Ana Ortiz In Final Talks to Star in the HBO Max Drama Pilot “More”

Ana Ortiz is thisclose to one more project…

The 51-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress is finalizing a deal to lead the cast of the HBO Max drama pilot More, from Amy ChozickBerlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television.

Ana OrtizOrtiz, who will star alongside Christian Serratos, replaces Veronica Falcón, who originally was tapped for the role.

The recasting decision was made after the table read, according to Deadline.com

Written by journalist Chozick and inspired by her reporting, More follows the Lorenz family, a tight-knit clan of seemingly flawless Latinas led by mom/mastermind Leona (Ortiz). The Lorenzes are the Vanderbilts or the Astors of the Instagram era. Drawing some parallels to the Kardashians and their “momager” Kris Jenner, the Lorenzes pulled their way up from debt and obscurity to reality TV stardom and forged a billion-dollar mega-conglomerate not from oil or steel but from something more elusive and modern: influence.

Ortiz’s Leona Lorenz is the matriarch of the Lorenz family media dynasty. A former single mom, Leona used her formidable, self-taught business skills to scrap her way to the 1 percent, parlaying her four glistening daughters (Serratos, Ceci Fernandez, Yvette Monreal, Georgie Flores) into a billion-dollar media empire, with a top-rated reality TV show and lucrative brand partnerships. But can this stage mom for the Instagram era acquire more fame and power than even she could imagine, without losing her grip on her daughters?

Chozick and Natalie Chaidez serve as executive producers and co-showrunners.

Best known for her role as Hilda Suarez on Ugly BettyOrtiz recently starred as Isabel, Victor’s mother, on Hulu/Disney+’s Love, Victor. She also co-starred on Whiskey Cavalier, which aired for one season on ABC, and recurred on the second season of Netflix’s Special.

Lorenza Izzo to Star in Amazon’s Untitled Bilingual Comedy Pilot from Catalina Aguilar Mastretta

Lorenza Izzo is ready to show her bilingual skills… 

The 29-year-old Chilean actress and model will star in Amazon’s untitled bilingual comedy pilot by Everybody Loves Somebody’s Catalina Aguilar Mastretta.

Lorenza Izzo

In addition to Izzo, who is set as the lead in the project for Amazon Prime Video, other cast members include Georgie Flores (Famous in Love), Giancarlo Vidrio (El Vato), Ben O’Toole (Hacksaw Ridge), Sarah Ramos (Midnight, Texas) and Patricia Bernal (Everybody Loves Somebody).

Amazon Studios is producing with comedy-focused Jax Media.

Mastretta’s project is described as a bilingual (Spanish) romantic comedy about family – the one you choose and the one you’re born into. Sara (Izzo) has been the matriarch of her chosen family since her parents moved back to Mexico City in her late teens. She and her diverse group of friends and family attempt to master their careers and romantic entanglements while living together in Sara’s Hollywood Hills compound. Now, Sara’s mother, Ines, is moving back in and shedding a new light on the life Sara built for herself, pushing everyone towards a late-in-life coming of age.

Flores will play Alicia, Sara’s best friend and the daughter of undocumented Mexican immigrant parents who works as a waitress in a bowling alley. Vidrio will play Nacho, Sara’s mischievous gay brother, a former player for the LA Galaxy soccer team who now is one of team’s coaches. O’Toole will play Matt, Sara’s first boyfriend who now is roommates with Nacho in one of the bungalows on Sara’s property. Ramos will play Anna, a friend of Sara’s who also lives in one of the bungalows on her property, along with her little girl Frida. Bernal plays Ines, Sara and Nacho’s mother.

Izzo will next be seen in the feature film Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. Her previous television credits include Feed the Beast, Hemlock Grove and Casual.

Georgie Flores to Star in the Pageant Musical-Comedy “Dumplin”

Georgie Flores is getting Dump(lin)ed

The Mexican American actress has joined the cast of the Anne Fletcher-helmed pageant musical comedy film Dumplin.

 Georgie Flores

Kristin Hahn wrote the screenplay, which based on Julie Murphy’s 2015 YA novel of the same title. It follows Willowdean (Danielle Macdonald), nicknamed Dumplin, a confident, plus-sized teen who, to spite her beauty pageant queen mom (Jennifer Aniston), enlists in a local pageant. What starts as an impulsive one-day protest snowballs as Will inadvertently becomes the inspiration for a ragtag group of teenage outcasts joining the pageant.

Liv and Maddie alum Dove Cameron, Luke Benward, Bex Taylor-Klaus, Maddie Baillio, Odeya Rush and Ginger Minj (RuPaul’s Drag Race) also star.

Flores most recently starred opposite Bella Thorne in Famous in Love.

Freeform to Make All Episodes of Thorne’s “Famous in Love” Available Digitally Next Month

Bella Thorne is sharing all her Love in April…

Freeform will make all 10 premiere-season episodes of Famous in Love, starring the 19-year-old half-Cuban American actress/singer, available on its digital platforms on April 18, the same night as the Marlene King series’ television debut.

Bella Thorne

Based on Rebecca Serle’s novel, Famous in Love stars Thorne as college student Paige, who lands a starring role in a Hollywood blockbuster. Also in the cast: Carter Jenkins, Charlie Depew, Georgie Flores, Niki Koss, Pepi Sonuga, Keith Powers and Perrey Reeves.

The series was developed by King and Serle. King exec produces along with Christopher Fife, Miguel Arteta, Melissa Carter and Dan Farah, and Serle is co-executive producer. Warner Horizon Television is producing with Long Lake Media, Farah Films and Carmina Productions.

Freeform says the digital binge strategy proved successful for its series Beyond in January, generating more than 13 million starts across digital platforms to date “with 87% of bingers finishing the series within one week.”

Famous in Love will have its linear premiere at 9:00 pm ET on Tuesday, April 18, following the final-season premiere of Pretty Little Liars. The new show will be available that night on such digital platforms as the Freeform app, Freeform.com, On Demand and Hulu.

Freeform Gives Series Order to Thorne’s “Famous In Love”

There’s more Love in Bella Thorne’s future…

Freeform has given a series order to Famous In Love, starring the 18-year-old half-Cuban American actress/singer.

Bella Thorne

Based on Rebecca Serle’s romantic novel, the drama pilot centers on Paige (Thorne), an ordinary college student who gets her big break after auditioning for the starring role in a Hollywood blockbuster. She must learn how to navigate her new star-studded life and undeniable chemistry with her two co-leads while discovering the highs and lows that come with being the new It Girl in town.

The series pickup comes a year after the project was bought for fast-track development by Freeform (then ABC Family). It was ordered to pilot in October.

Written by Serle and I. Marlene King, executive producer/co-showrunner of Freeform’s flagship drama series Pretty Little Liars, Famous In Love also stars Carter Jenkins, Jesse Henderson, Keith Powers, Niki Koss, Georgie Flores, Perrey Reeves, Pepi Sonuga and Mark Valley.

King, Miguel Arteta, who directed the pilot, and Dan Farah are executive producers, and Serle is co-executive producer.

Famous In Love joins Freeform drama pilots Guilt and Beyond, which were picked up to series in November.

Thorne, who has a television history with Disney having starred on the Disney Channel series Shake It Up, is a fan of Serle’s book, calling it “a must-read for anyone curious about life and love behind the scenes” in a quote featured on the book cover.

Flores to Star Opposite Bella Thorne in ABC Family’s Drama Pilot “Famous in Love”

Georgie Flores is ready for a little fame

The Mexican American actress has joined the cast of the ABC Family drama pilot Famous In Love.

Georgie Flores

The project, based on Rebecca Serle’s romantic novel, was written by Serle and I. Marlene King, executive producer/co-showrunner of ABC Family’s flagship drama series Pretty Little Liars.

Famous In Love centers on Paige (Bella Thorne), an ordinary college student who gets her big break after auditioning for the starring role in a Hollywood blockbuster. She must now navigate her new star-studded life and undeniable chemistry with her two co-leads while uncovering the truth about what happened to a famous missing pop star.

Flores will play Cassandra, Paige’s roommate and close friend, who is straight-forward and a good friend.

Miguel Arteta is set to direct the pilot, which he will executive produce alongside King and Dan Farah.

Serle co-executive produces the drama from Warner Horizon Television.

Flores’ credits include appearances on CSI: NY, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Big Time Rush.