Grasie Mercedes to Star on NBC’s “Grand Crew”

It’s a Grand opportunity for Grasie Mercedes.

The 43-year-old Afro-Latina actress has joined the cast of NBC’s Grand Crew as a series regular.

Grasie Mercedes

The comedy, from Phil Augusta Jackson and Dan Goor, follows a group of young L.A. professionals navigating the ups and downs of life and love. When they’re ready to unpack it all, they meet at their favorite local bar for a “wine down.”

Mercedes will portray Fay, a recently divorced transplant to Los Angeles who becomes fast friends with the regulars at Eastside Cru.

Jackson will write and executive produce. Mo Marable will direct and co-executive produce the pilot. Goor will executive produce.

Previously announced cast members include Nicole Byer, Justin Cunningham, Aaron Jennings, Echo Kellum and Carl Tart.

Mercedes most recently served as a staff writer on NBC’s Perfect Harmony. Her acting credits include roles in Fox’s 9-1-1, Freeform’s Good Trouble, TNT’s Southland, HBO’s The Affair and CBS’ Criminal Minds.

NBC Picks Up Stephanie Beatriz’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” for a Sixth Season After Fox’s Cancellation

Stephanie Beatriz isn’t retiring after all…

Shortly after Fox cancelled Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the cop comedy series, starring the 37-year-old Argentine-born American actress, has been picked up by NBC for a 13-episode sixth season.

Stephanie Beatriz

NBC, whose sister studio Universal TV produces the Andy Samberg-starring series, was one of the potential suitors for the comedy after its cancellation.

NBC also was among the broadcast networks that bid for the Brooklyn Nine-Nine pitch from creators Mike Schur and Dan Goor when it hit the marketplace in 2012 before the project landed at Fox in a very competitive situation.

“Ever since we sold this show to Fox I’ve regretted letting it get away, and it’s high time it came back to its rightful home,” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. “Mike Schur, Dan Goor, and Andy Samberg grew up on NBC and we’re all thrilled that one of the smartest, funniest, and best cast comedies in a long time will take its place in our comedy line-up. I speak for everyone at NBC, here’s to the Nine-Nine!”

Created by the Parks and Recreation duo of Goor and Schur, former college roommates, Brooklyn Nine-Nine centers on Peralta, played by Saturday Night Live alum Samberg, a screwball who happens to be a real good cop. His captain in the NYPD’s 99th Precinct is Raymond Holt, a seen-it-all and emotion-challenged captain played by Andre Braugher, who scored three consecutive Emmy noms for Supporting Actor from 2014-2016. Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero, Joe Lo Truglio, Beatriz, Chelsea Peretti, Joel McKinnon Miller and Dirk Blocker also star.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which was Fox’s highest-rated live-action comedy series this season among adults 18-49, is produced by Universal Television.

The show won two Golden Globes in its freshman season — for best comedy series and best actor in a comedy series (Samberg).

Beatriz to Participate in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” Panel at ATX Television Festival

Stephanie Beatriz is headed to the Lone Star State…

The 34-year-old Argentine actress will appear at the ATX Television Festival as part of a special Brooklyn Nine-Nine panel discussion.

Stephanie Beatriz

Beatriz will be joined by the Fox series’ creator Dan Goor and fellow star Melissa Fumero at the panel.

The ATX Television Festival will take place June 4-7 in Austin, TX.

Other events on tap for the weekend:

* Opening night screening of USA Network’s upcoming drama Complications, with creator Matt Nix and the cast.

Dawson’s Creek pilot script reading presented by creator Kevin Williamson and featuring surprise guests.

* An exclusive sneak peek of Hannibal Season 3’s second episode and a discussion with executive producer Bryan Fuller.

* Screening of Suits‘ Season 5 premiere.

* A 25th anniversary screening of Marta Kauffman’s HBO series Dream On, featuring the creator, star Brian Benben, casting director Tracy Lilienfield and director Betty Thomas.

For further details and ticket information, head over to ATX’s online headquarters.

Beatriz and Her “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” Team to Serve as Celebrity Judges on Bravo’s “Top Chef Duels”

Stephanie Beatriz is about to get served

The Argentinean actress and her Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-stars are slated to appear on Top Chef Duels, another Top Chefseries from Bravo. 

Stephanie Beatriz

Top Chef Duels pits 18 of the best and most talked-about personalities frompast seasons of Top Chef and Top Chef Masters for a “battle royale” in the kitchen.

The 10-episode Top Chef Duels, hosted by celebrity chef Curtis Stone, will premiere on Wednesday, August 6, at 10:00 pm ET, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Stone will serve on the judges’ table withGail Simmons, with chefs like Wolfgang Puck and Hugh Acheson rounding out the panel on a rotating basis.

Beatriz and her Brooklyn Nine-Nine team (Andy Samberg, Melissa Fumero, Chelsea Peretti and co-creator Dan Goor) will serve as celebrity guests for one episode.

Other celebrity guests this season include Shailene Woodley, Pink, Scott Ian Rosenfeld, Gary Holt, Rob Zombie and the Grey’s Anatomy gang (James Pickens Jr., Sarah Drew, Camilla Luddington, Jerrika Hinton and Kevin McKidd).

As the title suggests, Top Chef Duels will have two chefs facing off in three rounds of head-to-head battles, with the competitors picking “mini duels,” targeting the other’s perceived weaknesses. The third challenge then decides who moves on to compete in the season finale, which will crown the sole winner of the $100,000 grand prize and a Food and Winefeature.

Bravo is also borrowing from its Top Chef online companion series Last Chance Kitchen, which pits eliminated contestants against each other for a chance to compete in the finale, with the Top Chef Duel equivalent: The Knockout, hosted by Puck.The same essential rules apply, though there is one twist. Unlike Last Chance Kitchen, a chef only needs one battle win to quality for a place in The Knockout online finals, though the more wins a chef has, the better their chances are in earning the sole return spot on the show.

Kid Cudi Lands Guest-Starring Role on Fox’s New Comedy “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”

Kid Cudi  is Brooklyn bound…

The 29-year-old hip-hop artist and actor has landed a guest-starring role on Fox’s freshman upcoming comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Kid Cudi

The comedy from Parks and Recreation duo Mike Schur and Dan Goor centers on a diverse group of detectives at a New York precinct.

Cudi will portray Dustin Whitman, an ex-con that Jake (Andy Samberg) is convinced robbed a jewelry store. He’s slated to appear in the third episode of the season.

Producers noted during their time at the Television Critics Association‘s recent summer press tour that Brooklyn lends itself to high-profile comedy guest stars, with Cudi becoming the latest to nab a role on the buzzy series. Saturday Night Live alum Fred Armisen appears briefly in the pilot.

Cudi’s small-screen credits include a starring role on HBO’s How to Make It in America and a guest voice role on The Cleveland Show.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine premieres September 17 on Fox.

Beatriz Cast in Fox’s Andy Samberg Police Comedy Pilot

Stephanie Beatriz is joining the force…

The Latina actress has been cast in Fox’s still-untitled police comedy pilot starring former Saturday Night Live star Andy Samberg and former One Life to Live alum Melissa Fumero.

Stephanie Beatriz on Modern Family

The comedy from Parks and Recreations Dan Goor and Mike Schur centers on a diverse group of detectives at a New York City precinct.

Beatriz, who most recently guest-starred as Sofia Vergara‘s hermana on ABC’s Modern Family, will play Meghan, a sexy and frightening police officer who is tough, opinionated and unpredictable and scares the bejesus out of the other police officers just as much as she does the criminals she detains.

Samberg will play the station’s top, with Fumero recently landing the co-starring role of Amy, a smart cop and former middle-school teacher. Newsroom‘s Terry Crews also co-stars.

Beatriz’s credits include The Closer and the ABC comedy pilot The Smart One last season.

Fumero Cast in Fox’s Andy Samberg Comedy Pilot

Melissa Fumero is joining Samberg’s force

The 30-year-old Cuban-American actress has been named the female lead in Fox’s untitled Mike Schur and Dan Goor comedy pilot, starring former Saturday Night Live star Andy Samberg.

Melissa Fumero

The comedy pilot centers on a diverse group of detectives in a precinct at the edge of New York City.

Fumero, best known for for her role as Adriana Cramer on One Life to Live, will portray Amy, an attractive and smart police detective who was raised in the outskirts of Manhattan. Before joining the force, she was a middle-school teacher. When it comes to dating, she doesn’t date fellow police officers, even though there are a ton of prospects in the line of fire.

Along with her One Life to Live stint, Fumero’s credits include appearances on Gossip Girl, The Mentalist and CSI: New York.

She’s married to her former OLTL co-star David Fumero, who portrayed Cristian Vega on the soap opera.