Andy Garcia Returning for “Book Club 2 – The Next Chapter”

Andy Garcia is heading back to book club…

The 66-year-old Cuban actor will star opposite Diane KeatonJane FondaCandice BergenMary Steenburgen, Don Johnson and Craig T. Nelson in Book Club 2, which has entered production in Italy.

Andy GarciaGarcia and his cast mates will reprise their roles from the original film, Book Club, with Giancarlo Giannini, Hugh Quarshie and Vincent Riotta joining the sequel as new cast members.

The original 2018 film followed four lifelong friends—played by Keaton, Fonda, Bergen and Steenburgen—whose lives were forever changed after reading 50 Shades of Grey in their monthly book club. Paramount Pictures released it in May of 2018 and saw it gross upwards of $104M worldwide against its $14M budget.

The sequel will follow our four best friends as they take their book club to Italy for the fun girls trip they never had. When things go off the rails and secrets are revealed, their relaxing vacation turns into a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure.

Bill Holderman has returned as director, having once again penned the script with Erin Simms.

Endeavor Content is financing and producing Book Club 2 – The Next Chapter, with Holderman and Simms also aboard as producers.

Focus Features will distribute the film in the U.S., with Universal Pictures International distributing it internationally.

Garcia will next star in Father of the Bride.

Andy Garcia to Star in the Courtroom Drama “Miranda’s Victim”

Andy Garcia is heading to court…

The 66-year-old Cuban actor will star in the courtroom drama Miranda’s Victim from director Michelle Danner, with production on the project underway in New Jersey.

Andy GarciaGarcia will star opposite Abigail BreslinLuke Wilson and Donald Sutherland  in the film, which is written by J. Craig Stiles and George Kolber.

The film will tell the true story of Trish Weir (Breslin), who in 1963 was kidnapped and brutally raped by Ernesto Miranda. Committed to putting her assailant in prison, Trish’s life is destroyed by America’s legal system as she triggers a law that transforms the nation.

Wilson will play Lawrence Turoff, the country prosecutor that convinces Trish to testify and helps her bring her aggressor to justice, with Garcia as public defender Alvin Moore, who takes on Miranda’s case, and Sutherland as Judge Wren, who convicts Miranda for the rape of Weir.

Danner and Kolber are producing alongside Valerie Debler, Brian Drillinger and Alexandra Guarnieri.

The production company involved is Navesink River Productions.

“The first time I read George Kolber’s riveting script and learned about Trish’s experience, it moved and inspired me,” said Danner. “”Miranda’s Victim” puts us at the intersection between a brutal rape case and and a national movement for civil liberties.”

Garcia is an Oscar, Golden Globe and Emmy nominee whose recent film credits include Guy Ritchie’s Jason Statham actioner Wrath of Man; the comedy Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, with Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo and Jamie Dornan; the romantic drama Words on Bathroom Walls, with Charlie Plummer and Taylor Russell; Clint Eastwood’s crime drama, The Mule; Sacha Gervasi’s Emmy-nominated TV movie My Dinner with Hervé for HBO; Ol Parker’Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again; and the comedy Book Club, with Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda and Candice Bergen.

The actor’s credits on the television side include RebelFlipped and Ballers.

He’ll next be seen in Warner Bros. and HBO Max’s Father of the Bride; the romantic drama What About Love, with Sharon Stone; and Lionsgate’s The Expendables 4.

Santino Fontana to Perform During Broadway “Show of Titles” Musical Event to Benefit The Actors Fund

Santino Fontana is a title(s) act…

The 39-year-old part-Spanish America actor will perform at Show of Titles, a special livestreamed musical event next month benefiting The Actors Fund.

Santino Fontana

Fontana joins a lineup of nearly 30 stars – from Glenn ClosePatti LuPone, Darren Criss, Kelsey Grammar and David Alan Grier to Jake Gyllenhaal, Joshua Henry and Phillipa Soo – who will perform title songs from more than 20 musicals.

The event will feature title songs of Broadway musicals spanning nine decades, from “Lady Be Good” to “The Light in the Piazza.”

The line-up also includes Annaleigh Ashford, Len Cariou, Isabelle Huppert, Norm Lewis, Rob McClure, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Melba Moore, Jessie Mueller, Eva Noblezada, Kelli O’Hara, Laura Osnes, Steven Pasquale, Michael Rupert, Ernie Sabella, Lea Salonga, Will Swenson, Aaron Tveit, Leslie Uggams, Vanessa Williams and Patrick Wilson.

Making special appearances will be Broadway Inspirational Voices, Candice Bergen, Danny Burstein, Bryan Cranston, Sheldon Harnick, John Kander, Angela Lansbury, John Lithgow, Lindsay Mendez, Phylicia Rashad, Ben Vereen, BD Wong and Florian Zeller.

Conceived by Broadway’s Best Shows producer Jeffrey RichardsShow of Titles will be directed by Lonny Price, with music direction by Jason Howland, and livestreamed on June 8, 8:00 pm ET on Stellar for a limited time only.

Tickets went on sale May 17 for $29 ($39 starting May 21), with all sales donated to The Actor’s Fund.

Composers represented include Lee Adams, Maxwell Anderson, Burt Bacharach, Irving Berlin, Jerry Bock, Bertolt Brecht, Cy Coleman, Betty Comden, Joe Darion, Hal David, Fred Ebb, Gary Geld, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Adolph Green, Adam Guettel, Oscar Hammerstein, Sheldon Harnick, Jerry Herman, John Kander, Burton Lane, Mitch Leigh, Alan Jay Lerner, Frank Loesser, Frederick Loewe, Galt MacDermot, Cole Porter, James Rado, Gerome Ragni, Richard Rodgers, Charles Strouse, Jule Styne, Peter Udell and Kurt Weill.

Adan Rocha to Star on CBS’ “Murphy Brown” Revival

Adan Rocha is livin’ the Dream(er)

The Latino actor has been cast as a new series regular on CBS’ new Murphy Brownhailing from original creator Diane English and Warner Bros. Television.

Adan Rocha 

As an inherently political comedy, the Murphy Brown revival has been expected to take on the Donald Trump presidency, and now the series will include his controversial immigration policies.

First appearing in the show’s second episode, Rocha will play Miguel, a Mexican Dreamer who came to the United States at the age of one. Now he’s a college student working at Phil’s Bar alongside Phyllis (Tyne Daly) for extra money to put toward tuition. Quick with a quip, he’s always making cracks about “The Wall” and ICE.

English previously had said that the revival would address Trump’s attacks on mainstream media and its coverage, which he brands “fake news.”

Candice Bergen is back as intrepid investigative journalist and news anchor Murphy Brown. Faith Ford, Joe Regalbuto and Grant Shaud reprise their roles from the original series. Charles Kimbrough, who was the newscast anchor in the original, is set to do three episodes of the remake as a guest star. New series regulars include Daly, Jake McDormanas Murphy’s grown-up son Avery, and Nik Dodani as Pat Patel.

Rocha previously appeared on IFC’s Brockmire and Freeform’s The Fosters.

Martin Sheen to Participate in Broadway Revival of A.R. Gurney’s Play “Love Letters”

Martin Sheen is ready to share a few Love Letters on The Great White Way…

The 73-year-old half-Spanish American actor and West Wing alum has signed on to take part in the star-fueled revival of playwright A.R. Gurney’s play Love Letters.

Martin Sheen

The play centers on two characters, Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III. The couple sit side by side at tables and read the notes, letters and cards – in which over nearly 50 years, they discuss their hopes and ambitions, dreams and disappointments, victories and defeats – that have passed between them throughout their separated lives.

The play, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, will return to Broadway beginning September 13 at the Nederlander Theatre.

Martin Sheen will be paired with Anjelica Huston for their three-week run of performances. The other pairings include Brian Dennehy and Mia Farrow, Brian Dennehy and Carol Burnett, Alan Alda and Candice Bergen, and Stacy Keach and Diana Rigg.

Two-time Tony Award winner Gregory Mosher will direct the production.

Here’s the schedule so far:

Saturday, September 13, 2014, through Friday, October 10, 2014: Brian Dennehy & Mia Farrow

Saturday, October 11, 2014, through Friday, November 7, 2014: Carol Burnett & Brian Dennehy

Saturday, November 8, 2014 through Friday, December 5, 2014: Alan Alda & Candice Bergen

Saturday, December 6, 2014, through Friday, January 9, 2015: Stacy Keach & Diana Rigg

Saturday, January 10, 2015, through Sunday, February 1, 2015: Anjelica Huston & Martin Sheen

The first reading of Love Letters took place at the New York Public Library, performed by Gurney and Holland Taylor. The original full production was directed by John Tillinger and opened November 3, 1988, at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut starring Joanna Gleason and John Rubinstein, followed by a New York production opening March 27, 1989, at off-Broadway’s Promenade Theatre starring Kathleen Turner and John Rubinstein. On October 31, 1989, Love Letters opened at Broadway’s Edison Theatre starring Colleen Dewhurst and Jason Robards, where it ran for 96 performances.