John Leguizamo to Receive Impact Award at This Year’s Miami Film Festival

Posted on February 25, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

John Leguizamo is being honored for his impact…

The 62-year-old Colombian actor, comedian and film producer will receive the Miami Film Festival‘s Impact Award on March 11.

Leguizamo’s new MSNBC series Leguizamo Does America will screen ahead of the award presentation. The festival’s upcoming 40th edition runs from March 3-12.

Leguizamo has more than 75 film, theater and television credits, including Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, Summer of Sam and as the voice of Bruno on Encanto. Most recently, he co-starred in Mark Mylod’s film The Menu.

The Emmy winner is next set to star alongside Toni Collette in Prime Video’s The Power.

Following his MFF Impact award, Leguizamo will premiere his directorial debut, Critical Thinking, at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival. In addition to his Emmy award, Leguizamo has received a Drama Desk award and a special Tony award for his one-man show, Latin History for Morons.

Leguizamo Does America follows the actor as he travels from San Juan, Puerto Rico to East Los Angeles while making a few surprising stops along the way. In addition to celebrating and honoring Latino history, culture and food, Leguizamo will speak with Latino actors, the Latino immigrants who transformed the city of Chicago, as well as the indigenous people of Puerto Rico. Leguizamo Does America will premiere on MSNBC on April 16 at 10 p.m.

In addition to Leguizamo, the Miami Film Festival will honor Nicolas Cage with the Variety Legend & Groundbreaker Award, Diego Luna with the Variety Virtuoso Award and Nicholas Britell with Art of Light Composer Award, presented by Alacran Group.

The complete Miami Film Festival program is available at miamifilmfestival.com.

Colman Domingo Among Creative Coalition’s Television Humanitarian Awards Honorees

Posted on August 13, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Colman Domingo is being feted for his philanthropy…

The Creative Coalition has announced its high profile honorees for this year’s eighth annual Television Humanitarian Awards Gala, with the 52-year-old Belizean-Guatemalan American actor and social justice activist making the list.

Domingo appears on a roster that includes James Cromwell, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Samantha Hanratty, Melissa Rauch and Paul Scheer.

The Television Humanitarian Awards Gala, which takes place during Emmy week, highlights prominent figures in the television industry, as well as 2022 Emmy Award nominees who use the power of their celebrity for social good.

“Grey’s Anatomy” and co-executive producer and writer Jamie Denbo have also been named the recipient of the Your Voice Carries Weight Award – which honors a television leader for their advocacy work in obesity awareness – for the episode, “Living in a House Divided.”

Variety’s Marc Malkin will host this year’s ceremony, which is scheduled to be held on Sunday, September 11, 2022 in Los Angeles.

“The incredibly talented individuals we are honoring at the TV Humanitarian Awards exemplify Hollywood at its best – dynamic stars who use their voices to make the world a better place,” said The Creative Coalition president and actor Tim Daly.

The Creative Coalition CEO Robin Bronk added in a statement: “We have a long history of honoring entertainment industry leaders for their good work and these days it’s more important than ever to use the platforms of the arts for positive change.”

All proceeds from the special charity event benefit The Creative Coalition’s year-round work to protect and advance the arts.

FX Renews Harvey Guillen’s Vampire Comedy “What We Do in the Shadows” for Two More Seasons

Posted on June 6, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Harvey Guillen has more shadow play in his future…

FX has renewed its acclaimed series What We Do in the Shadows, starring the 32-year-old Mexican American actor, has been renewed for both Season 5 and Season 6.

The announcement comes ahead of the vampire comedy’s fourth season premiere.

“There’s a lot of life left in our favorite vampires from Staten Island and FX couldn’t be more thrilled to commit to two additional seasons of this phenomenal series,” said Nick Grad, president of original programming for FX Entertainment. “What We Do in the Shadows excels on every level, from the brilliant cast and surprising guest stars to the producers, writers, directors and crew. We can’t wait for everyone to enjoy season four, knowing that the next two are on the way.”

Season 4 of What We Do in the Shadows will debut on July 12 at 10:00 pm ET with two episodes.

Episodes will be available on Hulu the day after their linear premiere, with the show soon to be available on Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ under the Star banner in all other territories.

The series is based on the film of the same name by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, who both serve as executive producers on the show.

The TV version follows vampire roommates Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) and Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) as they navigate the modern world of Staten Island with the help of their human familiar, Guillermo (Guillén).

The show has proven popular with audiences and critics alike. Its first two seasons garnered 10 Emmy Award nominations, including one for best comedy series. The third season is currently a contender for more nominations, which will be announced in July.

FX Productions is the studio.

Disney’s Onyx Collective Orders Don Francisco’s Limited U.S. Latino History-Themed Docuseries “Gigante”

Posted on May 12, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Don Francisco is bringing a gigantic Latin immigrant-themed project to life…

Disney’s Onyx Collective has ordered the four-part limited docuseries Gigante from the 81-year-old Chilean television host (real name: Mario Kreutzberger) and Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado filmmakers Alex Fumero and Kareem Tabsch.

Gigante will be streamed exclusively on Hulu in the U.S., Star+ in Latin America, and Disney+ in all other territories at a future date.

Spanning through four distinct eras in U.S. Latino history, Gigante tells the story of how immigrants from different Latin American countries created a tenuous alliance that would come to harness the social capital, economic prowess, and political influence that forever changed the United States. With the unfettered participation of Don Francisco, access to 53 years of Sabado Gigante archives, and interviews with A-list celebrities, Gigante explores how the longest-running variety show in the history of television helped shape a new demographic and became a political force.

“To say we are enthusiastic about this project would be an understatement,” said Jihan Robinson, vice president of Nonfiction, Onyx and Freeform. “Don Francisco and this series played such a huge role in the lives of the Latinx community and have left a lasting impact on this country. We are thrilled it has found a home with Onyx and to continue the Sabado Gigante legacy.”

Emmy Award-winner Don Francisco is the creator and star of Sabado Gigante, the iconic Spanish-language game show that ran for 53 seasons on Univision earning the Guinness World Record for longest-running variety program.

“I’m at a time in my life where it is more interesting looking backward,” shared Don Francisco. “Where I have the full perspective of not only my 60 years as a professional but also where I’m able to fully analyze Don Francisco and Sabado Gigante’s record-breaking run and what it meant to so many people. I’m beyond happy to have the opportunity to tell the story with this amazing team and thankful to Onyx for helping us bring our show to a brand new audience.”

Tabsch serves as executive producer and director alongside Fumero, who serves as executive producer and showrunner under their Trojan Horse banner. The series is a Foton.Pictures production. The concept was conceived by Fumero and Tabsch.

“Hispanics. Latinos. Latinx. Whatever you may call us or whatever we may call ourselves, so few people understand who we are and where we came from — including us,” Tabsch shared. “Gigante is the definitive Latino origin story told through the lens of Sabado Gigante, one of the most beloved programs in the Spanish-speaking world and a staple in all our homes. The series will tell how a Chilean Jewish immigrant in Miami managed to shape the way that millions of other immigrants from dozens of nationalities across the Western Hemisphere identified themselves, bringing us all closer together and forever changing the face of the United States and Latin America in the process.”

“This is an extremely personal project for us and is very much part of our DNA as a company,” adds Carlos Enrique Cuscó, CEO of Foton.Pictures. “Bringing impactful and relevant stories to the foreground with such hugely talented creative partners like Kareem and Alex is the reason we got into this business. To now partner with Onyx Collective and get the opportunity to share our story as Latinos, with the participation of Don Francisco, is a dream come true. We could not be more honored to be producing this ambitious project with Onyx Collective and Trojan Horse.”

Colman Domingo Among Nominees for Hollywood Critics Association’s Inaugural HCA TV Awards

Posted on July 10, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a moment of euphoria for Colman Domingo…

The Hollywood Critics Association has announced the nominees for its inaugural HCA TV Awards, with the 51-year-old Belizean and Guatemalan American actor among those earning a nod.

Domingo is up for Best Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Movie for his performance in HBO’s Euphoria Two-Part Special.

Rosie Perez picked up a nomination in the Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Comedy category. The 56-year-old Puerto Rican actress earned the nod for her role on HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant.

MJ Rodriguez earned a nod for Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama. The 30-year-old half Afro-Puerto Rican actress received the nomination for her work on FX’s Pose. It’s a role that has already earned Rodriguez an Imagen Award and a Dorian Award.

Jason Rodriguez picked up a nomination for his work on scene-stealing work on Pose. The 48-year-old Dominican-American actor/dancer will compete in the Best Supporting Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama category.

Pedro Pascal continues picking up recognition for his work on The Mandalorian. The 46-year-old Chilean-American actor was nominated in the Best Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama category. He’s previously earned MTV Movie + TV Award and Critics Choice Super Award nods for his performance on the sci-fi series.

Daniel Brühl has picked up a nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama. The 43-year-old half-Spanish actor is nominated for his performance on Disney+’s The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.

Alexis Bledel is nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama. The 39-year-old half-Argentinian American actress picked up the nod for her work on Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale. She has previously won an Emmy for her work on the drama series.

The trophies will be handed out during a ceremony on August 22 at the Avalon Hollywood.

The HCA TV Awards separate their nominations by comedies and dramas and, notably, into separate categories for broadcast, cable and streaming shows.

Here are the nominees for the first HCA TV Awards, followed by a list on noms by network/platform:

Best Animated Series or Animated Television Movie
Animaniacs (Hulu)
Big Mouth (Netflix)
Bob’s Burgers (Fox)
Harley Quinn (HBO Max)
Invincible (Amazon Prime Video)

Best Broadcast Network or Cable Docuseries, Documentary Television Movie, or Non-Fiction Series
30 for 30 (ESPN)
Allen vs. Farrow (HBO)
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (HBO)
RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked (VH1)
The Vow (HBO)
Welcome to Chechnya (HBO)

Best Streaming Docuseries, Documentary Television Movie, or Non-Fiction Series
1971: The Year Music Changed Everything (Apple TV+)
American Murder: The Family Next Door (Netflix)
Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel (Netflix)
Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults (HBO Max)
Kid 90s (Hulu)
Murder Among Mormons (Netflix)
P!nk: All I Know So Far (Amazon Prime Video)
The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness (Netflix)
Unsolved Mysteries (Netflix)

Best Broadcast Network or Cable Sketch Series, Variety Series, Talk Show, or Comedy/Variety Special
A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO)
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)

Best Streaming Sketch Series, Variety Series, Talk Show, or Comedy/Variety Special
8:46 – Dave Chappelle (Netflix)
A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote (HBO Max)
Bo Burnham: Inside (Netflix)
Friends: The Reunion Special (HBO Max)
Jim Gaffigan: The Pale Tourist (Amazon Prime Video)
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion (HBO Max)

Best Broadcast Network Reality Series, Competition Series, or Game Show
Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)
Holey Moley (ABC)
Shark Tank (ABC)
The Masked Singer (Fox)
The Voice (NBC)

Best Cable or Streaming Reality Series, Competition Series, or Game Show
Indian Matchmaking (Netflix)
Nailed It (Netflix)
Queer Eye (Netflix)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)
Selena + Chef (HBO Max)
Top Chef (Bravo)

Best Broadcast Network or Cable Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Live-Action Television Movie
Euphoria Two-Part Special (HBO)
Fargo (FX)
I May Destroy You (HBO)
Mare of Easttown (HBO)
The Undoing (HBO)
Your Honor (Showtime)

Best Streaming Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Live-Action Television Movie
Hamilton (Disney+)
Small Axe (Amazon Prime Video)
The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)
WandaVision (Disney+)

Best Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Movie
Bryan Cranston – Your Honor (Showtime)
Chris Rock – Fargo (FX)
Colman Domingo – Euphoria Two-Part Special (HBO)
Hugh Grant – The Undoing (HBO)
Joel Edgerton – The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)
Leslie Odom Jr. – Hamilton (Disney+)
Paul Bettany – WandaVision (Disney+)

Best Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Movie
Anya Taylor-Joy – The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
Cynthia Erivo – Genius: Aretha (NatGeo)
Elizabeth Olsen – WandaVision (Disney+)
Kate Winslet – Mare of Easttown (HBO)
Michaela Coel – I May Destroy You (HBO)
Thuso Mbedu – The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)
Zendaya – Euphoria Two-Part Special (HBO)

Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Movie
Bill Camp – The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
Courtney B. Vance – Genius: Aretha (NatGeo)
Daveed Diggs – Hamilton (Disney+)
Evan Peters – Mare of Easttown (HBO)
John Boyega – Small Axe (Amazon Prime Video)
Randall Park – WandaVision (Disney+)
William Jackson Harper – The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)

Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Movie
Jean Smart – Mare of Easttown (HBO)
Jessie Buckley – Fargo (FX)
Julianne Nicholson – Mare of Easttown (HBO)
Kat Dennings – WandaVision (Disney+)
Kathryn Hahn – WandaVision (Disney+)
Marielle Heller – The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
Teyonah Parris – WandaVision (Disney+)

Best Broadcast Network Series, Comedy
black-ish (ABC)
Mr. Mayor (NBC)
Superstore (NBC)
Young Rock (NBC)
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC)

Best Cable Series, Comedy
Breeders (FX)
Chad (TBS)
Everything Is Gonna Be Okay (Freeform)
Resident Alien (Syfy)
Shameless (Showtime)

Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy
Alan Tudyk – Resident Alien (Syfy)
Anthony Anderson – black-ish (ABC)
Joseph Lee Anderson – Young Rock (NBC)
Martin Freeman – Breeders (FX)
Ted Danson – Mr. Mayor (NBC)

Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy
Daisy Haggard for Breeders (FX)
Jane Levy – Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC)
Robin Thede – A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO)
Stacey Leilua – Young Rock (NBC)
Tracee Ellis Ross – black-ish (ABC)

Best Supporting Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy
Alex Newell – Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC)
Corey Reynolds – Resident Alien (Syfy)
Dwayne Johnson – Young Rock (NBC)
John Clarence Stewart – Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC)
Nico Santos – Superstore (NBC)
Skylar Astin – Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC)

Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy
Alice Wetterlund – Resident Alien (Syfy)
Ana Tuisila – Young Rock (NBC)
Holly Hunter – Mr. Mayor (NBC)
Lauren Ash – Superstore (NBC)
Mary Steenburgen – Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC)
Vella Lovell – Mr. Mayor (NBC)

Best Streaming Series, Comedy
Cobra Kai (Netflix)
Girls5Eva (Peacock)
Hacks (HBO Max)
Mythic Quest (Apple TV+)
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)

Best Actor in a Streaming Series, Comedy
Ed Helms – Rutherford Falls (Peacock)
Jason Sudeikis – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Michael Douglas – The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
Rob McElhenney – Mythic Quest (Apple TV+)
Tom Ellis – Lucifer (Netflix)

Best Actress in a Streaming Series, Comedy
Kaley Cuoco – The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)
Jean Smart – Hacks (HBO Max)
Hailee Steinfield – Dickinson (Apple TV+)
Cristin Milioti – Made for Love (HBO Max)
Renée Elise Goldsberry – Girls5eva (Peacock)

Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Comedy
Brendan Hunt – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Brett Goldstein – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Danny Pudi – Mythic Quest (Apple TV+)
Jeremy Swift – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Nick Mohammed – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Patton Oswalt – A.P. Bio (Peacock)
Ray Romano – Made for Love (HBO Max)

Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Comedy
Hannah Einbinder – Hacks (HBO Max)
Hannah Waddingham – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Juno Temple – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Kaitlin Olson – Hacks (HBO Max)
Kathleen Turner – The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
Paula Pell – Girls5Eva (Peacock)
Rosie Perez – The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)

Best Broadcast Network Series, Drama
Big Sky (ABC)
Law & Order: Organized Crime (NBC)
New Amsterdam (NBC)
Superman & Lois (The CW)
The Good Doctor (ABC)
This Is Us (NBC)

Best Cable Series, Drama
Cruel Summer (Freeform)
Gangs of London (AMC)
Lovecraft Country (HBO)
Perry Mason (HBO)
Pose (FX)
Yellowstone (Paramount Network)

Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama
Billy Porter – Pose (FX)
Christopher Meloni – Law & Order: Organized Crime (NBC)
Freddie Highmore – The Good Doctor (ABC)
Jonathan Majors – Lovecraft Country (HBO)
Matthew Rhys – Perry Mason (HBO)
Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC)

Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama
Chiara Aurelia – Cruel Summer (Freeform)
Jurnee Smollett – Lovecraft Country (HBO)
Mandy Moore – This Is Us (NBC)
Mariska Hargitay – Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
MJ Rodriguez – Pose (FX)
Olivia Holt – Cruel Summer (Freeform)

Best Supporting Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama
Courtney B. Vance – Lovecraft Country (HBO)
Dylan McDermott – Law & Order: Organized Crime (NBC)
Jason Rodriguez – Pose (FX)
Jeffrey Dean Morgan – The Walking Dead (AMC)
John Carroll Lynch – Big Sky (ABC)
John Lithgow – Perry Mason (HBO)
Michael K. Williams – Lovecraft Country (HBO)
Tzi Ma – Kung Fu (The CW)

Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama
Brooke Smith – Big Sky (ABC)
Catherine Zeta-Jones – Prodigal Son (Fox)
Dominique Jackson – Pose (FX)
Hannah Zeile – This is Us (NBC)
Indya Moore – Pose (FX)
Kelly Reilly – Yellowstone (Paramount Network)
Tatiana Maslany – Perry Mason (HBO)
Wunmi Mosaku – Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Best Streaming Series, Drama
Bridgerton (Netflix)
The Boys (Amazon Prime Video)
The Crown (Netflix)
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
The Mandalorian (Disney+)
Servant (Apple TV+)

Best Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama
Anthony Mackie – The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (Disney+)
Josh O’ Connor – The Crown (Netflix)
Karl Urban – The Boys (Amazon Prime Video)
Pedro Pascal – The Mandalorian (Disney+)
Regé-Jean Page – Bridgerton (Netflix)

Best Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama
Emma Corrin – The Crown (Netflix)
Olivia Colman – The Crown (Netflix)
Aya Cash – The Boys (Amazon Prime Video)
Elisabeth Moss – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Sarah Paulson – Ratched (Netflix)

Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama
Bradley Whitford – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Daniel Brühl – The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (Disney+)
Giancarlo Esposito – The Boys (Amazon Prime Video)
Giancarlo Esposito – The Mandalorian (Disney+)
Rupert Grint – Servant (Apple TV+)
Tobias Menzies – The Crown (Netflix)
Wyatt Russell – The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (Disney+)

Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama
Alexis Bledel – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Ann Dowd – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Gillian Anderson – The Crown (Netflix)
Ming-Na Wen – The Mandalorian (Disney+)
Samira Wiley – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Yvette Nicole Brown – Big Shot (Disney+)
Yvonne Strahovski – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)

Cecilia Suárez to Star in ABC Drama Pilot “Promised Land”

Posted on April 19, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Cecilia Suárez has landed a new starring role…

The 49-year-old Mexican actress and activist has been set as a lead opposite Augusto Aguilera in John Ortiz’s ABC drama pilot Promised Land.

Written by Matt Lopez, Promised Land is an epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley.

Suárez plays Lettie Sandoval, the matriarch of the Sandoval family, a wealthy vineyard-owning family in the Sonoma Valley. Lettie will do anything to keep her family, with all its fraying allegiances, intact. She is proud of the fortune the Sandovals have built, but the arrival of a figure from Lettie’s past soon causes her to question whether the cost of achieving the American Dream is too high.

Aguilera will play Mateo Sandoval,t he hardworking, highly capable general manager of the Heritage Vineyard, but as the stepson to patriarch Joe Sandoval (Ortiz), he has never felt fully accepted by the wealthy, vineyard-owning Sandoval family. Mateo finds himself at a crossroads when a young immigrant who reminds him of his roots arrives to work in the Sandoval household.

Previously cast in the pilot are Mariel Molino as Camila Sandoval, the youngest daughter of the Sandoval family, Christina Ochoa as Veronica Sandoval, the eldest daughter of the Sandovals, as well as Andres Velez as Carlos Rincón, a young immigrant who comes to the Heritage Vineyard in search of a better life.

Suárez just wrapped the title role in Latido Films’ feature Alegria, directed by Violeta Salama. She can be seen in the new Netflix Spanish mini-series Someone Has To Die, written and directed by her long-time collaborator Manolo Caro.

She also starred in the Amazon limited series 3 Caminos. For the last three seasons, she starred in Manolo Caro’s popular Netflix series: The House of Flowers (La Casa de las Flores). She also is the first Spanish speaking actress to be nominated for an International Emmy Award for her role in the Capadoccia series for HBO.

Aguilera recently recurred as Liver opposite Ray Romano and Cristin Milioti in HBO Max’s Made For Love, a half-hour series adaptation based on Alissa Nutting’s tragicomic novel. Aguilera was also seen as one of the leads in Nic Refn’s Amazon series Too Old To Die Young, opposite Miles Teller.

He was previously seen in 20th Century Fox’s The Predator, directed by Shane Black and the Hulu pilot Citizen directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon as well as the Audience Network series Ice directed by Antoine Fuqua.

Jharrel Jerome Makes History with Emmy Win

Posted on September 23, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Jharrel Jerome has etched his name in the Emmy history books…

The 21-year-old Dominican American actor’s Emmy Awards win has earned him two places in the record books.

The star of Netflix’s When They See Usmade history as the youngest person to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie as well as the first Afro-Latino to win for acting.

“It’s a blessing and I hope this is a step forward for Dominicans, for Latinos, for Afro Latinos. It’s about time we’re here,” said Jerome backstage reflecting on his win. After learning that he was also the youngest to win in history backstage, “well damn, that’s incredible.. kids are smart too,” he quipped.

Jerome earned the trophy for his portrayal of exonerated five member Korey Wise, who, as an adolescent, was wrongfully convicted of a crime, which led to a 14-year incarnation stint.

On the Academy continuing to recognize dark narratives in regards to Black stories, “Unfortunately, I think our strongest stories are the stories of pain considering that’s what we go through on a daily basis. It is unfortunate that comedies or light pieces of work aren’t as praised and aren’t sent to the award season,” said Jerome. “The truth is our pain needs to be told. So if it has to be for the next 20 years where we are just painfully telling our stories until we can move on then I guess it has to be.”

Vega Officially Named as Co-Anchor of ABC World News Tonight‘s Weekend Editions

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Cecilia Vega is making world news…

The Latina broadcast journalist, a correspondent for ABC News, has been officially named as one of the anchors for ABC World News Tonight‘s Saturday and Sunday editions, as well as serve as senior national correspondent.

Vega, who has interviewed everyone from Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto to Sylvester Stallone, will co-anchor the newscasts with Tom Llamas.

“Since joining ABC News in 2011, Cecilia has done fantastic work, deftly covering everything from the Olympics and papal conclave to the Occupy Wall Street protests and the election of President Barack Obama,” said ABC News chief James Goldston in memo to staffers. “Most recently, she has reported on the 2014 midterm elections, Ebola cases in the United States, the Sony computer hacking and fallout, and allegations against Bill Cosby.”

Prior to joining ABC News, Vega was an Emmy Award-winning journalist for KGO in San Francisco and award-winning print reporter. We’re very grateful that she’ll be making the jump from the West Coast to New York City for this new role as anchor and senior national correspondent.

Vega and Llamas will take the reins beginning this weekend, making official the posts they’ve filled with since last fall when David Muir became anchor of World News Tonight.

Ronstadt to be Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Linda Ronstadt’s name will forever be etched in the annals of music history…

The 67-year-old Mexican American singer, who released her autobiography, Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir, in September 2013, will be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year, the organization has announced.

Ronstadt, who was once declared the “First Lady of Rock,” joins Nirvana, KISS, Cat Stevens, Hall and Oates and Peter Gabriel as 2014 inductees.

Earlier in the fall, Ronstadt was modest in assessing her level of achievement during her career: “I always thought I couldn’t sing very well. I was always very frustrated by it, and I was always sorta disappointed by it, y’know? Everything I did always fell short of my expectations. I wasn’t very good when I started, but the good news is I got better. I didn’t become the greatest singer in all of pop music, but I became, at least for my time, the most diverse. I wish it had all been better, but it wasn’t. It’s what it was, and I got to make it better later. I wish the records had been better, but they were as good as I could do at the time.”

Ronstadt’s records were much better than she’d imagined… In her career, the highest paid woman of rock in the 70s has earned 11 Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award and an ALMA Award.

In addition, Ronstadt was instrumental in the Latin cultural renaissance in North America.

In 1987, she released Canciones de Mi Padre, an album of traditional Mexican folk songs. The album’s dramatic, bold, and colorful cover art featured Ronstadt in full Mexican regalia.

The album won Ronstadt a Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American Performance; and the disc was certified double-platinum in the U.S., making it one of the biggest-selling non-English-language albums in U.S. music history.

The 2014 ceremony will be the Rock Hall’s first in Brooklyn after previous inductions were held at the Waldorf Astoria hotel and also the first in the New York area to be open to the public. Tickets will go on sale to the public in January, with a pre-sale for members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum starting at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31. Details are available at www.rockhall.com.

The ceremony will be filmed by HBO for broadcast in May. Additionally, the museum in Cleveland will be opening a special exhibit dedicated to the 2014 inductees early in the new year.

Cannavale to Star Opposite Cameron Diaz in “Annie”

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the hard-knock life for Bobby Cannavale…

The 43-year-old half-Cuban American has signed on to star in Sony Pictures and Overbrook Entertainment’s in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Annie.

Cannavale, currently nominated for two Emmy Awards, joins Quvenzhane Wallis, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz and Rose Byrne in the Will Gluck-directed film.

Cannavale, who most recently appeared in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine, will play a bulldog political adviser to Foxx’s character as he makes a mayoral run in New York.

The film is set for release on Christmas Day 2014.

Gluck is currently revising the film’s screenplay, which was written by Emma Thompson and rewritten by Aline Brosh McKenna. It’s based on the comic strip and the musical stage play Annie, with book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin.

Cannavale will next appear in the Jon Favreau-directed Chef opposite Favreau and Scarlett Johansson, and the Dan Fogelman-directed Imagine with Al Pacino, Jennifer Garner and Annette Bening.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: Emmy Awards