Guzman to Star in CBS’ Medical Drama Pilot “Code Black”

Luis Guzman is breaking the code

The 58-year-old Puerto Rican actor has been cast as a lead opposite Maggie Grace in the CBS pilot Code Black.

Luis Guzman

The medical drama, written by Michael Seitzman and directed by David Semel for ABC Studios, is based on Ryan McGarry’s feature documentary of the same name.

The project is set in the busiest and most notorious emergency room in the nation and revolves around four residents who are getting their first taste of ER medicine and the medical staff who mentor, teach and terrify them.

Guzman will portray Jose Santiago, the affable but tough and strong, no-s**t, seen-it-all, senior nurse at the ER who is responsible for the four new residents. As he puts it, “for the next three years I’m your mama…and your mama knows when you’re lying, crying or dying.”

Guzman, a favorite of director Steven Soderbergh, who cast him in Out of Sight, The Limey, and Traffic, has starred in Boogie Nights, Magnolia and Punch-Drunk Love. He also starred in the HBO original series How to Make It in America.

Echevarria to Executive-Produce CBS’ “Intelligence” Pilot

René Echevarria will be putting his magic touch on a new CBS project…

The Cuban American producer/writer has joined CBS’ drama pilot Intelligence as an executive producer/showrunner.

Rene Echevarria

Echevarria will be joining forces with creator/executive producer Michael Seitzman in running the series for ABC Studios and CBS Television Studios.

Based on John Dixon’s unpublished book Dissident, Intelligence, which stars Josh Holloway, is centered at U.S. Cyber Command and focuses on a unit that has been created around one agent with a very special gift — a microchip has been implanted in his brain allowing him to access the entire electromagnetic spectrum.

In addition to Holloway, the pilot will feature James Martinez as a “muscular federal investigator.”

The Emmy-nominated Echevarria’s credits include serving as executive producer/showrunner on Fox’s Terra Nova. He also co-created USA’s The 4400 and worked on the Jessica Alba-starrer Dark Angel, Teen Wolf, Medium and Castle.