Marc Menchaca to Appear on Kurt Sutter‘s Netflix Western Drama “The Abandons”

Posted on March 19, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Marc Menchaca is abandons-ing his future…

The 46-year-old half-Mexican American actor will appear in a recurring role on Kurt Sutter‘s upcoming Netflix Western drama The Abandons.

Other recurring cast members just added to the ensemble include Patton Oswalt, Sarah Grace White, Michael Ornstein, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Brían F. O’Byrne, Haig Sutherland, Jack Doolan, Jonathan Koensgen and Katelyn Wells.

Details regarding the characters they will portray remain under wraps.

The project reunites Sutter with Ornstein, who played Chucky Marstein in both FX’s Sons of Anarchy and its spinoff series Mayans M.C., which were created and co-created by Sutter, respectively. He will also collaborate again with White and O’Byrne, who co-starred in his short-lived period drama The Bastard Executioner.

Created and executive produced by Sutter, who also serves as showrunner, The Abandons follows a group of diverse, outlier families pursuing their Manifest Destiny in 1850s Oregon, as a corrupt force of wealth and power, coveting their land, tries to force them out. These abandoned souls, the kind of lost souls living on the fringe of society, unite their tribes to form a family and fight back. In this bloody process, “justice” is stretched beyond the boundaries of the law. The Abandons will explore that fine line between survival and law, the consequences of violence, and the corrosive power of secrets, as this family fights to keep their land.

Previously announced series stars include Lena Heady, Gillian Anderson, Nick Robinson, Diana Silvers, Lucas Till, Lamar Johnson, Aisling Franciosi and Natalia del Riego. Mayans M.C. star Clayton Cardenas is set to recur.

Clayton Cardenas to Appear on Kurt Sutter’s New Netflix Series “The Abandons”

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Clayton Cardenas is reuniting with Kurt Sutter…

The 38-year-old half-Mexican American actor has joined the cast of Sutter’s new Netflix series The Abandons in a recurring role.

Cardenas’ casting reunites him with Sutter, the co-creator of the Sons of Anarchy spinoff series Mayans M.C., in which Cardenas starred in the series regular role of Angel Reyes across the show’s five seasons.

Gillian Anderson, Lena Headey, Lucas Till, Nick Robinson, Diana Silvers, Lamar Johnson, Aisling Franciosi and Natalia del Riego also star.

Created and executive produced by Sutter, who also serves as showrunner, The Abandons follows a group of diverse, outlier families pursuing their Manifest Destiny in 1850s Oregon, as a corrupt force of wealth and power, coveting their land, tries to force them out. These abandoned souls, the kind of lost souls living on the fringe of society, unite their tribes to form a family and fight back. In this bloody process, “justice” is stretched beyond the boundaries of the law. The Abandons will explore that fine line between survival and law, the consequences of violence, and the corrosive power of secrets, as this family fights to keep their land.

In addition to his work on Mayans M.C., Cardenas previously played Diego Castillo on the Emmy-winning series American Crime and has appeared on series such as Law & Order: SVU, Snowfall, FBI and S.W.A.T.

Up next, he will recur in the Fox drama The Cleaning Lady‘s third season.

In addition to acting, Cardenas is a spoken-word poet and painter whose large-scale canvas work has caught the attention of collectors across.

FX Releases Trailer for Fifth & Final Season of JD Pardo’s “Mayans M.C.”

Posted on March 31, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

JD Pardo is revving up for a final ride…

FX has released the trailer for Mayans M.C., starring the 42-year-old Argentine & Salvadoran American actor.

The hot series will premiere its fifth and final season on Wednesday, May 24 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on the network, with episodes streaming the next day on Hulu.

The premiere will include the first two episodes of the 10-episode final season, with one new episode each following week. The series will be available on Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ under the Star banner in all other territories.

Mayans M.C. follows the life of Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes (Pardo), president of the Mayans M.C. charter on the Cali/Mexi border. Once a golden boy with the American Dream in his grasp, EZ has now risen to lead his brother Angel (Clayton Cardenas) and the Santo Padre M.C. in a bloody war against their rival Sons of Anarchy. Defending the California territory and patch begins to claim lives within the club and causes strain between EZ and Angel — as one brother devotes himself to the club and the other to family. Felipe (Edward James Olmos) attempts to heal these fractured bonds for the future of the Reyes family.

JR Bourne, Danny Pino, Carla Baratta, Michael Irby, Emilio Rivera, Sarah Bolger, Frankie Loyal, Joseph Lucero, Vincent Vargas, Gino Vento, Emily Tosta and Vanessa Giselle also star.

Mayans M.C. was co-created by Kurt Sutter and Elgin James. The series is executive produced by James and Sutter. The series is produced by 20th Television and FX Productions.

FX’s “Mayans M.C.,” Starring J.D. Pardo, to End with Season 5

Posted on January 12, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the end of the road for J.D. Pardo.

The 42-year-old Salvadoran & Argentine American actor’s hit series Mayans M.C. will end with Season 5 on FX.

Created by Kurt Sutter and Elgin James, Mayans M.C.— a spin-off series of the network’s hit Sons of Anarchy— follows a motley crew of Latin men who found a family in the motorcycle club charter Santo Padre on the California and Mexico border. While the story is about the M.C., it also features powerful female characters that are bold and powerful in their own right.

Returning series stars include Pardo, Clayton Cardenas, Danny Pino, Michael Irby, Carla Baratta, Sarah Bolger, Emilio Rivera, Edward James Olmos, Frankie Loyal, Vincent Vargas and Joseph Raymond Lucero.

The Season 4 finale saw the M.C. mourn the loss of their brother Coco (Richard Cabral) who was killed in battle earlier in the season. It was also a big episode for Sons of Anarchy fans with the return of Kim Coates as Tig where he shared a particularly emotional reunion with OG Marcus Alvarez (Rivera).

In another tie-in to SOA, Meth Mountain’s Isaac Packer’s (JR Bourne) reaper tattoo was finally explained in the episode. He is the younger brother of Les Packer (Robert Patrick), President of SAMCRO’s San Bernadino chapter who had been undergoing cancer treatment. Still alive and kicking, a return of Les would make total sense for Mayan M.C.‘s final season.

When the series returns, Santo Padre will have a new leader in EZ (Pardo) who orchestrated the ouster of El Padrino snatching the seat at the head of the table. Alvarez wanted to barter peace between SAMCRO and Santo Padre but EZ and his brothers want war. Hopefully, this sets up the ultimate Sons of Anarchy and Mayans M.C. crossover fans have ever seen.

Clayton Cardenas to Star in & Executive Produce Alessandro Camon’s Drama “Time Alone”

Posted on May 3, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Clayton Cardenas is getting a little time alone…

The Latino actor, who currently appears on Mayans M.C., will star opposite Taraji P. Henson in Alessandro Camon’s drama Time Alone, based on his play.

The film will begin production in Los Angeles in July.

In the project, Cardenas will play Gabriel, a young man convicted of killing a gang rival. His journey intersects with Anna (Henson), the mother of a police officer murdered in the line of duty, as they both end up in the world’s most lonely places: a solitary confinement prison cell, and the silent house of a grieving mother.

Cardenas was originally slated to play Gabriel onstage when the Belle Rêve production premiered at Los Angeles Theatre Center, before scheduling complications arose. Time Alone went on to receive the Stage Raw Award and Critics Award for Best Play, along with other nominations.

Emanuel Morretti’s Motus Studios will finance and produce the film with Oakhurst Entertainment’s Jai Khanna and Marina Grasic.

Cardenas’ manager Marni Rosenzweig will also produce for The Rosenzweig Group, alongside Escape Artists’ Todd Black, TPH Entertainment and Suzanne Warren, with Cardenas executive-producing alongside Jason Tamasco and Zak Kristofek of Traction.

“I’m thrilled to be working with Clayton on a film that means so much to both of us, and to everyone involved,” said Camon. “Clayton’s powerful work in Mayans M.C brought his talent to a wide audience, but I’m a believer from the early days. He has the heart of a warrior and the soul of a poet.”

Said Cardenas: “From the moment I auditioned for the role in 2017, I had a gut instinct I would be portraying this character. To see it go from the theater stages to film feels fully aligned with what I ultimately envisioned for this project. I am truly honored to be working with my costar Taraji, whose body of work I’ve always admired, and to bring life to the words of Alessandro, who I am deeply in awe of. These two are the type of artists I continue to strive to work with to leave a dent in the universe.”

Added Rosenzweig: “Alessandro Camon wrote a beautiful play that has resonated with me for years. I’m thrilled to be a part of bringing his words back to life in a new medium.”

Cardenas is best known for his role as Angel Reyes on FX’s biker drama Mayans M.C., which recently returned for its fourth season. The actor also has appeared on such series as American Crime, Law & Order: SVU, Snowfall and S.W.A.T. In addition to acting, he is a spoken-word poet and painter whose large-scale canvas work has caught the attention of collectors across the country.

Debra Moore Muñoz Signs Overall Content Deal with FX Productions

Posted on October 7, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Debra Moore Muñoz has a new content deal…

The Mexican-American writer and producer, a co-executive producer and writer on FX’s Mayans M.C., has signed an overall deal with the show’s producer, FX Productions, to develop new content for FX through her company Apogee Films, Inc.

Muñoz is a first generation American who was born and raised in Los Angeles. She attended Columbia University in New York City, then returned to LA to begin her career in film development.

She worked on projects like Exodus: Gods and Kings, The Heat and St. Vincent before transitioning into television, serving first as a general assistant, then as a writers’ assistant on Westworld from 2016 to 2018.

In 2019, she was included on the 2019 Black List for her script Refuge, which follows a brother and sister through Central America as they seek safety in the United States.

In 2021, Muñoz joined the writing staff of Mayans M.C., which stars JD Pardo as Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, a new member of the Mayans M.C. charter on the border of California and Mexico. EZ and his brother Angel (Clayton Cardenas) uncover the truth behind their mother’s murder while their father Felipe (Edward James Olmos) struggles to reconcile the choices he and his sons have made. Muñoz was recently promoted to co-executive producer.

“Debra has emerged as one of the brightest writers and producers in the industry and FX was fortunate to have her on the writing staff of ‘Mayans M.C’. since its inception,” said Nick Grad, FX’s president of original programming. “We look forward to collaborating with her for new projects that draw on her enormous talents.”

Frankie Loyal Upped to Series Regular on FX’s “Mayans M.C.”

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

There are more rides in Frankie Loyal’s future…

The 51-year-old Latino actor/producer has been upped to series regular on FX’s biker drama Mayans M.C. alongside Joseph Lucero and Vincent Vargas for season 4, which is scheduled to return in early 2022.

Loyal, Lucero and Vargas took on larger roles in season 3, which saw their characters Hank Loza, Neron “Creeper” Vargas, and Gilly Lopez, respectively, flourish and develop into fully rounded characters with storylines fans embraced fully.

The trio have been a part of the series throughout its three-season run.

Mayans M.C., a spin-off series of the network’s hit Sons of Anarchy, follows a motley crew of Latino men who found a family in the motorcycle club charter Santo Padre on the California and Mexico border. While the story is about the M.C., it also features powerful female characters that are bold and powerful in their own right.

The character of E.Z. Reyes (JD Pardo) is at the center of the story as he finds his place in the gray area of a world that is mostly black and white.

It’s helmed by co-creator and executive producer Elgin James; and co-stars Clayton Cardenas, Danny Pino, Richard Cabral, Michael Irby, Carla Baratta, Sarah Bolger, Emilio Rivera, Edward James Olmos, Raoul Trujillo, Emily Tosta, and Sulem Calderon.

Loyal, whose character Hank serves as Sergeant-of-Arms to the M.C., guest-starred on FX’s Better Things opposite Pamela Adlon. On the big screen, he starred in The Deep End alongside Tilda Swinton and Goran Visnjic. He will next be seen in the drama feature Die Like A Man.

Lucero made his debut in the 2006 drama Gridiron Gang alongside Dwayne Johnson, Xzibit, Moe McCrae, and Jurnee Smollett. He was also featured in Father G and the Homeboys, an award-winning documentary chronicling Father Greg Boyle’s work with Los Angeles’ toughest gang members. Lucero’s television credits include Dirt, ER, The Shield, Cold Case, Criminal Minds, The Closer, Shameless, S.W.A.T., and FBI.

Vargas is a veteran of the U.S. Army that served three combat deployments who continues to serve his country today for the Army Reserve. In 2009, he became a Federal Agent with the Department of Homeland Security and was a Medic with the Special Operations Group.

He has starred and produced several films including Lucy Shimmers and the Prince of Peace (co-executive producer), Not a War Story (executive producer), and Dads in Parks (writer). Vargas pulled double duty since season 2 on Mayans M.C. as recurring star and technical advisor.

FX Renews JD Pardo’s “Mayans M.C.” for Fourth Season

Posted on May 3, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

JD Pardo is still ridin’ high…

FX’s Sons of Anarchy spinoff Mayans M.C., starring the 40-year-old Salvadoran and Argentinian-American actor, has been renewed for a fourth season, coming ahead of the third-season finale of the gritty biker drama on May 11.

Co-creator Elgin James took over as showrunner for the third season following the firing of his co-creator Kurt Sutter.

The fourth season will air in 2022.

Mayans M.C. follows the life of Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, played by Pardo, a newly patched member of the Mayans M.C. charter on the Cali/Mexi border. Once the golden boy with the American Dream in his grasp, EZ and his brother Angel (Clayton Cardenas) are closer than ever after uncovering the truth behind their mother’s murder while their father Felipe (Edward James Olmos) struggles to reconcile the choices he and his sons have made.

After U.S. Assistant District Attorney Lincoln Potter (Ray McKinnon) threatens to deport Felipe, EZ and Angel chose to leverage incriminating information to protect him rather than to free rebel leader Adelita (Carla Baratta) from federal custody, leaving her to give birth to Angel’s son while in handcuffs. Meanwhile, Miguel Galindo (Danny Pino), is left reeling over the loss of his mother to apparent suicide, while others quietly suspect foul play.

Additionally, the Mayans seek vengeance on their rivals, the Tijuana M.C. Vatos Malditos, after a surprise attack on their club. When the smoke clears, they discover the body of a Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original – there will be hell to pay.

Michael Irby, Raoul Max Trujillo, Richard Cabral, Emilio Rivera, Sarah Bolger and Sulem Calderon also star.

Mayans M.C. is executive produced by James, Michael Dinner and Sutter. The 10-episode third season is produced by 20th Television and FX Productions.

“Elgin James, his creative collaborators, this incredible cast and crew delivered on another epic season of Mayans M.C.,” said Nick Grad, President, Original Programming, FX Entertainment. “Through three seasons, Mayans has told stories that resonate well beyond the border where the club thrives and survives, inviting fans inside their world and giving them a seat at the table.”

Cabral to Star in FX’s “Sons of Anarchy” Spinoff Pilot “Mayans MC”

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

It’s ride or die for Richard Cabral…

The Mexican-American actor, who earned an Emmy nomination for his standout performance in American Crime, will co-star opposite JD Pardo in FX’s Mayans MC, Kurt Sutter’s Sons of Anarchy spinoff pilot.

Set in the aftermath of Jax Teller’s death at the end of SOA’s seven-season run in 2014, Mayans MC will focus on the struggles of Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes (Pardo), a prospect in the Mayan MC charter on the California/Mexico border. EZ is the gifted son of a proud Latino family, whose American dream was snuffed out by cartel violence. Now, his need for vengeance drives him toward a life he never intended and can never escape.

Cabral will play Johnny “El Coco” Cruz, a full patch member of Mayans MC, Santo Padre. Former Army sharpshooter and weapons specialist, Johnny earned a section 8 for shooting a cigar out of his CO’s mouth from a half-mile away… while he was stoned.

In addition to Pardo, Cabral joins previously cast Edward James Olmos, John Ortiz, Antonio Jaramillo and Clayton Cardenas.

Mayans MC was co-created by Sutter and Elgin James. Sutter is set to executive produce and direct the pilot; James is co-executive producer for Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions.

Cabral has recurred on all three seasons to date of ABC’s anthology drama American Crime, earning an Emmy nomination for his work in Season 1. Season 3 premieres March 12. Set in rural North Carolina, it centers around immigration and American labor issues.

Cabral also has a recurring role on Fox’s Lethal Weapon.

Jaramillo to Star in FX’s “Sons of Anarchy” Spinoff Pilot “Mayans MC”

Posted on March 1, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a ride or die moment for Antonio Jaramillo.

The Latino actor will co-star opposite JD Pardo in Mayans MC, the Sons of Anarchy spinoff pilot for FX from Kurt Sutter.

Jaramillo will play Michael “Riz” Ariza, Vice President of the Mayans MC Santo Padre and former leader of a local Mexican MC that was patched over by the Mayans. He uses his even-tempered charm to mask his mistrust and lingering resentment.

In addition to Pardo, Jaramillo joins previously cast Edward James Olmos, John Ortiz and Clayton Cardenas.

Jaramillo recurred as Jennifer Lopez’s ex on the first season of NBC’s Shades of Blue and also recurred on TNT’s Dallas reboot. In features, he co-starred opposite Demián Bichir in Oliver Stone’s Savages.

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