Miranda to Perform at One-Night Only Broadway Show Benefiting Hillary Clinton’s Hillary Victory Fund

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Lin-Manuel Miranda is stumping for Hillary Clinton…

The 36-year-old Puerto Rican actor and Hamilton star/creator has joined the list of Broadway and Hollywood stars teaming up for a one-night only Broadway performance benefiting the Hillary Victory Fund.

Miranda joins a lineup that includes Julia Roberts and Hugh Jackman, all appearing in support of Clinton.

The show, “Stronger Together,” features Chelsea Clinton as a special guest and Billy Crystal as host, appearing alongside familiar faces including Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Emily Blunt, Anne Hathaway, Josh Groban, Angela Bassett, Neil Patrick Harris, Helen Mirren, Sienna Miller, Bernadette Peters, Cynthia Erivo, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Sarah Jones, Andrea McArdle and Ayodele Casel.

Organizers of the evening promise new duets and collaborations.

Michael Mayer, the Spring Awakening and Hedwig and the Angry Inch director whose Off-Broadway production of Love, Love, Love is now running, will direct the production, with Diane Paulus on board as special consultant. John Guare serves as script consultant, with Seth Rudetsky as musical director.

The event is set for October 17 at the St. James Theater, the Jujamcyn-owned venue currently occupied by “Something Rotten!,” which is dark on Monday nights.

Tickets are on sale on the Hillary Clinton website.

Armisen’s IFC mockumentray series “Documentary Now!” Premiering in September

Posted on July 31, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It’s anchors aweigh for Fred Armisen…

IFC is set to kick off its new season of its mockumentary television series Documentary Now!, starring the 49-year-old half-Venezuelan actor and former Saturday Night Live star, Bill Hader and Seth Meyers, on September 14.

Co-created by Armisen, Hader, Meyers and Rhys Thomas, Documentary Now! lovingly parodies some of the world’s best-known documentaries

The new season will being with a send-up of the 1993 political docu The War Room, about Bill Clinton’s campaign for POTUS in ’92. Hader reprises his James Carville, while Armisen, in a memorable wig, portrays Good Morning America anchor and political correspondent George Stephanopoulos.

Hader said they decided to spoof The War Room because it’s a documentray that affected comedy series for years to come, citing The Larry Sanders Show and The Office. “It started with that documentary,” he said.

Plus, Carville and Stephanopoulos “were two characters Fred and I could play,” Hader said. “We could totally play those characters”

Anne Hathaway, Mia Farrow, Peter Bogdanovich and Peter Fonda guest on this season of Documentary Now!

The mocumentary series is produced by Broadway Video.

Trailer Released for Bonham Carter’s “Alice Through The Looking Glass”

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Helena Bonham Carter is a glass act…

The first full trailer for Alice Through The Looking Glass – the sequel to Disney’s 2010 blockbuster Alice In Wonderland – has been released, featuring the 49-year-old part-Spanish actress reprising her role as Iracebeth of Crims, the Red Queen.

For the original film, Bonham Carter’s head was digitally increased to three times its original size on screen.

Along with Bonham Carter, Alice Through The Looking Glass returns most of the cast — among them Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska and the voices of Stephen Fry, Alan Rickman and Michael Sheen — and screenwriter Linda Wolverton but not original director Tim Burton (he’s a producer on this one, with Muppets helmer James Bobin taking over).

Among the newcomers is Sacha Baron Cohen, who portrays a major cog in this new story based on Lewis Carroll’s original: he plays Time, who is part-human, part-clock (and has borrowed some outfits from Brüno’s closet apparently). When Alice returns to a much different Wonderland, she must go on a quest to borrow the Chronosphere, a metallic globe inside the Grand Clock’s chamber. This sends her into the past, where she comes across friends and enemies at different points in their lives, and a race to save Depp’s Hatter (looking quite put out here) before time runs out.

The 3D pic has a May 27, 2016 release date.

Saldanha’s “Rio 2” Breaks Animated Film Records in Brazil

Posted on March 31, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Saldanha has plenty of reason to get animated…

The 49-year-old Brazilian animated film director’s latest project Rio 2, the sequel to 2011’s beloved film Rio, has made history in Brazil.

The film had the biggest opening ever for an animated film in the South American country.

The Blue Sky Studios project from Saldanha, who hails from the titular town, took off with $7.3 million to edge out the prior record-holder, Madagascar 3.

The film’s voice cast includes Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Leslie Mann, Bruno Mars, George Lopez, will.i.am, Rodrigo Santoro, Jake T. Austin, Bebel Gilberto, Andy Garcia, Rita Moreno, Kristin Chenowith, Natalie Morales and Janelle Monáe.

Rio 2 will be released in the United States on April 11.

Mars Perfoms “Welcome Back” on “Rio 2” Soundtrack

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Bruno Mars isn’t just voicing a character in Rio 2… He’s also performing a single on the animated film’s soundtrack.

The 28-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer performs the track “Welcome Back” on Rio: Music From the Motion Picture, which will be released by Atlantic Records.

In addition to Mars’ single, the soundtrack to the animated musical comedy will include musical numbers from Grammy winner Janelle Monáe; Barbatuques, Andy Garcia and Rita Moreno; and Carlinhos Brown and Nina De Freitas.

It will also include songs from the voice cast, including Anne Hathaway, Jamie Foxx, Kristin Chenoweth and Jesse Eisenberg

Rio: Music From the Motion Picture will be available March 25.

The family-friendly feature returns to Brazil ahead of this summer’s World Cup, with Hathaway, Eisenberg, Foxx and will.i.am reprising their roles as a few of Rio’s colorful feathered inhabitants.

New additions include The X Factor finalist Rachel Crow and NBC Today show news anchor and South American native Natalie Morales.

The story will follow Blu (Eisenberg), a neurotic blue macaw, and Jewel (Hathaway), his free-spirited mate, as well as their three kids. The conflict of the film arises when Jewel expresses her desire to raise the chicks in the Amazon as “real birds” rather than in their current domesticated environment.

Rio 2 hits theaters April 11.

Here’s the complete track listing:

“What Is Love” by Janelle Monae
“Rio Rio” by Ester Dean feat. B.O.B.
“Beautiful Creatures” by Barbatuques, Andy Garcia and Rita Moreno
“Welcome Back” by Bruno Mars
“O Vida” by Carlinhos Brown and Nina De Freitas
“It’s a Jungle Out Here” [Brazilian] by Philip Lawrence feat. Uakti
“Don’t Go Away” by Anne Hathaway and Falvia Maia feat. Uakti
“Batucada Familia” by Carlinhos Brown, Siedah Garrett, Jamie Foxx, Rachel Crow, Amy Heidemann, Andy Garcia and Rita Moreno
“Poisonous Love” by Kristin Chenoweth and Jemaine Clement
“I Will Survive” by Jemaine Clement and Kristin Chenoweth
“Bola Viva” by Carlinhos Brown
“Favo De Mel” by Milton Nascimento
“It’s a Jungle Out Here” by Philip Lawrence
“What is Love” by Janelle Monae, Anne Hathaway, Jessie Eisenberg, Jamie Foxx and Carlinhos Brown

Saldanha to Receive CinemaCon’s International Filmmaker of the Year Award

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Saldanha will be getting plenty of love at this year’s CinemaCon…

The 49-year-old Brazilian director of animated films will receive the international filmmaker of the year award at this year’s edition of CinemaCon, the annual gathering of theater owners in Las Vegas.

This year’s convention will take place March 24-27 at Caesars Palace.

Saldanha, an Academy Award nominated filmmaker who works with Blue Sky Studios, is currently wrapping production on Rio 2, his follow up to 20th Century Fox‘s animated hit Rio.

The sequel opens in theaters April 11 and features the return of voice leads Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Jermaine Clement, Leslie Mann, George Lopez, will.i.am and Jamie Foxx.

New voice additions include Andy Garcia, Bruno Mars, Kristin Chenoweth and Rita Moreno.

The Rio franchise is from Fox Animation Studios and Blue Sky Studios.

Saldanha’s other credits include Ice Age, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and Robots.

New Teaser Trailer Released for Bruno Mars’ “Rio 2”

Posted on July 20, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

He may hail from Hawaii, but Bruno Mars will be heading to a different paradise locale in the near future…

The 27-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer will be making his big screen debut, voicing a character in the highly anticipated sequel to the hit animated film Rio.

Rio 2, which saw its new teaser trailer released on the Yahoo! Movies site recently, centers on Blu, Jewel and their three kids living the perfect domesticated life in the magical city of Rio de Janeiro. When Jewel decides the kids need to learn to live like real birds, she insists the family venture into the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit in with his new neighbors, he worries he may lose Jewel and the kids to the call of the wild.

The new teaser clip isn’t so plot-revealing as it is entertaining, featuring a performance by a cute capybara named Clara. The little creature is featured delivering a rendition of “Memory” from the 1981 musical Cats in front of other characters until a surprise predator shows up.

The sequel is still supported by Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Leslie Mann and Jamie Foxx among others.

Along with Mars, newcomers in the cast ensemble include The X Factor season one finalist Rachel Crow, Andy Garcia and Kristin Chenoweth.

Original music by Janelle Monae, one of the voice cast members, will be featured in the film from director Carlos Saldanha.

Rio 2 is set for release on April 14, 2014 in the United States.

Hayek’s “Girl Rising” Documentary Headed to Regal Cinemas

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Richard E. Robbins’ documentary Girl Rising featuring narration by Salma Hayek and Selena Gomez is headed to the big screen.

The film, about nine girls in different developing countries who dream of attending school, has been picked up by Regal Cinemas for a weeklong engagement.

Narrated by Hayek, Gomez, Cate Blanchett, Priyanka Chopra, Anne Hathaway, Alicia Keys, Chloe Moretz, Liam Neeson, Frieda Pinto, Meryl Streep and Kerry Washington, the documentary will begin showing April 19 in 150 theaters.

Girl Rising will also continue to be showcased in cities nationwide via Gathr, a new demand-based theatrical-distribution platform in which fans are committed to buying enough movie tickets to secure a screening.

“Regal recognizes the intense interest by American moviegoers demanding that this film be seen in their local communities,” stated Amy Miles, CEO of Regal Entertainment Group. “This movie is making an emotional impact on many of our patrons, me included. The stories from these extraordinary girls in nine different countries are accompanied by narration from an A-list of entertainers.”

A portion of ticket sales will go to the 10×10 Fund for Girls Education, a global campaign to educate and empower girls.

Girl Rising is produced by The Documentary Group and Paul Allen’s Vulcan Productions.

CNN Films has global TV distribution rights and plans to air it soon.

Hayek Joins Hollywood’s Bright Stars for “Girl Rising” Documentary

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Salma Hayek has joined forces with some of Hollywood’s brightest luminaries for a campaign aimed at educating and empowering underprivileged girls.

The 46-year-old Mexican actress has joined Kerry Washington, Selena Gomez, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Alicia Keys, Chloe Grace Moretz, Liam Neeson, Freida Pinto and Meryl Streep for a unique project entitled Girl Rising.

The celebrity-narrated documentary, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival, spotlights the impact access to education could have on the lives of young girls in developing countries — and their local economies.

The film, which follows nine girls in places like India, Peru, Haiti, Ethiopia and Cambodia, is directed by Oscar nominee Richard E. Robbins and is part of 10×10, a global campaign to educate and empower underprivileged girls. Currently, there are 66 million girls who are not in school.

“Many women around the world continue to struggle for equality in education,” Hayek said in a statement. “I hope Girl Rising raises the visibility on a global level for this fundamental issue.”

Girl Rising, which is still in post-production, will premiere on March 7 in New York and Los Angeles via CNN Films.

In addition, with the help of Gathr, a company that crowd-sources film distribution, Girl Rising could literally hit a theater near you. The process is simple: After registering with Gathr, moviegoers can request a screening of Girl Rising at a local theater. If enough people purchase advance tickets, the screening will take place. Click here for more details.

“I’m proud to be part of a film that brings stories about real-life heroines around the world to movie-going audiences,” Washington said in a statement. “Their examples of strength and perseverance, against all odds, have the power to change the world.”

Delgado Discusses The Inspiration for His “Les Misérables” Costumes

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

He’s been nominated for Spain’s Goya Awards and Mexico’s Ariel Awards for his inspired work on The Skin I Live In and Biutiful… But Paco Delgado could soon receive his first Academy Award nod…

The Spanish costume designer, new to the Hollywood scene, is seeing his name at the top of many Oscar prediction lists thanks to his work in Oscar-winning director Tom Hooper‘s much anticipated film adaptation of the Broadway musical Les Misérables.

And now Delgado’s opening up about his inspiration and the resulting costumes in a special video leading up to the film’s release.

Starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried, Les Misérables opens nationwide on December 25.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: Anne Hathaway