“Saturday Night Live” Alum Fred Armisen to Appear on “SNL:50 The Anniversary Special”

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Fred Armisen is returning to Studio 8H.

The 58-year-old half-Venezuelan American actor, comedian, musician, writer and former Saturday Night Live cast member will be appearing on SNL:50 The Anniversary Special.

Armisen is among a roster of SNL alums returning for the show’s 50th anniversary special.

He starred on the late-night sketch comedy and variety series from 2002 to 2013.

Some of Armisen’s iconic SNL characters include Garth and Manuel Ortiz. He’s also known for his impressions of Barack Obama, Steve Jobs, Ira Glass, Prince and Michael Bloomberg.

Other former/current cast members and guests set to appear on the show include

Adam Sandler, Amy Poehler, Andy Samberg, Chevy Chase, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin, Jason Sudeikis, Jimmy Fallon, Kate McKinnon, Kenan Thompson, Kristen Wiig, Laraine Newman, Maya Rudolph, Molly Shannon, Pete Davidson, Seth Meyers, Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Will Ferrell, Will Forte and more.

They join previously announced A-listers Adam Driver, Ayo Edebiri, Bad Bunny, Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney, Kim Kardashian, Martin Short, Miley Cyrus, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Pedro Pascal, Peyton Manning, Quinta Brunson, Robert De Niro, Sabrina Carpenter, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks and Woody Harrelson.

The live three-hour telecast from Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center is set for Sunday, February 16 at 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT on NBC and simulcast on Peacock.

Ahead of Sunday’s special, Peacock will livestream the SNL50: The Homecoming Concert from Radio City Music Hall, hosted by Jimmy Fallon, on Friday, February, 14 at 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT.

Executive produced by Lorne Michaels and Mark Ronson, the concert will include performances by Arcade Fire, Backstreet Boys, Bad Bunny, Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Brittany Howard, Chris Martin, David Byrne, DEVO, Eddie Vedder, Jack White, Jelly Roll, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Mumford & Sons, Post Malone, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Robyn, The B-52s, The Roots and more to be announced.

Saturday Night Live is produced in association with Broadway Video. The creator and executive producer is Lorne Michaels.

America Ferrera to Serve as Presenter at This Year’s Oscars

Posted on March 5, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Win or lose, America Ferrera will be taking the Oscars stage…

The 39-year-old Honduran American actress, who earned her first-ever Academy Awards nod this year for her performance in Barbie, will serve as a presenter at Sunday’s Oscars.

She’s part of a roster of new presenters that includes Emily Blunt, Cynthia Erivo, Sally Field, Ryan Gosling, Ariana Grande, Ben Kingsley, Melissa McCarthy, Issa Rae, Tim Robbins, Steven Spielberg, Mary Steenburgen, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlize Theron, Christoph Waltz and Forest Whitaker.

They join previous announced presenters Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Keaton, Regina King, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate McKinnon, Rita Moreno, John Mulaney, Catherine O’Hara, Octavia Spencer and Ramy Youssef, Mahershala Ali, Nicolas Cage, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Fraser, Jessica Lange, Matthew McConaughey, Lupita Nyong’o, Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ke Huy Quan, Sam Rockwell, Michelle Yeoh and Zendaya.

The Oscars will be broadcast live on March 10 ceremony from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.

Jimmy Kimmel is returning to host the ceremony for a fourth time.

ABC, which has aired the Oscars since 1976, is televising the show live starting at 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT — an hour earlier that usual. The network, which has begun to use the Oscars as a lead-out to showcase its top programming, will follow its coverage of the live ceremony with an original episode of Abbott Elementary.

ABC’s time tweak also means that its annual pre-show will now run for 30 minutes — instead of the usual 90 — beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. As per usual, the main Oscar telecast will be rebroadcast in the Pacific Time zone in primetime after the live presentation.

Raj Kapoor will serve as showrunner and executive producer of the 96th Oscars, with Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan executive producers. Hamish Hamilton is directing.

Bad Bunny to Serve as Presenter at This Year’s Academy Awards

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Bad Bunny has a date with Oscar…

The 29-year-old Puerto Rican Grammy-winning superstar has been added to the list of presenters for this year’s Academy Awards show.

But the “Monaco” singer is not the only Puerto Rican artist set to take the stage.

West Side Story star Rita Moreno, an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar & Tony Award) winner, will also serve as a presenter.

Bad Bunny and Moreno are among the list of recently added presenters for the March 10th Oscars telecast that includes Chris Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Keaton, Regina King, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate McKinnon, John Mulaney, Catherine O’Hara, Octavia Spencer and Ramy Youssef.

Moreno won an Oscar in 1962 for West Side Story. In 1977, she became the first Latina (and just the third person overall) to complete the EGOT.

In 2022, Bad Bunny made history when Un Verano Sin Ti became the first Spanish-language album to top Billboard’s year-end chart and to receive a Grammy nod for album of the year. His acting credits include Bullet Train, Narcos: Mexico and Cassandro,

Earlier this week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced that another popular Latin star, Becky G, would perform the nominated “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot on the telecast.

Previously announced Oscars presenters are Mahershala Ali, Nicolas Cage, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Fraser, Jessica Lange, Matthew McConaughey, Lupita Nyong’o, Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ke Huy Quan, Sam Rockwell, Michelle Yeoh and Zendaya.

The 96th Oscars will air live on ABC and broadcast to outlets worldwide on Sunday, March 10, at the new, earlier time of 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT.

Jimmy Kimmel is hosting the show for the fourth time. It will be held at its usual home, the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.

Raj Kapoor is executive producer and showrunner for the 2024 Oscars. Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan are also executive producers. Hamish Hamilton is directing. Rickey Minor is music director.

Rodolfo Salas Signs with Artists First for Representation Across All Areas

Posted on December 10, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Rodolfo Salas has new representation…

The 40-year-old Venezuelan actor and model has signed with Artists First for representation across all areas.

Salas has become one of the central faces of Netflix’s Latin American expansion, as he most recently starred in the platform’s hit series Fake Profile which follows a woman who creates a sexy profile on the online dating app Spice looking for the man of her dreams. Her dreams quickly turn into nightmares, and Camila ends up falling into a web of sex, lies, and deception. The show is headed into production on its second season in Colombia.

Prior to Fake Profile, he led the Mexican limited series Pact of Silence for Netflix. Next, he’ll star in the Lifetime original movie Padres, which is set to premiere in 2024.

Salas was also a mainstay of Telemundo after emigrating to the United States in 2014. He starred in their series La Fan, Neighborhood Butterfly, Blood of My Land, Betty In NY and most recently, Back To Me.

While not in production overseas, Rodolfo resides with his family in Miami, Florida.

Artists First is a talent management and production company focused on actors, writers, directors and producers in film, television and digital media, Artists First boasts a roster that also includes Martin Lawrence, Awkwafina, Kenya Barris, Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Niecy Nash, Ed Helms, Will Arnett, Ike Barinholtz, Paul Walter Hauser, Kate McKinnon, Michael Showalter, Jon M. Chu, Lior Raz, Mitch Hurwitz and Cristela Alonzo, among others.

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

Posted on August 24, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

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.Greta 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”

Posted on October 21, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

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.

Ferrera 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

Posted on September 15, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

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.

Hernandez 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

Posted on April 15, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Ana Cruz Kayne is getting dolled up…

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

Cruz Kayne is part of a roster of new cast additions that include Kingsley Ben-Adir, Rhea 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

Posted on March 6, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

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.

The 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 6, the 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

Posted on January 3, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

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.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced that J.Lo, Elton John, Zoe Kravitz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Will Ferrell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Brad Pitt, Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston, Cate Blanchett, Reese Witherspoon, Jason Momoaand more will also present at this weekend’s ceremony.

They join previously announced presenters Nick Jonas, Ansel Elgort, Dakota Fanning, Charlize Theron, Octavia Spencer, Sofia Vergara, Kerry Washington, Ted Danson,Kate McKinnon, Tiffany Haddish, Daniel Craig, Glenn Close, Chris Evans, Margot Robbie, Scarlett Johansson, Salma Hayek, Amy Poehler, Rami Malek, Tim 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.

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