Leguizamo In Talks to Star in “Ride Along”

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

John Leguizamo could be going along for the ride in the near future…

The 48-year-old Colombian American actor/comedian is in talks to join the cast of Ride Along.

The action comedy, starring Ice Cube and Kevin Hart, is being called a “comedic Training Day.” The story centers on a risk-averse second-grade teacher who plans to marry the girl of his dreams but first must accompany his overprotective future brother-in-law, a tough cop, on a ride-along from hell.

Leguizamo will portray an undercover cop in the film..

Leguizamo, who recently wrapped shooting The Counselor, Ridley Scott’s all-star drug drama with Brad Pitt, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, is currently shooting Kick-Ass 2.

Leguizamo Signs on for Two High-Profile Films

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

There’s no slowing down for John Leguizamo…

The 48-year-old Colombian-born actor/comedian, who can currently be heard in theaters in Ice Age 4: Continental Drift, has signed on to star in two highly anticipated films.

Leguizamo will appear in Ridley Scott’s The Counselor and the Jeff Wadlow-scripted Kick-Ass 2, despite a deal to star in the ABC comedy pilot Only Fools and Horses.

In The Counselor, he’ll play a low level drug dealer in the Cormac McCarthy-scripted film that stars Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Penelope Cruz and Cameron Diaz.

Meanwhile, in the Kick-Ass sequel, he’ll play Javier, a bodyguard assigned to protect aspiring evil guy Red Mist, the role to be reprised by Christopher Mintz-Plasse. Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz and Nicolas Cage will also be back to star in Kick-Ass 2.

Cruz Gets “Waxed” for Paris’ Grevin Wax Museum…

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Penelope Cruz is officially waxtastic…

A wax sculpture of the 38-year-old Spanish actress will be placed in a prime spot in a Paris museum, joining similar statues of Brad Pitt and George Clooney.

The Grevin Wax Museum decided to include this year’s Key To The Cure ambassador in its list of stars to “pay tribute to this essential actress who has asserted herself on the world level as well as on the Spanish one,” the museum’s communications director, Veronique Berecz, told Efe.

Finishing the sculpture has taken six months, during which time sculptor Eric de Saint Chaffray, lacking the real model to work from, has had to create the wax image by “improvising and imagining” her look from images taken from the Internet and clips of her films.

The work has been “arduous” and the pressure “constant,” since the Spanish film icon “is part of a group of superstars, beautiful women with great charm, and those attributes had to be given expression in the (wax) figure,” said Saint Chaffray.

The result is a remarkably lifelike replica of Cruz – with her long, dark hair gathered into a bun and wearing an elegant evening gown made of lace, velvet and blue gemstones – who seems to be looking at the camera out of the corner of her eye with an enigmatic half-smile.

Diaz & Garcia Among the Latinos in Paramount’s Anniversary Photo

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Paramount Pictures is celebrating its 100th anniversary in a picture-perfect way, with help from five of the studio’s biggest Latino luminaries, including Cameron Diaz and Andy Garcia…

The third-oldest existing movie studio in the world released a star-studded commemorative photo through Vanity Fair magazine. In all, the picture features 116 of the biggest names in the movie industry who’ve worked with one of Hollywood’s most iconic studios.

In the image, A-list actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt pose together on a giant stairway alongside noted producers, directors and executives like Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and J.J. Abrams.

“It was more than thrilling… and incredibly nostalgic… to be part of that extraordinary gathering of actors who had worked for Paramount, as I had,” said actress Ali McGraw, who can be spotted standing in the middle of photo with her Love Story costar Ryan O’Neal.

Here’s a look at the five Latinos featured in the image:

Cameron Diaz
The 39-year-old half-Cuban American actress, who may be writing her first book soon, starred in the following Paramount Pictures projects: The Shrek series and Vanilla Sky.

Andy Garcia
The 56-year-old Cuban American actor received an Academy Award nomination for his performance as Vincent Santino Corleone (a.k.a. Vincent Mancini) in one of the studio’s biggest hits, The Godfather Part III.

Zoë Saldaña
The 33-year-old half-Dominican/half-Puerto Rican American actress will be reprising her role as Uhura in the upcoming sequel to Paramount’s hugely successful Star Trek reboot.

Alejandro González Iñárritu
The 48-year-old Mexican filmmaker, the first Mexican director to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director, directed Paramount’s award-winning ensemble film Babel, which starred Gael García Bernal, Pitt, Cate Blanchett.

Antonio Banderas
The 51-year-old Spanish actor, who appears in the picture next to his wife Melanie Griffith, not only starred opposite Diaz in Paramount’s Shrek sequels, but he also starred in the Shrek prequel/spin-off Puss In Boots.

The epic picture is featured in the July issue of Vanity Fair.

Cruz to Star in “The Counselor” and “Los Amantes Pasajeros” in 2012

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like Penelope Cruz will be having an incredibly busy remainder of the year…

The 38-year-old Spanish actress has reportedly joined the stellar cast of Ridley Scott’s next big project The Counselor, as previously predicted.

Cruz—who will soon be appearing on the big screen in Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love—will appear as Michael Fassbender’s love interest in the dramatic film that’s been called No Country For Old Men on steroids.

Along with Cruz and Fassbender, The Counselor will star Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem and Cameron Diaz.

In addition, Cruz could be teaming up again with noted Spanish director Pedro Almodovar this summer on his latest project, Los Amantes Pasajeros, according to Deadline.com.

The Almodovar-penned comedy, which will star 36-year-old Spanish actress Paz Vega, follows a group of travelers who are placed in life-threatening situation aboard a plane flying to Mexico City. The passengers are defenseless in the face of danger, which provokes colorful confessionals that are their way to put out of mind the possibility they might be about to die.

Los Amantes Pasajeros will begin shooting this summer in Madrid.

Diaz Set to Star in “The Counselor”

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Cameron Diaz could be the latest Hollywood superstar to seek The Counselor…

The 39-year-old half-Cuban American actress is reportedly in final negotiations to star in director Ridley Scott’s The Counselor.

Should Diaz sign on the dotted line, she will join an all-star cast that includes Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz.

Based on the original script by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy, the film centers on a respected lawyer (Fassbender) who thinks he can dip a toe into the drug business without getting sucked down, which proves to be a life-threatening decision.

In what’s considered a strong supporting role, Diaz would play Malkina.

Diaz—who shined bright at Monday night’s Met Ball—most recently starred in Bad Teacher, and will appear in the upcoming ensemble comedy What To Expect When You’re Expecting.

Cruz May Reunite with Her Husband on “The Counselor”

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Penelope Cruz’s latest project with Woody Allen hasn’t even hit theaters yet… But she may already be lining up her next project, which could reunite her with her husband.

The 37-year-old Spanish actress is reportedly in talks to appear opposite Javier Bardem in The Counselor, the drug drama from Cormac McCarthy and Ridley Scott.

The film is one of Hollywood’s hottest projects, due to the speed at which it seems to be coming together, as well as the star power associated with it.

Scott then decided to make it his next project, bringing with him Michael Fassbender, with whom he’d just finished Prometheus. Brad Pitt and Bardem then quickly came on board.

The story is set along the Mexican border and centers on Fassbender’s character, an attorney and good man in need of money who decides to dabble in the cocaine trade. He teams up with a rich acquaintance (Bardem) for the new business that also brings in a shady type (Pitt). Things quickly go awry in what is being described as a dialogue-heavy, violent and racy script.

Cruz, who would play Fassbender’s love interest, doesn’t have an offer yet. But talks have taken place and an offer is reportedly expected soon.

Cruz has worked with Bardem several times, dating back to 1992’s Jamon Jamon, with the last time being 2008’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which resulted in her Oscar win.

Bardem In Talks to Star in “The Counselor”

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Javier Bardem could be spending time with the counselor this summer…

The 43-year-old Oscar-winning Spanish actor—who will be playing the villain in the highly anticipated James Bond movie, Skyfall—is in talks to join the cast of The Counselor, a film about a lawyer played by Michael Fassbender who gets in way too deep after flirting with the illegal drug trade.

Rumors are swirling that the thriller, to be directed by Ridley Scott, could also star Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Production on The Counselor is expected to start production in late June.

Bichir Receives First-Ever Oscar Nomination…

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Demián Bichir is following in the footsteps of legendary actor Anthony Quinn…

The 48-year-old former telenovela star has become only the second Mexican actor to receive a lead actor Academy Award nomination; nearly 50 years after Quinn won an Oscar for his role in Zorba the Greek.

Bichir received the nod for his starring role in A Better Life where he played Carlos Galindo, an illegal immigrant gardener living in East Los Angeles. Struggling to remain employed but undetected by immigration authorities, Galindo attempts to provide a better life for his American-born son.

“I’m overwhelmed for having my name among those incredible actors,” Bichir tells Us Weekly in a statement. “This could have never happened if Chris Weitz had not been the head of this film. He is my brother and I thank him deeply.”

Bichir’s performance—which led to a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination and Independent Spirit Awards nod, has simmered on Hollywood’s back burner since awards season began.

“You know, when you encounter a character like this and a project like this, the first reaction is how lucky I am,” said Bichir in a recent interview with USA Today. “Because this is my Hamlet. This is my King Lear… It’s a bigger-than-life character that any actor would fight for it, would die to do it.”

Bichir will face-off against George Clooney (The Descendants), Jean Dujardin (The Artist), Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and Brad Pitt (Moneyball).

Meanwhile, Bérénice Bejo is also a first-time Oscar nominee. The 35-year-old Argentine star—who was the best-dressed Latina at this year’s Golden Globes—received a Best Supporting Actress nod for her star-making role in The Artist.

Bejo is up against Jessica Chastain (The Help), Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids), Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs) and  Octavia Spencer (The Help).

Here’s a look at the other Latinos nominated for an Academy Award this year:

Music (Original Score):
Alberto Iglesias, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Music (Original Song):
Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown & Siedah Garrett, “Real in Rio” from Rio

Martin Scorsese’s Hugo was this year’s most nominated film with 11 nods, followed by Michel Hazanavicius’ The Artist, with 10.

The 84th Academy Awards will be televised on ABC on Sunday, Feb. 26.

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