Yul Vazquez to Star in MGM+’s Crime Thriller “Hotel Cocaine”

Posted on March 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Yul Vazquez is checking into his next project…

The 58-year-old Cuban-American actor and musician is set as a lead opposite Danny Pino and Michael Chiklis in Hotel Cocaine, MGM+’s upcoming crime thriller from creator Chris Brancato.

Hotel Cocaine is the story of Roman Compte (Pino), a Cuban expatriate who fought against Fidel Castro in the Bay of Pigs invasion and re-made his life in Miami. He is general manager of the Mutiny Hotel, the glamorous epicenter of the Miami cocaine scene of late ‘70s and early ‘80s. The Mutiny Hotel was Casablanca on cocaine, a glitzy nightclub, restaurant and hotel frequented by Florida businessmen and politicians, international narcos, CIA and FBI agents, models, sports stars and musicians.

Vazquez will play Nestor Cabal, Roman Compte’s (Pino) brother and one of the biggest suppliers of cocaine to a coke-hungry Miami population. He’s dangerous, funny, wily, and seeking reunion with his long-lost brother.

Chiklis plays Agent Zulio who will stop at nothing to shut down the drug trade, even if it means using innocent civilians to accomplish his ends.

Brancato serves as executive producer and showrunner. Guillermo Navarro will direct the pilot episode and executive produce the series, with Michael Panes and Alfredo Barrios Jr. also serving as executive producers.

The eight-episode series from MGM+ Studios, in partnership with MGM Television, will begin production in May in the Dominican Republic, and is slated to premiere in early 2024.

Vazquez will next be seen in the HBO Max limited series White House Plumbers, opposite Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux. He was most recently seen on season 3 of the MGM+ series Godfather of Harlem opposite Forest Whitaker and in the Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ series, Severance, directed by Ben Stiller.

His other credits include Jason Bateman’s HBO series The Outsider, ABC’s Promised Land, Netflix’s Russian Doll, TNT miniseries I Am The Night and HBO’s Succession, among others.

His film work includes Books of Blood, Last Flag Flying, Gringo, Traffic and The Infiltrator.

Al Madrigal Joins Cast of HBO Max’s “Clone High”

Posted on March 25, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Al Madrigal’s career is hitting a (clone) high note…

The 51-year-old half-Mexican American actor has joined the cast of Clone High, HBO Max’s upcoming revival of the classic MTV series from Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Bill Lawrence.

The animated series will premiere this spring, it was revealed during the show’s panel at WonderCon.

Returning voice cast includes Will Forte reprising his role as Abe; Nicole Sullivan as Joan; Lord as Scudworth; Chris Miller as JFK and Mr. B; Christa Miller voicing a new character, Candide Sampson; Donald Faison back as George Washington Carver; and Judah Miller as Scangrade.

Dubbed a “modern refresh” of the 2002 animated series, the follow-up is set at a high school for clones of historical figures. After a high school that was secretly being run as an elaborate military experiment to clone the greatest minds in history was put on ice, the clones have been thawed out 20 years later to resume the experiment with new clone classmates – all while navigating a new set of cultural norms and overly dramatic teen relationships.

Of the core characters in the original series, Abe, Joan (of Arc), JFK, Mr. B and Scudworth are back voiced by the same actors; Gandhi, who was voiced by Michael McDonald, is not featured in the reboot, and Cleo, who was originally voiced by Christa Miller, will now be voiced by Iranian-American actor Mitra Jouhari.

In addition to Madrigal, who will portray Federico, the series’ new voice cast also includes Ayo Edebiri as Harriet; Vicci Martinez as Frida; Kelvin Yu as Confucius; Neil Casey as Topher Bus; Jana Schmieding as Sacagawea; Sam Richardson as Wesley; Mo Gaffney as Ms. Grumbles; Danny Pudi as Dr. Neelankavil; Emily Maya Mills as Ethel Merman; Michael Bolton as Michael Bolton, Mandy Moore as Mandy Moore, Ian Ziering as Ian Ziering; Steve Kerr as Steve Kerr; and Jeffrey Muller, Kyle Lau, Dannah Phirman, and Danielle Schneider.

From MTV Entertainment Studios, Clone High, which has a two-season order, is executive produced by Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Bill Lawrence, Erica Rivinoja, and Erik Durbin.

Jharrel Jerome to Star as Anthony Robles in “Unstoppable”

Posted on March 19, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jharrel Jerome is unstoppable…

The 25-year-old Afro-Dominican American actor, an Emmy winner and EP/star of the upcoming Prime Video series I’m a Virgo that just premiered at SXSW, has signed on to star in Unstoppable, the film starring Jennifer Lopez and directed by Billy Goldenberg.

The film follows the true story of Anthony Robles, a three-time All-American wrestler born with one leg who won a national championship at Arizona State.

Robles will reportedly be heavily involved in the project, which Amazon Studios is in talks to acquire.

The second big project from Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity and Amazon is coming together rather quickly before the April 5 opening of their first movie, Air, which is getting a theatrical release and debuted at SXSW on Saturday. Artists Equity is co-founded by RedBird Capital.

Robles was born without a right leg. At the age of 14, he tried wrestling for the first time, at a mere 90 pounds. His first year he went 5-8, but remained determined that he could be a champion in the sport one day. Robles is also an inspirational speaker.

In 2019 he broke the Guinness world record for most pull-ups in a minute with 62 reps.

Jerome won an Emmy for Outstanding Actor in a Limited Series for the Ava DuVernay Netflix series When They See Us. His other credits include the film Concrete Cowboy and the Stephen King series Mr. Mercedes. He’ll soon be seen co-starring in HBO Max’s Steven Soderbergh series Full Circle.

Jerome is an EP on the Boots Riley Amazon series I’m a Virgo. The darkly comedic, fantastical coming-of-age joyride center son Cootie (Jerome), a 13-foot-tall young Black man in Oakland, CA. Having grown up hidden away, passing time on a diet of comic books and TV shows, he escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world. He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, a real-life superhero named The Hero, played by Walton Goggins. I’m A Virgo is a mythical odyssey that questions the purpose of the mythical odyssey.

Johnny Sibilly Signs with Creative Artists Agency (CAA)

Posted on March 18, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Johnny Sibilly has new representation…

The 35-year-old Cuban & Dominican American actor has signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA).

Best known for his role as Wilson on the first two seasons of HBO Max’s Emmy-winning comedy series Hacks, Sibilly will return for Season 3 this year.

Sibilly previously starred as Noah Hernandez in the Peacock Original series, Queer As Folk.

He has also appeared opposite CAA client Billy Porter in the FX series Pose, and alongside CAA client Liza Koshy in YouTube’s Liza On Demand.

As a content creator, Sibilly is a fervent advocate for LGBTQ+ and Latino rights, growing a considerable social following as a result of his progressive and comedic voice that includes his popular online character, “Julissa.”

He has also partnered with brands including Viktor&Rolf, AT&T, 21 Seeds, Smirnoff, Abercrombie & Fitch, Nissan, Oculus and Bonobos.

Judy Reyes to Star in ABC’s Character-Based Procedural Drama Pilot “HPI (High Intellectual Potential)”

Posted on February 23, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Judy Reyes is reaching new potential…

The 55-year-old Dominican American actress and former Scrubs star has landed a series regular role opposite Kaitlin Olson and Daniel Sunjata in ABC’s character-based procedural drama pilot based on TF1’s popular detective series HPI (High Intellectual Potential).

The project hails from top TV and film writer Drew Goddard and ABC Signature, where Goddard and his Goddard Textiles are based.

Written by Goddard, the untitled HPI remake centers on Morgan (Olson), a single mom with three kids and an exceptional mind who helps solve an unsolvable crime when she rearranges some evidence during her shift as a cleaner for the police department. When they discover she has a knack for putting things in order because of her high intellectual potential she is brought on as a consultant to work with a by-the-book seasoned detective, Karadec (Sunjata), and together they form an unusual and unstoppable team.

Reyes will play Selena Soto.

In addition to Olson and Sunjata, series regular cast also includes Javicia Leslie as Daphne and Deniz Akdeniz as Lev “Oz” Osman.

In the original French series Haut Potentiel Intellectuel (HPI), created by Alice Chegaray-Breugnot, Stéphane Carrié and Nicolas Jean, the leads were played by Audrey Fleurot and Mehdi Nebbou.

Goddard and Sarah Esberg executive produce the ABC adaptation for Goddard Textiles; Rob Thomas, who serves as showrunner, and Dan Etheridge for Spondoolie Productions; and Pierre Laugier and Anthony Lancret for Itinéraire Productions, a UGC company. Alethea Jones is director and executive producer. Olson serves as producer.

Known for her work on Scrubs, Devious Maids and Claws, Reyes was recently seen in Birth/Rebirth, the AMC/Shutter film that premiered this year at Sundance.

Up next, Reyes can be seen in recurring roles in Season 2 of the Peacock anthology series Dr. Death and in Amazon’s The Horror of Dolores Roach.

On the film side, she’ll next be seen in a lead role in New Line’s Turtles All The Way Down for HBO Max. Most recently, she starred on the big screen in Paramount’s Smile.

Melissa Barrera Starring in New Genre Film “God’s Country”

Posted on February 6, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Melissa Barrera is heading to God’s country…

Matt Reeves’ 6th & Idaho is teaming up with ZQ Entertainment to produce God’s Country, a new genre film starring the 32-year-old Mexican actress and Scream reboot star.

The film will mark the American directorial debut of Egor Abramenko.

The film, which will head into production this summer, will see Barrera playing a young Salvadoran woman who travels to Kentucky to meet her fiancé. What she uncovers is something sinister beyond comprehension, as her American dream curdles into a nightmare of biblical proportions.

Will Soodik wrote the script. Reeves and Rafi Crohn will produce for 6th & Idaho, alongside ZQ Entertainment’s Ara Keshishian and Petr Jákl (who financed the development), Adam Kassan (End of Watch), and Barrera.

“Egor is an exciting emerging talent,” Reeves told Deadline, “and I’m thrilled to be making a monster movie together.”

Barrera is best known for her turns in Paramount/Spyglass’ Scream reboot, Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical In the Heights for Warner Bros. and HBO Max and the acclaimed Starz series Vida.

She’ll next be seen in Scream VI, which is out March 10; Sony Pictures Classics’ Carmen with Paul Mescal; and the Anthony McCarten-scripted feature The Collaboration, based on the acclaimed play.

Tubi Picks Up Haley Sanchez’s “Generation,” Now Airing All 16 Episodes of Series

Posted on February 1, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Haley Sanchez is preparing for the next generation…

Generation (Genera+ion), the HBO Max original starring the Latina actress, has been picked up by Tubi, with all 16 episodes of the series now available.

Created by Zelda Barnza and Daniel Barnz, Generation centers on a diverse group of high school students whose fearless exploration of identity and sexuality challenges the antiquated social norms embedded in their conservative community. As they navigate the intricacies of growing up with the help (and hindrance) of their ever-present devices and social media, they lean on one another to cultivate unique voices and stamp their individuality on the world around them.

Generation was short-lived on the Warner Bros. Discovery streamer and although it was full of rich characters with plenty to explore for a second season, it was canceled after its first season.

The show was recently removed from HBO Max as WBD explores new strategies and strikes deals with FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) providers.

In addition to Sanchez, the ensemble cast of the dramedy includes Nathanya Alexander, Chloe East, Nava Mau, Lukita Maxwell, Uly Schlesinger, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and Chase Sui Wonders with Justice Smith and Martha Plimpton.

Recurring guest stars include J. August Richards, Mary Birdsong, Alicia Coppola, Patricia De Leon, Diego Josef, Anthony Kevyan, Sydney Mae Diaz, John Ross Bowie, Marwan Salama, Marisela Zumbado and Sam Trammell.

HBO Renews Pedro Pascal’s “The Last of Us” for Second Season

Posted on January 28, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

You haven’t seen the last of Pedro Pascal…

HBO has renewed its high-profile drama The Last of Us, starring the 47-year-old Chilean actor, for a second season.

The announcement comes just after two episodes of the video game-based series from Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann.

Earlier this month, The Last of Us scored the second-largest premiere after House of the Dragon since Boardwalk Empire’s launch in 2010.

Episode 1 has surpassed 22 million viewers domestically, up nearly five times from its premiere-night audience on January 15. Episode 2 drew 5.7 million viewers across HBO Max and linear telecasts in the U.S. Sunday night. That’s about a million more than the audience that tuned in for the premiere episode and it marks the largest Week 2 audience growth for any HBO Original drama series. The series also is strong on social media, trending No. 1 both in the U.S. and worldwide on Twitter during its series debut.

“Craig and Neil, alongside EP Carolyn Strauss, and the rest of our phenomenal cast and crew, have defined a genre with their masterful debut season of The Last of Us,” said Francesca Orsi, EVP of HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films. “After pulling off this unforgettable first season, I can’t wait to watch this team outshine themselves again with Season 2.”

Based on Naughty Dog’s award-winning video game, The Last of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed.

Joel, played by Pascal, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.

“I’m humbled, honored, and frankly overwhelmed that so many people have tuned in and connected with our retelling of Joel and Ellie’s journey. The collaboration with Craig Mazin, our incredible cast & crew, and HBO exceeded my already high expectations,” said executive producer Druckmann. “Now we have the absolute pleasure of being able to do it again with season two! On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog & PlayStation, thank you!”

In addition to Pascal and Ramsey, Season 1 also stars Gabriel Luna, Anna Torv, Nico Parker, Murray Bartlett, Nick Offerman, Melanie Lynskey, Storm Reid, Merle Dandridge, Jeffrey Pierce, Lamar Johnson, Keivonn Woodard, Graham Greene, Elaine Miles, Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker.

“I’m so grateful to Neil Druckmann and HBO for our partnership, and I’m even more grateful to the millions of people who have joined us on this journey,” said executive producer Mazin. “The audience has given us the chance to continue, and as a fan of the characters and world Neil and Naughty Dog created, I couldn’t be more ready to dive back in.”

The Last of Us is written and executive produced by Mazin and Druckmann. The series is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television.

Gloria Calderón Kellett Appointed to Television Academy’s Executive Committee

Posted on January 22, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Gloria Calderón Kellett is reporting for committee duty…

The 47-year-old Cuban American award-winning television writer/creator has been appointed to the Television Academy’s Executive Committee for 2023 by chairman and CEO Frank Scherma.

Calderon Kellet is among six new committee members that includes Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO/HBO Max Content; George Cheeks, President and CEO, CBS, and Chief Content Officer, News and Sports, Paramount+; Pearlena Igbokwe, Chairman, Universal Studio Group; Lisa Nishimura, Vice President, Independent and Documentary Films at Netflix; and Zack Van Amburg, Chief Content Officer and Head of Worldwide Video for Apple TV+.

They will advise on the organization’s diverse initiatives and help lead the Academy throughout the upcoming year.

“I’m thrilled to welcome these accomplished executives back to serve on our Executive Committee,” said Scherma in a statement. “They will continue to bring their extensive experience and insight to our dynamic organization.”

Additionally, the Academy’s Board of Governors has elected the following Peer Group Governors as their representatives on the executive committee for the 2023 term: Eddie Bonin (special visual effects), Debra Curtis (television executives), Jill Dickerson (reality programming) and Troy Underwood (children’s programming). Cris Abrego, chair of the Television Academy Foundation, will also serve on the committee.

Calderón Kellett’s recent credits include the One Day at a Time reboot and Amazon Studios’ With Love.

Claudio Miranda Earns ASC Awards Nod from American Society of Cinematographers

Posted on January 11, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Claudio Miranda is being recognized by his peers…

The American Society of Cinematographers has announced the nominations for its 37th annual ASC Awards, with 57-year-old Chilean Oscar-winning cinematographer earning a nod.

Miranda earned the nomination in the Theatrical Feature Film category for his acclaimed work on Top Gun: Maverick.

Latino cinematographer Alejandro Martinez earned a nod in the Episode of a One-Hour Non-Commercial Television Series category for his work on the House of the Dragon episode “The Green Council” for HBO/HBO Max.

Costa Rican cinematographer Christian “Tico” Herrera is nominated in the Episode of a One-Hour Commercial Television Series category for the Snowfall episode “Departures.” He’ll compete against 52-year-old Mexican cinematographer and director Jaime Reynoso for his work on the Snowpiercer episode “Departures.”

The ASC Awards honor the year’s best in feature film, documentary and television cinematography.

Here are the nominees for the 2023 ASC Awards:

THEATRICAL FEATURE FILM NOMINEES
Roger Deakins, Empire of Light (Searchlight Pictures)
Greig Fraser, The Batman (Warner Bros.)
Darius Khondji, Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (Netflix)
Claudio Miranda, Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount Pictures)
Mandy Walker, Elvis (Warner Bros.)

SPOTLIGHT AWARD
Sturla Brandth Grøvlen, War Sailor (DCM Film)
Kate McCullough, The Quiet Girl (Super)
Andrew Wheeler, God’s Country (IFC Films)

EPISODE OF A ONE-HOUR NON-COMMERCIAL TELEVISION SERIES
John Conroy, Westworld – “Années Folles” (HBO/HBO Max)
Catherine Goldschmidt, House of the Dragon – “The Lord of the Tides” (HBO/HBO Max)
Alejandro Martinez, House of the Dragon – “The Green Council” (HBO/HBO Max)
M. David Mullen, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – “How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?” (Prime Video)
Alex Nepomniaschy, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – “Everything is Bellmore” (Prime Video)
Nikolaus Summerer, 1899 – “The Calling” (Netflix)

PILOT, LIMITED SERIES, OR MOTION PICTURE MADE, TELEVISION
Todd Banhazl, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty – “The Swan” (HBO/HBO Max)
Jeremy Benning, Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities – “The Outside” (Netflix)
Anastas Michos, Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities – “The Autopsy” (Netflix)
C. Kim Miles, Lost Ollie – “Bali Hai” (Netflix)
Sean Porter, The Old Man – “I” (FX)

EPISODE OF A HALF-HOUR SERIES
Adam Bricker, Hacks – “The Click” (HBO/HBO Max)
Carl Herse, Barry – “Starting Now” (HB0/HBO Max)
Stephen Murphy, Atlanta – “New Jazz” (FX)
Ula Pontikos, Russian Doll– “Matryoshka” (Netflix)
Christian Sprenger, Atlanta – “Andrew Wyeth. Alfred’s World.” (FX)

EPISODE OF A ONE-HOUR COMMERCIAL TELEVISION SERIES
Marshall Adams, Better Call Saul – “Saul Gone” (AMC)
Jesse M. Feldman, Interview With the Vampire – “Is My Very Nature That of the Devil” (AMC)
Christian “Tico” Herrera, Snowfall – “Departures” (FX)
Jules O’Loughlin, The Old Man – “IV” (FX)
Jaime Reynoso, Snowpiercer – “Bound by One Track” (TNT)

DOCUMENTARY AWARD
Ben Bernhard and Riju Das, All That Breathes (HBO/HBO Max)
Adam Bricker, Chef’s Table: Pizza – “Franco Pepe” (Netflix)
Wolfgang Held, This Stolen Country of Mine

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