Erik Estrada to Guest Star on This Week’s 80s Night-Themed Episode of “The Masked Singer”

Posted on March 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Erik Estrada is masking up…

The 74-year-old Puerto Rican actor will appear on this week’s episode of The Masked Singer.

Estrada won’t actually compete on the Fox series, but he will appear to hand out special clues that provide hints to the identities of each player.

Estrada’s appearance is part of the show’s “80’s Night.” He is best known for his co-starring lead role as California Highway Patrol officer Francis (Frank) Llewelyn “Ponch” Poncherello in the police drama television series CHiPs, which ran from 1977 to 1983.

Estrada, Dallas star Charlene Tilton and Young MC will all deliver clues that evening, with Young MC opening the show with a performance of his hit single “Bust a Move.”

The Masked Singer enters Season 9 with 21 contestants include “Mustang,” “Axolotl,” “California Roll,” “Dandelion,” “Moose,” “Gargoyle,” “Jackalope,” “Doll,” Polar Bear,” “Night Owl,” “Rock Lobster,” “Gnome” and more to be announced. Tim Chappel is this season’s costume designer.

Celebrities unmasked so far in Season 9 include Lele Pons as Jackalope, Malin Akerman as Squirrel, Michael Bolton as the Wolf, Grandmaster Flash as Polar Bear, Debbie Gibson as Night Owl, Howie Mandel as Rock Lobster, Sara Evans as Mustang and Dick Van Dyke as Gnome.

The Season 9 contestants “boast a combined 28 Emmy nominations, six Grammy wins, 10 gold albums, four Golden Globe nominations, five medals, 26 books, two Tony Award nominations, five Lifetime Achievement Awards, four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a combined 95,231,000 records sold.”

Season nine will introduce all-new themed episodes, including “ABBA,” “New York,” “DC Superheroes,” “Sesame Street,” “80s Night,” “Movie Night” and more.

Amanda Perez to Appear on CBS’ Bowling Comedy “How We Roll”

Posted on December 19, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Amanda Perez is on a roll…

The Latina actress has landed a key recurring role on How We Roll, CBS’ multi-camera bowling comedy from Crashing’s Pete Holmes.

Perez joins a list of cast newcomers that includes Tahj Mowry, Rondi Reed, Judy Kain and Matt McCarthy in the project.

Based on the life of professional bowler Tom Smallwood, the series stars Holmes as Tom, a stoic Midwest husband and dad who gets laid off from a car assembly line and makes the extraordinary decision to provide for his family by following his dream of becoming a professional bowler.

It’s set to premiere Thursday, March 31.

As a skilled player, Tom knows that in bowling you get two chances; no matter what you do with the first ball, you get another one to make it right — the ultimate second chance. Keeping that in mind, he begins his new career with the loving OK from his wife, Jen (Katie Lowes), and the unfaltering support of Archie (Chi McBride), his mentor and the proud owner of Archie’s Lanes: Home of the Curly Fry. It remains to be seen if Tom will strike it big on the pro bowlers circuit, but right now, the pins are set, he’s taking his second shot, and it’s 300 or bust.

Perez will portray Tia, a hair stylist at the beauty salon with Jen. She’s party girl who’s always up for a good time. But as wild as she gets, Tia is still a dear friend to Jen, and there to listen and offer love and support.

How We Roll hails from writer Mark Gross and producers David Hollander and Brian D’Arcy James. The series is produced by CBS Studios with Gross, Hollander and D’Arcy James as executive producers. Mark Cendrowski directed the pilot.

Perez recently recurred on Netflix’s On The Verge and Fox’s Call Me Kat. Her guest star credits include Fox’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine, ABC’s Mom and Modern Family, and Netflix’s The Kominsky Method. She also appeared in features CHiPs, Summoned and Don Jon, and will soon be appearing in Marvel’s Morbius opposite J.K Simmons in 2022.

Arturo Del Puerto to Star in HBO’s New Comedy Series “Camping”

Posted on March 20, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Arturo Del Puerto is heading to campground…

The Latino actor has been cast opposite Jennifer Garner and David Tennant in HBO’s new half-hour comedy series Camping.

Del Puerto joins a cast that includes Janicza Bravo, Brett Gelman and Bridget Everett.

Based on the British series created by Julia Davis, the project hails from the Girls duo of creator/executive producer Lena Dunham and executive producer Jenni Konner.

Production begins this spring in Los Angeles.

Co-written by Dunham and Konner, who also showrun, Camping centers on Walt (Tennant), whose 45th birthday was supposed to be a delightful weekend back to nature, at least according to his obsessively organized and aggressively controlling wife Kathryn (Garner). But when the camping trip gathers Kathryn’s meek sister, holier than thou ex-best friend and a free-spirited Tagalong in one place, it becomes a weekend of tested marriages and woman-on-woman crime that won’t soon be forgotten. Plus, bears.

Del Puerto will portray Miguel, who is smack dab in the middle of a midlife crisis, recently separated. He is now expressing his instability through Topshop clothing and very strange life choices.

Bravo will play Nina-Joy, the friend you go to for everything: best massage, best jeans, best oatmeal. But her tension with Kathryn over a breach of confidence threatens to topple the weekend and put tooth marks in her marriage to the husband (Gelman) she adores almost as much as she likes a nice clog boot.

Del Puerto was most recently seen in features Independence Day: Resurgence, Ride Along 2 and CHIPS. He’s also known for his recurring role on AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead and a memorable guest spot in the Season 2 premiere of Pamela Adlon’s Better Things.

Known as a writer and director, Bravo directed and co-wrote with Gelman feature Lemon which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. She also helmed the “Juneteenth” episode of Donald Glover’s hit FX series Atlanta, as well as episodes of HBO’s Divorce, Here and Now, Netflix’s Love and Dear White People, and also guest-starred as Lorna in an episode of Love.

del Puerto Lands Recurring Role on AMC’s “Fear The Walking Dead”

Posted on January 30, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Arturo del Puerto is facing his Fear…

The Latino actor has landed a recurring role on the upcoming second season of AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead.

He’ll play Carlos, who’s guarded but possesses a spiritual understanding of the world.

The Walking Dead companion series focuses on new characters and storylines.

Season 2 premieres on April 10.

del Puerto just wrapped a series regular role on FX’s pilot Snowfall.

He can currently be seen on the big screen in Ride Along 2 and will next be seen in features Independence Day 2 and CHiPS opposite Dax Shepard.

Peña Attached to Star in Film Adaptation of NBC’s Cult Classic “CHiPS”

Posted on September 4, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Peña is letting the chips fall where they may…

Warner Bros. has set actor/comedian Dax Shepard to write, direct and star in the film adaptation of the long-running television series CHiPS, with the 38-year-old Mexican American actor attached to play Frank “Ponch” Poncherello.

CHiPS, whichran from 1977-83, centered on two officers who patrolled the highways of California on motorcycles in some scandalously tight khaki uniforms. Shepard will play Officer Jon Baker (played in the original by Larry Wilcox), with Peña starring in therole Erik Estrada originated. Rick Rosner created the NBC series.

This is the most serious Warner Bros. has been in turning CHiPS into a film. The studio attempted it years ago, after That ’70s Show star Wilmer Valderrama showed up in the office of executive Greg Silverman. Dressed in the signature tight-fitting uniform, Valderrama merely said, “Funny, right?” — and he walked out with a deal and an intention to play Ponch. But while television shows from that era like Starsky & Hutch and The Dukes Of Hazzard got movie transfers, CHiPS stalled out.

The new take is envisioned as much in the tone of Bad Boys and Lethal Weapon than a comedy. Shepard is known mostly in humorous roles and the series Parenthood. He’s actually a professional driver of racecars and motorcycles, and he expects to be performing his own riding and stunts.

Trailer Released for Disney’s “Planes: Fire & Rescue,” Featuring Erik Estrada

Posted on April 14, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

The sky’s the limit for Erik Estrada…

Disney has released the trailer for Planes: Fire & Rescue, which finds the 65-year-old Puerto Rican actor lending his voice to one of the animated film’s characters.

Estrada, best known for starring in the television series CHiPs, voices the character of as Nick “Loop’n” Lopez, a helicopter police officer.

The sequel to last year’s Planes, which made nearly $220 million worldwide, sees the return of world famous air racer Dusty Crophopper (voiced by Dane Cook). After learning that his engine is damaged and he may never be able to race again, Dusty must shift gears and is launched into the world of wildfire air attack.

Dusty joins forces with veteran fire and rescue helicopter Blade Ranger (voice of Ed Harris) and his courageous air attack team, including spirited super scooper Lil’ Dipper (voice of Julie Bowen), heavy-lift helicopter Windlifter (voice of Wes Studi), ex-military transport Cabbie (voice of Dale Dye) and a lively bunch of brave all-terrain vehicles known as The Smokejumpers. Together, the fearless team battles a massive wildfire, and Dusty learns what it takes to become a true hero.

In addition to Estrada, the film also features the voice of Danny Pardo.The Argentine actor voices the character of Blackout.

Planes: Fire & Rescue will hit theatres in the U.S. on July 18.

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