Arturo Castro to Star in Rotten Science’s “Operation Taco Gary’s”

Arturo Castro has joined a new operation…

The 37-year-old Guatemalan actor has joined the cast of Operation Taco Gary’s.

Arturo CastroCastro joins a roster of new cast additions that includes Dustin Milligan, Brenda Song, Tony Cavalero, Jason Biggs and Doug Jones.

They join previously announced cast member Simon Rex.

Written and directed by Michael Kvamme, the film from Rotten Science tells the story of Danny (Rex), an off-the-grid conspiracy theorist takes his estranged brother, Luke (Milligan), on a road trip with a secret agenda. Details as to the characters to be played by our other new cast members haven’t been disclosed.

“We’re so lucky to have Dustin joining our film to play Luke,” said writer-director Kvamme. “He’s compelling to watch and someone whom the audience will certainly relate with. We’ve been able to assemble a remarkable ensemble who we think will yield the best possible version of Operation Taco Gary’s.”

Castro has appeared on series like Mr. CormanBroad City and Narcos, and in films like The MenuWeird: The Al Yankovic Story, Yes Day and Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, to name a few. He’ll next appear in Prime Video’s Road House reimagining with Jake Gyllenhaal, among other projects.

Part of the cast of HBO’s televangelist family comedy series The Righteous Gemstones, which just recently returned for its third season, Calavero has also been seen on The ConnersMiracle Workers and more. His credits in film include The Binge and sequel It’s A Wonderful Binge, as well as Netflix’s Mötley Crüe film The Dirt, which had him playing Ozzy Osbourne.

Gravitas Ventures Acquires Distribution Rights to Anabelle Acosta’s “The Subject”

Anabelle Acosta’s latest project is heading to American theaters…

Gravitas Ventures has acquired rights to Lanie Zipoy’s film The Subject, starring the 34-year-old Cuban American actress.

Anabelle Acosta,

Gravitas plans to release the film, which also stars Jason Biggs and Aunjanue Ellis, in select theaters across the U.S., as well as on TVOD and digital platforms across North America, on October 22.

Zipoy’s feature directorial debut follows Phil Waterhouse (Biggs), a successful white documentary filmmaker dealing with the fallout from his previous film, which caught the murder of a Black teen on tape.

Its ensemble also includes Carra Patterson, Nile Bullock and Caleb Eberhardt.

Chisa Hutchinson wrote the script.

Zipoy produced the film with Megan Kingery, Gahlia Eden and Jess Weiss.

“This is a film about all the nuanced little ways in which notions of supremacy distance white people from other humans,” said Hutchinson. “It’s a long ramp with a barely perceptible incline that ultimately leads to someone standing by and watching while a black person is killed. Or maybe even doing the killing.”

“When speaking about The Subject, it is often assumed to be an actual documentary because the film hews close to life as we know it,” said Zipoy. “It is achingly real, and more heartbreaking by the day. I am grateful to Chisa for her bold script and the actors for their amazing commitment to tell a delicate, yet hard-hitting story.”

“The Subject is a topical and relevant film about the pitfalls of many of today’s documentaries,” added Brett Rogalsky, Gravitas Ventures Manager of Acquisitions. “It is as timely as it is entertaining, and Gravitas is thrilled to be bringing it to audiences this fall.”

The Subject has won more than 30 awards at film festivals around the world.

Ortiz to Star in ABC’s Comedy Pilot “Charlie Foxtrot”

Ana Ortiz is all about that base

The 46-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress has been cast as the female lead in ABC’s comedy pilot Charlie Foxtrot.

Ana Ortiz

Hailing from writer Sam Sklaver, Kapital Entertainment and ABC Studios, the project is set at Fort Bragg, an Army base in North Carolina.

It centers on Angelina Torres (Ortiz) and her two children, who live on the base. But, when Angelina loses her fiancé, Joe Taylor, killed in action in Iraq, it looks as though she’ll have to move. But Joe’s brother, Charlie Taylor (Jason Biggs), a dentist at the base, and usually a pushover, isn’t about to let that happen.

Torres’ Angelina is a well-meaning, fierce single mother-lion who believes in putting her kids first, even if that means crossing a few lines.

The casting of Ortiz, who starred in Devious Maids and Ugly Betty, stems from a talent deal ABC and ABC Studios signed with Ortiz immediately after Ortiz’s previous series, ABC Studios’ dramedy Devious Maids, ended its four-season run on Lifetime last summer. She decided on Charlie Foxtrot after being presented with several scripts.

This is Ortiz’s third consecutive pilot for ABC and ABC Studios, following the hourlong Ugly Betty and Devious Maids, both of which went to series, with the latter moving from ABC to Lifetime. Ortiz earned an ALMA Award and Imagen Award for her performance as Hilda on Ugly Betty.

Her television credits include appearances on How to Get Away with Murder, Revenge and Black-ish.

Leyva Promoted to Series Regular on Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black”

Forget red! Selenis Leyva is seeing orange

The 41-year-old Cuban-Dominican American actress has been promoted to series regular on Netflix’s hit prison comedy Orange Is The New Black, which was recently picked up for a third season well-before its second-season premiere.

Selenis Leyva

Leyva plays the quick-witted and sharp-tongued Gloria Mendoza in the series, which also stars Taylor Schilling, Jason Biggs, Laura Prepon and Kate Mulgrew.

“Gloria is sassy, there’s a fierceness about her and you know that eyebrow, when it goes up, you know she means business,” Leyva told Huffington Post in an interview. “And that’s like my thing [laughs]. When I’m a little bit upset, my eyebrow goes up and that is a trait that my beautiful mother passed down to me [laughs]. We always knew in the house ‘mommy’s upset, her eyebrow just went up.’”

Selenis, who has appeared on Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Girls, will next be seen opposite Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy and Naomi Watts in the feature film Saint Vincent de Van Nuys.

Season 2 of Orange Is The New Black premieres on Netflix on June 6 with all 13 episodes available at launch.