Ortiz to Star in the Sci-Fi Film “God Particle”

Posted on May 28, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

John Ortiz has landed a God-sized role…

The 48-year-old Puerto Rican has signed on to star in God Particle, the Julius Onah-helmed sci-fi film from Paramount Pictures and JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot.

The script from 22 Jump Street’s Oren Uziel and Star Trek Beyond’s Doug Jung centers on the effort by scientists aboard an international space station looking for a new energy source to try to tap the power of the mysterious “God Particle,” inadvertently triggering catastrophic side effects.

Production is now set to begin on June 10 in Los Angeles on the movie that already stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Oyelowo, Daniel Bruhl, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris O’Dowd, Zhang Ziyi and Aksel Hennie.

A February 24, 2017 release date has been staked out.

Nickelodeon Renews Hurtado’s “School of Rock” for a Second Season

Posted on April 6, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Ricardo Hurtado has another year of school left…

Four episodes into School of Rock‘s freshman run, the musical comedy series starring the 16-year-old Latino actor, has been renewed for a 13-episode second season by Nickelodeon.

The show, based on the 2003 Paramount Pictures film starring Jack Black, hails from Paramount Television. It marked the first series order for the then-newly launched TV division of Paramount Pictures, and a corporate synergy play between the Viacom companies.

School of Rock, which airs Saturdays, averages almost 2 million viewers a week. The second season, which starts production this month, will continue to mix comedy with cast performances of popular and original songs.

School of Rock follows a group of rule-abiding students — Zack (Lance Lim), Lawrence (Aidan Miner), Freddy (Hurtado), Summer (Jade Pettyjohn) and Tomika (Breanna Yde) — who learn to take risks and reach new heights thanks to substitute teacher Dewey Finn (Tony Cavalero), a down-on-his-luck musician who uses the language of rock ‘n’ roll to inspire his class to form a secret band. Throughout the school year, the middle-school classmates navigate relationships, discover their unknown talents and learn lessons on loyalty and friendships.

Season 1 featured guest appearances from musical artists like Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy) and the cast covering hits such as “Heart Attack” (Demi Lovato) and “We’re Not Gonna Take It” (Twisted Sister).

School of Rock is developed by Jim and Steve Armogida, who serve as executive producers with Jay Kogen (The Simpsons). The original movie’s director Richard Linklater and producer Scott Rudin serve as executive producers, along with Eli Bush.

Varela to Star in the Ice Age Epic “The Solutrean”

Posted on April 6, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It’s back to the “ice age, baby” for Leonor Varela…

The 43-year-old Chilean actress has landed a supporting role in Studio 8’s ice age epic The Solutrean from director Albert Hughes.

Inspired by the controversial “solutrean hypothesis,” which advances the idea that Stone Age Europeans might have been among the earliest settlers of the Americas, the coming-of-age tale of survival is set 20,000 years ago.

It follows a young boy injured during a hunting expedition and left for dead who must use his skills, intuition and force of will to make it back home. Along the way, he befriends a wolf, who becomes his close companion.

Varela is playing the shaman of the boy’s tribe; described as wise, powerful and compelling, she performs religious rituals of protection, healing and thanksgiving.

Varela most recently appeared in Paramount Pictures’ Captive, opposite Kate Mara, David Oyelowo and Michael Kenneth Williams.

Her other credits include Ride opposite Helen Hunt and Luke Wilson, a seven-episode arc on TNT’s Dallas, and Odd Thomas with Anton Yelchin and Willem Dafoe. She also appeared in Blade II and The Tailor of Panama.

Isaac In Talks to Star in the Post-Apocalyptic Horror Adventure “Annihilation”

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Oscar Isaac is facing annihilation…

The 37-year-old Guatemalan and Cuban American actor is in talks to reteam with Alex Garland, his director for the acclaimed sci-fi movie Ex Machina, for Annihilation, a post-apocalyptic horror adventure feature for Paramount Pictures.

Isaac, who was a standout as X-wing pilot Poe Dameron in the Star Wars: The Force Awakens, would star opposite Natalie Portman and Gina Rodriguez in the film, which is an adaptation of a book by Jeff VanderMeer.

The story follows a biologist, to be played by Portman, as she embarks on a four-person expedition into Area X, a territory cut off from civilization. While there, she must deal with a mysterious contamination, disappearing colleagues, a deadly animal and a being known as the Crawler, all while searching for clues regarding her husband’s disappearance.

Isaac will play Portman’s husband, who may not have disappeared after all.

Isaac starred with Alicia Vikander and Domhnall Gleeson in Ex Machina, in which he played the Steve Jobs-like owner of a search engine tech company creating artificial intelligence.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, meanwhile, blasted box office records and currently has grossed over $933 million domestically, $2 billion worldwide

Guzman’s “Everybody Wants Some” to Open This Year’s SXSW Conference & Festival

Posted on November 18, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Everyone will want some of Ryan Guzman at this year’s SXSW…

This year’s South By Southwest Conference and Festival will open with the world premiere of Richard Linklater’s new comedy Everybody Wants Some, starring the 28-year-old half-Mexican American actor.

Written and directed by Linklater, the film (formerly titled That’s What I’m Talking About) follows a group of college baseball players in the 1980s as they adjust to the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adult life for the first time

In addition to Guzman, who was a baseball pitcher in college, the film also stars Will Brittain, Zoey Deutch, Tyler Hoechlin, Blake Jenner, Glen Powell and Wyatt Russell.

Paramount Pictures is set to release the film on April 15.

The SXSW opening-night festivities are set for March 11, with the festival running March 11-20.

Guzman, best known for portraying Sean Asa in the fourth and fifth installments of the Step Up franchise, most recently appeared in Jem and the Holograms. His other credits include The Boy Next Door and appearances on Pretty Little Liars and Heroes Reborn.

Jenner to Star Opposite Hailee Steinfeld in Coming-of-Age Comedy from STX Entertainment

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Blake Jenner has landed his next project…

The 23-year-old half-Cuban American actor/singer and former Glee star will star opposite Hailee Steinfeld in STX Entertainment’s untitled coming-of-age drama film.

Formerly titled Besties, the film is a wry coming-of-age comedy about Nadine (Steinfeld) and Krista, inseparable best friends attempting to navigate high school together…until Nadine discovers her older brother and Krista have been secretly dating behind her back. They soon realize that there is a fine line between best friends and worst enemies.

Jenner will portray the older brother, a popular and handsome soccer player who is the exact opposite of Nadine. Despite the differences between the siblings, Jenner’s character is described as the one keeping the family together amid the turmoil.

Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick and Hayden Szeto also star in the film from first time writer-director Kelly Fremon.

Jenner is best known for winning the second season of Oxygen’s The Glee Project, earning him a role on Fox’s Glee.

He’ll soon appear in the films Within and Billy Boy. He also stars in Everybody Wants Some, the Richard Linklater film that Paramount Pictures will release on April 15, 2016.

Olmos to Star Opposite Alfonso Herrera in Fox’s Drama Pilot “Urban Cowboy”

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Edward James Olmos is going urban…

The 68-year-old Mexican American actor has landed a series regular role in Fox’s drama pilot Urban Cowboy, a modern reimagining of the 1980 Paramount Pictures film starring John Travolta and Debra Winger.

Olmos will play Alfonso “Al” Robles, a former hitman for a Mexican cartel who came to Texas 20 years ago to reinvent himself. Now married with a daughter and an upper-level management job, Al seemingly is living the American dream. But he’s forced to confront old demons when he helps his niece and nephew flee a bad situation in Mexico.

The television adaptation, written and directed by Craig Brewer, follows star-crossed young lovers Kyle (Alfonso Herrera) and Gaby as they pursue their dreams and passions through the sweat of line dancing in honky tonks, the grime of the oil refineries and the glamour of modern Texas.

Olmos, a Battlestar Galactica alum, recently appeared in Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Dexter.

Urban Cowboy comes from Paramount Studios Television and 20th Century Fox Television.

Salaz to Star Opposite Alfonso Herrera on Fox’s Drama Pilot “Urban Cowboy”

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Bryana Salaz, is ready to honky tonk her way onto the small screen.

The 18-year-old Latina singer/actress, a contestant on Season 7 of NBC’s The Voice, has landed a series regular role opposite Alfonso Herrera and Jim Belushi in Fox’s drama pilot Urban Cowboy.

The project is beild hailed as a modern, Latin music-fueled reimagining of the 1980 Paramount Pictures film starring John Travolta and Debra Winger.

Urban Cowboy follows star-crossed young lovers Kyle aka Juan Miguel (Herrera) and Gaby as they pursue their dreams and passions through the sweat of line dancing in honky tonks, the grime of the oil refineries and the glamour of modern Texas.

Salaz will play Anita, Kyle’s (Herrera) sister who flees with her brother to the US after he upsets the local drug cartel.

Salaz, kike Herrera and Belushi, has a music background. She finished in the Top 5 of Team Gwen on The Voice, with her early-round performances going viral online.

Salaz’s “Problem” blind audition has garnered more than 2.1 million views, while her Knockouts rendition of “Heart Attack” has amassed more than 3.1 million streams.

Molina to Star in Paramount Pictures’ Untitled Tina Fey-Margot Robbie Project

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Alfred Molina is about to do the Taliban Shuffle…

The 61-year-old half-Spanish actor has signed on to appear in Paramount Pictures’ Untitled Tina Fey–Margot Robbie–Martin Freeman project.

Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, the film is based on the autobiography The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan by Kim Barker. The book is being adapted by 30 Rock scribe Robert Carlock.

Production has already started in New Mexico.

Molina joins a cast that includes Billy Bob Thornton, Sheila Vand, Christopher Abbott, Nicholas Braun, Stephen Peacocke and Evan Jonigkeit.

Molina most recently appeared on the big screen in the drama Love is Strange.

Arias to Star in the Historial Epic “Ben-Hur”

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a (Hollywood) epic win for Moises Arias…

The 20-year-old Colombian American actor and former Hannah Montana star has joined the cast of Ben-Hur, the historical epic Timur Bekmambetov is directing for MGM and Paramount Pictures.

Arias will play Gestas, a teenage Jewish zealot whose family has been murdered by the Romans, who is desperate to fight for his people’s freedom.

Jack Huston, Morgan Freeman and Toby Kebbell star in the production, which will be shot in Europe ahead of a February 26, 2016 release.

In addition to be being a former Disney Channel star, having appeared on Hannah Montana and The Wizards of Waverly Place, starred in the 2013 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize-nominated film The Kings Of Summer. He also lent his voice recently to Despicable Me 2 and appeared in Summit’s sci-fi film Ender’s Game.

He’ll next appear in the Sundance 2015 drama Stanford Prison Experiment opposite Ezra Miller, Michael Angarano, and Billy Crudup, in which Arias will play one of several university students tapped for the real life role-play exercise that got dangerously out of hand.

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