Danny Ramirez to Star in Live Reading of Oscar-Nominated Drama “Anatomy of a Fall”

Posted on February 11, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Danny Ramirez is studying anatomy…

The 31-year-old Colombian and Mexican American actors will star in a live reading of the Oscar-nominated drama Anatomy of a Fall.

Ramirez will star alongside Riley Keough, Bob Odenkirk, Jay Ellis, Kate Berlant, Quincy Isaiah and Olivia Wilde in the reading.

Keough takes on the lead role of Sandra, which earned Sandra Hüller an Academy Award nomination for best actress this year.

In addition to the human cast, the movie’s dog Messi will reprise his role as Snoop.

The event, taking place on February 14 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, is presented by Neon and Film Independent. The film’s director Justine Triet will co-direct with Franklin Leonard of The Black List.

“My partner Arthur and I wrote this script while in quarantine together,” Triet said in a statement on Saturday. “What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than with this caliber of talent exploring relationships, love and truth? We are so excited at the opportunity to collaborate with Film Independent.”

In addition to best actress, Anatomy of a Fall’s Oscar nominations include best original screenplay, best editing, best director and best picture.

The film has won the Palme d’Or, two Golden Globe Awards – including best screenplay – and two Gotham Awards. Anatomy of a Fall has been highly recognized by more than 25 national critics groups, in addition to garnering nominations from the Producers Guild of America and American Cinema Editors.

Past live readings at the Wallis have included Love Actually, Back to the Future, Jennifer’s Body and Triangle of Sadness.

For more information and tickets for the live reading, go to filmindependent.org.

Ramirez’s previous credits include The Gifted, On My Block and Top Gun: Maverick.

Paramount Releases New Trailer for “Babylon,” Starring Diego Calva

Posted on November 29, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Diego Calva is searching for something bigger…

Paramount has released a new trailer for Babylon, the Hollywood-set period extravaganza starring the 30-year-old Mexican actor.

From filmmaker Damien Chazelle, the film will open in wide release on December 23rd.

Led by Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Calva, the film is billed as an original epic set in 1920s Los Angeles, as the industry makes the transition from silent films to talkies. A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood.

Robbie plays an ambitious up-and-comer who wants “everyone to party forever.” Pitt is wild mega-star Jack Conrad who proclaims, “You know what we have to do? We have to redefine the form, map those dreams and print them into history. Look up and say: Eureka! I am not alone” — this right before to falling ass-backwards off of a balcony.

Chazelle directs from his own script.

Cast also includes Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, Jean Smart, P.J. Byrne, Lukas Haas, Olivia Hamilton, Tobey Maguire, Max Minghella, Rory Scovel, Katherine Waterston, Flea, Jeff Garlin, Eric Roberts, Ethan Suplee, Samara Weaving and Olivia Wilde.

Diego Calva’s Ensemble Film “Babylon” to Open in Wide Release Christmas Weekend

Posted on October 19, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Diego Calva will be spending the Christmas holiday in Babylon…

The 30-year-old Mexican actor’s latest ensemble project Babylon, starring Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt, will open in wide release in U.S. theaters on December 23.

The film was originally scheduled to open in limited release during the Christmas holiday, with its wide release on January 6.

Babylon will open in the wake of 20th Century Studios/Disney’s Avatar: The Way of Water on December 16 and will share the marquee nationwide with movies like Sony’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Universal/Dreamworks Animation’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and the expansion of United Artists Releasing’s drama Women Talking.

Set in the 1920s, during Hollywood‘s transition from silent films to sound films, the film follows Manny Torres (Calva) as he pursues a career within the industry, starting as a film assistant.

Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, the film was shot in Santa Clarita, CA, where many silent and early sound movies were made, like Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times.

In addition to Calva, Robbie and Pitt, the ensemble cast also includes Tobey Maguire, Olivia Wilde, Spike Jonze, Max Minghella and Jean Smart.

David Blaine Breaks YouTube Original Live Event Record with Helium Balloon ‘Ascension’ Stunt

Posted on September 3, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

David Blaine has entered the YouTube record books…

The 47-year-old part-Puerto Rican illusionist, endurance artist and extreme performer’s live stunt Ascension, in which he flew over the Arizona desert using helium balloons, has shattered a YouTube record.

This week’s stunt, which took place on Wednesday, was the most-watched YouTube Original Live Event to date, according to the video streaming platform, with over 770,000 peak concurrent viewers, besting Dear Class of 2020 (665k peak concurrents), The Creator Games Presented by MrBeast (662k peak concurrent), Will Smith: The Jump(more than 300k peak concurrents) and Taylor Swift: Lover’s Lounge (Live) (more than 185k peak concurrents).

“David Blaine exceeded expectations once again!” said Susanne Daniels, Global Head of Original Content, YouTube, “What an inspirational moment for viewers all around the world and we’re so thrilled with what he accomplished today live on YouTube.”

The event streamed live exclusively on YouTube, which funded and produced the project.

Blaine lifted off shortly before 8:00 am PT and within 40 minutes had risen to a height of over 19,000 feet. He eventually reached a height of 24,900 feet and then parachuted to the ground. He completed the entire event within an hour.

The livestream event was hosted by YouTube creator and tech expert Marques Brownlee and featured appearances from Casey Neistat, Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Olivia Wilde, Jason Sudeikis, professional surfer Jamie O’Brien, among others, with a special appearance from David Blaine’s daughter, Dessa.

Blaine’s original plan was to fly over New York, but he decided to shift to Arizona because of weather concerns and logistical issues.

Jared Leto to Star in the Next Installment of Disney’s “Tron”

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Jared Leto’s latest project is revving up…

The 48-year-old part-Spanish Oscar-winning actor and Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman will star in the next installment of Disney’s sci-fi franchise Tron.

The film will be directed by Garth Davis, who directed the critically acclaimed 2016 drama Lion, which received six Oscar nominations including one for Best Picture.

Jesse Wigutow wrote the most recent draft of the script. Leto is producing along with Justin Springer and Emma Ludbrook.

The original 1982 film starring Jeff Bridges was set inside the computer program called the Grid, where a computer hacker is abducted and forced to participate in gladiatorial games. The film wasn’t a hit and received mixed reviews, even though its special effects were seen as game-changing at the time. The cult following that swelled around the film in years to come as it played on cable only helped grow its popularity, to the point where Disney decided to move forward with a sequel, Tron: Legacy, in 2010, with Bridges reprising his role and Garret Hedlund and Olivia Wilde joining the franchise.

That film did go on to have box office success, bringing in $400 million globally, but even so plans for a sequel were pushed while Disney figured out how to move the story forward.

The studio eventually scrapped plans for a direct sequel to Tron: Legacyand has been taking time to figure out next steps for this project.

Leto, who earned an Academy Award for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club, will next be seen in Morbius and The Little Things. His previous credits include Suicide Squad, Blade Runner 2049, Phone Booth and Panic Room.

MJ Rodriguez to Take Part in This Year’s Virtual GLAAD Media Awards Ceremony

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

MJ Rodriguez is GLAAD…

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican actress/singer and her fellow Pose castmates and producers will take part in this year’s virtual GLAAD Media Awards ceremony.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the awards show will stream on GLAAD’s Facebook and YouTube accounts on Thursday, July 30 at 8:00 pm ET and will air on Logo on Monday, August 3 at 8:00 pm ET.

In addition to Rodriguez and her Pose castmates and producers, the awards show will include appearances by Dolly Parton, Dwayne Wade & Gabrielle Union, Lil Nas X, Cara Delevingne, Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Lena Waithe, Jonica T. Gibbs, Dan Levy, Rachel Maddow, Ryan O’Connell, trans model and advocate Geena Rocero, Angelica Ross, Brain Michael Smith, Peppermint, Olivia Wilde, Raquel Willis,WWE superstar Sonya Deville and comedian Benito Skinner.

The ceremony will feature a special performance from the Grammy-nominated duo Chloe x Halle.

Comedians Fortune Feimster and Gina Yashere will serve as co-hosts of the show.

Honoring film, TV and media for its fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues, the GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies were originally supposed to take place in New York on March 19 and in Los Angeles on April 16.

The ceremonies were cancelled due to the pandemic, but GLAAD shifted plans and strived ahead in order to give shine to the LGBTQ-centric film, TV and media.

Earlier this year, GLAAD announced over 175 nominees in 30 categories who are being recognized for their work in queer media.

“Among this year’s nominees are a wide range of stories and narratives about LGBTQ people of different races, ethnicities, genders, religions, and other identities that demonstrate the power of inclusion and diversity in fostering positive cultural change,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “As this year’s Media Awards go virtual, we hope to send a powerful message to LGBTQ people that in the midst of this culturally and politically divisive time, our visibility and voices have never been more important.”

Bad Bunny to Take Part in LeBron James’ “Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020” Special

Posted on May 8, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Bad Bunnyis celebrating the Class of 2020…

The LeBron James Family Foundation announced that it’s paying tribute to the class of 2020 with a one-hour multimedia event called Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020, with the 26-year-old Puerto Rican reggaeton and Latin trap singer joining the roster of participating artists.

James’ virtual graduation party for this year’s graduation class, who’s seen their school year cancelled because of the coronavirus, will take place on Saturday, May 16 at 8:00 pm ET simultaneously on NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox— as well as on the streaming platforms Complex Networks, Facebook app, Instagram, People TV, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.

In addition to Bad Bunny, the lineup includes Kane Brown, Lana Condor, David Dobrik, Dolan Twins, Karol G, Liza Koshy, Maren Morris, National Teacher of the Year Rodney Robinson, Olivia Wilde, Zendaya, Charli D’Amelio, Dixie D’Amelio, Chika, YBN Cordae, Loren Gray, H.E.R., the Jonas Brothers, Brandan Bmike Odums, Ben Platt, Henry Platt, Jonah Platt, Megan Rapinoe, Yara Shahidi, Lena Waithe, Pharrell Williams, Malala Yousafzaiand many more.

Working with the XQ Instituteand The Entertainment Industry Foundation, the show will allow the companies to honor the more than three million high school seniors who’ll miss out on the annual rite of passage due to the national shutdown caused by the COVID-19pandemic.

“We learned early on in our work with students and families in Akron that education is so much more than academics,” said James in a statement.

“It’s about a shared experience, a journey we’re all on together—students, parents, educators, community members, and everyone around them. With that not being possible right now, we’ve been working to find ways to help families get through this really difficult time. These students have worked incredibly hard for this and there’s no way we can let that go unrecognized. While this won’t be the graduation experience they were supposed to get, we hope we can still give them something special because they deserve it.”

The commercial-free show will be curated by high school students and educators from across the country, with support from the American Federation of Teachers, highlighted by a collection of commencement addresses, celebrity performances and inspirational vignettes.

Students, educators, and families are encouraged to submit their videos and photos online for consideration to be included in the telecast using #GraduateTogether. Artist JR is also inviting seniors to share their portraits for a national virtual yearbook celebrating the entire Class of 2020.

Local TV stations will feature custom breakaways to celebrate the achievements of high school students in their communities.

Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020will be broadcast commercial-free on May 16 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC.

Lin-Manuel Miranda to Perform at This Year’s Tony Awards

Posted on June 8, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Lin-Manuel Miranda is making his triumphant return to the Tony Awards…

The 37-year-old Puerto Rican composer, playwright, actor and singer will perform on Sunday’s Tonycast, almost one year after his hit Broadway musical Hamilton swept the awards.

The casts of Bandstand, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Falsettos, Groundhog Day The Musical, Hello, Dolly!, Miss Saigon, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 and War Paint will perform during 71st Annual Tony Awards, which CBS will broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall from 8:00 to 11:00 PM.

There’s still no word on what Miranda will perform.

There will be additional performances by The Radio City Rockettes and Tony Award winners Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple) and Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton).

There will be additional appearances by Scott Bakula, Sara Bareilles, Orlando Bloom, Rachel Bloom, Glenn Close, Stephen Colbert, Brian d’Arcy James, Cynthia Erivo, Tina Fey, Sutton Foster, Josh Gad, Whoopi Goldberg, Jonathan Groff, Mark Hamill, Taraji P. Henson, Christopher Jackson, Allison Janney, Scarlett Johansson, Anna Kendrick, Keegan-Michael Key, Nick Kroll, John Legend, John Lithgow, Patina Miller, John Mulaney, David Oyelowo, Chazz Palminteri, Sarah Paulson, Lea Salonga, Tom Sturridge, Tommy Tune, Olivia Wilde, and 2017 Tony nominees Sally Field, Josh Groban, Bette Midler and Ben Platt.

Although Midler will appear as a presenter in one of the acting categories, she is not scheduled to participate in the Hello, Dolly! segment, which will be led by co-star Hyde Pierce. The blockbuster production’s offer to present the title song, or another of Dolly’s show-stoppers, live via remote from the Shubert Theatre was declined by the Tony producers.

The ceremony will be hosted by Tony and Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey.

The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

HBO Releases Teaser Video of Cannavale’s Upcoming 1970s Rock ‘n’ Roll Drama “Vinyl”

Posted on August 7, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Bobby Cannavale is ready to “drop the needle, and crank the volume.”

HBO has released the first footage of its upcoming drama Vinyl, starring the 44-year-old half-Cuban American actor.

The minute-long teaser released Thursday, a far cry from the extended trailer shown to critics at a recent Television Critics Association session, offers a detailed look at what to expect from the 1970s rock ‘n’ roll drama.

Cannavale, who won an Emmy for his performance on Boardwalk Empire, stars as Richie, the founder and president of American Century Records, who has a great ear for discovering talent and who undergoes a crisis of character when confronted with a life-altering decision.

Olivia Wilde stars as Richie’s wife, with Parenthood‘s Ray Romano set as one of Richie’s partners.

The cast also includes Juno Temple, Andrew Dice Clay, Ato Essandoh, Max Casella, James Jagger,Jack Quaid, Birgitte Hjort Sorensen, P.J. Byrne, J.C. MacKenzie, Bo Dietl, Armen Garo, Robert Funaro and Joe Caniano.

Vinyl will debut on HBO sometime next year.

IFC Renews Armisen’s “Portlandia” for Two More Seasons

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Fred Armisen will spend two more years in the Pacific Northwest…

IFC has picked up the 48-year-old half-Venezuelan actor’s short-based comedy series Portlandia.

The an absurdist series that gently pokes fun at the laid-back city of Portland, Oregon, has been picked up for Seasons 6 and 7, with IFC ordering 10 half-hour episodes for each.

Armisen, a Saturday Night Live alum, and Carrie Brownstein, the show’s creators and stars, will remain at the helm for both seasons. Portlandia is executive produced by Lorne Michaels and produced by Broadway Video.

Season 5 of Portlandia airs Thursdays at 10 PM.

Vanessa Bayer, Ed Begley Jr., Steve Buscemi, Jeff Goldblum, Kyle MacLachlan, Kumail Nanjiani, Jason Sudeikis, Gus Van Sant and Olivia Wilde are among the recurring guest stars who’ve guest-starred on the show over the years.

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