Tommy Martinez to Star in Peacock’s New Comedy Series “Laid”

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Tommy Martinez is laying down a new path…

The 31-year-old Venezuelan actor will star in Peacock’s upcoming comedy series Laid as a series regular.

Martinez will star opposite Zosia Mamet and Michael Angarano in the series.

Martinez will play Isaac, Mamet will play AJ and Angarano will play Richie.

They join previously announced lead Stephanie Hsu in the series written and executive produced by Nahnatchka Khan and Sally Bradford McKenna.

Laid is based on the Australian series created by Marieke Hardy and Kirsty Fisher, and produced by Liz Watts.

It follows a woman who finds out her former lovers are dying in unusual ways and must go back through her sex timeline to confront her past to move forward. It’s described as a f*cked-up rom-com where the answer to “Why can’t I find love, is there something wrong with me?” is a resounding: “Yes, there is. The problem is definitely you.”

The series comes from Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Martinez was most recently a series regular on Freeform’s Good Trouble, which wrapped up its run after 5 seasons earlier this month. He played Gael Martinez since the show’s inception.

His additional television credits include Netflix’s Not Dead Yet, Prime Video’s Hunters, Mosquito Coast for Apple+, Showtime’s Shameless and the CW’s Riverdale.

Netflix Releases Trailer for Jennifer Lopez’s Sci-Fi Thriller “Atlas”

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Jennifer Lopez is fighting to save the world…

Netflix has released the official trailer for the 54-year-old Puerto Rican star’s new sci-fi thriller Atlas.

“The future of humanity is in her hands,” reads the opening subtitle to the trailer.

The film, which opens May 24, follows Atlas Shepherd (Lopez), a brilliant but misanthropic data analyst with a deep distrust of artificial intelligence, who joins a mission to capture a renegade robot with whom she shares a mysterious past. But when plans go awry, her only hope of saving the future of humanity from AI is to trust it.

Starring alongside Lopez are Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown, Gregory James Cohan, Abraham Popoola, Lana Parrilla and Mark Strong.

The film was written by Leo Sardarian and Aron Eli Coleite, with Brad Peyton serving as the director.

Lopez last led Netflix’s The Mother, which debuted on the streamer on May 12, 2023. The action thriller was watched by 2.8M U.S. households over its debut weekend, according to L+2D data from Samba TV. According to data, the film outperformed two of Netflix’s other recent popular films, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and Murder Mystery 2. The film went on to enter Netflix’s most popular film list.

José María Yazpik to Star in Netflix’s New Series “The Gringo Hunters”

Posted on March 12, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

José María Yazpik is going on the hunt…

The 53-year-old Mexican actor has been cast in Netflix’s new series The Gringo Hunters, which has begun production in Mexico City.

In addition to Yazpik, who starred on Netflix’s Narcos, is among a roster of cast members that includes Sebastian Roché, Harold Torres and Mayra Hermosillo.

Plans to shoot in Tijuana are also in place.

Torres and Hermosillo are part of the gringo hunters’ core group alongside Manuel Masalva, Andrew Leland Rogers, Héctor Kotsifakis, Dagoberto Gama and Regina Nava. Gerardo Trejoluna and Paulina Dávila also star.

All 11 are contracted as series regulars on the bilingual crime series, which will be shot mostly in Spanish with some English.

The series is based on The Washington Post story “A U.S. murder suspect fled to Mexico. The Gringo Hunters were waiting,” by Kevin Sieff.

The series is inspired by a real elite Mexican police unit that catches American fugitives on the run to Mexico.

The series will be coming to Netflix in 2025 and promises to delve into the reality of the International Liaison Unit, with mysteries to solve, suspense, twists and turns and the challenges and intrigue faced by this type of police operation.

“Our commitment to the best Mexican stories and creators is clearly reflected in The Gringo Hunters. Our producers have put together a very strong cast and crew. Partnering with Imagine Entertainment has been a very enriching experience. I’m sure our subscribers will find The Gringo Hunters thrilling,” said Francisco Ramos, Vice President of Latin American Content for Netflix.

Directors include Adrián Grünberg, Alonso Álvarez, Jimena Montemayo and Natalia Beristáin.

The project is produced by Woo Films and Redrum in co-production with Imagine Entertainment and in association with The Washington Post. Luis Rosales, who was behind casting for Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma, served as casting director. Netflix will announce writers at a later time.

Since its formation in 2002, the real “gringo hunters” have apprehended over 1,600 fugitives — ranging from murderers on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” list to billionaires accused of securities fraud.

Demi Lovato to Star in Stephanie Laing’s Feature Drama “Tow”

Posted on March 9, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Demi Lovato is towing the line…

The 31-year-old half-Mexican American Grammy-nominated singer and actress will star opposite Rose Byrne and Dominic Sessa in Stephanie Laing’s feature Tow.

The project will see Lovato take on her first dramatic role in a feature.

Tow will see Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Byrne portray the true story of Amanda Ogle, an unhoused Seattle woman who fought her way out of tow-company hell to reclaim her life and the car that held it all together after receiving a tow bill for $21,634. Ogle also serves as an executive producer on the film.

Laing previously described Ogle as “a true champion” and her story as one of “tenacity and perseverance”.

The original screenplay comes from Jonathan Keasey, Brant Boivi, and Annie Weisman.

Lovato has sold more than 24 million records in the U.S. alone.

She’s best known on screen for roles in comedy series and films including Camp Rock, Princess Protection Program, Glee and the Netflix film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.

David Castañeda to Star in Lionsgate’s Female-Driven “John Wick” Spinoff “Ballerina”

Posted on March 9, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

David Castañeda is arabesque-ing his way into a new role…

The 34-year-old Mexican American actor will star in Lionsgate’s female-driven John Wick spinoff Ballerina amid reshoots abroad.

Castañeda’s casting comesas word has emerged of a Wick series in the works.

Ballerina watches as a young female assassin (Ana de Armas) trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma seeks revenge against the people who killed her family — as did Wick against those who have done him wrong, in films released between 2014 and 2019. After signing a new deal with Lionsgate expanding his oversight of the John Wick franchise, of which he was the architect, Chad Stahelski is working with Ballerina helmer Len Wiseman to shape new action sequences for the film.

Written by Shay Hatten, based on characters created by Derek Kolstad, the film will also star Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, the late Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, and Keanu Reeves.

The film is now slated for release on June 6, 2025 after being delayed recently by a year.

Castañeda stars opposite Tom Hopper, Elliot Page and more on Netflix’s hit series The Umbrella Academy, which returns for its fourth and final season on August 8th.

Recently seen opposite Natasha Lyonne and Joseph Gordon-Levitt on Peacock’s Poker Face, the actor prior to that appeared in Antoine Fuqua’s Netflix film The Guilty starring Jake Gyllenhaal. Other notable film credits include Sicario: Day of the Soldado and End of Watch.

Jessica Marie Garcia Signs with Creative Artists Agency (CAA)

Posted on March 7, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Jessica Marie Garcia has new representation…

The 36-year-old Cuban & Mexican American actress has signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA).

Garcia currently recurs on the NBC comedy series Lopez Vs. Lopez opposite George and Mayan Lopez, as cousin ‘Yesika’. Before that, she starred on Netflix’s “Most-Binged Original” hit series On My Block as the spitfire ‘Jasmine Flores’, a role that earned her a Teen Choice Award nomination for Best Summer TV Actress and an MTV Movie & TV Award nomination.

She also appeared in Gina Rodriguez’s Disney+ series Diary of a Female President as ‘Camila,’ as well as recurring on Shonda Rhimes’ How To Get Away With Murder playing ‘Rhonda’ opposite Viola Davis. Additionally, she starred in all four seasons of the Disney Channel original series Liv and Maddie as ‘Willow Cruz.’

Her feature film Avenge the Crows, in which she plays ‘Peaches,’ a tough inner-city gang member, starring alongside Danny Trejo and Lou Diamond Phillips, is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. You can see her earlier work on shows including ABC’s The Middle, as the tough wrestlerette, ‘Becky,’ and as ‘Sierra Cruz’ on ABC Family’s Huge.

Garcia is also a member of the all-female ensemble cast of Betch: A Sketch Show, streaming now on Paramount+. She has also lent her voice to both seasons of the Love in Gravity podcast, which received special recognition at the 2023 GLAAD Awards. She additionally voiced ‘Renee Montoya’ in the hit original audio drama Batman Unburied for Spotify and voiced ‘Ami’ for the audio original book The Honeymoon Crashers by the writing duo Christina Lauren.

Garcia is branching out with her production shingle, where she has been writing and producing, most recently with her film Illegally Brown, directed by Gabby Revilla Lugo, which was recently on the festival circuit. She also shot the film What To Expect with director Gabriela Garcia Medina.

Philip Anthony-Rodriguez to Appear on Season Three of Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer”

Posted on March 6, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Philip Anthony-Rodriguez is lawyering up…

The 55-year-old Puerto Rican actor has joined the cast for the third season of Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer.

Anthony-Rodriguez is among a roster of new cast additions that includes Merrin Dungey, Allyn Moriyon and John Pirruccello.

They join returning stars Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Mickey Haller, Becki Newton as Lorna, Jazz Raycole as Izzy, Angus Sampson as Cisco and Yaya DaCosta as Andrea Freemann.

The recurring cast also includes Neve Campbell, Elliott Gould, Krista Warner, Fiona Rene and Devon Graye.

Anthony-Rodriguez will portray Adam Suarez, the Chief Deputy District Attorney, to whom prosecutor Andrea Freeman (DaCosta) reports and who proves to be a force with whom she must reckon.

Season 3, currently in production, consists of 10 episodes and is based on the fifth book in The Lincoln Lawyer series by Michael Connelly, The Gods of Guilt. In a preview for the new season with Deadline.com, co-showrunners and executive producers Ted Humphrey and Dailyn Rodriguez shared the unique way they’re adapting the book their way.

“While Season 3 of The Lincoln Lawyer is based on Michael Connelly’s novel The Gods of Guilt, we decided that a fun (and poignant) way to come into the season would be via a flashback sequence that gave us some insight into how Mickey Haller became Mickey Haller — not just the brilliant criminal defense lawyer but the husband, the father, and the man that he would come to be,” they said.

“There is no comparable flashback in the book, so we devised something that would also serve as a fitting introduction to the story of the season, both on a plot level but also emotionally. These images, of a young Mickey finishing up surfing before a life-changing day at work, as well as cuddling on the couch with his wife Maggie after putting their young daughter Hayley to bed, are from a pair of these flashback scenes that bookend the first episode and propel us into the rest of Season 3,” they added.

Anthony-Rodriguez is an Emmy-nominated actor who most recently appeared in Hulu’s The Company You Keep and Freeform’s Good Trouble.

His other television credits include Apple’s The Morning Show, the voice of Fifth Brother in Star Wars Rebels and the role of Ruben Enriquez on four seasons of ABC Family’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

Hemky Madera Signs with Stewart Talent

Posted on March 6, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Hemky Madera has new representation…

The 47-year-old Dominican American actor has signed with Stewart Talent for representation.

Madera is best known for his work as a series regular in USA Network’s Queen of the South across the drama’s five seasons. Madera worked closely alongside Alice Braga starring as her character Teresa Mendoza’s loyal right-hand man and ride-or-die, Pote Gálvez. The series is an adaptation of Telemundo’s hit telenovela La Reina del Sur starring Kate del Castillo as Teresa.

Most recently, Madera reunited with Queen of the South co-showrunner Dailyn Rodriguez on Season 2 of the hit Netflix series The Lincoln Lawyer, which Rodriguez co-showruns and executive produces alongside Ted Humphries. Madera played Agent Felix Vasquez.

His additional television credits include HBO’s Perry Mason, The Mandalorian for Disney+, Netflix’s Kaleidoscope, ABC’s The Good Doctor, IFC’s Brockmire, Showtime’s Weeds and Acapulco for Apple TV+, among others.

On the film side, he played Mr. Delmar in Spider-Man: Homecoming. His other big-screen credits include Muzzle (2023) alongside Aaron Eckhart; Bad Hombres (2023) co-starring Thomas Jane and Luke Hemsworth; Satanic Hispanics (2022) as Vampiro; The Happy Time Murders (2018); and Rango (2011).

The New York-born actor began his career in the theater in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and continued on the stages of The Big Apple.

His credits include Inverse Theater’s production of Icarus and Aria and the New York Spanish Repertoire’s production of Feast of the Goat.

He continues to be represented by Luber Roklin for management and attorney Peter Sample.

Cameron Diaz In Talks to Star in Apple Original Films’ Dark Comedy “Outcome”

Posted on March 5, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Cameron Diaz is looking at all possible outcomes…

The 51-year-old Cuban American actress is in final talks to co-star opposite Keanu Reeves in Apple Original Films’ dark comedy Outcome.

Jonah Hill will direct and star in the film.

Co-written by Hill and Ezra Woods, Outcome follows Reef (Reeves), a damaged Hollywood star who must dive into the dark depths of his past to confront his demons and make amends after he is extorted with a mysterious video clip.

An Apple Studios production, the film will be produced by Matt Dines, Ali Goodwin and Hill under their Strong Baby banner.

The film marks the latest collaboration for Hill and Apple Original Films; they are also developing a Grateful Dead biopic with Martin Scorsese’s Sikelia Productions, to be directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. Hill is starring and producing under Strong Baby with Dines and Goodwin.

After taking a long break from acting, Diaz, known for her roles in such hits as Bad Teacher, The Mask and There’s Something About Mary, is making a strong return, starring this year in the Netflix action comedy Back in Action opposite Jamie Foxx.

Outcome will mark her first role since Sony’s Annie in 2014.

Since then, Diaz has still been busy on other fronts when she added author to her list of accomplishments with the 2014 publication of the New York Times bestseller The Body Book: The Law of Hunger, the Science of Strength, and Other Ways to Love Your Amazing Body, followed by The Longevity Book: The Science of Aging, the Biology of Strength, and the Privilege of Time in 2017.

In 2020, Cameron and serial entrepreneur Katherine Power launched Avaline, a collection of organically farmed wines.

Sofia Carson to Star in Netflix’s Rom-Com “The Life List”

Posted on March 5, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Sofia Carson is making the List…

The 30-year-old Colombian American actress/singer will star in The Life List, a new Netflix rom-com from writer-director Adam Brooks.

Carson will star opposite Kyle Allen, Sebastian De Souza and Connie Britton in the project.

Based on the 2013 novel by Lori Nelson Spielman, The Life List‘s logline is as follows: When Alex Rose’s (Carson) mother sends her on a quest to complete her childhood bucket list, it takes her on a journey that will make you both laugh and cry as she uncovers family secrets, finds romance, and discovers herself along the way.

Liza Chasin is producing for 3dot Productions. The film falls under Chasin’s first-look deal with the streamer, announced in 2019, which also covers her upcoming Morocco-set love story Lonely Planet starring Laura Dern, Liam Hemsworth and Diana Silvers.

Carson is best known for starring opposite Nicholas Galitzine in the hugely popular romance Purple Hearts from Netflix and Alloy Entertainment, which spent six weeks in the Global Top 10 Films (English) upon its September 2022 debut on the streamer, reaching the Top 10 Films in 93 countries. Prior to that, she starred in Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists as well as Disney Channel’s Descendants films.

Up next, she’ll be seen starring opposite Jason Bateman, Taron Egerton and more in Jaume Collet-Serra’s action thriller Carry On, also for Netflix.

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