Tag Archives: Kiel Adrian Scott

Tony Plana to Appear on Season Two of OWN’s Drama Series “David Makes Man”

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Tony Plana is the new Man on the block…

The 68-year-old Cuban actor and director has joined the cast of OWN’s Peabody Award-winning drama David Makes Man for the upcoming season season.

Tony Plana

The Ugly Betty alum will be one of 10 actors set to appear in recurring roles on the series from Oscar winner Tarell Alvin McCraney and Warner Bros. Television.

Plana joins a roster of newcomers that includes Brittany S. Hall, Erica Luttrell, Zsané Jhé, Bobbi Baker, Patrice Arenas, Trinity Cidel, Brandi Huzzie, Rodney Gardiner and Janmarco Santiago.

David Makes Man  returned to Orlando, Florida and continued production in October.

On the directing side, Kiel Adrian Scott is set to return to direct five episodes of the new season while Erica Watson (has been tapped to helm the remaining five episodes in the 10-episode sophomore season, which is set to debut in the early summer of 2021.

Season 2 finds David in his 30s (Kwame Patterson, Snowfall, The Wire), a rising businessman facing an opportunity that will change him and his community forever; the mounting pressure forces David to choose between the instincts that helped him survive or finding a new way to truly live.

Here are the details about the recurring characters for Season 2:

Tony Plana (Ugly Betty, The Affair) plays Joe Padilla, a billionaire real estate developer who brings David an ambitious opportunity, under the guise of redevelopment.

Brittany S. Hall (Ballers) plays Nicole, a sophisticated and honest architect who has been dating David but loves her freedom as well.

Erica Lutrell (Westworld, Salvation) plays adult Marissa, a Miami-based marine biologist, activist, and protector of the land and sea. When her former middle school friend-turned-nemesis further threatens the ecological balance of South Florida, Marissa sets out to prove that corporate greed is toxic for everyone.

Zsané Jhé (Good Trouble, Black Lightning) adult Shella, an entrepreneur extraordinaire. She leads the charge for the residents of The Ville in the fight against the real estate redevelopment company trying to gentrify their homes.

Bobbi Baker (House of Payne) plays Robin, Gloria’s loyal and level partner. Together they run Robin’s Nest in Little Havana, a foster home for LGBTQ+ youth.

Patrice Arenas (Celestial) plays Denise, an office assistant at the Edwards Firm (where David works). She keeps things moving at the office while also learning the moods and tempo of her boss.

Trinity Cidel plays Trenise, the gifted daughter of David’s brother, JG. She is calm, introspective, and more like her uncle David than her own father.

Brandi Huzzie (The Demon in the Dark) is cast as Trisha, the long-time girlfriend of JG and mother of his child. Together they raise their daughter Trenise.

Rodney Gardiner (The Warriors) plays Corey Roberts, a Miami district commissioner and politician. Corey offers to work with David and Joe to help push their Ville redevelopment project, but they will have to do it his way.

Janmarco Santiago (The Fate of the Furious) plays Elan, Joe Padilla’s entitled nephew and David’s unrequested assistant.

The new recurring cast members join the previously announced new series regulars Kwame Patterson (Snowfall, The Wire) as adult David and Arlen Escarpeta (The Oath) as adult JG alongside returning series regulars Akili McDowell (young David), Alana Arenas (David’s mom Gloria), Travis Coles (Mx. Elijah) and Cayden K. Williams (young JG) for Season 2.

Elvis Nolasco Joins Cast of OWN’s Coming-of-Age Drama Series “David Makes Man”

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Elvis Nolasco is the Man with a plan…

The Dominican actor has joined the ensemble cast of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network’s upcoming coming-of-age drama series David Makes Man, from Oscar-winning Moonlight co-writer Tarell Alvin McCraney.

Elvis Nolasco

David Makes Man centers on David, a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is haunted by the death of his closest friend and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty. He must choose between the streets that raised him or the higher education that may offer him a way out. Set in South Florida, the lyrical drama, inspired by events in McCraney’s own life, explores the inherent trauma sustained in the fight for survival.

In addition to Nolasco, who starred in ABC’s anthology series American Crime, cast additions include Alana Arenas, (L.A. Confidential, Chicago P.D.), while Gillian Williams (The Girlfriend Experience), Ruben Santiago-Hudson (The Quad, Billions) and Randy Gonzalez (Bloodline) are set for recurring roles.

They join previously announced cast Phylicia Rashad, Akili McDowell, Nathaniel Logan McIntyre, Isaiah Johnson, Ade Chike Torbert, Jordan Bolger, Cayden K. Williams and Travis Coles.

Directors joining the hour-long drama for Season 1 include Michael Francis Williams, Kiel Adrian Scott, Daina Reid and Cheryl Dunye.

The series, currently in production in Orlando, Florida, is set for a 2019 premiere on OWN.

Arenas will play Gloria, David’s young, hardworking, single mother who wants better for her children. A now-sober, former drug user, she worries that social services might take her sons away.

Williams will recur as Jessica Kelly, David’s former music teacher who is the mother of his best friend, Seren. Santiago-Hudson is Dr. Bree, a clinical psychiatrist who challenges David to examine the trauma of his past and his hopes for the future. Nolasco will play Tio-Teo, the uncle to David’s strained acquaintance, Raynan. He aims to expand his illegal prescription med operation . . . no matter what the cost. Gonzalez is Mr. Lopez, a teacher of remedial math who believes in David more than David believes in himself.

David Makes Man is produced by Page Fright and Outlier Productions in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television.

Laz Alonso to Star in BET’s “The Bobby Brown Story” Miniseries

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Laz Alonso is reliving some music history…

The 43-year-old Afro-Cuban American actor  will star in BET’s The Bobby Brown Story, a two-part miniseries starring Woody McClain as the veteran R&B singer.

Laz Alonso

In addition to Alonso and McClain, the miniseries will also star Mekhi Phifer, Lil Rel Howery, T.K. Carter, Lance Gross, Alyssa Goss and Sandi McCree.

The New Edition Story broke BET ratings records when it aired in January 2017, and The Bobby Brown Story picks up where it left off following Brown’s successful solo run.

McClain is reprising his role as Brown, one of the genre’s original “bad boys” whose life epitomizes the meaning of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. His hits may have kept him at the top of the charts, but his antics kept him on the front page.

Alonso (The Mysteries of Laura) is Louil Silas Jr, an MCA producer-executive who helps make Bobby a solo star.

Phifer plays Tommy Brown, Bobby’s brother. Howery is Brian Irvine, Bobby’s business manager. Carter plays Herbert “Pops” Brown, Bobby’s father. Gross is set as Steven Sealy, a childhood friend of Bobby’s who is killed in a gunfight after hanging with him at a hometown bar. Goss plays Bobby’s current wife, Alicia Etheridge, and McCree will reprise her New Edition Story as Bobby’s mother Carole Brown.

The Bobby Brown Story is directed by Spike Lee protégé Kiel Adrian Scott.

Production is currently underway in Atlanta.

BET plans a two-night September premiere for The Bobby Brown Story.