IFC Films & AMC+ Acquire North American Rights to Aubrey Plaza’s “Spin Me Round”

Aubrey Plaza will be spinning into theaters this summer…

IFC Films and AMC+ have acquired the North American rights to Jeff Baena’s Spin Me Round, starring the 37-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/comedian.

Aubrey Plaza, Spin Me RoundThe film, which made its world premiere at SXSW last month, will open in theaters and VOD and stream exclusively on AMC+ this summer.

Spin Me Round represents filmmaker Baena’s reteam with Alison Brie, Plaza and Molly Shannon, who star in the film.

Brie co-wrote and produced Spin Me Round, in which she plays the manager of an Italian restaurant chain who wins the opportunity to attend the franchise’s educational immersion program in Italy. What she thought would be a romantic getaway devolves into chaos and catastrophe.

Baena and Brie previously teamed on Horse Girl, she starred in and co-wrote with Baena, who also directed. Brie also appeared in Baena’s The Little Hours and Joshy. Plaza has starred in Baena’s The Little Hours, Joshy and Life After Beth. Shannon starred in Baena’s Little Hours, Horse Girl and Life After Beth.

Spin Me Round also marks the third IFC Films feature with Brie, who most recently starred in The Rental, the Dave Franco-directed thriller that was a hit at drive-ins nationwide and on VOD in the summer of 2020, when a majority of theaters were closed down due to COVID-19; that pic grossed $1.6M.

Rounding out the cast is Alessandro Nivola, Zach Woods, Ayden Mayeri, Ben Sinclair, Tim Heidecker, Debby Ryan and Fred Armisen.

Spin Me Round is a Duplass Brothers and Limelight Production. Limelight’s Chris Parker and Dylan Sellers produced and fully funded Spin Me Round.

“We have long admired Jeff Baena’s films and are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with him and his incredible filmmaking team on this fun and hilarious ride,” said Arianna Bocco, President of IFC Film. “Jeff, Alison and the Duplass Brothers are true creative geniuses and icons of independent cinema, and we can’t wait for audiences to experience this all-star cast over the summer.”

Baena added: “I was really impressed with Arianna and her team’s passion, thoughtfulness and innovation coupled with their track record of ushering in so many incredible independent films. I’m so grateful to have an opportunity to finally partner with IFC Films and share Spin Me Round with the world.”

Courtney Thomasma, General Manager of AMC+, said: “Spin Me Round is the perfect summer fare for our subscribers, who continue to come to AMC+ as a premium destination for compelling new feature films with their favorite stars. We are huge fans of Alison Brie, who our audience knows well from the iconic Mad Men, and we’re excited to be working with her, Jeff Baena and the entire producing team on this delightful new movie.”

Louis C.K. to Compete During Power Players Week on “Jeopardy”

Louis C.K.’s career is in Jeopardy

The 48-year-old Mexican American comedian/actor and Louie creator is among the top media personalities who’ll appear on Jeopardy’s Power Players Week, beginning on Monday, May 16.

Louis C.K.

“Power Players Week” pits some of the top names in news, politics and media against one another for the opportunity to win big for a charity of their choice. Each day, three contestants will face off with the winner receiving $50,000 and the other two a guaranteed $10,000.

The multiple Emmy nominee and winner joins a list of players that includes Anderson Cooper, Melissa Harris-Perry, Michael Steele, Lara Logan, Sunny Hostin, Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner, Chuck Todd, Al Franken and Ana Navarro.

Taped in the nation’s capitol of Washington, D.C., “Power Players Week” brain battles take off every four years during the presidential election, and as with any election year contest, the competition will be fierce.

Louis C.K. is slated to compete on May 18, while May 19’s contest features Navarro.

Longoria Signs on as Style Ambassador for Specsavers

Eva Longoria is making a spectacle of herself…

The 40-year-old Mexican American actress and philanthropist has signed on as a style ambassador for Specsavers.

Eva Longoria

As part of the agreement, Longoria will serve as the judge for the 2015 Spectacle Wearer of the Year competition presented by the New Zealand eyewear brand.

“As a glasses wearer I care about looking great in my frames,” says Longoria. “That’s why I’m thrilled to be launching Specsavers’ Spectacle Wearer of the Year competition and visiting New Zealand later this month to kick off the search.

“Wearing glasses is all about having fun and embracing your style. Whether I’m on set filming, studying or at a special event, accessorizing my look with glasses gives me confidence and allows me to make the ultimate style statement.”

Spectacle Wearer of the Year is a nationwide search to find New Zealand’s most stylish and confident spec-wearer. Longoria will join New Zealand comedian, Jeremy Corbett and L’Oréal Professionnel stylist, Peter Dutton to judge the competition.

Longoria became a spectacle wearer herself four years ago, after noticing her eyes felt strained from studying late at night for a Masters degree. An eye test revealed Eva needed glasses for reading, which have since become an invaluable part of her life – whether hitting the books or reading a script for her latest role.

The winner will be crowned New Zealand’s Spectacle Wearer of the Year for 2015 and will receive a trip for two to Los Angeles, to meet Longoria on set where she films her latest role. They will also receove spending money and a Spectacle Wearer of the Year prize pack including $500 worth of product from L’Oréal Professionnel and a year’s supply of designer glasses from Specsavers.

Longoria follows in the footsteps of previous ambassadors including; actress Sarah Michelle Gellar, style icon and Mad Men star Christina Hendricks, WORLD designer Denise L’Estrange-Corbet, model and TV personality Colin Mathura-Jeffree, TV fashion star Gok Wan and media personality Paul Henry.

Rodriguez’s “Jane the Virgin” Named to the American Film Institute’s List of Best TV Shows of 2014

The kudos keep coming in for Gina Rodriguez’s latest project…

The 30-year-old Puerto Rican actress’ critically acclaimed CW series Jane the Virgin has been named to the American Film Institute’s list of the best television shows of the year, which it calls “culturally and artistically representative of the year’s most significant achievements in the art of the moving image.”

Gina Rodriguez in Jane the Virgin

Rodriguez’s Jane the Virgin is among five freshman series named to the AFI’s 10 choices, along with ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder, Cinemax’s The Knick, HBO’s Silicon Valley and Amazon’s Transparent.

Also making the list are FX’s The Americans and Fargo, HBO’s Game Of Thrones, Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black and AMC’s Mad Men.

“We celebrate these… television programs as more than just milestones in a year of excellence.” AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale said. “They are a part of our American cultural heritage – collectively, a new chapter in the story of the art form and of our nation.”

In October, Jane the Virgin received a full-season order after garnering overwhelming support from critics and viewers alike. Additionally, it turned Rodriguez into one of these season’s breakout stars.

Jane The Virgin, based on a Venezuelan telenovela, is produced by CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television, in association with Electus.

Rodriguez Cast in Will Forte’s Fox Comedy Series “Last On Earth”

Mel Rodriguez has landed an earthly role…

The 41-year-old Latino actor has been cast in Last On Earth, creator/star Will Forte’s midseason single-camera comedy series for Fox.

Mel Rodriguez

The straight-to-series project, whose pilot episode will be directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, chronicles the life and adventures of an average guy (Forte) – and humanity’s last hope – who discovers what life is like when no one is telling you what you can and cannot do.

Rodriguez, who most recently starred in HBO’s Getting On, will play the always optimistic Todd.

In addition to Forte and Rodriguez, the series will also star Mad Men’s January Jones, Kristen Schaal (Flight of the Conchords) and Cleopatra Coleman (Step Up Revolution).

Falcão Among the Industry Professionals Speaking at This Year’s RioMarket

Renato Falcão is ready to talk shop…

The Brazilian filmmaker, a noted cinematographer, producer and director, is among the industry professionals set to speak at RioMarket, the biggest event of the Latin American audiovisual industry hosted by the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival.

Renato Falcão

Falcão, best known as the cinematographer on the blockbuster hit animated films Rio, Ice Age: Continental Drift, Epic and Rio 2, has been invited to discuss the current state of the business at the event, which kicked off on Wednesday.

With a renewed format — dividing its TV and film focuses in separate stints — the RioMarket program includes over 40 discussion panels and seven workshops, gathering more than 200 experts in production, costume design, sound, animation, marketing and other areas.

Other international guests and lecturers this year will be costume designer Janie Bryant (Mad Men), screenwriter Marc Halsey (The Carrie Diaries) and producer Andrew Meyer, among many others in a heavy contingent of Hollywood producers and sales agents looking for the latest Latin American productions.

Brazil’s growing television industry is demanding more local content, as networks need to meet the percentages of locally produced shows that became mandatory by law two years ago. Also, President Dilma Rousseff announced earlier this year a funding package of $540 million to be poured into production, distribution and exhibition. Most of these film projects and formats will be offered to co-producers, sales agents and distributors through RioMarket sections Rio Screenings, One-to-One meetings and FilmShow.

Armisen to Present at This Year’s Creative Arts Emmy Awards

Fred Armisen is about to get creative

The 47-year-old half-Venezuelan American actor and former Saturday Night Live star, who received his first-ever Emmy nomination in an acting category this year, will be among the presenters at the 2014 Creative Arts Emmy Awards on August 16, according to the show’s executive producer Spike Jones Jr.

Fred Armisen

Armisen, who earneda best supporting actor in a comedy nod for Portlandia, the IFC series filmed and set in Portland, joins a list of presenters that includes Jane Lynch, Morgan Freeman, Tony Goldwyn, Heidi Klum and much of the nominated cast of Orange Is the New Black.

Other presenters include Patrick Adams (Suits), Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad), Tony Goldwyn (Scandal), Judy Greer (Archer), Jonathan Groff (The Normal Heart), Tim Gunn (Project Runway), Tony Hale (Veep), Allison Janney (MomMasters of Sex), Keegan Michael Key (Key and Peele), Natasha Lyonne (Orange Is the New Black), Joe Manganiello (True Blood), Joel McHale (The Soup; Community), Aisha Tyler (Archer), Matt Walsh (Veep), Matt Weiner (Mad Men) and Bellamy Young (Scandal).

This year’s awards show will take place a week and a day before the Primetime Emmy Awards. An edited version of the show will be broadcast on the FXM cable network.

The entire show will be streamed on Emmys.com from noon to 3 p.m. on Monday Aug. 25, just before the Primetime Emmy Awards.

Triple Crown Winner Cabrera Earns ESPY Award for Best MLB Player

He may have lost the ESPY for Best Male Athlete to the Miami Heat’s LeBron James. But Miguel Cabrera didn’t come empty-handed.

The  30-year-old Venezuelan baseball star, a third baseman for the Detroit Tigers, was named for Best MLB Player at the 21st ESPY Awards show on Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

Miguel Cabrera

Cabrera earned the award after becoming the first Triple Crown winner (.330 average, 44 home runs, 139 RBIs) since 1967 and winning the American League MVP title.

Meanwhile, Joel Rosario was named the year’s Best Jockey. The 28-year-old American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey won the award after riding the colt Orb to a win at the Kentucky Derby.

Rosario also won the world’s richest horse race, the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai in March, aboard the US-based stallion Animal Kingdom.

ESPY Award is short for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award.

Fan voting, conducted online, was based on performances spanning the past 12 months.

The awards show, which celebrates the year’s best athletes and moments in sports, was hosted by Mad Men star Jon Hamm.

Trailer Released for Bledel’s New Film “Violet & Daisy”

Alexis Bledel is Hollywood’s next hit girl… Literally!

Alexis Bledel in Violet & Daisy Violet & Daisy

Cinedigm has released the trailer for the action-comedy-drama Violet & Daisy, which stars the 31-year-old half-Argentinean American actress and Saoirse Ronan.

Bledel, who recently announced her engagement to her former Mad Men co-star Vincent Kartheiser, and Ronan star as a pair of hit girls swept up in intrigue surrounding their latest target (portrayed by James Gandolfini).

Violet & Daisy

Bledel portrays the volatile character of Violet in the film.

Precious writer Geoffrey Fletcher penned and directed the 2011 Toronto Film Fest entry.

Cinedigm is planning on a June release, but has yet to lock down a specific date.

Bledel Gets Engaged to “Mad Men” Star Vincent Kartheiser

Alexis Bledel will be hearing wedding bells in the near future…

The 31-year-old half-Argentinian actress, best known for her role as Rory Gilmore on the Gilmore Girls, and her Mad Men co-star Vincent Kartheiser are officially engaged, according to TVGuide.com.

Alexis Bledel & Vincent Kartheiser

Bledel and her 33-year-old fiancé began dating when she portrayed his on-screen mistress on the hit AMC series last season.

This will be the first marriage for both.

Bledel, who just signed on to star in Fox’s comedy pilot Friends & Family, walked the red carpet in style at the SAG Awards with Kartheiser earlier this year.

No word yet on a wedding date.