HBO Renews Pedro Pascal’s “The Last of Us” for Second Season

You haven’t seen the last of Pedro Pascal

HBO has renewed its high-profile drama The Last of Us, starring the 47-year-old Chilean actor, for a second season.

Pedro PascalThe announcement comes just after two episodes of the video game-based series from Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann.

Earlier this month, The Last of Us scored the second-largest premiere after House of the Dragon since Boardwalk Empire’s launch in 2010.

Episode 1 has surpassed 22 million viewers domestically, up nearly five times from its premiere-night audience on January 15. Episode 2 drew 5.7 million viewers across HBO Max and linear telecasts in the U.S. Sunday night. That’s about a million more than the audience that tuned in for the premiere episode and it marks the largest Week 2 audience growth for any HBO Original drama series. The series also is strong on social media, trending No. 1 both in the U.S. and worldwide on Twitter during its series debut.

“Craig and Neil, alongside EP Carolyn Strauss, and the rest of our phenomenal cast and crew, have defined a genre with their masterful debut season of The Last of Us,” said Francesca Orsi, EVP of HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films. “After pulling off this unforgettable first season, I can’t wait to watch this team outshine themselves again with Season 2.”

Based on Naughty Dog’s award-winning video game, The Last of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed.

Joel, played by Pascal, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.

“I’m humbled, honored, and frankly overwhelmed that so many people have tuned in and connected with our retelling of Joel and Ellie’s journey. The collaboration with Craig Mazin, our incredible cast & crew, and HBO exceeded my already high expectations,” said executive producer Druckmann. “Now we have the absolute pleasure of being able to do it again with season two! On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog & PlayStation, thank you!”

In addition to Pascal and Ramsey, Season 1 also stars Gabriel Luna, Anna Torv, Nico Parker, Murray Bartlett, Nick Offerman, Melanie Lynskey, Storm Reid, Merle Dandridge, Jeffrey Pierce, Lamar Johnson, Keivonn Woodard, Graham Greene, Elaine Miles, Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker.

“I’m so grateful to Neil Druckmann and HBO for our partnership, and I’m even more grateful to the millions of people who have joined us on this journey,” said executive producer Mazin. “The audience has given us the chance to continue, and as a fan of the characters and world Neil and Naughty Dog created, I couldn’t be more ready to dive back in.”

The Last of Us is written and executive produced by Mazin and Druckmann. The series is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television.

Paul Calderón to Star on the Marvel Studios Disney+ Series “Ironheart”

Paul Calderón has ironed out details on his next project…

The 63-year-old Puerto Rican actor has joined the cast of the Marvel Studios Disney+ series Ironheart in an undisclosed role.

The 6-episode series, created by Chinaka Hodge, will star Dominique Thorne as Marvel character Riri Williams, a genius inventor and creator of the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man.

Previously announced cast also includes Anthony RamosShakira Barrera, Manny Montana, Alden Ehrenreich, Regan Aliyah, Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola, Shea Couleé, and Zoe Terakes.

Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes are directing, with Ryan Coogler’s Proximity among the production entities.

Coogler, Ironheart head writer Chinaka Hodge, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian serve as executive producers alongside Marvel StudiosKevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum and Zoie Nagelhout.

Calderón is a writer, actor, and director who most recently appeared in one of the final episodes of NBC’s This Is Us titled “Miguel,” which focused on the character of Miguel Rivas (Jon Huertas).

Additionally, Calderón starred in multiple seasons of Amazon’s Bosch in the role of Detective Jimmy Robertson.

His other notable TV credits include AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead, HBO’s Boardwalk EmpireHostages for CBS, NBC’s Law & Order, and Miami Vice.

On the big screen, he served as co-writer of Abel Ferrera’s Bad Lieutenant starring Harvey Keitel. Calderón also played a cop in the 1992 film. Film credits also include Sydney Pollack’s The Firm, Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp FictionCop Land by James Mangold, Steven Soderbergh’s Out of Sight, and Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s 21 Grams.

The U.S. Army veteran who studied acting under the G.I. Bill went on to become a founding member of the LAByrinth Theater Company where he mentored Philip Seymour Hoffman, Sam Rockwell and Lauren Luna Velez, among others.

Bobby Cannavale Signs with Creative Artists Agency (CAA)

Bobby Cannavale is making management moves…

The 52-year-old half-Cuban American actor has signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA).

Bobby CannavaleCannavale has moved from WME, after just opening alongside Ana De Armas at the Venice Film Festival in the Andrew Dominik-directed Blonde

He next will star in Gracie Otto’s Seriously Red, and opposite Robert De Niro in the Tony Goldwyn-directed Inappropriate Behavior.

Cannavale has had memorable turns in projects from Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman to Boardwalk Empire, Motherless Brooklyn, I, Tonya, Ant-Man, The Station Agent and many others.

In television, Cannavale will next star in Ryan Murphy’s limited series The Watcher with Naomi Watts. He was recently seen in Hulu’s limited series Nine Perfect Strangers, alongside Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy. His other TV credits include Homecoming, Angie Tribeca, Mr. Robot, Master of None, Nurse Jackie and Vinyl.

On the stage, Cannavale is a two-time Tony Award-nominee for Mauritius and The Mother F*cher With The Hat. A member of the LAByrinth Theater Company, the New Jersey-born Cannavale last appeared on stage in the 2020 production of Medea at The Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Bobby Cannavale to Star in Dave & John Chernin’s “Incoming”

Bobby Cannavale has incoming work…

The 52-year-old half-Cuban American actor and two-time Emmy-winner will star in Dave and John Chernin’s Incoming, which has begun production in Los Angeles.

Bobby CannavaleIn addition to Cannavale, the ensemble cast also includes Kaitlin OlsonScott MacArthur, Raphael Alejandro, Isabella Ferreira, Ali Gallo, Loren Gray, Ramon Reed and Bardia Seiri.

All of them join previously announced Mason Thames

The Chernin brothers co-wrote the screenplay and are making their directorial film debut on the Artists Road and Spyglass Media production.

Incoming follows four incoming freshmen as they navigate the terrors of adolescence at their first-ever high school party.

Cannavale recently starred in the Rose Byrne produced Australian comedy Seriously Red, which made its world premiere at SXSW.

He stars in the upcoming Netflix movie Blonde opposite Ana de Armas.

His series credits include Boardwalk Empire, Will & Grace, Nine Perfect Strangers, Mr. Robot and Vinyl among several others.

On the big screen he’s starred in Sing 2, the Ant-Man franchise, The Irishman, I, TonyaBlue Jasmine, The Other Guys and Paul Blart: Mall CopCannavale won an Emmy in Best Supporting Actor Drama Series for Boardwalk Empire, and Guest Comedy Actor for Will & Grace. 

Alejandro stars on Acapulcoand his credits include Kindergarten Cop 2, How to Be a Latin Lover, Once Upon a Time and The Boss Baby 2: Family BusinessHe is repped by Paradigm and Atlas Artists.

Ferreira’s credits include Love, Victor and Orange Is the New Black

Gallo has been seen on Unhuman, The Sex Lives of College Girlsand Virtual Mortality

Bobby Cannavale to Star Opposite Bill Burr in the Comedy “Old Dads”

Bobby Cannavale is reporting for (old) dad duty…

The 51-year-old half-Cuban American actor will star in the original comedy film Old Dads.

Bobby CannavaleWritten, directed and co-starring comedian/actor Bill Burr, the film centers on a middle-aged father (Burr) and his two best friends (Cannavale and Bokeem Woodbine) who after selling their company to a millennial, find themselves out of step and behind the times as they hilariously struggle to navigate a changing world of culture, career and fatherhood.

Burr and Ben Tishler penned the script and are producing with Bill Block, Monica Levinson and Mike Bertolina.

Production on the film, Burr’s feature directorial debut, kicked off in Los Angeles this week.

Miramax has come aboard to produce in conjunction with Burr’s All Things Comedy.

“I’m very excited to start shooting Old Dads,” said Burr. “This comedy is based on my own and my co-writer, Ben Tishler’s, lives. Miramax has been awesome to work with and I think people are really going to like this movie.”

“Burr is one of the top comedic voices of his generation and he has written a script that’s not just unwaveringly funny, but also full of heart and unfiltered cultural commentary,” added Miramax CEO Bill Block. “We’re thrilled to be collaborating with him and this fantastic cast, including Bobby Cannavale and Bokeem Woodbine.”

Cannavale will next be seen in Andrew Dominik’s Marilyn Monroe film Blonde, toplined by Ana de Armas, also featuring in Netflix’s upcoming Big Mouth spin-off Human Resources.

The actor recently featured in the casts of Illumination and Universal’s Sing 2 and Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers. He’s also appeared in such series as HomecomingMr. RobotAngie TribecaWill & GraceMaster of NoneVinylNurse Jackie and Boardwalk Empire.

His additional film credits include SuperintelligenceThe Jesus RollsThe IrishmanMotherless BrooklynAnt-Man and Ant-Man and the WaspFerdinandJumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, I, TonyaThe Fundamentals of CaringDaddy’s HomeDanny CollinsAnnieAdult BeginnersChefBlue JasmineWin WinThe Other GuysBrief Interviews with Hideous MenPaul Blart: Mall CopSnakes on a PlaneFast Food Nation and The Station Agent.

Bobby Cannavale Starring Opposite Rose Byrne in the Musical Dramedy “Seriously Red”

Bobby Cannavale is seeing Red

The 50-year-old half-Cuban American Emmy-winning actor is starring opposite Rose Byrne in the musical dramedy Seriously Redthe first feature from Byrne’s Dollhouse Pictures.

Bobby Cannavale

Cameras are currently rolling on the film in Northern Rivers, Australia.

Krew Boylan wrote the screenplay for Seriously Red, while Gracie Otto is directing

In addition to Cannavale and Byrne, the ensemble cast also includes Daniel Webber. Arclight Films has boarded to handle worldwide distribution rights with Gracie Otto (The Last Impresario) directing.

In the rowdy and rambunctious musical comedy, Red (played by Boylan) is at a crossroads in her life. A vivacious and hilarious red-haired woman grappling with high expectations and low self-esteem, she pours herself a cup of ambition and trades her 9 to 5 career in real estate for a life under the spotlight as a Dolly Parton impersonator. After misreading her work party’s dress code, Red tumbles outta bed into a new world of tribute artists and impersonators in her wild and messy journey that includes romancing a Kenny Rogers impersonator. Red has to lose herself in order to find herself. As Dolly Parton says, “Be Yourself Because Everyone is taken.”

Parton’s canon is the backbone of Seriously Red, which will also include a soundtrack from notable musical artists and as well as re-recordings.

Seriously Red is created by an extraordinary all-female filmmaking team, which at Arclight Films we are proud to always champion,” Arclight Films chairman Gary Hamilton said. “The film is a fun, upbeat celebration of women and their journey to self-acceptance. It’s a powerful film that appeals to worldwide distributors who understand that audiences will immediately fall in love with the story, the beautifully drawn characters… and the music!”

Cannavale won Emmys for his work on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and NBC’s Will & GraceHis Recent series credits include the upcoming Nine Perfect Strangers, Mr. Robot and HomecomingHis features include HBO Max/New Line’s upcoming SuperintelligenceUniversal’s The King of Staten Island, The Jesus Rolls, The Irishman, Jumanji: Welcome to the Junglethe Oscar-winning I, Tonya, Ant-Man and Spy among many others.

Byrne and Cannavale recently starred in The Brooklyn Academy of Music’s theatrical production of Medea before the pandemic closed down theaters in New York City.

Bobby Cannavale to Star in the Play “The Lifespan of a Fact” on Broadway

Bobby Cannavale is heading to The Great White Way…

The 48-year-old half-Cuban American actor will return to Broadway next fall to star in the world premiere play The Lifespan of a Fact alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Cherry Jones.

Bobby Cannavale

Based on the critically acclaimed, bestselling 2012 non-fiction book about fact, fiction and blurred lines, Lifespan will be directed by Leigh Silverman, a 2014 Tony Award nominee for her direction of Violet.

The Lifespan of a Fact will begin performances at the Studio 54 on Thursday, September 20, with an opening night of Thursday, October 18. The limited engagement will run for 16 weeks.

Written by Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell and Gordon Farrell, the play is based on the book by John D’Agata and Jim Fingal that detailed their own real-life journalistic investigation into the suicide of a Las Vegas teen.

As described by the production, Lifespan “is based on the stirring true story of John D’Agata’s essay, ‘What Happens There,’ about the Las Vegas suicide of teenager Levi Presley. Jim Fingal, assigned to fact check the piece, ignited a seven-year debate on the blurred lines of what passes for truth in literary nonfiction.”

Some background: In 2003, D’Agata submitted his essay What Happens There” to Harper’s Magazine, where recent Harvard grad Fingal was assigned to fact-check the piece. Harper’s later pulled the article from publication after Fingal’s research turned up factual errors and inaccuracies.

After seven years of discussion and correspondence between D’Agata and Fingal, the author re-submitted the piece toThe Believer magazine. D’Agata and Fingal co-wrote the 2012 book The Lifespan of a Fact about the experience, a book that includes “What Happens There” in full, complete with Fingal’s red-line comments and correspondence with D’Agata.

The book was named Best Book of the Year by the Huffington Post, a Top 10 Most Crucial Book of the year by Slateand an Editor’s Choice by The New York Times Book Review.

In the new play, Radcliffe will play Fingal, Cannavale will play D’Agata and Jones will play Fingal’s boss. As the production describes, Fingal “has a huge problem: John made up some of his article. Well, a lot of his article. OK, actually, maybe the majority of it? What starts professional quickly becomes profane as one question rises to the surface: Can Jim Fingal ever just shut the fact up?”

The production’s creative team – sets, costumes, lighting, sound and projections – has yet to be announced.

Cannavale (Boardwalk Empire, Vinyl) has extensive stage credits, including Tony-nominated turns in 2007’s Mauritius and 2011’s The Motherf*cker with the Hat.

Tickets for The Lifespan of a Fact go on sale to the general public June 22, with earlier dates for American Express Card Members and Audience Rewards members.

Bobby Cannavale to Star in Amazon’s Drama Series “Homecoming”

Bobby Cannavale is coming home…

The 47-year-old half-Cuban American actor will co-star opposite Julia Roberts and Stephan James in Homecoming, the half-hour drama from Universal Cable ProductionsMr. Robot creator Sam Esmail and Anonymous Content.

Bobby Cannavale

The project has a two-season straight-to-series order at Amazon.

Homecoming, based on Gimlet Media’s breakout fictional podcast, is written by the podcast’s creators Eli Horowitz and Micah Bloomberg and directed by Esmail.

It’s described a psychological thriller that centers on Heidi (Roberts), a caseworker at a secret government facility, and a soldier (James) eager to rejoin civilian life.

Cannavale plays Colin Belfast, the ambitious off-site supervisor of the Homecoming Initiative.

Presented in a collage of telephone calls, therapy sessions and overheard conversations, the Homecoming podcast had a cast led by Catherine Keener that also included Oscar Isaac, David Schwimmer, Amy Sedaris and David Cross. Keener voiced the caseworker, Isaac the soldier and Schwimmer the supervisor.

Filming is slated to begin in Los Angeles in April 2018. Amazon Studios will have global rights to Homecoming, which will premiere globally exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

Cannavale, who starred on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, appears on USA Network’s drama series Mr. RobotHe will next be seen in I, Tonya and Jumanji as well as Going Places, The Wasp and Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman.

Trailer Released for Colindrez’s “I Love Dick”

Roberta Colindrez is celebrating an Amazon project…

The streaming service has released the teaser trailer for I Love Dick, featuring the Mexican actress.

Roberta Colindrez

After a premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, the latest Amazon series from the Transparent creator Jill Soloway launches on May 12 – and, as the trailer reveals, there’s a slew of sex, feminist art criticism, Lone State lust, and a lot of obsession

Described as a “soapy delicious psycho-sexual comedy set in an art town” by Soloway, I Love Dick is based on the 1997 novel by Chris Kraus.

In addition to Colindrez, who portrays Devon, the series also stars Kathryn Hahn, Kevin Bacon, India Menuez, Sebastian Cole and Lilly Mojekwu.

Colindrez, who stars in the Broadway musical Fun Home, has previously appeared on television in Girls, Boardwalk Empire and Gotham.

de la Huerta to Star in Dramatic Comedy “Puppy Love”

Paz de la Huerta is a lucky dog

The 32-year-old Spanish American actress will star opposite Hopper Penn in Puppy Love, a dramatic comedy written and to be directed by Michael Maxxis, a music video and commercials director making his feature film debut.

Paz de la Huerta

The film is based on Maxxis’ actual cousin and follows a year in the life of Morgan Fairchild (Penn), who marches to the distant sound of his own offbeat drum and meets and falls in love with Carla (de la Huerta), who is homeless. The relationship grows and develops into something kind, endearing and beautiful even in their otherwise odd circumstances.

Singer Elle King, rapper Mickey Avalon and Wayne Newton will also appear in the film, with Nirvana and Foo Fighters record producer Butch Vig producing the soundtrack.

Michael Madsen, Donald Cerrone, Rosanna Arquette and Colleen Camp are also on board.

Principal photography is set to begin next week in Edmonton.

de la Huerta’s credits include notable roles in the films The Cider House Rules, A Walk to Remember and Enter the Void, and a memorable role on HBO’s drama series Boardwalk Empire.