Elizabeth Rodriguez to Star Opposite Jimmy Smits in CBS’ Police Drama Pilot “East New York”

Elizabeth Rodriguez is hittin’ the beat…

The 41-year-old Puerto Rican actress and former Orange is the New Black star will star opposite Jimmy Smits and Amanda Warren in the CBS police drama pilot East New York.

Elizabeth RodriguezCo-written by William Finkelstein and Mike Flynn and directed by Mike Robin, the project centers on Regina Haywood (Warren), the newly promoted deputy inspector of East New York, an impoverished, working-class neighborhood at the eastern edge of Brooklyn. She leads a diverse group of officers and detectives, some of whom are reluctant to deploy her creative methods of serving and protecting during the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds of gentrification.

Rodriguez will portray Crystal Morales, an intuitive detective who is not easily intimidated. She closely guards her private life, making her an object of endless speculation.

In addition to Warren and Smits, they join previously announced series regulars Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Richard Kind, Lavel Schley and Olivia Luccardi.

Warner Bros. Television is the studio.

Rodriguez played Aleida Diaz on Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, for which she received three consecutive SAG Awards. She was a series regular on AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead, NBC’s Prime Suspect and Cinemax’s Blanco.

Rodriguez most recently completed a starring role in the feature film Allswell, which she also co-wrote and co-produced.

Leyva’s “Orange Is The New Black” to Air on Sony Channel UK

Selenis Leyva will be serving time across the pond…

Sony Pictures Television Networks has taken UK linear rights to Lionsgate’s Orange Is The New Black, starring the 44-year-old Cuban and Dominican actress.

Selenis Leyva

The series, about engaged Brooklynite Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), whose decade-old relationship with drug-runner Alex (Laura Prepon) results in her arrest and year-long detention in a federal penitentiary, will have its broadcast premiere on Sony Channel UK.

Season one of the series will launch with a double bill in the territory every Wednesday from April 19.

“We recognize the demand for premium content that appeals to a broad audience, which is exactly what Orange Is The New Black offers,” said Kate Marsh, SPTN’s Exec VP, Western Europe, International Networks. “It is widely recognized as a must-see series that we’re pleased to make part of our offering on Sony Channel.”

In addition to Leyva, Schilling and Prepon, the series also stars Jackie Cruz, Laura Gómez, Diane Guerrero, Dascha Polanco and Elizabeth Rodriguez.

The cast of Orange Is the New Black has taken home the SAG Award for best ensemble in a comedy series award for the last three years.

Cruz’s “Orange Is the New Black” Named Best Comedy Ensemble at the SAG Awards

Life’s still a SAG (award) for Jackie Cruz

The 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards recognized the best performances for the year in both television and film on Sunday night, with the 30-year-old Dominican-American actress, musician and former model’s Orange Is the New Black taking home the best ensemble in a comedy series award.

Jackie Cruz & the Orange Is The New Black Latinas

Orange Is the New Black won the comedy ensemble trophy for the third straight year.

The prison comedy-drama series topped The Big Bang Theory, Black-ish, Veep, and Modern Family, which won the award for four years before Orange Is the New Black started its streak.

In addition to Cruz, Latina actresses in the ensemble cast include Laura Gómez, Diane Guerrero, Selenis Leyva, Dascha Polanco and Elizabeth Rodriguez.

The awards were handed out at the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles.

Leyva and Her “Orange Is the New Black” Castmates Take Home Second Consecutive SAG Award

Life’s still a SAG for Selenis Leyva

This weekend, the 43-year-old Cuban and Dominican actress and her fellow Orange Is the New Black castmates took home the award for Best Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Orange Is the New Black Cast

The Netflix series was nominated alongside CBS‘ The Big Bang Theory, Comedy Central‘s Key & Peele, ABC‘s Modern FamilyAmazon‘s Transparent and HBO‘s Veep.

In addition to Leyva, other Latinas who form part of the ensemble cast include Jackie Cruz, Dianne Guerrero, Dascha Polanco and Elizabeth Rodriguez.

J.K. Simmons and Patricia Arquette presented the award to the OITNB cast, who won in the comedy ensemble category for the second consecutive year.

The 22nd Annual SAG Awards, honoring achievements in film and television, took place at the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles.

Here’s a complete look at this year’s winners.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Orange Is the New Black

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Queen Latifah, Bessie

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Idris Elba, Luther

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Spotlight 

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Leonardo DiCaprio, The

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Brie Larson, Room

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
Downton Abbey

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards 

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder 

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
Mad Max: Fury Road 

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series
Game of Thrones

Cruz’s “Orange is the New Black” Pulls Off a Big Upset at the SAG Awards

It’s look like Orange is the new Modern, as Jackie Cruz and her castmates have taken down Sofia Vergara and her co-stars…

Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, featuring the Dominican American in her role as “Flaca,” took home the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series on Sunday night, upsetting reigning champion Modern Family.

Orange Is the New Black

The ABC series starring Vergara and Rico Rodriguez had previously won the award for years in a row for Cruz’s Orange Is the New Black, a first-time nominee in the category, pulled off the upset this year.

In addition to Cruz, the series also features Latinas Diane Guerrero, Selenis Leyva, Dascha Polanco and Elizabeth Rodriguez.
On the film side, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman cast took home the award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

Here’s a complete look at the big winners:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Birdman

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Julianne Moore, Still Alice 

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
Downton Abbey

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series 
Orange Is the New Black

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
William H. Macy, Shameless

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series 
Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black

Rodriguez to Appear on the Fourth Season of NBC’s “Grimm”

Elizabeth Rodriguez’s acting prospects look grimm

The 33-year-old Latina actress and Tony Award nominee has landed a recurring role on NBC’s supernatural crime drama Grimm, co-created by Angel co-creator David Greenwalt.

Elizabeth Rodriguez

Rodriguez will portray Special Agent Chavez, an FBI agent with a hidden agenda and a secret identity.

Rodriguez, who starred on All My Children, can currently be seen as Aleida Diaz on Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black.

Her other credits include television appearance on Power, Cold Case, FlashForward, Law & Order, The Shield and ER.

Grimm was renewed for a fourth season in March.

Rodriguez Cast in Cinemax‘s Drama Pilot “Blanco,” Starring Shiloh Fernandez

Everything’s comin’ up Blanco-hot for Elizabeth Rodriguez…

The Latina actress, best known for her role as Carmen Morales on All My Children, has joined the cast of Cinemax‘s drama pilot Blanco, starring Shiloh Fernandez.

Elizabeth Rodriguez

Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo from a script by Mark Rosner, the pilot from Fox Television Studios and Lakeshore Entertainment centers on Ruben (Fernandez), an uptown gangster — nicknamed Blanco for being a light-skinned Dominican — who uses his status as a confidential informant to turn the tables on law enforcement and build his criminal empire.

Rodriguez, currently appearing on the Netflix Original Series Orange Is The New Black, will play New York Police Department detective Stephanie Gomez.

Along with Rodriguez and Fernandez, the cast includes Amaury Nolasco, Franka Potente, Sebastian Arcelus, Audrey Esparza, Erik LaRay Harvey, and Alex Hernandez.