Kino Lorber Acquires North American Rights to Luis Guzman’s Indie Drama “Story Ave”

Luis Guzman’s story is headed to U.S. theaters…

Kino Lorber has acquired the North American rights to the indie drama Story Ave, starring the 66-year-old Puerto Rican actor and Asante Blackk.

Luis GuzmánKino Lorber is slating the film for release in theaters in October, with an on digital and home video debut to follow.

Marking the feature debut of well-known music video director Aristotle Torres, the film tells the story of Kadir (Blackk), a South Bronx teen and gifted visual artist who loses his way following the death of his younger brother. Overcome with grief and struggling with school and family, he escapes into the creative yet dangerous world of graffiti gangs. To prove himself and join his neighborhood’s ruling gang, Kadir attempts to rob MTA conductor Luis (Guzmán) on the Story Ave subway platform, only to be caught off guard when Luis agrees to give Kadir the cash if he’ll sit down to a meal with him. Following their conversation and the delicate friendship that grows out of it, Kadir sees for the first time how his artistic talent could lead to a better life.

A FirstGen Content and Foxxhole Entertainment Production, in association with Mero Mero Production, The Space Program and Dark Rabbit ProductionsStory Ave won a Special Jury Award for Cinematography at SXSW upon its world premiere at the Austin, TX festival. Torres and Bonsu Thompson wrote the film also starring Melvin Gregg (Snowfall), Alex R. Hibbert (Moonlight) and Coral Peña (For All Mankind).

Said Kino Lorber’s SVP of Theatrical Distribution and Acquisitions, Wendy Lidell, “Story Ave is a New York story unlike any we’ve seen before. Aristotle Torres shines an authentic light on the South Bronx, its beauty never eclipsed by its hardships, and offers audiences the true gift of a complex and worthy role for the immensely talented Luis Guzmán.”

Added Torres in his statement, “I am incredibly honored that my first film has been acquired by Kino Lorber. This partnership with such a renowned distributor is a dream come true, and I am grateful for their recognition of my work.”

Continued the filmmaker, “The team and I invested our hearts and souls into this project, and I am thrilled to see it find a home with such a prestigious brand. I am excited to collaborate with Kino Lorber to bring my film to audiences on a wider scale and share the unique vision we’ve created. This is just the beginning of an exciting journey, and I can’t wait to continue creating meaningful stories that resonate with audiences everywhere.”

Luis Guzmán Launching Own Production Company ‘Mascot Camp Productions’

Luis Guzmán is expanding his resume…

The 66-year-old Puerto Rican actor is launching his own production company, Mascot Camp Productions.

Luis GuzmanMascot Camp has already formed a partnership with Rescue Dog Productions, Matthew Dwyer and Michael Hollingsworth, to finance the first two years of productions, consisting of plans to make six feature films and four television series.

The company plans to get the ball rolling with the release of two feature films: Enough, a feature film about a trans man and his family; and 6 Rounds, which tells the story of how a gun and the six bullets inside it changed a town forever.

Guzmán, John LaBrucherie, Dwyer and Hollingsworth will all be executive producers.

“I’m excited to take this journey with an amazing group of talented individuals,” said Guzmán. “Born out of friendship and family this team is ready to create visual stories that will uplift and inspire. Our partnership with Rescue Dog Productions gives us the opportunity to tell the stories we want to tell in the way it should be told.”

Guzmán and LaBrucherie aim to establish a production company that will create uplifting stories that impact not only the industry but larger communities and cultures. The team includes his co-founder, Manny Padilla, Christopher Cope of Orbital Studios and Raleigh Studios, Michele LaBrucherie, Cemi Guzmán, founder of Dark Rabbit Productions, and Hector Kron.

“The aggressive production plan in place is meant to immediately impact the current viewing environment. Ten original stories that matter. This rollout is designed to maintain our presence on the air year round. Our strength is in our numbers and our diversity. Through inclusion and outreach we have already began the development beyond this two year plan. The mascots are coming and we are here to stay,“ John LaBrucherie said.

Guzmán has had a prolific career for the past few decades, making him one of the most recognizable character actors of modern times.

In addition to his appearance in the hit Netflix series Wednesday, he has logged credits in countless TV series like Code Black, Hightown, Shameless and Perpetual Grace, LTD.

He has also starred in films like Boogie Nights, Traffic, Punch-Drunk Love and Carlito’s Way.

Luis Guzmán to Star in Rian Johnson’s Peacock Series “Poker Face”

Luis Guzmán is playin’ poker

The 66-year-old Puerto Rican actor will star in Peacock’s Poker Face, a mystery drama series starring Natasha Lyonne, hailing from Rian Johnson, his T-Street banner and MRC Television.

Luis GuzmánGuzman is among a roster of new cast additions that includes Cherry JonesHong Chau and Reed Birney.

Details of their roles, as well as plot details of the 10-episode anthology-like series are being kept under wraps.

In addition to Lyonne, the four join previously announced cast members Adrien Brody, Angel Desai, Audrey Corsa, Benjamin Bratt, Charles Melton, Chloe Sevigny, Clea DuVall, Danielle MacDonald, Dascha Polanco, Ellen Barkin, Jasmine Aiyana Garvin, Jameela Jamil, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Judith Light, Leslie Silva, Lil Rel Howery, Niall Cunningham, Nicholas Cirillo, Nick Nolte, Ron Perlman, S. Epatha Merkerson, Shane Paul McGhie, Simon Helberg, Stephanie Hsu, Tim Blake Nelson and Tim Meadows.

Johnson is the creator, writer and director of Poker Face and will also executive produce alongside T-Street partner Ram Bergman and the company’s television president Nena Rodrigue. Nora Zuckerman and Lilla Zuckerman (Prodigal Son, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D) serve as showrunners and executive producers. Lyonne also will serve as an executive producer via her Animal Pictures. The company’s Maya Rudolph and Danielle Renfrew Behrens will co-executive produce.

Guzmán is best known for his roles in Steven Soderbergh’s films such as Out of Sight, The Limey, and Traffic, and in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Punch-Drunk Love.

On television, he has had key roles on Showtime’s Shameless, Epix’s Godfather of Harlem and Perpetual Grace, LTD.

Luis Guzman to Star in Aristotle Torres’ Directorial Debut

Luis Guzmán has a Story to tell…

The 65-year-old Puerto Rican actor will star in Aristotle Torres’ feature directorial debut Story Ave, for FirstGen Content and Jamie Foxx’s Foxxhole Productions.

Luis GuzmanGuzman will star opposite Asante Blackk in the film, which has wrapped production in New York.

It will also star Alex Hibbert, Melvin Gregg, Cassandra Freeman and Coral Peña.

Based on Torres’ 2018 short of the same name co-written by Bonsu Thompson — which was, in turn, based on Torres’ life — Story Ave follows a teenage graffiti artist (Blackk) who, after running away from home, holds up an unsuspecting MTA worker (Guzmán) in a robbery gone right that changes their lives forever.

Story Ave is a FirstGen Content and Foxxhole Entertainment Production, in association with Mero Mero Production, The Space Program, and Dark Rabbit Productions.

Torres and Thompson developed the feature through the Sundance Director and Screenwriter Labs, with Guzmán and his son, executive producer Cemi Guzmán of Dark Rabbit Productions, joining the project in its infancy and proving instrumental in advancing Torres’ vision.

Blackk is an Emmys and Critics’ Choice Award nominee who found his breakout role in Ava DuVernay’s Netflix limited series When They See Us, which had him portraying Central Park Five member Kevin Richardson.

The actor most recently appeared on NBC’s hit show This Is Us as Déjà Pearson’s (Lyric Ross) boyfriend, Malik, and is set to make his feature debut in Cory Finley’s Landscape with Invisible Hand for MGM and Plan B, opposite Tiffany Haddish.

Guzmán is an Independent Award nominee known for turns in such films as The Taking of Pelham 123Fast Food NationWaiting…Anger ManagementPunch-Drunk LoveThe Count of Monte CristoTrafficBoogie Nights and Carlito’s Way, among many others. Notable TV credits include HightownUltra City SmithsShamelessGodfather of Harlem, RoadiesNarcos and Oz. The actor recently made an appearance on Peacock’s The Resort and will next be seen in Netflix’s Addams Family series Wednesday, as well as Gareth Evans’ action-thriller Havoc, among other projects

Netflix Releases First Look at Jenna Ortega as “Wednesday” in Upcoming Addams Family Television Series

Jenna Ortega is embracing her Family

Netflix has revealed the first look at “Wednesday,” the upcoming Addams Family television series starring the famous clan’s daughter, with the 19-year-old Puerto Rican and Mexican American actress and Scream 5 star in the title role.

Jenna OrtegaFirst created by Charles Addams for a series of New Yorker cartoons, the Addams Family is a bizarre aristocratic clan with an obsession of the macabre and a complete lack of concern regarding how others perceive them.

Following their creation, the characters grew in popularity after a 1964 sitcom fleshed out their personalities, and have since starred in two live-action theatrical films, two animated series, a Broadway musical and two animated films.

The only daughter of parents Gomez and Morticia, Wednesday was depicted in the original sitcom as the most sweet-natured of the family.

However, the 1991 Barry Sonnenfeld-directed film adaptation changed her personality to be much more deadpan and sadistic, with Christina Ricci’s portrayal in the film making her one of the most popular characters in the franchise.

“Wednesday” spins-off the character as she attends a boarding school Nevermore Academy, where she develops psychic powers and investigates a supernatural killing spree connected to her own family’s history.

In addition to Ortega as Wednesday, the rest of the Addams Family will make appearances in the show. Catherine Zeta-Jones is part of the main cast as matriarch Morticia, while Victor Dorobantu plays the disembodied hand servant of the family, Thing. Isaac Ordonez plays Wednesday’s brother Pugsley in a recurring role, while George Burcea plays the family manservant Lurch. Luis Guzmán will guest star in the series as Wednesday’s father Gomez.

The main cast of the show includes Riki Lindhome, Jamie McShane, Percy Hynes White, Gwendoline Christie, Thora Birch, Hunter Doohan, Joy Sunday, Emma Myers, Georgie Farmer, Naomi Ogawa and Moosa Mostafa. In a nod to the ’90s films, Ricci will also appear in an unconfirmed role.

Al Gough and Miles Millar, the creators of the Superman series Smallville, serve as showrunners and executive producers for the series.

Tim Burton will also executive produce and direct the majority of episodes, with Gandja Monteiro and James Marshall serving as additional directors.

 

The series is produced by MGM Television for Netflix.

Starz Renews Monica Raymund’s Crime Drama Series “Hightown” for Third Season

Monica Raymund is riding high(town)

Starz has renewed its critically acclaimed crime drama series Hightown, starring the 35-year-old half-Dominican American actress, for a third season.

Monica RaymundThe Cape Cod-set series is created and executive produced by Rebecca Cutter and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Lionsgate Television.

“Hightown is such an incredible show, and we could not be happier that it’s been renewed for a third season,” said Kathryn Busby, President, Original Programming for Starz. “We are excited to return to Cape Cod to see our iconic characters battle their past mistakes as well as new foes in the dangerous underworld that lies beneath this idyllic setting.”

In Season 2, the picture-perfect version of summer on Cape Cod clashed with its off-season reality. Per the logline: Achieving her dream of becoming a real cop, Jackie Quinones (Raymund) is out to do some good in this world. Thrust immediately into the crime wave of deadly carfentanyl flooding the Cape, Jackie is laser-focused on bringing down drug dealer Frankie Cuevas (Amaury Nolasco), the man Jackie holds responsible for the death of her best friend, Junior. For Jackie, it is personal — but then again, for Jackie, everything is personal.

When Frankie’s cousin Jorge (Luis Guzmán) joins his operation, he introduces a new level of violence and chaos. With disgraced officer Ray Abruzzo (James Badge Dale) off the force and mired in depression, Jackie finds a new partner in Leslie (Tonya Glanz), the only other woman on the force. Through it all, Jackie must walk the tightrope of sobriety as she struggles to stay above an ocean of secrets, betrayal and the shame and failure of her past.

Riley Voelkel, Atkins Estimond, and Dohn Norwood also star.

Cutter made her television directorial debut in Season 2. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Rachel Morrison also directed two of the second season’s 10 episodes.

Raymund, Brandon Sonnier, Radium Cheung, Antonio Negret and Eagle Egilsson also directed in Season 2.

Season 2 is streaming on all Starz platforms.

Luis Guzmán to Star in Jacquelyn Quinones Feature Directorial Debut “Miles Away”

Luis Guzmán is miles away

The 65-year-old Puerto Rican actor has joined the cast of Miles Away, an upcoming indie from writer, director and producer Jacquelyn Quinones.

Luis GuzmanProduced by Quinones, Miles Away is a dramedy that explores a day in the life of a rideshare driver, with short vignettes of passengers all feeding into the story of the driver learning to deal with no money, a thankless job and a sister with mental illness.

Andre Royo, Noel Gugliemi, Alberto Frezza, Norma Maldonado, Henri Esteve, Jennifer Bartels, Eddie Martinez, Jessica Sarah Flaum, Marilyn Camacho and Charo Toledo round out the cast of the Puerto Rican filmmaker’s feature directorial debut, in which she also appears.

“Excited to be part of this project. Jackie Quinones is a new voice for a new generation. Her work personifies the social and cultural diversity reminiscent of the now and necessary for the future,” said Guzmán. “She is an insightful creative, her work transcends stereotypes. Miles Away finds a unique harmony toeing the line of conventional storytelling and inventive hybrid genre narratives focusing on social change.”

Guzmán is an Independent Spirit Award nominee who has garnered nearly 160 screen credits over the course of his five-decades and change in entertainment.

He can currently be seen in the Starz drama Hightown and will next appear in Tim Burton’s Netflix series Wednesday, among other projects.

The actor is also known for turns films like Top FiveWe’re the MillersJourney 2: The Mysterious IslandHe’s Just Not That Into YouYes ManSchool for ScoundrelsFast Food NationWaiting…A Series of Unfortunate EventsDumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met LloydAnger ManagementPunch-Drunk LoveBoogie Nights and Traffic, among many others.

Additional television credits include Ultra City SmithsShamelessGodfather of HarlemCode BlackRoadies, Narcos and Oz.

Monica Raymund Teases Second Season of Starz’s Crime Drama “Hightown”

Monica Raymund is back in (High)town

The 35-year-old half-Dominican American actress returned to television for the second season of Starz’s crime drama Hightown, which premiered on Sunday, October 17.

Monica RaymundWhile her character Jackie Quiñonez is in much better place than she was in the first season, it’s too early to tell if she can stay on the straight and narrow.

“At the top of Season 2, she’s got some days of sobriety under her belt and she’s working for the police department. She’s finally starting things off on the right foot,” Raymund tells Deadline. “She has a new partner name Leslie Babcock [Tonya Glanz] and they’re the only two women on the police task force—two girls in a room full of men. So they get very close.”

On the dating front, Jackie is not necessarily on the prowl as we saw her in Season 1 but she’s certainly open to meeting new people.

“Yeah, she’s going to be mixing a little work with pleasure,” she says with a cheeky grin. “What I can say is that lines are going to get crossed and they’ll get pretty blurry. It’s going to get really hot!”

The heat really will also be high with the addition of Luis Guzman to the cast, who stars as Jorge Cuevas, cousin of drug kingpin Frankie Cuevas (Amaury Nolasco), both of who are now out of prison and looking to take the business to the next level.

“He and Frankie are taking over and things are going to get real hairy, nasty, and dark,” she teases. “Guns blazing! I’ll interact more with Frankie this season, we’ll be going head to head. You can expect some friction on that front.”

Adds Nolasco of Guzman, “I couldn’t believe they were able to secure Luis to play my cousin this season. I grew up watching him. And, of course, he’s Pachanga in Carlitos Way! From the first moment we were on set, it was just two Puerto Ricans working in North Carolina having an amazing time.”

As Latinos do, Frankie welcomes Jorge into the home he shares with his fiancee Renee (Riley Voelkel) and their young son Frankie Jr. (Rumi C. Jean-Louis). When Renee asks Frankie how long he will be staying, she realizes he is welcome to stay indefinitely, much to her chagrin. The new living arrangement will wreak havoc on Frankie and Renee’s already fragile relationship.

“What it comes to Latinos, family comes first,” Nolasco says. “But of course, it’s inconveniencing the mother of his kid. So Frankie is very much in the middle, like a slice of ham in a sandwich. There’s a lot of push and pull and I’m like, ‘Hey guys, can’t we all just get along?’ And Jorge begins to plant these seeds of doubt and it will all come down to trust. Who should Frankie trust?”

Adds Voelkel, “Renee and Jorge are not each other’s biggest fans. She’s finally in this place where she’s made her decision, she’s chosen Frankie and she’s finally starting to move up and tackle more responsibilities when Jorge comes in and tries to take over. She doesn’t like that. And Jorge is always trying to sew distrust between Renee and Frankie which is not good for them. He just brings this whole new level of chaos and violence to the situation.”

Part of that chaos is Jorge’s new girlfriend Daisy (Jona Xiao)—the Bonnie to his Clyde.

“Daisy works at the strip club run by Frankie and Renee where she meets Jorge and they begin a relationship,” reveals Xiao. “And we stir up a lot of trouble! It was crazy shooting during Covid-era because we have some intimate scenes together but we couldn’t sit in the same car together because of restrictions. And as far as Daisy and Jackie are concerned, what I can tease is that they’ll face off a little bit.”

She adds, “One thing I’d like to add since it’s very easy to hypersexualize Asian women— with a character like Daisy who is a stripper—I think it’s easy to go that route. But what I love about the writing of her story is that she’s so layered and you see a real three-dimensional woman that is powerful and smart. We need to see more of these types of characters on TV.”

Hightown airs Sunday nights via Starz.

Signature Entertainment Acquires Rights to Luis Guzman’s Mob Crime-Drama “The Birthday Cake” in UK-Ireland & Australia-New Zealand

Luis Guzmán will be having birthday cake on four islands…

Signature Entertainment has acquired the mob crime-drama The Birthday Cake, starring the 64-year-old Puerto Rican actor, for distribution in the United Kingdom-Ireland and Australia/New Zealand.

Luis Guzman

In addition to Guzman, the film also stars Ewan McGregor, Val Kilmer, William Fichtner, Emory Cohen, Aldis Hodge, Penn Badgley, Ashley Benson, Lorraine Bracco and Shiloh Fernandez.

Currently in post-production, the film comes from first-time feature director Jim Giannopoulos, whose past work includes music video collaborations with A$AP Rocky, Miley Cyrus and Kid Cudi.

The Birthday Cake follows Giovanni (Fernandez) who, on the 10th anniversary of his father’s death, reluctantly accepts the task of bringing a cake to the home of his uncle, a mob boss, for a celebration. Just two hours into the night, Gio’s life is forever changed after witnessing a murder and learning the truth about what happened to his late father.

Guzman’s previous credits include television roles on Shameless, Hightown and the film The Padre.

Luis Guzmán to Appear on Season 2 of Starz’s Crime Drama Series “Hightown”

Luis Guzmán is coming to (High)town

The 64-year-old Puerto Rican actor has been cast for a season-long arc on the second season of Starz’s crime drama series Hightown, starring Monica Raymund, from Jerry Bruckheimer and Lionsgate Television.

Luis Guzman

Production is currently underway on the 10-episode second season of the series created by Rebecca Cutter, who will make her television directorial debut this season. Oscar–nominated filmmaker Rachel Morrison will return to direct two episodes. Raymund, Dawn WilkinsonRadium Cheung and Eagle Egilsson are also tapped to direct this season.

Guzmán will play Jorge Cuevas, Frankie’s (Amaury Nolasco) cousin. A charming and hilarious yet dangerous sociopath. Also joining the recurring cast are Jona Xiao as Daisy, a stripper at Xavier’s. Bubbly and working class with a hard edge. She’s got swag and can handle herself. Charline St. Charles as Henriette, first generation Haitian-American, wife of Sgt. Saintille (Dohn Norwood) and Dominic L. Santana as Chuleta, Jorge (Guzman) & Frankie’s (Nolasco) muscle.

They join returning cast members Raymund, James Badge Dale, Riley Voelkel, Nolasco, Atkins Estimond and Dohn Norwood. Tonya Glanz also returns in a heavily recurring role as Leslie Babcock, Jackie’s (Raymund) partner in the Narcotics Unit.

“I’m so in love with this cast and the way they brought my vision to life in Season One,” said Cutter, who recently entered an overall deal with Lionsgate Television. “Now I feel inspired to create in a whole new way, through directing. I will be learning from some of the best in the business – Rachel Morrison and Monica Raymund — and I can’t wait to showcase Cape Cod in a new light as we focus on the off-season. We are thrilled to be back in production and bringing you the next chapter in this story.”