MGM+ Releases Teaser Trailer for Danny Pino’s New 1970s Crime Thriller Series “Hotel Cocaine”

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Danny Pino is bracing for a mutiny…

MGM+ has released a teaser trailer for the 1970s crime thriller Hotel Cocaine, starring the 49-year-old Cuban American actor.

The premiere of the eight-episode series will be available on June 16 on MGM+, with new episodes airing on Sundays until August 4.

In addition to Pino, the cast includes Michael Chiklis, Mark Feuerstein, Yul Vazquez, Tania Watson, Corina Bradley and Laura Gordon.

New cast additions include Don Mike, Pedro Giunti, Lola Claire, Matthew Del Negro, Victor Oliveira, Robert Beck, Sam Robards and Candy Santana.

From Chris Brancato and Guillermo Navarro, Hotel Cocaine tells the story of Roman Compte (Pino), a Cuban exile and general manager of the Mutiny Hotel, the glamorous epicenter of the Miami cocaine scene of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.

The Mutiny Hotel was Casablanca on cocaine; a glitzy nightclub, restaurant, and hotel frequented by Florida businessmen and politicians, international narcos, CIA and FBI agents, models, sports stars and musicians. At the center of it all was Compte, who was doing his best to keep it all going and fulfill his American Dream.

Recurring cast: Don Mike plays “Omar,” the Mutiny Club maitre’d. Pedro Giunti plays “Guillermo,” Nestor’s henchman and driver. Claire plays “Trini,” a Mutiny Girl. Santana plays “Gale,” a Mutiny Girl and Janice’s right hand.

Guest cast: Del Negro plays “Phil Nolan,” Janice’s abusive ex-boyfriend. Oliveira plays “Alvaro Gomez,” an emissary of Henao and Yolanda’s cartel. Beck plays “Marty Owens,” a customs official on Henao’s payroll. Robards plays “Hal,” Nestor and Burton’s former CIA handler.

Prevously announced guest stars include Mayra Hermosillo, Juan Pablo Raba, Erniel Baez, Nick Barkla, Cale Ambrozic, Camila Valero and Maggie Lacey.

Brancato created the series and serves as executive producer and showrunner. Navarro directed the pilot and executive produces the series alongside Brancato, with Michael Panes and Alfredo Barrios Jr. also serving as executive producers.

Hotel Cocaine is produced by MGM+ Studios, in association with Stan in Australia and internationally distributed by Amazon MGM Studios Distribution.

Xolo Maridueña to Star in the Eif Rivera-Directed Film “Killing Castro”

Posted on December 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Xolo Maridueña is killin’ it in Hollywood…

The 22-year-old Mexican, Cuban and Ecuadorian American actor and Blue Beetle star will star in the film Killing Castro.

Eif Rivera will direct the film from a script by Leon Hendrix, Thomas DeGrezia and Colin Bateman. This will be Rivera’s first feature film.

In addition to Maridueña, who rose to acclaim in Cobra Kai, will star alongside

Al Pacino, Mexican superstar Diego Boneta, KiKi Layne, Alexander Ludwig, Ron Livingston, Kendrick Sampson, Nicole Beharie, Logan Marshall Green and Titus Welliver in the film.

Based on true events, the film is set in 1960. Shortly after winning the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro travels to New York City to deliver his first speech to the United Nations. When met with hostility at his original hotel, Castro meets Malcolm X who invites him to stay at famed Hotel Theresa in Harlem. With the eyes of the world watching, a rookie undercover FBI agent originally assigned to investigate Malcolm X suddenly becomes the FBI’s most valuable asset, and is tasked with keeping Castro from being eliminated by the CIA and the Italian mafia, by any means necessary.

Killing Castro will be produced by Romulus Entertainment’s Brad Feinstein, along with Christina Weiss Lurie of Fourth and Twenty-Eight Films. Romulus will also finance. Principal photography will take place in Newark, NJ.

“I am honored to be part of telling such an important story that is a piece of history which was largely unknown,” said Feinstein. “Killing Castro perfectly encapsulates the type of stories we strive to tell at Romulus Entertainment, stories that do more than entertain audiences, but create thought-provoking diverse content that bring to light the complexities of real life. We are looking forward to working with the incredible cast led by the inimitable Eif Rivera.”

Rivera is known for directing BMF, and TV shows including Force and Power Book III: Raising Kanan.

“I am excited to bring to life this compelling true story with the help of my remarkable cast and formidable producing team at Romulus Entertainment,” Rivera said.

Netflix Renews Monica Barbaro’s “Fubar” for Second Season

Posted on June 18, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Monica Barbaro’s spy career continues…

Netflix’s Fubar, starring the 32-year-old part-Mexican American actress and Arnold Schwarzenegger, has been renewed for a second season.

Fubar debuted its eight-episode first season on May 25, and follows a C.I.A. operative Luke Brunner (Schwarzenegger) who discovers a family secret that pulls him back into the field and delays his retirement plans.

Barbaro portrays his daughter, Emma.

Following the May premiere, Fubar opened with 88.94 million hours viewed in its first four days of availability.

Alongside Schwarzenegge and Barbaro as the father-daughter duo, the series also stars Fortune Feimster as Roo, Jay Baruchel as Carter, Aparna Brielle as Tina, Andy Buckley as Donnie, Barbara Eve Harris as Dot, Gabriel Luna as Boro, Milan Carter as Barry, Fabiana Udenio as Tally and Travis Van Winkle as Aldon.

Schwarzenegger also serves as an executive producer alongside creator and showrunner Nick Santora.

In a recent interview with Variety, Barbaro revealed that her off-screen dynamic with Schwarzenegger resembled their characters’ father-daughter history: “It was kind of perfect that we had this father-daughter dynamic, because we would just give each other shit all day. I think that helped us a lot to find that sort of familial chemistry. He was also kind enough to let me ask him anything about his experience and all of that”

Yul Vazquez to Star in MGM+’s Crime Thriller “Hotel Cocaine”

Posted on March 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Yul Vazquez is checking into his next project…

The 58-year-old Cuban-American actor and musician is set as a lead opposite Danny Pino and Michael Chiklis in Hotel Cocaine, MGM+’s upcoming crime thriller from creator Chris Brancato.

Hotel Cocaine is the story of Roman Compte (Pino), a Cuban expatriate who fought against Fidel Castro in the Bay of Pigs invasion and re-made his life in Miami. He is general manager of the Mutiny Hotel, the glamorous epicenter of the Miami cocaine scene of late ‘70s and early ‘80s. The Mutiny Hotel was Casablanca on cocaine, a glitzy nightclub, restaurant and hotel frequented by Florida businessmen and politicians, international narcos, CIA and FBI agents, models, sports stars and musicians.

Vazquez will play Nestor Cabal, Roman Compte’s (Pino) brother and one of the biggest suppliers of cocaine to a coke-hungry Miami population. He’s dangerous, funny, wily, and seeking reunion with his long-lost brother.

Chiklis plays Agent Zulio who will stop at nothing to shut down the drug trade, even if it means using innocent civilians to accomplish his ends.

The eight-episode series from MGM+ Studios, in partnership with MGM Television, will begin production in May in the Dominican Republic, and is slated to premiere in early 2024.

Vazquez will next be seen in the HBO Max limited series White House Plumbers, opposite Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux. He was most recently seen on season 3 of the MGM+ series Godfather of Harlem opposite Forest Whitaker and in the Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ series, Severance, directed by Ben Stiller.

His other credits include Jason Bateman’s HBO series The Outsider, ABC’s Promised Land, Netflix’s Russian Doll, TNT miniseries I Am The Night and HBO’s Succession, among others.

His film work includes Books of Blood, Last Flag Flying, Gringo, Traffic and The Infiltrator.

Danny Pino Lands Leading Role in MGM+’s Crime Thriller “Hotel Cocaine”

Posted on March 15, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Danny Pino is checking in to a new project…

The 48-year-old Cuban American actor, who stars in Mayans M.C., will star as the lead in Hotel Cocaine, MGM+’s upcoming crime thriller from creator Chris Brancato.

Hotel Cocaine is the story of Roman Compte (Pino), a Cuban expatriate who fought against Fidel Castro in the Bay of Pigs invasion and re-made his life in Miami. He is general manager of the Mutiny Hotel, the glamorous epicenter of the Miami cocaine scene of late ‘70s and early ‘80s. The Mutiny Hotel was Casablanca on cocaine, a glitzy nightclub, restaurant and hotel frequented by Florida businessmen and politicians, international narcos, CIA and FBI agents, models, sports stars and musicians. At the center of it all was Compte, who was doing his best to keep it all going and fulfill his own American dream.

Brancato serves as executive producer and showrunner. Guillermo Navarro will direct the pilot episode and executive produce the series, with Michael Panes and Alfredo Barrios Jr. also serving as executive producers. The eight-episode series from MGM+ Studios, in partnership with MGM Television, will begin production in May in the Dominican Republic, and is slated to premiere in early 2024.

Pino, born and raised in Miami, stars as organized crime boss Miguel Galindo in Mayans M.C., which is heading into its fifth and final season on FX.

He made his episodic directorial debut in the drama’s fourth season. Pino, also known for his roles as police detective Nick Amaro on Law & Order: SVU and Detective Scotty Valens on Cold Case, recently completed the short film, Union de Reyes (Union of Kings), which he wrote, directed, produced and starred in.

Hotel Cocaine will be distributed internationally by MGM.

Hulu to Premiere Sixth & Final Season of “Snowfall,” Featuring Sergio Peris-Mencheta, in February

Posted on December 22, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Sergio Peris-Mencheta is preparing for his final snowfall…

Hulu has announced plans to premiere the sixth and final season of Snowfall, starring the 47-year-old Spanish theater, cinema, and television actor, on February 22 at 10:00 pm ET on FX, and stream the next day on Hulu.

The premiere will include the first two episodes of the 10-episode final season.

The final season kicks off during October 1986, as a brewing civil war threatens to end the Saint family. After being wiped out by former CIA officer Teddy McDonald (Carter Hudson), Franklin (Damson Idris) becomes desperate and is forced to rob his own blood to get ahead. Now faced with losing everyone he loves and everything he built, Franklin has to out-maneuver the KGB, the DEA and the CIA, along with the LAPD’s corrupt CRASH units, to survive.

The drama series was created by John Singleton & Eric Amadio and Dave Andron, and is executive produced by Singleton, Andron, Thomas Schlamme, Amadio, Michael London, Trevor Engelson, Walter Mosley, Julie DeJoie and John LaBrucherie. Idris also serves as producer. Andron serves as showrunner.

Snowfall is produced by FX Productions.

HBO Max to Premiere Second Season of “The Flight Attendant,” Featuring Rosie Perez, in April

Posted on March 17, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Rosie Perez is taking flight again…

HBO Max will premiere the second season of The Flight Attendant, featuring the 57-year-old Puerto Rican actress and activist, on April 21 with two episodes.

The eight-episode season continues with two new episodes on April 28, followed by one episode weekly, concluding May 26.

In Season 2, Cassie Bowden (Kaley Cuoco) returns with a fresh start in Los Angeles. She’s sober and moonlighting as a CIA asset in her spare time. But when an overseas assignment leads her to inadvertently witness a murder, she becomes entangled in another international intrigue.

The season filmed in Los Angeles, Berlin and Reykjavik.

Returning series regulars also include Perez, Zosia Mamet, Griffin Matthews and Deniz Akdeniz. T.R. Knight, Yasha Jackson, and Audrey Grace Marshall are returning recurring guest stars.

The season also stars new series regulars Mo McRae, Callie Hernandez, and JJ Soria, as well as new recurring guest stars Alanna Ubach, Cheryl Hines, Jessie Ennis, Mae Martin, Margaret Cho, Santiago Cabrera, Sharon Stone and Shohreh Aghdashloo.

The Flight Attendant is developed by showrunner Steve Yockey, who serves as executive producer alongside co-showrunner and executive producer Natalie Chaidez. Greg Berlanti, Cuoco, Sarah Schechter, David Madden, Suzanne McCormack, and Silver Tree are executive producers. Jess Meyer is co-executive producer and Bonnie Munoz is producer.

The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television, Cuoco’s Yes, Norman Productions, and Berlanti Productions. Season one was based on the novel of the same name by New York Times bestselling author Chris Bohjalian.

Zoe Saldaña to Star in & Executive Produce the CIA Drama “Lioness”

Posted on February 17, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Zoe Saldaña is roaring into her latest role…

The 42-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress will star in Lioness, a film she will executive produce alongside Nicole Kidman and others.

Lioness is based on a real-life CIA program and follows a U.S. Marines recruited to befriend the daughter of a terrorist to bring the organization down from within.

Saldaña stars as Joe, a strong-willed, hard-nosed station chief of the CIA’s Lioness Program, who is tasked with training, managing and leading her female undercover operatives working to assassinate the world’s most dangerous terrorists.

Production on the film will begin in June.

Saldaña is best known for her work in Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Trek and Avatar.

Alanna Ubach to Appear on Season 2 of HBO Max’s “The Flight Attendant”

Posted on November 12, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Alanna Ubach is taking Flight…

The 46-year-old Puerto Rican and Mexican American actress will appear on Season 2 of HBO Max’s critically acclaimed series The Flight Attendant as a recurring guest star.

Ubach will appear in the new season—which is currently in production—alongside returning series regulars Kaley Cuoco, Zosia Mamet, Griffin Matthews, Deniz Akdeniz and Rosie Perez; new series regulars Mo McRae, Callie Hernandez and JJ Soria; returning recurring guest stars T.R. Knight, Yasha Jackson and Audrey Grace Marshall; and new recurring guest stars Cheryl Hines, Jessie Ennis, Mae Martin, Margaret Cho, Santiago Cabrera and Shohreh Aghdashloo.

The Max Original, based on Chris Bohjalian’s 2018 novel of the same name, centers on Cassie Bowden (Cuoco), a reckless flight attendant with an alcohol problem who in Season 1, wakes up in the wrong hotel, in the wrong bed, with a dead man—and no idea what happened.

Season 2 finds Cassie living her best sober life in Los Angeles while moonlighting as a CIA asset in her spare time. But when an overseas assignment leads her to inadvertently witness a murder, she becomes entangled in another international brouhaha.

Ubach will play Carol Atkinson, also known as Black Market Carol, a perfectly groomed, icy flight attendant who is not a fan of Cassie.

Ubach is best known for her work in the Legally Blonde films, along with her turn as Mamá Imelda in Disney/Pixar’s Coco, and as Jo Hernandez-Frumpkis in the Bravo series Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce.

She recurs opposite Kate Beckinsale on the Paramount+ series Guilty Party, and will return for the sophomore seasons of Disney+’s Monsters at Work, HBO’s Euphoria, and Hulu’s Crossing Swords.

The actress has also appeared in Netflix’s Maya and the Three, Fox’s Filthy Rich, FX’s Snowfall, AMC’s Dietland, Amazon’s Hand of God, Showtime’s Californication and HBO’s Hung, among others.

Additional film credits include Bombshell, Gloria Bell, To the Bone, Bad Teacher, Rango, Waiting… and its sequel Still Waiting… and Clockwatchers.

Netflix Gives Series Order to Monica Barbaro’s Global Spy Adventure with Arnold Schwarzenegger

Posted on May 20, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

The spy’s the limit for Monica Barbaro…

Netflix has given an eight-episode series order to an untitled one-hour global spy adventure starring the 30-year-old part Mexican American actress and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In his first major foray into scripted television, Schwarzenegger will also executive produce the series.

The streamer landed the Skydance TV-produced hourlong series in a competitive situation last November for development with a script-to-series commitment.

In the series, created by Nick Santora, when a father (Schwarzenegger) and daughter (Barbaro) learn that they’ve each secretly been working as CIA Operatives for years, they realize their entire relationship has been a lie and they truly don’t know one another at all. Forced to team up as partners, our series tackles universal family dynamics set against a global backdrop of spies, fantastic action and humor.

“Fans from all over the world have been asking me for a wild ride like this for years, and now they’re finally going to get it because of our great partners at Skydance and Netflix,” Schwarzenegger said. “I am beyond pumped to start work on the show with Nick and Monica and the whole team.”

Santora created and developed the original idea and is executive producing the untitled series as part of his overall deal with Skydance Television. The project was developed internally at Skydance TV and the independent studio cast the two leads before taking it out to the streaming marketplace.

Barbaro’s previous credits include her roles as Yael in season 2 of Unreal and as Cora Vasquez in The Good Cop.

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