Navedo to Star in Netflix’s Fantastical Cop Thriller “Bright”

Posted on October 18, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

The future’s so Bright for Andrea Navedo…

The 39-year-old Puerto Rican actress and Jane the Virgin star has joined the cast of Netflix’s Bright, a fantastical cop thriller feature written by Max Landis, for which the streaming giant acquired for $90M.

David Ayer is attached to direct with Will Smith, Joel Egerton, and Noomi Rapace starring.

Navedo, who began her career on the soap operas One Life to Live and Guiding Light, will play Captain Perez in the film, which is set to begin shooting this month. Eric

Navedo currently stars as Xiomara “Xo” Villanueva in the Golden Globe-nominated The CW series Jane The Virgin, currently in its third season.

Her past film credits include Remember Me, Once Upon A Time In Queens, and Superfast!

Colón to Receive National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Miriam Colón has proven her medal…

The 79-year-old Puerto Rican actress is among the 2014 National Medal of Arts recipients who’ll be recognized by President Barack Obama at a special White House ceremony, according to the National Endowment for the Arts.

Designed by Robert Graham, the medal is awarded by the president to individuals or groups for their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support and availability of the arts in the United States.

Colón is being heralded for her contributions as an actress. “Ms. Colón has been a trailblazer in film, television, and theatre, and helped open doors for generations of Hispanic actors,” according to a statement from the National Endowment for the Arts.

In 1953, The Puerto Rico-born actress moved to New York City, where she was accepted by Actors Studio co-founder Elia Kazan after a single audition, becoming the Studio’s first Puerto Rican member. While in the Big Apple, Colón worked in theater and later landed a role on the soap opera Guiding Light.

Early on in her career, she appeared mostly in westerns such as Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The High Chaparral, and Have Gun, Will Travel.

Most recently, Colón appeared on television and film in Better Call Saul, Top Five and Bless Me, Ultima.

She’s also the founder and director of the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater in New York City.

This year’s ceremony will be held Thursday, September 10 at 12:00 pm in the White House’s East Room. First Lady Michelle Obama will also be in attendance.

Here’s the complete list of recipients:

John Baldessari, visual artist
Ping Chong, theater director, choreographer, and video and installation artist
Miriam Colón, actress
The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
Sally Field, actress and filmmaker
Ann Hamilton, visual artist
Stephen King, author
Meredith Monk, composer, singer, and performer
George Shirley, tenor
University Musical Society
Tobias Wolff, author and educator

Paladin Pictures Acquires the Psychological Thriller “After,” Starring Gonzalez

Posted on May 4, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Mandy Gonzalez’s latest project will be released in August…

Paladin Pictures has acquired the distribution rights to the psychological thriller After, which stars the half-Mexican American actress/singer and Broadway star.

From first-time director Pieter Gaspersz, the film tells the tale of a middle class family in upstate New York centered around cheerful but fragile matriarch Nora, whose family stone-cutting business is slowly failing and whose delicate balance is threatened by a secret that could change everyone’s lives forever.

Gonzalez stars as Molly Valentino in the film, which was written by Sabrina Gennarino.

After will be released on August 8 in partnership with Accretion Films.

The film also co-stars John Doman, Pablo Schreiber, Adam Scarimbolo, Diane Neal, Darrin Dewitt Henson, Bruno Gunn and Gennarino.

Gonzalez, who starred in the Broadway musical Wicked, has also appeared in Across the Universe (directed by Julie Taymor), In God’s Hands, The Good Wife, Third Watch and Guiding Light.

Navedo to Star in the CW’s Pilot “Jane the Virgin”

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Andrea Navedo has landed the mother of a role…

The Latina actress, who rose to acclaim on the soap operas One Life to Live and Guiding Light, has joined the cast of the CW’s pilot Jane the Virgin, starring Gina Rodriguez and Jaime Camil.

Based on the successful Venezuelan telenovela Juana la Virgen, the project centers on Jane (Rodriguez), a hardworking religious girl who, due to a series of outrageous events, is accidentally artificially inseminated.

Navedo will portray Xiomara, Jane’s mother, who is fiercely devoted to her daughter.

Navedo’s previous television credits include Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Golden Boy, White Collar and How to Make It in America.

She most recently appeared in indie film Last I Heard and will next appear in the feature Superfast.

Mollà Joins the Cast of FX’s Paul Giamatti Comedy Pilot “Hoke”

Posted on January 11, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Jordi Mollà’s next role is no Hoke…

The 45-year-old Spanish actor, filmmaker, writer and artist has joined the cast of FX’s Paul Giamatti comedy pilot Hoke.

Hoke is the story of mid-life crisis and murder that features the hard-boiled and possibly insane homicide detective, Hoke Moseley (Giamatti), in pre-chic Miami circa 1985.

Mollà, who appeared in Bad Boys II, will portray Armando Zuniga, a sociopathic Cuban who arrives on the shores of Miami in the rumpled, faded clothing of a peasant Cuban refugee and integrates into the city posing as a famous poet of the Cuban people.

But Mollà isn’t the only Spaniard joining the cast…

Game of Thrones star Oona Chaplin will plays Ellita Sanchez, a sharp young homicide detective recently promoted from dispatcher to Hoke’s new partner.

Other cast members include Body of Proof’s John Carroll Lynch Nashville’s Robert Wisdom and Guiding Light’s Tammy Blanchard.

Hoke is a darkly comedic take on Charles Willeford‘s series of novels Sideswipe, New Hope for the Dead and The Way We Die Now.

The project hails from writer/producer and Academy Award nominee Scott Frank (Out of Sight, Get Shorty).

Production is set to begin in Miami later this year.

Santiago Lands Key Role in Fox’s Drama “Gang Related”

Posted on September 20, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Saundra Santiago is returning to television…

The 56-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American actress has joined the cast of Fox‘s midseason drama Gang Related.

Santiago, best known for her role as Detective Gina Calabrese on Miami Vice, replaces Wizards of Waverly Place star Maria Canals-Barrera on the Ramon Rodriguez-starrer, according to The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

The drama centers on Ryan (Rodriguez), a gang member sent in to infiltrate the San Francisco Police Department and rise through its ranks. He must balance obligations to his crime family with an increasing sense of loyalty to his new “family” — the SFPD’s Gang Task Force.

Santiago will recur as Marciela, Javier’s (Cliff Curtis) wife and mother to Carlos (Reynaldo Gallegos) and Dante (Jay Hernandez). Though they’re not related by blood, she considers Ryan to be a third son.

In addition to Miami Vice, Santiago’s credits include Guiding Light, The Sopranos, Damages and One Life to Live.

An exact premiere date for Gang Related has yet to be announced.

Martines Lands Recurring Role on USA’s “Burn Notice”

Posted on March 16, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Stephen Martines is about to feel the burn…

The 37-year-old Latino actor and former General Hospital star has landed a recurring role on USA’s Burn Notice for its upcoming seventh season.

Martines will portray Carlos Cruz, a swashbuckling bounty hunter and Fiona’s (Gabrielle Anwar) charming new boyfriend.

Production on what could be the final season of Burn Notice, which will mark the series’ 100th episode, begins on Monday in Miami.

Martines, who portrayed Nikolas Cassadine on GH from 1999-2003, has appeared on Guiding Light, The Closer, Bones, CSI: Miami and The Vampire Diaries.

Bonilla to Appear in ABC’s “Bad Management” Pilot

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

E.J. Bonilla has been cast in a cheeky role this pilot season…

The 24-year-old Puerto Rican actor has landed a role in ABC comedy pilot Bad Management.

The project, written by Sharon Horgan, centers on a slightly self-centered female boss (portrayed by Horgan) at a high-end luxury goods department store who finds her ways challenged when the boss’ son, Tobias Jr. (David Spade), comes to town and makes youth and sex the new company focus.

Bonilla, who gained acclaim for his role as Rafe Rivera on Guiding Light will portray Ramon, a vain guy working at the store who had a butt implant.

Bonilla’s other credits include appearances on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Revenge and Law & Order.

Vilasuso to Reprise Role on “All My Children” Online Revival

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Jordi Vilasuso is heading back to Pine Valley…

The 31-year-old Cuban-American actor has signed on to reprise his role as Griffin Castillo on the online version of ABC’s cancelled soap opera All My Children.

The announcement comes on the heels of a deal between Prospect Park and Hollywood unions to resume production of One Life to Live and All My Children online in February.

Other returning cast members include Darnell Williams, Debbi Morgan, Lindsay Hartley, Jill Larson, Thorsten Kaye and Vincent Irizarry.

Vilasuso, who won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Tony Santos on Guiding Light in 2003, most recently guest-starred on NBC’s Parks and Recreation.

Earlier this month, Prospect Park announced plans to revive the cancelled ABC soaps after confirming deals with SAG-AFTRA and the DGA — sticking points in previous talks — and inking the soaps’ creator Agnes Nixon to a consulting agreement.

Cabral Cast in ABC Family’s “Continuing Fred” Pilot

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Angelique Cabral has landed her next role…

The 33-year-old part-Latina actress has signed on to star opposite Mimi Gianopulos in ABC Family’s half-hour comedy pilot Continuing Fred.

The project centers on twentysomething Winifred “Fred” Harris (Gianopulos), a newly graduated slacker with an overbearing family who surprisingly finds purpose when she begins to teach at a local elementary school.

Cabral will portray an East Coast transplant living with her husband’s mom.

Cabral, whose character was cut from the Devious Maids pilot after the show’s pick up by Lifetime, has a recurring role on ABC’s Don’t Trust The B—- in Apartment 23. Her other television credits include The Glades, Happy Endings and Two and a Half Men, as well as roles on the soap operas All My Children, One Life to Live and Guiding Light.

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