Jaime Camil to Star in Still Untitled Apple TV+ Musical Comedy

Posted on October 2, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Jaime Camil has found the Apple (project) of his eye…

Apple TV+ has set a star-studded ensemble cast for its upcoming musical comedy that includes the 47-year-old Mexican actor, singer and television personality.

In addition to Camil, the project – which will be led by Saturday Night Live‘s Cecily Strong and executive produced by Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video – will also star Keegan-Michael Key, Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen, Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, Dove Cameron, Ariana DeBose, Jane Krakowski and Ann Harada.

Written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, the as-yet untitled comedy series follows a couple on a backpacking trip designed to reinvigorate their relationship when they discover the magical town of Schmigadoon, in which everyone acts as if they’re in a studio musical from the 1940s. They then discover that they can’t leave until they find “true love.”

Key will play Josh, Melissa’s (Strong) long term, pragmatic partner, and the last person who wants to be stuck in this magical town. Cumming is Mayor Menlove, the welcoming mayor of the town with a secret (and a song) in his heart. Armisen plays Reverend Layton, the mild-mannered religious leader of the town. Chenoweth is Mildred Layton, Reverend Layton’s morally superior wife who is in everybody’s business. Tveit plays Danny Bailey, the town bad boy who is trouble with a capital T, especially once he sets his sights on Melissa. Cameron is Betsy, the farmers daughter who instantly falls for Josh. DeBose portrays Emma Tate, a more modern woman and the town’s teacher, she struggles to fit into the town’s strict mold. Camil plays Doc Lopez, the handsome town doctor with an icy heart. Krakowski plays The Countess, a stunning and sophisticated woman determined to marry Doc Lopez. Harada is Florence Menlove, the oblivious and dutiful wife of Mayor Menlove.

Paul will serve as showrunner, and will write all of the original music. Barry Sonnenfeld will direct.

The series hails from Broadway Video and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Camil earned two Teen Choice Awards for his scene-stealing role on Jane the Virgin.

HBO Renews Fred Armisen’s Spanish-Language Series “Los Espookys” for Second Season

Posted on July 25, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

There’s more espooky time in Fred Armisen‘s future…

HBO has ordered a second season of Los Espookys, its half-hour primarily Spanish-language comedy series from the 52-year-old half-Venezuelan American actor/comedian and Saturday Night Live alum and Lorne Michaels‘ Broadway Video.

Created and written by Armisen, Ana Fabregaand Julio Torres, the series is set in a strange and dreamy version of a present-day Latin American country and follows a group of friends turning their love for horror into a peculiar business.

“It’s a really fun, original, delightful show,” says HBO President of Programming Casey Bloys.

Fabrega and Torres star along with Cassandra Ciangherotti, Bernardo Velasco and Armisen.

Armisen, Michaels, Andrew Singer and Alice Mathiasexecutive produce; Fabrega, Torres and Nate Youngco-executive produce.

Fernando Friasdirected the entire first season.

The series is produced by Broadway Video in association with Antigravico, Más Mejorand the Oscar-winning Chilean production company Fabula.

Andy Garcia to Star Opposite Kenan Thompson in NBC’s Comedy Pilot “The Kenan Show”

Posted on March 21, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a big first for Andy Garcia…

The 62-year-old Cuban actor and director will star opposite Kenan Thompson in NBC’s single-camera comedy pilot The Kenan Show (fka Saving Kenan), from Universal Television.

This marks Garcia’s first television series regular role.

Written by Jackie Clarke and directed by Chris Rock, The Kenan Show centers on a newly widowed dad (Thompson) determined to be everything for his kids while begrudgingly letting his persistent father-in-law, Percy (Garcia), a retired police officer, become more involved in their lives.

Thompson, Clarke and Rock executive produce with Lorne Michaelsand Andrew Singerfor Broadway Video.

This is a rare televisoin acting gig for Garcia whose biggest series commitment to date had been an arc on HBO’s Ballers. He received two Emmynominations for the HBO film For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story.

In features, Garcia appeared in Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, Book Club, The Mule and Bentlast year.

This spring, he’ll begin production on Brian Petsos’ film Big Gold Brick and will star in Words on Bathroom Walls directed by Thor Freudenthal.

He also will be seen in Amazon’s anthology series Modern Romance.

IFC Renews Armisen’s “Portlandia” for an Eighth and Final Season in 2018

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Fred Armisen’s time in Portlandia is limited…

IFC has announced that Portlandia, the comedy starring the 50-year-old half-Venezuelan actor and Carrie Brownstein has been renewed for an eighth and final season in 2018. Season seven returned this month.

“There’s still a lot to say with the show, but it seems scary to say it’s over,” creator/executive producer/writer/director Jonathan Krisel told reporters at the Television Critics Association‘s winter press tour over the weekend, though he seemed to suggest that it might not be a final goodbye. “These things never are finite,” he added. “We’ll work together again. There’s other outlets. We’ll just stop doing it in this form.”

For his part, Armisen compared the end of the series to leaving NBC‘s Saturday Night Live.

“It was a goodbye of sorts, but I’m back there all the time anyway,” he told press. “It just really seemed like a way to having a beginning, a middle and an ending, but I think nothing really ends anyway.”

Added Brownstein of the upcoming end of the road for the show: “The creation of art, sometimes it’s nice to put parameters around it; it helps with keeping it pointed.”

Portlandia‘s last renewal — a two-season pickup — came in February 2015.

The series hails from Lorne Michaels‘ Broadway Video banner.

Villaseñor: The First-Ever Latina Cast Member on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live”

Posted on September 13, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Melissa Villaseñor is making television history…

The 28-year-old stand-up comedian and former America’s Got Talent has joined the cast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live, making her the first Latina cast member in the sketch comedy show’s 41 years on the air.

Villaseñor, best known as a Top 16 finalist in season six of America’s Got Talent, has been working as a standup comedian across the country for more than 10 years.

After auditioning for the show in 2009 without success, Villaseñor was determined to work on her craft, knowing that – given another opportunity – she would return.

“SNL is one of the main reasons why I started comedy at 15 and I pray to be there someday when I am ready and have even more to offer,” she said seven years ago. “I am very thankful for that experience and will always keep working at new impressions as well as my standup comedy.”

SNL boss Lorne Michaels, for his part, gave her and other Hispanic comedians a chance to prove their worth when SNL’s Broadway Video – along with NBC Universal Telemundo – launched Más Mejor, a studio and comedy network aimed at discovering and cultivating Latino talent earlier this year.

Villaseñor was a major player and used the opportunity to strengthen her skills, including her impersonations of celebrities like Jennifer Lopez.

She also previously lent her voice to Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time and also has worked on Family Guy and Comedy Central’s Trip Tank.

Villaseñor will make her debut in the SNL season premiere on October 1.

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.

IFC Renews Armisen’s “Portlandia” for Two More Seasons

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Fred Armisen will spend two more years in the Pacific Northwest…

IFC has picked up the 48-year-old half-Venezuelan actor’s short-based comedy series Portlandia.

The an absurdist series that gently pokes fun at the laid-back city of Portland, Oregon, has been picked up for Seasons 6 and 7, with IFC ordering 10 half-hour episodes for each.

Armisen, a Saturday Night Live alum, and Carrie Brownstein, the show’s creators and stars, will remain at the helm for both seasons. Portlandia is executive produced by Lorne Michaels and produced by Broadway Video.

Season 5 of Portlandia airs Thursdays at 10 PM.

Vanessa Bayer, Ed Begley Jr., Steve Buscemi, Jeff Goldblum, Kyle MacLachlan, Kumail Nanjiani, Jason Sudeikis, Gus Van Sant and Olivia Wilde are among the recurring guest stars who’ve guest-starred on the show over the years.

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Celebrating the Latino Influence

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