FX Release Mysterious Teaser Videos for its Bichir-Starrer “The Bridge”

Demián Bichir’s first starring role on American television is gaining plenty of buzz…

FX recently released the first footage for its upcoming drama series The Bridge, which stars the 49-year-old Mexican actor.

Demian Bichir in The Bridge

The four mysterious teasers — titled “Ember,” “Escape,” “Red” and “Crossroads” — showcase little more than haunting imagery from the drama about two detectives (Bichir and Diane Kruger) who must work together to hunt down a serial killer operating on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

The series, set on the border between El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico, is an adaptation of the international hit Bron, which took place at the Denmark-Sweden border and kicks off when a body is dumped on the bridge that spans the El Paso-Juarez border and follows Ruiz (Bichir) and his American counterpart, Detective Sonya Cross (Kruger) as they tackle the case together.

The 13-episode series hails from Homeland writer/executive producer Meredith Stiehm and Hawaii Five-0 producer Elwood Reid.

The pilot, which was shot in Los Angeles and El Paso, was directed by Miss Bala helmer Gerardo Naranjo.

Production is under way for a July premiere.

FX Orders 13-Episodes of “The Bridge,” Starring Demián Bichir

Following his impressive recurring roles on Showtime’s Weeds, Demián Bichir will headline his American television series.

FX has put in a 13-episode order for The Bridge, the drama pilot starring the 49-year-old Mexican actor and Academy Award nominee and Diane Kruger.

Demian Bichir & Diane Kruger

Based on the Scandinavian series Bron, which was set on the border of Denmark and Sweden, The Bridge takes place on the border between El Paso and Juarez. It centers on two detectives — one from the United States, Detective Sonya Cross (Kruger), and one from Mexico, Marco Ruiz (Bichir) — who have to work together to hunt down a serial killer operating on both sides of the frontera.

“For years networks having been trying develop a drama series set on the U.S.-Mexican border without any success,” said FX president John Landgraf. ”I’m thrilled to say that Meredith Stiehm and Elwood Reid have become the first to crack that creative code and they have done so magnificently. There have been great films set in that world — No Country for Old Men and Lone Star come to mind — but never a great TV series. This one is special. The setting, the writing, the direction, and the way it is brought to life by Demián Bichir, Diane Kruger and the rest of the cast makes for truly riveting drama.”

The Bridge co-stars Ted Levine, Annabeth Gish and Thomas M. Wright; with Matthew Lillard guest-starred in the Gerardo Naranjo-directed pilot.

Filming on the series will begin in April for a July 2013 premiere.

Cuesta Wins Producers Guild Award for Showtime’s “Homeland”

Michael Cuesta has another award to add to his mantle…

The 49-year-old Latino film & television director picked up a Producers Guild Award (PGA Award) on Saturday night in the Television Drama category.

Michael Cuesta

Cuesta earned the award for producing Showtime’s Homeland, along with fellow producers Henry Bromell, Alexander Cary, Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Chip Johannessen, Michael Klick and Meredith Stiehm.

It’s the director’s first PGA Award.  Cuesta, was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for directing Homeland’s pilot episode, had previously been nominated for a PGA Award in the Television Producer of the Year Award in Episodic category in 2008 for Showtime’s Dexter.

Meanwhile, Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chinn’s Searching for Sugar Man, about Mexican-American indie singer Rodriguez, earned the PGA Award in the Documentary category.