Raúl Castillo to Star in Paramount‘s “Smile” Sequel

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Raúl Castillo has a new reason to smile…

The 46-year-old Mexican American actor has been cast in Paramount‘s Smile sequel.

Castillo is among a list of new cast additions that includes Miles Gutierrez-Riley, who starred in The Wilds.

The film’s plot and character details are being kept under wraps.

The duo joins the previously announced cast: Naomi Scott, Lukas Gage, Kyle Gallner, Rosemarie DeWitt and Dylan Gelula.

Smile writer and director returns for the second installment to again direct from his own script, with Temple Hill producing.

Smile 2 is currently slated for release on October 18, 2024, when it will go up against a still-unnamed title from Universal Pictures.

Going on to gross over $217M in theaters, even if it was initially set up for release on Paramount+, Smile was one of the great, unexpected box office successes of 2022. One of several original studio horror films of late to expand into a franchise, it tells the story of Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon), a psychiatrist who becomes increasingly convinced she is being threatened by an uncanny entity, after witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient.

Castillo most recently starred in the Amazon film Cassandro opposite Gael Garia Bernal. He’s set to appear in HBO‘s Mark Ruffalo-led series, the Untitled Brad Ingelsby Task Force Project (w/t), currently in pre-production.

Prior television credits also include HBO’s Looking, Starz’s Vida and Netflix’s Atypical to name a few; Army of the Dead, Cha Cha Real Smooth, Knives Out and We The Animals are among his film credits.

Gutierrez-Riley made his TV debut in the second season of Prime Video’s The Wilds, where he portrayed Ivan. In September 2022, Miles he starred in Paramount’s film adaptation of On The Come Up, which made its world premiere on the opening night of TIFF. Next up, he will star opposite Corey Fogelman in Tommy Dorfman’s directorial debut I Wish You All the Best, premiering at SXSW in March. It has also been announced that Gutierrez-Riley will star in Disney+’s WandaVision spinoff, Agatha: Darkhold Diaries.

Alicia Sanz Starring in the Psychological Horror-Thriller “Open House”

Posted on January 7, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

It’s Open season for Alicia Sanz.

The 34-year-old Spanish actress is starring opposite Raúl Castillo in topline Open House, a recently-wrapped psychological horror-thriller written and directed by the duo of David Charbonier and Justin Powell.

The film from Kinogo Pictures and Mad Descent, which shot in Los Angeles, follows a realtor who must survive a night of terror when a deranged client shows up at her open house.

Ryan Scaringe produced along with Charbonier and Powell, with Amy Lippens and Jilbert Daniel being joined as executive producerss by Sanz and Castillo. UTA Independent Film Group is repping worldwide sales.

Charbonier and Powell made their feature directorial debut with 2020’s The Boy Behind the Door — a critically acclaimed horror-thriller starring Lonnie Chavis that was released by Shudder after premiering at Fantastic Fest. The pair subsequently wrote, directed and exec produced The Djinn, a supernatural horror released by IFC Midnight in 2021.

Perhaps best known for starring in the historical action-drama series El Cid from Prime Video and the thriller series Now and Then from Apple TV+, Sanz has also previously been seen on such series as Shots Fired and From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, among others.

Her notable film credits include the thriller Billionaire Boys Club with Ansel Elgort, and April Mullen’s upcoming sci-fi thriller Hello Stranger with Robbie Amell, Jordana Brewster, Simu Liu and Sam Worthington.

Castillo is a Gotham and Independent Spirit Award nominee who recently starred opposite Jeremy Pope in Elegance Bratton’s acclaimed feature directorial debut The Inspection for A24.

The actor has also recently appeared in such acclaimed films as Hustle, Cha Cha Real Smooth and Army of the Dead, among others.

His notable TV credits include The Accidental Wolf, Vida, Atypical, Seven Seconds and Looking.

Tanya Saracho Signs Development Deal with UCP

Posted on August 19, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Things are developing nicely for Tanya Saracho…

The Mexican screenwriterand Vida creator has signed a development deal with UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group.

As part of the deal, Saracho will develop and create original content for television, as well as podcasts via the studio’s UCP Audio extension. She’ll also establish a lab and incubator program for Latinx voices.

“To say that I’m immensely enthusiastic about this union is not enough. This partnership with UCP is a vital opportunity to keep amplifying the voices and stories that matter to me – those brown, queer narratives which have been missing from the landscape, and which are so important to tell,” said Saracho.

“I’m also elated and looking forward to establishing a lab and incubator program aimed to nurture, amplify and empower intersectional Latinx voices,” Saracho added. “And on a personal level, it is greatly gratifying to find a home where I already feel so seen and supported.”

Saracho most recently served as creator, showrunner, and executive producer of Starz’s critically-acclaimed Vida, which aired its third and final season this spring. The series featured all Latinx directors in season one, and all Latina directors in seasons two and three, including Saracho, who made her television directorial debut last year. The series had an all-Latinx writers room for seasons one and two, and in season three, the room was composed of all Latina writers.

Vida won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Series and was also honored by the National Hispanic Media Coalition with the 2019 Impact Award. The series won the Audience Award at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival and made its season two premiere as an Official Selection of the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.

“Tanya came on the scene like a comet with such a strong point of view and a drive to tell culturally diverse stories that push boundaries and open our imaginations. Oh, the places we will go with Tanya’s deep curiosity, experience, commitment, enthusiasm, joy and fervor to tell the diverse stories we haven’t explored on television yet. We are such fans of her work on Vida and are thrilled to partner with her,” said Dawn Olmstead, president, UCP.

“One of our goals at Universal Studio Group is to provide access through on the job training and opportunities to empower the next generation of culturally diverse storytellers. Tanya’s program fully embodies that intention and we look forward to supporting her as she mentors aspiring Latinx writers,” said Bonnie Hammer, chairman, Universal Studio Group. “This is the first of many programs we will be backing across our three studios.”

Saracho was recently honored by the LGBTQ California Legislative Caucus as their 2020 Pride Month Honoree. She received the Rising Star Award at the Outfest Legacy Awards, and was awarded the New Voice Award by Final Draft.

She’s the founder of Teatro Luna, the first all-Latina theatre company in the country, as well as the founder of ALTA (Alliance of Latino Theatre Artists).

Saracho’s other television writing/producing credits include Devious Maids, Looking and How to Get Away with Murder.

Raúl Castillo to Star in Netflix’s Thriller “Night Teeth”

Posted on February 4, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Raúl Castillois showing his teeth…

The 42-year-old Mexican American actor has been cast in Netflix’s thriller film Night Teeth, directed by Adam Randall.

Castillo joins a cast that includes Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Debby Ryan, Lucy Fry and Alfie Allen.

Scripted by Brent Dillon, the youth-driven thriller with a genre twist focuses on one evening in L.A. Lendeborg Jr stars as a young chauffeur who drives two beautiful young women to five different parties and finds himself fighting for his life after he discovers they’re not who they claim to be. This is a film about three young people stuck together for the night. Within the confines of this vehicle, it’s the changing relationships; the suspicion, attraction and threat are all part of it.

Castillo’s previous credits include appearances on HBO’s Looking, Netflix’s Atypical and Gotham.

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Signs New Multi-Year Deal with Warner Bros. Television

Posted on April 4, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasahas landed a major deal…

The 44-year-old Nicaraguan-American playwright, screenwriter, and comic book writer who is currently the Chief Creative Officer of Archie Comics and the key creative force behind Warner Bros. Television’s growing Archie comics-based TV universe, has signed a massive new multi-year overall deal with the studio.

No details are being disclosed but the pact is said to be for five years, and it’s in the high eight figures.

Under the agreement, Aguirre-Sacasa will develop, write, and produce new series through his banner, Muckle Man Productions, while also continuing as executive producer/showrunner on WBTV series Riverdale and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,as well as pilot Katy Keene, co-developed with Michael Grassi.

Shortly after he was named Chief Creative Officer of Archie Comics in 2014, Aguirre-Sacasa teamed with WBTV-based Berlanti Prods. to bring the Archie characters to television. He is the developer/executive producer behind Riverdale, which has been a major hit for the CWand Netflix, and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which quickly established itself as a breakout for Netflix, and the co-developer/executive producer on the Riverdale spinoff pilot Katy Keene, which has been garnering solid early buzz at the CW.

Before becoming Archie Comics COO, Aguirre-Sacasa wrote two of the company’s best-selling horror series: Afterlife With Archie and Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina. He previously worked for Marvel Comics, scripting the adventures of Spider-Man, Nightcrawler, and the Fantastic Four.

Aguirre-Sacasa’s TV series writing-producing credits include Fox’s Glee, HBO’s Looking and Big Love, as well as a stint on WBTV/Berlanti Prods.’ Supergirl.

Aguirre-Sacasa is an accomplished screenwriter and playwright. He penned the feature remakes of Carrie and The Town That Dreaded Sundown, as well as the musical adaptation of American Psycho, which had runs in London and on Broadway.

Aguirre-Sacasa was part of the team that was brought in to overhaul Spider-man: Turn Off the Dark. This summer, Pasadena Playhouse will produce his prep school thriller, Good Boys and True, and he wrote the book to the Broadway-bound Magic Mike the musical, with Brian Yorkey (lyrics) and Tom Kitt(music).

Raúl Castillo Lands Recurring Role on Starz’s “Vida”

Posted on August 16, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

There’s new life in Raúl Castillo’s career…

The 40-year-old Mexican American actor has landed a recurring role on Starz’s Latinx half-hour series Vida.

From creator/showrunner Tanya Saracho, Vida centers around two Mexican-American sisters from the Eastside of Los Angeles who couldn’t be more different from each other. Saracho will make her directorial debut in season two, which will delve deeper into the lives of Lyn (Melissa Barrera) and Emma (Mishel Prada), who return home to face the past and secrets left behind by their late mother as they search for their future.

Castillo, rose to acclaim after starring on HBO’s Looking, will portray Baco, the bar’s new handyman with a questionable past.

Meanwhile, Adrian Gonzalez has also landed a recurring role on the show.

The Latino actor will appear as Rudy, an L.A. city councilman who Lyn meets at a gym class.

Production is set to begin in and around the Los Angeles area on the expanded 10-episode second season.

Castillo’s credits include Atypical, Amexicano andWe the Animals; Gonzalez’s credits include Superstore and Your Family or Mine.

In addition to Barrera and Prada, Vida also stars Ser Anzoategui, Chelsea Rendon, Carlos Miranda and Roberta Colindrez.

Saracho executive produces alongside Big Beach Television’s Robin Schwartz, Peter Saraf and Marc Turtletaub with Stephanie Langhoff.

Raúl Castillo to Appear on Season 3 of Netflix’s “One Day At A Time”

Posted on July 3, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a new Day for Raúl Castillo…

The 40-year-old Mexican American actor has landed a recurring role on the upcoming third season of Netflix’s One Day At A Time.

Castillo will play Mateo, a dad friend of Penelope’s (Justina Machado) from school, who turns into something more.

A reimagining of Norman Lear’s classic sitcom, One Day at a Time follows three generations of a Cuban-American family navigating the ups and downs of life. A newly-single mom and military veteran journeys through the triumphs and tribulations that come with raising two strong-willed, mega-millennial children, all the while enlisting the “help” of her old-school mother and her building manager-turned-invaluable confidant.

Stephen Tobolowsky, Todd Grinnelland Marcel Ruiz also star.

Norman Lear executive produces, with Gloria Calderon Kellett and Mike Royce executive producing and co-showrunning.

One Day at a Time is produced by Sony Television Productions for Netflix.

Castillo, who rose to acclaim on HBO’s Looking, stars as Paps in the film We the Animals, based on the Justin Torres novel and directed by Jeremiah Zagar. He was most recently seen in ensemble series Seven Seconds, Ricky Gervais’ Special Correspondents opposite America Ferrera, Joe Swanberg’s anthology drama series Easy, and the Robia Roshid-created Atypical, all on Netflix.

Tanya Saracho Partnering with Big Beach for New Latinx Series, “Brujas”

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the witching hour for Tanya Saracho…

The Mexican playwright and television writer will serve as the showrunner for a new series titled Brujas, a show in development via Big Beach.

The series will follow four Afro-Caribbean/Latinx women in Chicago and series explore the relationships and community born out of the growing identification with the Bruja movement.

Brujas marks the continuing collaboration between Saracho and Big Beach. The new show will use the brujería counter-culture as a foundation. The brujería culture is a means for Latinx feminists to reconnect with their heritage through music, style, nightlife, and art. It’s a powerful return to indigenous practices and a reclamation of feminine strength. It’s also a headline-grabbing movement reflected from coast to coast by artists from Princess Nokia with her single “Brujas” to Beyonce’s opus of female empowerment, “Lemonade.”

Saracho is writing the series and will serve as executive producer alongside Big Beach’s Robin Schwartz, Peter Saraf, and Marc Turtletaub.

Saracho has written for Lifetime’s Devious Maids, HBO’s Girls and Looking, and ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder.

She was previously named Best New Playwright by Chicago Magazine, one of the 9 national “Luminarios” by Café Magazine and given the first “Revolucionario” award in theater by the National Museum of Mexican Art.

Starz Names Saracho Showrunner on Latin-Themed Project “Pour Vida”

Posted on April 15, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Tanya Saracho has a new vida in Hollywood…

Starz has named the Mexican-born playwright and television writer the showrunner for Pour Vida, a series in development.

Inspired by a short story by Richard Villegas Jr., Pour Vida follows twin sisters, Brook and Lyn Hernandez, who inherit an East LA building from their recently deceased mother. They open Pour Vida, a new wine and tapas bar, in a building in Boyle Heights which houses a failing lesbian bar below and a village-like collection of Eastside denizens in three units above. Pour Vida is the sisters’ attempt to put the “gente” in the “gentefication” of the historic barrio.

Saracho has penned episodes of How to Get Away with Murder, Looking and Devious Maids and has also served as c0-producer on HTGWM and Looking.

Saracho has had plays produced at New York City’s Primary Stages (upcoming) and 2nd Stage, as well as the Denver Theatre Center, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and The Goodman Theater, among others.

She is currently in development with South Coast Repertory Theatre and Two Rivers Theatre.

Castillo to Star as DC Comics villain Eduardo Flamingo on Fox’s “Gotham”

Posted on September 27, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Raul Castillo is about to show his bad side…

The 38-year-old Mexican American actor has been cast as DC Comics villain Eduardo Flamingo on Fox’s Gotham.

Making his debut in episode nine of season two, Eduardo Flamingo is one of Gotham’s most dangerous hitmen. Killing for him isn’t just a job, it’s an art form. Armed with a spiked chain and an appetite for flesh, this rock-a-billy assassin will prove to be one of Detective Jim Gordon’s (Ben McKenzie) trickiest foes.

Castillo, who starred on HBO’s Looking, was just named one of Variety Latino‘s 10 Latinos to Watch, and will next be seen in HBO’s Looking special, which will wrap up the recently cancelled series, and the Netflix original movie Special Correspondents, written and directed by Ricky Gervais.

He recently completed production on the independent films Staring in the Sun and Sweets and will co-star in two additional independent films, Celestina and Finding Albie Finch.

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