wraps.

The film would mark the second collaboration between Warner Bros Pictures Group, HBO Max and Soderbergh since the recent restructuring of the studio, and the third between Soderbergh and HBO Max. It follows No Sudden Move, the upcoming starry Max Original ensemble crime thriller from Warner Bros. Pictures that features Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, David Harbour, Amy Seimetz, Jon Hamm, Ray Liotta, Kieran Culkin, Brendan Fraser, Noah Jupe, Bill Duke, Frankie Shaw and Julia Fox.

Soderbergh’s most recent pic, Let Them All Talk, with Meryl Streep, premiered on HBO Max in December.

Vargas and Soderbergh’s partnership goes all the way back to Soderbergh’s Oscar-winning drug trafficking film Traffic, where Vargas played del Toro’s partner Manolo. Vargas would later appear in Soderbergh’s HBO series Mosaic.

He currently stars in the Netflix series Mr. Iglesias and was previously on the series Luke Cage and Sons of Anarchy. Recent film credits include Mark Carlson’s Princess of the Row opposite Martin Sheen and Ana Ortiz, The 33 as Edison “Elvis” Peña, one of the 33 Chilean miners that was trapped for 69 days, and Diego Luna’s biopic Cesar Chavez as Richard Chavez opposite Michael Peña.

Hulu to Premiere Second Season of Michael Cimino’s “Love, Victor” in June

Posted on February 26, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cimino’s ready for some summer Love-in…

Hulu will release the second season of its teen dramedy, Love, Victor, starring the 21-year-old half-Puerto Rican actor in June.

Love, Victor will release all 10 episodes of its second season on Friday, June 11.

The series picks up with a newly out-of-the-closet Victor (Cimino) entering his junior year at Creekwood High. Ana Ortiz, James Martinez, Isabella Ferreira, Mateo Fernandez, Rachel Naomi Hilson, George Sear, Bebe Wood, Anthony Turpel and Mason Gooding also star.

Hulu Renews Michael Cimino’s “Love, Victor” for a Second Season

Posted on August 7, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

There’s more love in Michael Cimino’s future…

Hulu has ordered a second season of its breakout new series Love, Victor, starring the 20-year-old half-Puerto Rican actor.

The series, an offshoot of the 2018 feature Love, Simon, ranked as the No. 1 most-watched drama on Hulu during its premiere week in June when all episodes were released together.

The series hails from This Is Usexecutive producers/co-showrunners Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, who wrote the movie based on Becky Albertalli’s young adult novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.

Love, Victor migrated to Hulu after being originally developed at Disney+.

The first season followed Victor (Cimino), a new student at Creekwood High School, on his own journey of self-discovery, facing challenges at home, adjusting to a new city and exploring his sexual orientation. As Victor and his friends mature, so will season two, promising to build on these themes of sexual identity, acceptance and navigating the odyssey we all know as high school.

In addition to Cimino, the series also stars Ana Ortiz, James Martinez, Isabella Ferreira, Mateo Fernandez, Rachel Naomi Hilson, Bebe Wood, George Sear, Anthony Turpel and Mason Gooding.

20th Century Fox Television is the studio.

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Celebrating the Latino Influence

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