Starz Releases Season 2 Trailer for Allen Maldonado’s Wrestling Drama “Heels”

Posted on June 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Allen Maldonado is returning to the mat…

Starz has released the official Season 2 trailer for its wrestling drama Heels, starring the 40-year-old Afro-Puerto Rican actor and filmmaker.

The series will return on Friday, July 28 at midnight (ET) on the Starz app. It will also debut on the Starz channel at 10:00 pm ET/PT in the United States and Canada on Friday, July 28.

The second season brings fans back to the family-owned wrestling organization, Duffy Wrestling League (DWL), where brothers and rivals, Jack (Stephen Amell) and Ace Spade (Alexander Ludwig), continue to fight over their late father’s legacy and their individual versions of success, while also working to find their own identity as a “face” or a “heel.”

Maldonado portrays Rooster Robbins on the series.

This season also stars Alison Luff as Staci Spade, Mary McCormack as Willie Day, Kelli Berglund as Crystal Tyler, Chris Bauer as Wild Bill Hancock, Trey Tucker as Bobby Pin, Robby Ramos as Diego Cottonmouth, Alice Barrett Mitchell as Carol Spade, and Roxton Garcia as Thomas Spade, David James Elliot as Tom Spade, Joel Murray as Eddie Earl. CM Punk as Ricky Rabies, AJ Mendez as Elle Dorado, Josh Segarra as Brooks Rizzo and Emmy Raver-Lampman as Jen Lussier.

Season two begins after a spectacular showing at the South Georgia State Fair, and the Duffy Wrestling League’s popularity is suddenly on the upswing. Hoping to seize the opportunity, Jack and his cohorts prepare for a possible business deal with a new streaming service that may propel them onto a national stage. But the past threatens to upset everything when Ace leaves Duffy and the Dome.

Heels is produced through Mike O’Malley Ink and LBI Entertainment in association with Lionsgate Television for Starz.

Robby Ramos to Appear on Starz’s Wrestling Drama Series “Heels”

Posted on November 20, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Robby Ramos is being brought to heels…

The Latino actor has landed a recurring role opposite Stephen Amell, Alexander Ludwig and Mary McCormack in Heels, Starz’s eight-episode hour-long drama set in the outrageous world of independent professional wrestling.

Written by Michael Waldron, with Mike O’Malley as showrunner, Heels is a story about the men and women who chase their dreams in the world of small-town pro wrestling. Set in a close-knit Georgia community, it follows a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals, Jack Spade (Amell) and Ace Spade (Ludwig), war over their late father’s legacy. In the ring, somebody must play the good guy (Ludwig) and somebody must play their nemesis, the heel (Amell). But in the real world, those characters can be hard to live up to — or hard to leave behind.

Ramos will portray Diego, a wrestler at the DWL. In the ring, Diego wrestles as a Heel, but in the locker room, he’s a wisecracking and always encouraging colleague and friend.

Heels is produced by Lionsgate Television in association with Paramount Television Studios.

Ramos most recently appeared in Snowfall, Orange Is the New Black and The Blacklist.

Jimmy Smits Taking Part in PBS’ Virtual “National Memorial Day Concert”

Posted on May 23, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Jimmy Smits is honoring the military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces in a special way…

The 64-year-old half-Puerto Rican actor will be taking part in the National Memorial Day Concert.

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, this year’s show will be a virtual concert. But creators hope it takes on a special resonance.

“These important rituals and holidays have a whole meaning for all of this time too,” said executive producer Michael Colbert. “We are certainly completely focused on what Memorial Day is, but I feel like at this time it is touching so many of us today.”

The National Memorial Day Concert willair on PBS on Sunday at 8:00 pm ET. The 90-minute show honors members of the military and veterans with performances and personal stories, it’s is a 31-year tradition.

Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise are returning to host the event, with a line up that includes former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Cynthia Erivo, Renée Fleming, Trace Adkins, CeCe Winans, Kelli O’Hara, Mary McCormack, Christopher Jackson and the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jack Everly, as well as General Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The broadcast will also feature performances from previous concerts, including those by Sam Elliott, Laurence Fishburne and Esai Morales.

Colbert believes that the concert, which has honored sacrifices made in wars of the past, sends an important message for what the country is going through today. The event also will spotlight those who have been on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis, including first responders, doctors, nurses, grocery clerks, truck drivers and postal workers.

“We just felt that, to have that focus on what we have already gone through, will bring a real connection to people to what is going on today, to show that we are going to get through this,” he said.

Also woven throughout the show will be messages from entertainers and other artists directed at members of the military, veterans and front-line workers. The list includes Chris Evans, George Clooney, Gwyneth Paltrow, Julianne Moore, Jimmy Kimmel, Mark Wahlberg and Smits.

The National Memorial Day Concert also will air on the American Forces Network, and will be streamed on YouTube and Facebook, as well as PBS.org. It also will be available on demand.

Here’s the list of performers with taped messages: Anthony Ramos, Blair Underwood, Brian Tee, Chely Wright, Chris Evans, Courteney Cox, Denis Leary, Dule Hill, George Clooney, Graham Greene, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jaina Lee Ortiz, Jennifer Garner, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Smits, Jon Hamm, Julianne Moore, Lindsey Vonn, Lisa Kudrow, Marcia Gay Harden, Mark Wahlberg, Milo Ventimiglio, Noah Wylie, Rita Moreno, S. Epatha Merkerson, Steven Weber, Sugar Ray Leonard, Vanessa Williams.

Also participating in new and some past selected performances are members from the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, The U.S. Army Chorus, the U.S. Army Voices and Downrange, the Soldiers’ Chorus of the U.S. Army Field Band, the U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters, the U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants and Service Color Teams provided by the Military District of Washington, D.C.

Huerta to Speak at the Chelsea Handler-Organized Women’s March on Main

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Dolores Huerta has been given her marching orders…

The 86-year-old Latina labor leader and civil rights activist is set to speak at the Chelsea Handler-organized Women’s March on Main, an event taking place Saturday in Park City during the Sundance Film Festival.

The march will coincide with post-inauguration marches being held nationwide including the March on Washington.

In addition to Huerta, the co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers (UFW), the list of speakers for the Park City event includes Aisha Tyler, Connie Britton, Mary McCormack, Benjamin Bratt, Laurie David, Jessica Williams, Maria Bello and local officials including Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski. Handler is an organizing committee member.

The event, which is not affiliated with the festival, will start at 9:00 am local time at 220 Main St.

Handler announced plans for the march earlier this month. The march is set for two hours, usually before Park City really begins stirring during the festival. But just in case, the city has set up a text-messaging system for updates on transit, traffic and road closures.

Trailer Released for Leguizamo’s Thriller “The Crash”

Posted on January 15, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

John Leguizamo is ready to crash the box office…

The 52-year-old Colombian American actor is thisclose to a breakthrough in The Hollywood Reporter‘s exclusive clip of The Crash, which takes place at a future time when the U.S. economy is on the verge of another massive financial crisis.

The thriller stars Frank Grillo as Guy Clifton, a federally indicted stock trader who is secretly enlisted by the federal government to help thwart a cyber-attack aimed at the stock markets that could permanently cripple the economy. Having only ever been fueled by his love of money, he fully intends to use his insider knowledge of this world catastrophe for personal gain — until he unearths the organization behind the attack and discovers its motives.

In the film, Leguizamo plays George Diebold, a wheelchair-ridden stroke victim who is also the foremost expert on the stock market’s computer systems. The clip sees Dianna Agron consulting with him about how to find the source of the attack.

Written and directed by Aram Rappaport, the Vertical Entertainment release also stars Christopher McDonald, Minnie Driver, Maggie Q, AnnaSophia Robb, Mary McCormack, Ed Westwick and Andrew James Allen.

The Crash was released over the weekend in select theaters and on demand.

Kid Cudi to Serve as Special Guest on E!’s “Chelsea Lately”

Posted on March 1, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s an E!-xtra special assignment Kid Cudi…

The 30-year-old part-Mexican American hip-hop artist and actor, who will star in the film version of HBO’s Entourage series, will be a special guest on Chelsea Handler’s E! late-night talk show Chelsea Lately when the comedian takes a short break this month.

On Tuesday, March 4, Oscar-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe will serve as a fill-in host for Handler, with Kid Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, joining her as a special guest.

The following day on Wednesday, March 5, reality television star Khloe Kardashian will take over the reins, with guest Justin Willman.

Actress Mary McCormack, one of Handler’s dear friends, then guest hosts Thursday, March 6, with Mom star Allison Janney as the evening’s interviewee.

Chelsea Lately airs nightly on E! at 11:00 pm.

Machado to Star in NBC’s “Welcome to the Family” Pilot

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

She shared scenes with Eva Longoria on Desperate Housewives… And now Justina Machado will be acting alongside Longoria’s TV husband.

The Puerto Rican actress has been cast as one of the leads in NBC’s comedy pilot Welcome to the Family. She’ll portray Ricardo Chavira’s ex-wife in the project, which also stars Mike O’Malley and Mary McCormack.

Machado’s character Lisette works at the Department of Motor Vehicles and is committed to co-parenting her son with her ex-husband Miguel (Chavira).

The project chronicles just how two cultures collide when a white family and a Latino family are united by their children, who fare falling in love must deal with an unplanned pregnancy.

It’s Machado’s latest pilot project this season, following her casting in USA’s Paging Dr. Freed project.

Machado’s television credits include HBO’s Six Feet Under, ER and Three Rivers.

Chavira to Star in NBC’s “Welcome to the Family” Pilot

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Ricardo Chavira could be returning to television in the near future…

The 41-year-old Mexican American actor, best known for his role as Eva Longoria’s TV husband Carlos Solis on ABC’s Desperate Housewives, has landed one of the lead roles in NBC’s comedy pilot Welcome to the Family.

Chavira will star opposite Mike O’Malley in the project, which chronicles just how two cultures collide when a white family and a Latino family are united by their children, who fare falling in love must deal with an unplanned pregnancy.

Mary McCormack is also slated to star in the project, which is being produced by Sony Television.

Chavira will portray the divorced Latino father of the boy who got O’Malley and McCormack’s daughter pregnant – an ex-convict who has turned his life around.

Chavira’s other credits include recurring roles on Six Feet Under and The Division, as well as guest-starring roles on Joan of Arcadia, Kingpin and Monk.

Sanz Cast in ABC Comedy Pilot

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Funnyman Horatio Sanz could soon be heading back to television…

The 42-year-old Chilean-born American actor and comedian has been added to the cast of ABC’s untitled comedy pilot starring Mary McCormack.

The project centers on McCormack’s character Hilary Pfeiffer-Dunne, a high-powered executive who faces the biggest challenge of her life when she finds herself unemployed and acting as a full-time mom to her two teenagers.

Sanz, best known as a cast member on NBC’s Saturday Night Live from 1998-2006, will play Hilary’s put-upon, wry-humored neighbor Jonathan, a stay-at-home dad of 2-year-old twin girls.

Sanz most recently starred alongside his former SNL castmate Chris Parnell in the Comedy Central series Big Lake.

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