Jimmy Gonzales to Star in George Lopez’s Amazon Drama Pilot “Once Upon a Time in Aztlan”

Jimmy Gonzales is right on Time

The Mexican actor has been cast as a lead alongside Arianna Williams on Amazon’s Once Upon a Time in Aztlan, the drama pilot from George Lopez.Jimmy Gonzales

They join previously announced cast LopezJesse Garcia and Annie Gonzalez.

Gonzales stars as the morally compromised Hector, whose pursuit of ‘get rich or die trying’ dreams landed his partner Arturo Duran in prison for thirteen years. Since then, he’s further cemented his influence over the Duran family: He has a son with Lola (Gonzalez) and is the de facto father figure for Angela (Williams). Despite his overtures to legitimize himself, he’s a lifelong hustler who’s baiting the attention of the FBI.

Willians portrays the character of Angela, a Gen-Z Afro Latina, who is described as fiercely independent, confident, and always adapting. The face of our modern Los Angeles. The Duran family have hung their hopes on Angela as their luminary, but she’s in deep debt to her nefarious uncle, who’s co-signed her loans to USC. Her father, Arturo (Garcia) returns to her life after a long absence, presenting a challenging new vision of her future.

Written by Javier Rodriguez, the one-hour drama from STXtelevision and Amazon Studios revolves around a Chicano family in the deep suburbs of Los Angeles as they come to terms with the falsehoods of the American dream, and their ability to defy expectations. The pilot will be directed by Ricardo de Montreuil, who helmed Eva Longoria and Demián Bichir in the Blumhouse/Imagine East L.A.-set drama, Lowriders.

Rodriguez executive produces with de Montreuil, photographer/director Estevan Oriol, LA-based artist Mister Cartoon, and Michael Connolly who put the Latinx package together under his STXtelevision-based Mad Hatter Entertainment banner.

Gonzales can currently be seen as the lead in Netflix/Endeavor Content’s Blue Miracle opposite Dennis Quaid. He can next be seen on Fox Searchlight’s biopic Flamin’ Hot as Hector Morales and currently is a recurring guest star on FX’s Mayans M.C.

Other credits include AMC’s Lodge 49, AMC’s The Walking Dead, and David E. Kelley’s Mr. Mercedes.

Williams played a supporting lead in a 2021 Lifetime Movie opposite Denise Richards. Although a relative newcomer to the small screen, she’s worked with Phylicia Rashad, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Ruben Santiago Hudson at the Billie Holliday Theatre.

Selena Gomez to Star as Peruvian Mountaineer & Social Entrepreneur Silvia Vásquez-Lavado

It’s an uphill battle for Selena Gomez

The 28-year-old Mexican American actress/singer will portray pioneering Peruvian mountaineer and social entrepreneur Silvia Vásquez-Lavado in a new film, based on Vásquez-Lavado’s upcoming memoir In the Shadow of the Mountain.

Selena Gomez

Vásquez-Lavado is the first gay woman to complete the Seven Summits, the highest mountains (including Mount Everest) on each of the seven continents. She’s also the founder of Courageous Girls, a nonprofit that helps survivors of sexual abuse and trafficking, and has organized excursions for abuse survivors to the Mount Everest base camp. In the Shadow of the Mountain is expected to be published in 2022.

Silvia Vásquez-Lavado

Gomez will produce the film through her July Moon Productions. Vásquez-Lavado and Lara Love Hardin of Idea Architects are executive producing.

Elgin James will pen and direct In the Shadow of the Mountain. He wrote the film Lowriders and co-created the series Mayans M.C.

Gomez has feature film credits on Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers, Adam McKay’s The Big Short and Jim Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’t Die.”

Ricardo de Montreuil to Co-Write & Direct the Social Thriller “Daniel”

Ricardo de Montreuil is ready to thrill…

The 46-year-old Peruvian filmmaker has signed on to direct and co-write the social thriller Daniel with first-time feature writer Owen Renfroe.

Ricardo de Montreuil

The story follows, Daniel, an unlicensed Latinx doctor who works for a dying billionaire on his private, remote estate. When he suddenly uncovers a sinister secret about his boss’s foster daughter, he must fight for the life he worked so hard to build. The film is the first social thriller to tackle head-on the plight of Latinx professionals and the struggles they endure in dealing with systemic discrimination.

Daniel explores the very real struggles that minorities and disenfranchised groups have to endure in America, at a historic time when these pressures are finally getting broadly exposed,” said de Montreuil.

Montreuil broke onto the scene when he was tapped by Blumhouse to direct the coming-of-age drama Lowriders in 2016. The film stars Demian Bichir, Eva Longoria and Gabriel Chavarria and earned strong reviews with Montreuil landing a number of jobs following its release.

He’s currently attached to direct several episodes of the new George Lopez and STXtv series Once Upon A Time In Aztlan.

STXtv Developing Chicano-Themed Series “Once Upon a Time in Aztlan” to Star George Lopez

George Lopez has a little Timeon his hands for an ode to California’s Chicano culture…

STXtv is developing Once Upon a Time in Aztlan, a new television series anchored by the 59-year-old Mexican American actor/stand up comedian.

George Lopez

The project includes the participation of  famed photographer Estevan Oriol and iconic Los Angeles-based artist Mister Cartoon aka Mark Machado.

Michael Connolly, under his Mad Hatter Entertainment banner, brought the elements together. 

Lopez is in final talks to star and executive produce the project through his Travieso Productions, with Javier Rodriguez writing the pilot. Oriol and Cartoon will executive-produce.

“I’m thrilled to be teaming up with Cartoon, Estevan, Jada and Michael for this series and developing a show with STXtv,” Lopez said. “Cartoon and Estevan are the DaVincis of our community; they have been the street chroniclers of our uniquely Chicano story … our American story. I’m looking forward to working with them and the rest of the team to expand their canvas to capture the diverse stories and people that make our culture and community so amazing, colorful and vibrant.”

This authentic L.A.-based series examines a family coming to terms with the falsehoods of the American Dream and their ability to defy expectations.

“I want to create a vision of Los Angeles inspired by my tattoos and murals that enriches and showcases the culture, opening it up to new audiences,” Cartoon said. “Putting together the dream team of Latino street culture and a collection of creative minds headed up by George Lopez, who is born and raised in L.A. and is an icon of our community. George’s experience and sense of humor acts as a foundation for this team.”

The pilot will be directed by Ricardo de Montreuil, who helmed Eva Longoria and Demián Bichir in the Blumhouse/Imagine East L.A.-set drama, Lowriders.During that production, he worked closely with Oriol and Cartoon, who were also involved in the production. 

Oriol and Cartoon’s longtime collaborators Mark Suroff and Marco Valadez, who produced LA Originals, also will serve as executive producers with Connolly.

“I’m looking forward to developing this with Cartoon, George, Jada and Michael,” said Oriol. “STXtv truly gets what it takes to develop a real show that can only be made in LA. This is the dream team. Period. It doesn’t get more authentic than this and I’m proud and privileged to be invited on this ride.”

Lopez recently released his first Netflix comedy special

He previously starred in Lopez for TV Land and Saint George for FX. And he had a talk show that ran from 2009-11. While his hit comedy George Lopez, whichended in 2007, ran on ABC, STXtv will zero in on buyers in the cable and streaming markets.

Cartoon is L.A.’s legendary tattoo artist, designer and cultural icon whose stylish and influential global work has been featured on countless celebrities including Kobe BryantEminemDr. Dre50 CentBeyoncéLewis HamiltonSnoop Dogg and many others. Cartoon also designed the logos for Cypress Hill and Eminem’s Shady Records, and his résumé includes cutting-edge designs for Nike, the LA Clippers and T-Mobile and others.

Oriol is an internationally celebrated photographer, director and urban lifestyle entrepreneur. Beginning as a tour manager for Cypress Hill and House of Pain, he developed a passion for photography as he documented life on the road to become hip-hop’s best-known chronicler; his work has been showcased in bestselling books, select galleries, and institutions, including the Smithsonian Center for Latino Initiatives,Mesa Contemporary Art CenterPetersen Automotive Museum, and The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles’ and New York’s Art in the Streets exhibit. He has photographed Eminem, Kim Kardashian, Cypress Hill, Dennis HopperBlink-182Forest Whitaker, Robert De NiroAl PacinoKendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, and Danny Trejo, among many others. He most recently executive produced the film Lowridersand directed the hit Netflix documentary L.A. Originals.

L.A. Originalswas critically acclaimed and extremely successful, introducing new fans to the world to Oriol and Cartoon.

New Trailer Released for Chavarria’s “War for the Planet of the Apes”

Gabriel Chavarria is ready for War

20th Century Fox has released the new trailer for its threequel War for the Planet of the Apes, starring the 27-year-old Latino actor.

Gabriel Chavarria

Fox has been building momentum for Matt Reeves’ latest Planet of the Apes film, which hits theaters July 14.

The movie was written by Mark Bomback and Reeves. The story picks up as Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless, head-shaved Colonel (Woody Harrelson) — his line: “There are times when it is necessary to abandon your humanity to save humanity.”

After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins a quest to avenge his kind, leading to an epic battle that will determine the fate of both species and the future of the planet.

Chavarria portrays Preacher in the film.

His previous credits include the television programs East Los High, Aquarius, Gang Related and Major Crimes, as well as the film Lowriders.

Longoria to Star in Fox’s Workplace Comedy Pilot “Type-A”

Eva Longoria is being Type(- A) cast…

The 42-year-old Mexican American actress and former Desperate Housewives star will play the lead in Type-AFox’s single-camera workplace comedy pilot from the Life in Pieces duo of executive producer Jason Winer and writer-producer Lesley Wake-Webster.

Eva Longoria

Written by Wake-Webster and loosely based on the book Assholes: A Theory by Aaron James, Type-A — in the vein of Up in the Air — is an office comedy about a group of consultants hand-picked to do the dirty work most professionals can’t handle: layoffs, downsizing, generally delivering horrible news. To everyone else, they’re the enemy – to one another, they’re family.

Longoria will play Axler, the ambitious, brutally honest consultant who is at war with her inner “nice girl.”

Winer is directing as well as executive producing with Wake-Webster, while James serves as consultant for 20th Century Fox Television.

Fox and 20th have been high on Longoria, courting her for multiple projects. She also is set for a high-profile guest-starring turn this spring on the Fox flagship drama series Empire, playing Charlotte Frost, the formidable director of the Nevada Gaming Commission who has the power to make or break Lucious’ (Terrence Howard) dreams of expanding Empire’s reach to Las Vegas.

Through her production company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, Longoria executive produced the Lifetime series Devious Maids and NBC comedy Telenovela, in which she also starred.

Longoria next stars opposite Demian Bichir in the feature Lowriders and is featured in the British miniseries Decline and Fall opposite Jack Whitehall, which premieres in the spring. She recently directed an episode of the CW’s Jane the Virgin and is set to direct an episode of ABC’s Black-ish.

Chavarria Joins the Cast of Fox’s Drama Pilot “Behind Enemy Lines”

Gabriel Chavarria has lined up another project…

The 27-year-old Latino film and television has joined the cast of Fox’s drama pilot Behind Enemy Lines, a drama pilot loosely based on the 2001 movie.

Gabriel Chavarria

Written by Nikki Toscano and directed by McG, Behind Enemy Lines is a military soap thriller wherein a group of U.S. soldiers find themselves trapped behind enemy lines. It’s described as a multiple-perspective narrative that closely follows our soldiers on the ground and the officers and service men and women on a nearby aircraft carrier, along with intelligence officers in D.C. as they attempt to bring our heroes home safely and under the radar.

Chavarria will play Ziggy Rodriguez, a Navy pilot, and the son of lifetime career Senior Navy Executive Officer Mateo Rodriguez. He joins a cast that includes Marg Helgenberger and B.J. Britt.

The project hails from 20th Century Fox Television — whose feature sibling was behind the movie — studio-based Temple Hill and Davis Entertainment.

Chavarria, who played Jacob Aguilar in East Los Highwill next be seen in War for the Planet of the Apes, which opens in theaters this July, and the upcoming Hunter Killer. He also appeared in feature Lowriders.

Longoria to Appear on Fox’s Drama Series “Empire”

Eva Longoria is heading to a new empire

The 41-year-old Mexican American actress will guest star on Fox’s hit drama series Empire.

Eva Longoria

The former Desperate Housewives star will play Charlotte Frost, the formidable director of the all-powerful state gaming commission. Charlotte has the power to make-or-break Lucious’ (Terrence Howard) dreams of expanding Empire’s reach to Las Vegas and beneath her alluring facade, lies a force of darkness and corruption. Her episode is slated to air this spring.

The second half of Season 3 picks up on March 22 when the battle between Lucious (Howard) and Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) explodes into their biggest war yet. After launching a deadly missile at Angelo, Lucious announces his new music project, Inferno, and puts everyone on notice – especially Cookie, who then vows to knock him off his throne for good.

Longoria joins previously announced actors and musicians who appear on Empire this spring, including Taye Diggs, Phylicia Rashad, Rumer Willis and Nia Long. 

Golden Globe-nominated for her role as Gabrielle Solis in Desperate Housewives, Longoria stars in the in the upcoming feature film Lowriders, slated for release on May 12. She’s also featured in the British miniseries Decline and Fall, opposite UK comedy star Jack Whitehall, which premieres this spring.

 

Longoria Signs First-Look Deal with Universal Pictures

Eva Longoria is going universal…

The 41-year-old Mexican American actress, producer and activist and her production company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment have agreed to a two-year, first-look deal with Universal Pictures.

Eva Longoria

Universal president of production Peter Cramer made the pact.

First up is Universal’s acquisition of rights to My Daughter’s Quinceañera, a pitch from Lauren Iungerich, creator of the MTV series Awkward.

Longoria and producing partner Ben Spector will produce.

It’s the first crack at features for Iungerich, who’s attached to write, direct and co-produce the film that centers on an overwhelmed single father who is faced with the prospect of planning the quinceañera of his daughter’s dreams.

On the Universal deal, Cramer said: “While audiences have identified with Eva through her iconic television roles, she is also an extremely savvy producer with a keen eye for projects that appeal to a broad range of diverse audiences. We are fortunate that Eva has a found a home with Universal, sharing with us her creative instincts and passion for storytelling.”

Longoria, whose deal was made by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners, is filming BBC Two’s high-end comedy miniseries Decline and Fall, an adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s classic social satire. She’ll next be seen in Ricardo de Montreuil’s Lowriders, which premiered at this year’s LA Film Festival. The film is produced by Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer and Blumhouse Production’s Jason Blum.

“Building upon our continued success as producers in television, we were seeking a home to expand the UnbeliEVAble brand into features,” said Longoria. “There’s simply no better place I could think of than Universal Pictures, whose diverse portfolio of releases is inspirational. Jeff, Donna and Peter’s passion was instrumental in keeping us in the Comcast family, and, beginning with My Daughter’s Quinceañera, we look forward to a long relationship with all our partners at the studio. Lauren’s pitch was so brilliant and funny, and to bring this experience to life is like reliving my 15th birthday.”

Chavarria to Star in the Naval Action Thriller “Hunter Killer”

Gabriel Chavarria is in the Navy

The 27-year-old Honduran American actor has joined Millennium Films’ naval action thriller Hunter Killer.

Gabriel Chavarria

Chavarria will star in a key role, joining Gerard Butler, Common and Gary Oldman in the story of an American submarine commander deployed to Russian waters in order to save the elected Russian president from a military coup.

Chavarria will portray a Navy SEAL aboard the American submarine.

Chavarria recently wrapped filming on 20th Century Fox’s War for the Planet of the Apes in which he plays one of the two human leads alongside Woody Harrelson, set for release July 14, 2017.

His credits include the Los Angeles Film Festival pic Lowriders, from Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions, and his Hulu series East Los High that premieres its fourth season July 15.

Donovan Marsh is directing Hunter Killer from a script by Peter Craig and Jamie Moss based on the George Wallace and Don Keith novel Firing Point

Hunter Killer is set to begin filming in London on July 25.