Nicholas Gonzalez to Star in NBC’s Sci-Fi Drama “La Brea”

Posted on March 23, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Nicholas Gonzalez is ready to sink into a new role…

The 45-year-old Mexican American actor, who has starred as Dr. Neil Melendez on ABC’s The Good Doctor for the last three seasons, will co-star opposite Eoin Macken, Natalie Zea and Jon Seda in NBC’s sci-fi drama La Brea.

Gonzalez also joins previously cast Veronica St. Clair, Chiké Okonkwo, Jack Martin, Zyra Gorecki and Lily Santiago.

In La Brea, written by David Appelbaum, when a massive sinkhole mysteriously opens in Los Angeles, it tears a family in half, separating mother (Zea) and son (Martin) from father (Macken) and daughter (Gorecki). When part of the family find themselves in an unexplainable primeval world alongside a disparate group of strangers, they must work to survive and uncover the mystery of where they are and if there is a way back home.

Gonzalez will play Levi Brooks, an Air Force pilot and Gavin’s (Macken) best friend who is recruited to lead the mission to save the people who fell into the sinkhole.

Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, is the studio, producing with Keshet Studios.

For the past three seasons, Gonzalez was a series regular on ABC’s hit medical drama The Good Doctor, playing the popular character of Dr. Melendez, who died in the two-part Season 4 premiere. His series credits include Being Mary Jane, How to Get Away With Murder and Pretty Little Liars.

Gerardo Celasco to Star in ABC’s Drama Pilot “National Parks”

Posted on February 24, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Gerardo Celasco is putting his career in Park(s)…

The 38-year-old Salvadoran-American actor has landed a lead role opposite Billy Campbell and Angel Parker in National Parks, ABC’s drama pilot co-written and executive produced by Yellowstone star Kevin Costner.

The project hails from Costner’s Territory Pictures Entertainment, 20th Century Fox Television and A+E Studios.

Co-written by Costner, Aaron Helbing and Jon Baird and to be directed by Anthony Hemingway, National Parks follows a small group of elite national parks service agents as they solve crimes while protecting the parks — which, while being known for their sweeping, beautiful landscapes, also attract a vast array of criminal activity.

Celasco will play Lincoln Kane, a fearless ISB Special Agent who is haunted by his past and carries the world on his shoulders. Lincoln’s commitment is never in question as he finds his own way to go above and beyond the call.

Celasco most recently wrapped production on the Swimming with Sharks drama series reboot, starring opposite Diane Kruger and Kiernan Shipka. He co-starred in the Fox sci-fi series Next and recurred as Xavier Castillo on Shonda Rhimes’ ABC drama How To Get Away With Murder.

Celasco’s feature credits include Moneyball opposite Jonah Hill and Pete Berg’s Battleship.

Tracy Vilar to Star in the Netflix Dramedy “Maid”

Quote

Posted on October 12, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Tracy Vilar is maid to order…

The 52-year-old Latina actress has been cast as a series regular opposite Margaret Qualley in Maid, Netflix’s dramedy series from writer Molly Smith Metzler, John Wells Productions, Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television.

Written by Metzler, Maid is inspired by Stephanie Land’s bestselling memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive. It revolves around Alex (Qualley), a single mother who turns to housekeeping to — barely — make ends meet as she battles against poverty, homelessness, and bureaucracy. Told primarily through her point of view, Maid is described as a beautiful, alive, gritty and inspiring exploration of poverty in America.

Vilar will play Yolanda, the owner of “Value Maids,” the cleaning business that eventually employs “Alex” (Qualley). A woman who suffers no fools and runs a tight ship, Yolanda has managed to survive in a world (and economy) that is not always kind to her.

In addition to Qualley, Vilar joins previously cast Andie MacDowell, Nick Robinson and Anika Noni Rose. Maid is currently filming in Vancouver.

Vilar co-starred on the CBS comedy series Partners. Her television series credits include major roles on Fox’s House and TNT’s Saved and guest shots on three Shondaland/ABC series, Grey’s Anatomy, How To Get Away with Murder and For the People. She also appeared in the features Grace of My Heart and K-Pax.

Nicholas Gonzalez to Star in the Survival Thriller “Borrego”

Posted on July 29, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Nicholas Gonzalez is ready to lay down the law…

The 44-year-old Mexican American actor will star opposite Lucy Hale in the survival thriller Borrego.

Hale will play a young botanist who relocates to a small desert town to study an invasive plant species. While out conducting research, she comes to the aid of a downed plane only to find herself taken captive by an inexperienced drug mule who forces her to lead a trek across the sweltering desert to his drop.

The local sheriff (portrayed by Gonzalez) is drawn into the hunt as his rebellious daughter sets out to find the missing botanist, all while being pursued by a local drug receiver.

Costa Rican actor Leynar Gómez, Latino actor Jorge A. Jimenez and Mexican American actress Olivia Trujillo round out the cast.

Jesse Harris will direct the film from his own script, and he’ll produce. Hale will serve as executive producer.

Gonzalez currently stars on ABC’s The Good Doctor. His other television credits include appearances on Being Mary Jane, Narcos, How to Get Away With Murder and Pretty Little Liars.

His film credits include The Purge: Anarchy, Falling Awake and Rockaway.

Karla Souza to Star in ABC’s Family Comedy Pilot “Home Economics”

Posted on July 18, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Karla Souza is cooking things up…

The 34-year-old Mexican actress will star in ABC’s family comedy pilot Home Economics.

Starring Caitlin McGee and Topher Grace, the series is described as ‘similar to Modern Family’ and revolves around three adult siblings: one in the 1 percent, one in the middle class, and one barely holding on.

The project hails from writers Michael Colton and John Aboud, the Tannenbaum Co., Lionsgate Television and ABC Studios. It was written by

Colton and Aboud and inspired by Colton’s family.

McGee plays the oldest sibling, Sarah, a therapist for at-risk kids, married to a teacher, and they’re often scraping to make ends meet. Of her siblings, she earns the least money, but she does the most socially important work (as she frequently reminds them). She’s a doting mom to her two kids and tries to be a guru to her two brothers, who obviously would be lost without her wisdom.

Grace plays Tom, the middle sibling and middle-class.

Souza will play Marina. A proud first-generation New Yorker whose parents came from Latin America, Marina is a former lawyer married to struggling novelist Tom (Grace). She’s constantly exhausted by caring for her seven-year-old daughter and toddler twin boys. Marina would like to go back to work one day, if only to escape her children. A rule-follower, Marina is often in conflict with her brother-in-law Connor, who never met a corner he didn’t try to cut. She’s pushed to the max and ready to call everyone out on how much easier they have it.

Souza is returning to ABC after starring in How To Get Away With Murder for the first five seasons. She recurred on the sixth and final season while shooting Pablo Larrain’s upcoming limited series El Presidente for Amazon.

After starring in three of the highest grossing films in Mexico (Que Culpa Tiene El Nino, Nosotros Los Nobles and Instructions Not Included), Souza was last seen on the big screen starring in Everybody Loves Somebody for writer/director Catalina Aguilar Mastretta.

Esai Morales to Star as the Villain in “Mission: Impossible 7”

Posted on May 22, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Esai Morales has found a new mission…The 57-year-old Puerto Rican actor has joined the cast of Mission: Impossible 7, replacing Nicholas Hoult s the film’s villain.

The Paramount and Skydance co-production was close to starting production in Italy, when the world shut down due to COVID-19 and that included the Christopher McQuarrie-directed film, which will see Tom Cruise reprise his Ethan Hunt spy character.

The delay put Hoult in conflict with another commitment.

Mission: Impossible 7 is expected to start production in late summer or early fall.

The film was scheduled for release on July 23, 2021 but has been moved to November 19, 2021 to account for the delay.

The entire franchise through six movies has amassed over $3.57 billion for Paramount.

Morales, who rose to acclaim as Bob Morales in La Bamba, most recently completed a stint on How To Get Away With Murder.

His other credits include television roles on Magic City, Chicago P.D. and NCIS: Los Angeles, and film roles in Gun Hill Road, Fast Food Nation and Spare Parts.

Gerardo Celasco to Star in Quibi’s Drama Series “Swimming with Sharks”

Posted on March 1, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Gerardo Celasco has gone swimming…

The 37-year-old Salvadoran American actor has been cast opposite Kiernan Shipka and Diane Kruger in Quibi’s drama series Swimming with Sharks.

Billed as a contemporary update of George Huang’s 1994 film that both celebrates and skewers the Hollywood studio system, the Lionsgate-produced series is written and produced by Kathleen Robertson, and directed by Tucker Gates, with Chris Cowles also producing.

In the series adaptation with a female twist, Lou (Shipka), a young female assistant, works for Joyce (Kruger), a sole female studio head, at a company filled with manipulators, schemers and intrigue, but little do they know Lou is poised to outwit them all.

Celasco will play Miles, a moderately talented artist and the husband of Joyce Holt (the big moneymaker in the household). Miles and Joyce have a complicated relationship based on love, money and power.

Celasco, who rose to acclaim on NBC’s Passions, co-stars in the upcoming Foxthriller series neXt. He’s known for his multi-season arc on ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder.

Karla Souza to Star in Amazon’s FIFA Gate-Inspired Drama “El Presidente”

Posted on March 27, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Karla Souzawill be acting presidential…

The 33-year-old Mexican actress and How to Get Away with Murder star is set to star in Amazon’s FIFA drama El Presidente.

Andrés Parra (Pablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mal) and Paulina Gaitán (Diablo Guardian) also star in the eight-part series, which is produced by Oscar‐winning director Pablo Larrain’s production company Fabula (A Fantastic Woman), Narcosproducer Gaumont and Argentine producer Kapow.

Birdman’sArmando Bowill direct and executive-produce the series, which is inspired by the real-life characters and events behind the 2015 “FIFA Gate” corruption scandal.

The series explores the scandal from the angle of a small‐time Chilean football club president who rises from obscurity to become a key player in a $150M bribery conspiracy. Set against the backdrop of cities across Latin America, the U.S. and Europe, the series explores the sports scandal that rocked the world through the story of Jadue (Parra), a small‐time Chilean football club president who rose from obscurity to become a key player in a $150M bribery conspiracy at the hand of the infamous president of the Argentine football association, Julio Grondona.

It will air on Amazon’s SVOD service in more than 200 countries and territories.

“El Presidente will show the world, with loads of irony, how the most beloved sport of all is in fact a multimillionaire business run by a ridiculous mob we have never seen before: the Football Mafia,” added Bo.

Souza’s previous credits include Everybody Loves Somebody and 31 días.

Susan Santiago to Star in The CW’s Drama Pilot “Glamorous”

Posted on March 13, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Susan Santiago is livin’ theglamorouslife…

The Spanish actress will star opposite Peyton List, Brooke Shields and Ben J. Pierce in The CW’s drama pilot Glamorous.

The project hailsfrom Damon Wayans Jr. and his Two Shakes Entertainment, writer Jordon Nardinoand CBS Television Studios.

Written by Nardino and directed by Eva Longoriain her pilot-directing debut, Glamorous centers on Marco (Pierce), a gender-nonconforming recent high school graduate who lands the gig of a lifetime interning at a cosmetics company whose products he panned on YouTube.

Santiago will portray Julia, a no-nonsense lawyer who has raised her son in a loving and supportive environment where he’s always been held to the highest of standards. As her son leaves the nest for the first time, Julia fights to keep him on the ambitious (if colorless) path in life she is absolutely certain is best for him

List will play AlyssaSays, an over-the-top YouTubepersonality with a competitive edge who finds an unexpected home at the same cosmetics firm as Marco.

Santiago was recently seen in the critically praised The Hate U Give and is best known for her guest-starring and recurring appearances on Grey’s Anatomy, Longmire, Scandal, How to Get Away With Murder and Criminal Minds. Her producing debut, Illegal, in which she also stars, will premiere in competition at the upcoming Pasadena Film Festival.

Gloria Garayua to Star in the Psychological Thriller Drama Series “Reckoning”

Posted on July 11, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a day of Reckoning for Gloria Garayua…

The 39-year-old Puerto Rican actress has been in cast in the psychological thriller Reckoning, a 10-episode straight-to-series drama from David Hubbard, veteran showrunner David Eick and Sony Pictures Television Networks.

Garayua joins a cast that includes Aden Young, Sam Trammell, Simone Kessell, Laura Gordon, Mitzi Ruhlmann, Milly Alcock, Ed Oxenbould, Finn Little, Anthony Phelan and Diana Glenn.

Produced by Playmaker, Reckoning began production this week in Sydney for premiere next year on SPTN’s international channels, including AXN, in select territories in Europe and Latin America.

Set in California, the 10-episode series is being filmed and wholly produced and post-produced in Australia. Sony Pictures Television Distribution will handle worldwide sales.

Written by Hubbard, who serves as showrunner with Eick, Reckoning explores the darkest corners of the human psyche through the eyes of two fathers, one of whom is a serial killer. Mike (Young) and Leo (Trammell) try to do what’s best for the people they love and the families they protect. But as both struggle to suppress their inner demons, the murder of a local teenager sets them on a course of mutual destruction that will emanate through every facet of their quiet, suburban community.

“Aden and Sam and the fantastic ensemble cast are crushing it in rehearsals,” said Marie Jacobson, EVP Programming and Production at Sony Pictures Television Networks. “We’re thrilled that production has started in beautiful Sydney.”

Reckoning is part of Sony Pictures Television Networks’ ramped up efforts in the original production arena. It follows the success of SPTN’s Absentia, a dramatic thriller starring Stana Katic and Patrick Heusinger, which originally was commissioned for AXN in 2017 and now is streaming on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S. and other territories.

Garayua’s previous credits include Six Feet Under, Weeds,The Shield,Grey’s Anatomy, Cougar Town and How to Get Away with Murder.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: How to Get Away with Murder