“Barbie,” Starring America Ferrera, Becomes Highest-Grossing Movie of the Year in North America

America Ferrera is a box office champ…

Barbie, starring the 39-year-old Honduran American Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress, is officially the highest-grossing movie of the year in North America.America Ferrera, BarbieGreta Gerwig’s fantasy-comedy, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, has generated $575.4 million at the domestic box office, overtaking the previous champion, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which has collected $574 million domestically.

Barbie has grossed $1.3 billion globally and will soon surpass The Super Mario Bros. Movie (with $1.35 billion globally) as the biggest worldwide release of 2023 as well.

Only two Hollywood blockbusters this year have crossed the $1 billion mark and, notably, neither were superhero adventures or sequels in popular franchises.

Barbie started its record-breaking theatrical run in July with the best debut of the year ($162 million) and remained the No. 1 movie for four consecutive weekends. It also landed the biggest opening weekend for a film directed by a woman and became the highest-grossing movie directed solely by a woman.

At this point, Barbie is the 14th-biggest domestic release and 20th-biggest global release of all time.

Barbie also recently surpassed Christopher Nolan’s superhero epic The Dark Knight ($536 million) as the highest-grossing domestic release in Warner Bros. history. It could eventually eclipse 2011’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 ($1.34 billion) as the studio’s highest-grossing worldwide release in 100 years.

Gerwig, the Oscar-nominated director of Lady Bird and Little Women, co-wrote the screenplay with her partner Noah Baumbach. The cotton candy-colored blockbuster follows the popular doll as she leaves behind the seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land to discover the highs and lows of life in the real world. The cast also includes Issa Rae, Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, Simu Liu and Michael Cera.

America Ferrera to Star in Sony & Black Bear Pictures’ Upcoming Dramedy “Dumb Money”

America Ferrera is makin’ money moves…

The 38-year-old Honduran American award-winning actress has joined the cast of Sony and Black Bear Pictures’ upcoming dramedy Dumb Money.

America FerreraFerrera is now part of an A-list ensemble cast that includes Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Sebastian Stan, Shailene Woodley, Anthony Ramos, Vincent D’Onofrio, Dane DeHaan and Pete Davidson, with Craig Gillespie directing.

The film is based on Ben Mezrich’s book The Antisocial Network. It tells the story of fortunes won and lost overnight in the David-vs.-Goliath GameStop short squeeze that may have ended up changing Wall Street forever. It offers a gripping portrayal of how a loosely affiliated group of private investors and internet trolls on a subreddit called WallStreetBets took down one of the biggest hedge funds on Wall Street, firing the first shot in a revolution that threatened to upend the establishment.

The script was adapted by Rebecca Angelo & Lauren Schuker Blum.

Principal photography is underway.

Ferrera can be seen next year in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie alongside Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Simu Liu and Kate McKinnon. She recently starred on the Apple TV+ series WeCrashed opposite Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway.

She is making her feature directorial debut with an adaptation of Erika Sánchez’s New York Times bestselling novel  I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter for Netflix.

Marcello Hernandez Joins Cast of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” for Season 48

Marcello Hernandez will be working Saturday nights

The Cuban & Dominican American stand up comedian, writer and actor has joined the cast of Saturday Night Live as a featured player for Season 48.

Marcello HernandezHernandez joins a roster of new cast additions that includes Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow and Devon Walker.

Hernandez has opened for the likes of Tim Dillon and Gilbert Gottfried and appeared on Telemundo’s Acceso Total. The Miami comedian was recently named a “New Face of Comedy” at the prestigious Montreal “Just for Laughs” festival.  And locals may know Hernandez from his work with Only in Dade. He was the creative director of their lifestyle page.

“This will be transition year,” Lorne Michaels said backstage at the Primetime Emmys, where SNL won the award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series.

“Change years are always difficult but always exciting. There are new people. There are four new people, at least for now.”

The announcement comes after it was revealed in May that Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant and Kyle Mooney were leaving the show at the end of Season 47 along with Pete Davidson. It later emerged that Alex Moffat, Melissa Villaseñor, the first-ever Latina cast member, and Aristotle Athari would not be returning either.

SNL returns on October 1 with three consecutive shows.

Michaels added that the pandemic kept the large cast together longer than perhaps expected.

“The pandemic sort of interfered with the national order of things. I think there was a bonding; people got very close,” he added. “When we did those at-home shows, you got to see everyone’s apartment where and how they lived. There was an intimacy and connection between audience and group. I couldn’t imagine we could work without that whole team so we kept going.”

Saturday Night Live is produced in association with Broadway Video.

 

Ana Cruz Kayne to Star in Warner Bros. & Mattel’s Upcoming “Barbie” Film

Ana Cruz Kayne is getting dolled up…

The 37-year-old Latina actress will star in Warner Bros. and Mattel’s upcoming Barbie film

Ana Cruz KayneCruz Kayne is part of a roster of new cast additions that include Kingsley Ben-AdirRhea Perlman, Ncuti Gatwa, Emerald Fennell, Sharon Rooney, Scott Evans, Connor Swindells, Ritu Arya and Jamie Demetriou.

They join Margot Robbie, who will star in the titular role, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrara, Kate McKinnon, Simu Liu, Ariana Greenblatt, Emma Mackey, Alexandra Shipp, Issa Rae, Michael Cera, Hari Nef and Will Ferrell.

Greta Gerwig is directing and co-wrote the script with Noah Baumbach.

Plot details are unknown, but given Gerwig’s track record as a director, one can expect this won’t be a typical take on the doll’s story.

Robbie is producing the film under her LuckyChap Entertainment production banner along with LuckyChap’s Tom Ackerley.

The film will be released worldwide sometime in 2023.

First Trailer Released for Judd Apatow’s Lockdown Comedy “The Bubble,” Starring Pedro Pascal

Pedro Pascal’s latest project is bubbling up

The first trailer has been released for Judd Apatow’s lockdown comedy The Bubble, starring a stacked cast that includes the 46-year-old Chilean actor.

Pedro Pascal, The BubbleThe film looks at the high stakes and high jinks involved in filming a studio tentpole film during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The scenario unfolds somewhere in England during the dark days of October 2020 as a group of actors is quarantining at a posh hotel while shooting Cliff Beasts 6the latest in an action franchise about people battling dinosaurs. And it’s no walk in the Jurassic Park.

“Thank you for wearing proper PPE,” the ensemble is told. “Physical touch is, of course, off the table, so I would recommend making sweet eyes at each other.”

But there’s an incentive to keep the cameras rolling: “We are one of two movies in production right now — if we fail, the studio’s going to go down.”

So the show goes on, and we get the lighter side of greenscreen acting.

Karen Gillan, Iris Apatow, Fred Armisen, Maria Bakalova, David Duchovny, Keegan-Michael Key, Leslie Mann, Kate McKinnon and Peter Serafinowicz also star in the Apatow-directed film.

Apatow wrote the script with Pam Brady.

The film-within-a-film will hit Netflix in the spring.

Jennifer Lopez to Present at This Year’s Golden Globes

Jennifer Lopezwill be taking the stage at this year’s Golden Globes

The 50-year-old Puerto Rican superstar, a nominee in the Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture category, has been added to the star-studded presenter lineup.

Jennifer Lopez

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced that J.LoElton JohnZoe KravitzLeonardo DiCaprioWill FerrellGwyneth PaltrowBrad PittPaul RuddJennifer AnistonCate BlanchettReese WitherspoonJason Momoaand more will also present at this weekend’s ceremony.

They join previously announced presenters Nick JonasAnsel ElgortDakota FanningCharlize TheronOctavia SpencerSofia VergaraKerry WashingtonTed Danson,Kate McKinnonTiffany HaddishDaniel CraigGlenn CloseChris EvansMargot RobbieScarlett JohanssonSalma HayekAmy PoehlerRami MalekTim Allenand Pierce Brosnan.

The 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards, hosted by Ricky Gervais, will air live from the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on Sunday, January 5 at 5:00 pm PT/8:00 pm ET on NBC.

Ana de Armas to Star in the Spy Drama “Wasp Network”

Ana de Armasis expanding her Network

The 30-year-old Cuban actress will co-star in Olivier Assayas Wasp Network, the spy drama based on Fernando Morais’ book The Last Soldiers of the Cold War

Ana de Armas

de Armas joins previously announced cast members Edgar RamírezPenélope CruzPedro Pascal,Wagner Moura and Gael García Bernal.

The film, which will go before cameras in Havana at the end of this month, tells the true story of Cuban spies in the American territory during the 1990s, revealing the tentacles of a Florida-based terrorist network with ramifications in Central America and with the consent of the U.S. government.

de Armas’ credits include Blade Runner 2049War Dogsand Hands of Stone.

Her upcoming slate includes Rian Johnson’s Knives Out, opposite Daniel CraigChris Evans, Lakeith Stanfield and Michael ShannonUniversal/Working Title’s untitled Danny Boyle romantic comedy with Lily JamesKate McKinnonHimesh Patel, and Ed Sheeran; as well as The Night Clerk with Tye Sheridan and Helen Hunt.

Carlos Saldanha Receives Variety’s Creative Impact in Animation Award

Carlos Saldanha is being heralded for his creative impact

The 52-year-old Brazilian director, producer and animator has been recognized with Variety’s Creative Impact in Animation award.

Carlos Saldanha

Saldanha has become one of the most successful tellers of animated stories of all time. His credits include Ice Age: The Meltdown, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Rio and Rio 2, while he co-directed Ice Age and Robots. He’s Blue Sky Animation Studio’s secret weapon, having unleashed a string of worldwide blockbusters that have grossed more than $3 billion.

Saldanha even has Oscar cred with a nomimation for 2003’s animated short Gone Nutty, and an exclusive deal at Fox, where his BottleCap Productions calls home.

Growing up in Rio de Janeiro afforded Saldanha with a unique perspective of the world, and in particular, how it would come to shape his animation and filmmaking instincts and aesthetic.

“I was always a film buff,” Saldanha recalls. “Movies were always very special to me, but I never knew how to accomplish my goals. Blade Runner is my favorite film and I’ve seen it 20 times at least. I find it inspiring. So I went to college for computer science, but I was always very artistic. A friend showed me one of John Lasseter’s early CGI-animated shorts, and I was hooked, because this was how to bridge the elements together.”

The Ice Age franchise has cemented itself as one of the most popular in the medium, and Saldanha knows that he’s crossed over into something larger, capturing the imaginations of children (and adults) around the world, especially with the saber-toothed squirrel Scrat, which has become the official mascot of Blue Sky Studios.

“When you’re a part of something that becomes that big for so many people, especially children, you can’t help but feel proud. Scrat was something unique to the creative process, in that he wasn’t originally defined in the script. He was an organic character who took shape as a result of creative group think. So it’s very special that he’s become so embraced, and it felt very natural for Scrat to become an integral part of Blue Sky,” Saldanha says. “We all loved those little noises he makes!”

Saldanha’s relationship with fellow filmmaker and Blue Sky head Chris Wedge has been instrumental to his career. “Chris is a visionary and working with him has been a tremendous experience,” Saldanha says. “We’re interested in telling relatable stories in an exciting and fresh way, and Chris brings a great attitude to the creative process.”

Following up the huge success of 2002’s Ice Age would prove to be interesting for Saldanha, who helped to craft 2005’s Robots, calling it a “transitional film for me, moving out of the Ice Age’world, and getting involved in something new. And that’s what we love to do, we love building worlds within our films. And with Robots, we got to do something a bit unique with the characters and setting.”

The two Rio films clearly mean a lot to Saldanha, who says he was “thrilled to infuse my Brazilian heritage into the film, and it was a big goal for me to show the city of Rio de Janeiro in a very colorful and bright fashion. These were projects that were very close to me on a personal level, so to be able to craft them in the way that we did, it was a joyous experience. It was very important for worldwide audiences to embrace these films. I wanted to create a mood and tone with no boundaries and a free spirit approach to the storytelling. This was a true passion project.”

Saldanha’s newest project, the animated adventure Ferdinand, hits screens December 15. It’s based on the classic children’s book The Story of Ferdinand, about a Spanish bull that would rather stop and smell the roses than participate in bullish activities. John Cena voices the title character, with Kate McKinnon, Gina Rodriguez and Daveed Diggs among the other voice-over artists.

“We’re currently halfway through animation and it’s coming along fantastic. We’re so thrilled for people to see it as we’re having so much fun working on this particular story,” Saldanha says. He adds there will be a “wonderful musical component to the film,” as he’s again collaborating with favored film composer John Powell. “We really wanted to capture the richness of Spain, with vibrant and bold colors, so that the audience can really feel the atmosphere. And with John doing the score again for us, we’ll have something really special for the audience. We extended the original book but we retained what’s essential to the core story of a big bull with a really big heart.”

Saldanha was also asked to participate in the 2014 anthology film Rio, I Love You, with other celebrated filmmakers including Jose Padilha, Fernando Meirelles, Paolo Sorrentino and Guillermo Arriaga. “I had such a great time doing my short for Rio, I Love You,” Saldanha says. “I did it to test the waters, and I’m excited about tackling a live-action project in the future. I’m not sure what it’ll be exactly, but I love to challenge myself and keep things fresh. But I’ll never leave animation behind. That’s where my heart is.”

Bardem to Serve as a Presenter at This Year’s Academy Awards

Javier Bardem has a date with Oscar

The 47-year-old Spanish actor, who won an Academy Award for his role in No Country for Old Men, will serve as a presenter at the 89th Academy Awards on February 26.

Javier Bardem

In addition to Bardem, the latest list of presenters includes

Amy Adams, Riz Ahmed, John Cho, Dwayne Johnson, Felicity Jones, Leslie Mann, Janelle Monáe, David Oyelowo, Emma Stone and Charlize Theron, according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

Previously announced presenters include Halle Berry, Jamie Dornan, Chris Evans, Gael García Bernal, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Dakota Johnson, Shirley MacLaine, Kate McKinnon and Hailee Steinfeld. 

Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the Oscars will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. ABC will broadcast the ceremony live.

Garcia Bernal Among the Presenters at This Year’s Academy Awards

Gael García Bernal has a date with Oscar

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences has announced the second group of presenters for the 89th Academy Awards on February 26, with the 38-year-old Mexican actor, director and producer making the list.

Gael García Bernal

Garcia Bernal, a Golden Globe-winner for Best Actor for his recently renewed series Mozart in the Jungle, joins a roster that includes Halle Berry, Jamie Dornan, Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Dakota Johnson, Shirley MacLaine, Kate McKinnon and Hailee Steinfeld.

Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the trophy show is set for February 26 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. ABC will carry the ceremony live.