Jharrel Jerome to Star as Anthony Robles in “Unstoppable”

Posted on March 19, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jharrel Jerome is unstoppable…

The 25-year-old Afro-Dominican American actor, an Emmy winner and EP/star of the upcoming Prime Video series I’m a Virgo that just premiered at SXSW, has signed on to star in Unstoppable, the film starring Jennifer Lopez and directed by Billy Goldenberg.

The film follows the true story of Anthony Robles, a three-time All-American wrestler born with one leg who won a national championship at Arizona State.

Robles will reportedly be heavily involved in the project, which Amazon Studios is in talks to acquire.

The second big project from Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity and Amazon is coming together rather quickly before the April 5 opening of their first movie, Air, which is getting a theatrical release and debuted at SXSW on Saturday. Artists Equity is co-founded by RedBird Capital.

Robles was born without a right leg. At the age of 14, he tried wrestling for the first time, at a mere 90 pounds. His first year he went 5-8, but remained determined that he could be a champion in the sport one day. Robles is also an inspirational speaker.

In 2019 he broke the Guinness world record for most pull-ups in a minute with 62 reps.

Jerome won an Emmy for Outstanding Actor in a Limited Series for the Ava DuVernay Netflix series When They See Us. His other credits include the film Concrete Cowboy and the Stephen King series Mr. Mercedes. He’ll soon be seen co-starring in HBO Max’s Steven Soderbergh series Full Circle.

Jerome is an EP on the Boots Riley Amazon series I’m a Virgo. The darkly comedic, fantastical coming-of-age joyride center son Cootie (Jerome), a 13-foot-tall young Black man in Oakland, CA. Having grown up hidden away, passing time on a diet of comic books and TV shows, he escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world. He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, a real-life superhero named The Hero, played by Walton Goggins. I’m A Virgo is a mythical odyssey that questions the purpose of the mythical odyssey.

Prime Video Renews Roberta Collindrez’s “A League of Their Own” for Second & Final Season

Posted on March 16, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Roberta Collindrez will have more time in the batting cage…

Prime Video has renewed A League of Their Own, starring the 36-year-old Mexican actor and writer, for a second and final season.

Following months of talks with Sony TV, the series will end with a four-episode Season 2, sources have confirmed.

The hourlong series, created by Will Graham and Abbi Jacobson, is an adaptation of Penny Marshall’s 1992 film.

It follows the formation of the WWII-era women’s professional baseball team, weaving in the experiences of both diverse and queer women at the center — earning the show a cult following.

Jacobson also stars alongside Chanté Adams, D’Arcy Carden, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Collindrez, Kelly McCormack, Priscilla Delgado, Molly Ephraim, Kate Berlant, Melanie Field, Nick Offerman, Rosie O’Donnell, Patrick J. Adams, Patrice Covington, Sadiah Ekulona, Lea Robinson, Andia Winslow, Rae Gray and Lil Frex.

Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television produce in association with Field Trip Productions. The series is co-created and executive produced by Graham and Jacobson.

The first season was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award, NAACP Image Award and Independent Spirit Award for Ikumelo for Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series.

Brie & Nikki Bella to Host Amazon’s Social Dating Competition Series “Twin Love”

Posted on March 3, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Brie and Nikki Bella are twinning in love.

Amazon has ordered a new competition series Twin Love, hosted by the 39-year-old half-Mexican American WWE stars and twin sisters.

Amazon has greenlit the series from ITV Entertainment. It will air on Prime Video and in the U.S. and UK and premiere simultaneously on free streamer Freevee.

Twin Love is a social dating experiment that explores the love lives of identical twins. Ten sets of twins will be split up and placed into two houses of identical casts, where they’ll begin a unique and compelling search for love.

The series will discover if their inherent similarities extend to their romantic desires. When separated from their twin brothers and sisters—some for the first time ever—will they pursue the same identical partners? Or will their choices be dramatically different?

The series, which will launch this summer, is based on a Dutch format created by ITV Studios Netherlands; the latest format to come out of the country responsible for Big Brother, The Voice and The Traitors.

“Twin Love is a social dating experience like no other, blending the specificity of being a twin—someone born, quite literally, with a biological soulmate—with the universality of being single and searching for lasting romantic love,” said Lauren Anderson, head of AVOD Original Content and Unscripted Programming, Amazon Studios.

Brie and Nikki, the former wrestling duo, have starred in a number of reality series including E!’s hit Total Divas and Total Bellas.

Camila Cabello to Star in Chiwetel Ejiofor’s “Rob Peace”

Posted on February 22, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Camila Cabello is heading back to the big screen…

The 25-year-old Mexican/Cuban singer/actress will star in Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Rob Peace.

Cabello, who made her acting debut in Prime Video’s Cinderella, will star opposite Jay Will, Mary J. Blige Ejiofor in the drama Ejiofor is directing from his own script, as his sophomore feature effort.

The film, currently in production, is based on Jeff Hobbs’ bestselling biography The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League.

It follows Robert Peace (Will), a young man who grew up in a crime-ridden section of Newark, NJ and later graduated from Yale with degrees in molecular biophysics and biochemistry earned on scholarship. Peace led a dual life living in the insular world of academia and as a lab researcher of cancer and infectious diseases, while at the same time making six figures from the sale of marijuana. He was killed in a drug-related shooting in 2011.

Cabello will play Peace’s fellow Yale student Naya, with Blige and Ejiofor as his mother and father.

LAMF presents Rob Peace, in association with Hill District Media and Participant, a Sugar Peace production.

Cabello is a Latin Grammy, AMA and Billboard Music Award winner who, before going solo, broke out as a member of Fifth Harmony, one of the top-selling girl groups in history.

In 2021 she emerged as the first Hispanic woman to achieve RIAA Diamond status with her Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash “Havana” [feat. Young Thug], and that same year found her first major film role as the lead of Kay Cannon’s Cinderella — a modern, musical adaptation of the classic fairy tale from Prime Video, which had her starring opposite Billy Porter.

Cabello’s career in music has seen her collaborate with everyone from Ed Sheeran to Shawn Mendes and Machine Gun Kelly, with her work thus far amassing streams in the billions. Her most recent studio album, Familia — following 2018’s Camila and 2019’s Romance — was released last year via Epic Records.

Anjelah Johnson-Reyes to Star in Prime Video’s Holiday Comedy “Candy Cane Lane”

Posted on February 12, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Anjelah Johnson-Reyes is getting into the Christmas holiday season way early…

The 40-year-old half-Mexican American actress and comedian has joined the cast of Prime Video’s holiday comedy Candy Cane Lane.

Johnson-Reyes is among a list of new cast additions that includes Ken Marino and D.C. Young Fly.

They join previously announced cast members Eddie Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jillian Bell, Genneya Walton, Madison Thomas, Thaddeus J. Mixson, Robin Thede, Chris Redd and Danielle Pinnock.

Reginald Hudlin directs off a script by Kelly Younger, inspired by his own childhood holiday experiences.

Story details are being kept under wraps.

The movie is shooting in Los Angeles and a part of the California Film & Television Tax Credit Program. The film will stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide and marks the first film falling under Murphy’s three-picture and first-look film deal with Amazon Studios.

Johnson-Reyes has six comedy specials streaming on various platforms. Additionally, she has guest starred on shows like Life & Beth, Superstore, The Shield, Ugly Betty and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Her film credits include Enough Said, Our Family Wedding, and Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.

Emilio Estefan Makes Acting Debut in “Bezos: The Beginning”

Posted on January 28, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Emilio Estefan is expanding his impressive resume…

The 69-year-old Grammy-winning music producer and musician has made his acting debut in the recently-released Bezos: The Beginning, where he plays Jeff Bezos’ father, Mike Bezos.

Based on the book Zero to Hero, the film is a true-life story that chronicles Bezos’ journey to create Amazon and become one the richest men in the world.

“Very happy to be a part of this movie and represent Mike Bezos, the father of Jeff Bezos,” Estefan wrote on social media. “Mike represents the unconditional love that a father has for his son and his family, the unique love that parents feel for their children. When they introduced me to the project, I loved it! I think they called me because of my accent but the reality is that I identified immediately with Mike.”

Bezos: The Beginning is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

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Amazon Releases Trailer for Sebastian Chacon’s New Series “Daisy Jones & The Six”

Posted on January 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Sebastian Chacon is jonesing…

Amazon has released the trailer for its upcoming Prime Video series Daisy Jones & The Six, starring the 29-year-old Latino actor.

Based on the novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, the series brings the band to life led by Riley Keough as the titular character.

In 1977, Daisy Jones & The Six were on top of the world. Fronted by two charismatic lead singers — Daisy Jones (Keough) and Billy Dunne (Sam Claflin) — the band had risen from obscurity to fame. And then, after a sold-out show at Chicago’s Soldier Field, they called it quits. Now, decades later, the band members finally agree to reveal the truth. This is the story of how an iconic band imploded at the height of its powers.

The trailer features clips of the band performing and writing music together, also hinting at the rocky relationship between Daisy and Billy.

The trailer also includes the band performing their hit single from the book, “Regret Me.”

The song is part of the fictional album Aurora, which has also been brought to life and will be released when the series debuts on March 3. Prime Video has shared that track list.

Grammy-winning songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Blake Mills led the production on Aurora with co-writing credits from Marcus Mumford, Phoebe Bridgers and Jackson Browne.

Tony Berg also provided additional production, and the album features instrumentalists from Rilo Kiley, the Who, Nine Inch Nails, Pearl Jam, David Bowie, Elton John, Jeff Beck and the Wallflowers.

In addition to Keough, claflin and Chacon, who portrays Warren Rojas, Daisy Jones & The Six also stars Camila Morrone as Camila Dunne, Will Harrison as Graham Dunne, Suki Waterhouse as Karen Sirko, Josh Whitehouse as Eddie Roundtree, Nabiyah Be as Simone Jackson, and Tom Wright as Teddy Price, with a special guest appearance by Timothy Olyphant as Rod Reyes.

From Amazon Studios and Hello Sunshine, Daisy Jones & The Six is executive produced by Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter for Hello Sunshine and Brad Mendelsohn for Circle of Confusion.

James Ponsoldt directed the first five episodes and serves as an executive producer. Nzingha Stewart directed four of the remaining episodes, and Graham directed one.

Here’s the full tracklist for Aurora:
“Aurora”
“Let Me Down Easy”
“Kill You to Try”
“Two Against Three”
“Look at Us Now (Honeycomb)”
“Regret Me”
“You Were Gone”
“More Fun to Miss”
“Please”
“The River”
“No Words”

Paulina Gaitán Starring in Comedy Series “Put@s Redes Sociales” for Prime Video

Posted on January 12, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Paulina Gaitán is feelin’ influential…

The 30-year-old Mexican actress is starring in the comedy series Put@s Redes Sociales, from Eugenio Derbez and Ben Odell.

Set at Prime Video, the series also stars Azul Guaita.

Jorge Ulloa directs the series, which explores human relationships in the era of likes.

Put@s Redes Sociales tells the story of Amanda (Gaitán), a decadent YouTuber of children’s content who has just turned 30, which makes her “over the hill” on the internet. She’s willing to do anything to stay relevant on social networks, from filtering her own nude photo to risking her life (or, at least pretending to). She does all this to dethrone the number-one influencer of the moment: Vicky Moo (Guaita), who also happens to be her younger sister.

The cast also includes Hernán Mendoza, Jesús Zavala, Melissa Hallivis, Beng Zeng Wong, Hugo Catalán, Nataly Valencia, Bárbara Torres, Paola Fernández, and Jorge Enrique Abello.

“With this series, we confirm our commitment to new, successful creators in the digital world, like Jorge Ulloa from Enchufe TV—who is endorsed by the experienced executive producer Eugenio Derbez—joining forces in a comedy about our tragic addiction to likes,” said Alonso Aguilar Castillo, head of Original content for Mexico at Prime Video. “In Put@s Redes Sociales, our audience will discover an insolent provocation between two generations who, not understanding each other, prefer to laugh at each other.”

The series is an Amazon Studios and 3pas Studios production, made by Visceral.

It was shot in Mexico City in Fall 2022 and will be released in 2023, with Derbez, Odell, and Javier Williams executive producing, from a script by Jorge Ulloa, Valencia, Cynthia Fernández Trejo, and Juan Diego Aguilar. Pablo Calasso serves as co-producer.

“Eugenio and I are always looking for exciting new ways to bring comedy to the Spanish-speaking market and Put@s Redes Sociales is a perfect example of the kind of show that we get excited about— unique filmmakers and a story with humor and heart,” said Odell, CEO of 3pas Studios. “We want to congratulate our execs Jordan Rubio and Javier Williams, Jorge, and Nataly, the amazing cast and our production services team in Mexico, Visceral, for delivering such an exciting show.”

Alicia Sanz Starring in the Psychological Horror-Thriller “Open House”

Posted on January 7, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

It’s Open season for Alicia Sanz.

The 34-year-old Spanish actress is starring opposite Raúl Castillo in topline Open House, a recently-wrapped psychological horror-thriller written and directed by the duo of David Charbonier and Justin Powell.

The film from Kinogo Pictures and Mad Descent, which shot in Los Angeles, follows a realtor who must survive a night of terror when a deranged client shows up at her open house.

Ryan Scaringe produced along with Charbonier and Powell, with Amy Lippens and Jilbert Daniel being joined as executive producerss by Sanz and Castillo. UTA Independent Film Group is repping worldwide sales.

Charbonier and Powell made their feature directorial debut with 2020’s The Boy Behind the Door — a critically acclaimed horror-thriller starring Lonnie Chavis that was released by Shudder after premiering at Fantastic Fest. The pair subsequently wrote, directed and exec produced The Djinn, a supernatural horror released by IFC Midnight in 2021.

Perhaps best known for starring in the historical action-drama series El Cid from Prime Video and the thriller series Now and Then from Apple TV+, Sanz has also previously been seen on such series as Shots Fired and From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, among others.

Her notable film credits include the thriller Billionaire Boys Club with Ansel Elgort, and April Mullen’s upcoming sci-fi thriller Hello Stranger with Robbie Amell, Jordana Brewster, Simu Liu and Sam Worthington.

Castillo is a Gotham and Independent Spirit Award nominee who recently starred opposite Jeremy Pope in Elegance Bratton’s acclaimed feature directorial debut The Inspection for A24.

The actor has also recently appeared in such acclaimed films as Hustle, Cha Cha Real Smooth and Army of the Dead, among others.

His notable TV credits include The Accidental Wolf, Vida, Atypical, Seven Seconds and Looking.

Sarah Shahi to Executive Produce & Star in the Christmas Film “The Hollys”

Posted on December 15, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a Hollys, jolly Christmas for Sarah Shahi.

The 42-year-old part-Spanish American actress and breakout star of Black Adam will executive produce and star in the Christmas film The Hollys with Burr Steers attached to direct.

The film, co-written by Floriana Lima, Yolanda Pecoraro, and Ilaria Urbinati, will be produced by Denise Di Novi and Margaret French Isaac of Di Novi Pictures.

The story centers on Emma Holly (Shahi), a workaholic single mom whose life starts to unravel when she loses her job in the city as a successful food editor right before the holidays. Along with her young daughter, Emma is forced to move back into her childhood home in Connecticut with her old-fashioned housewife mom, whose husband just left her on Thanksgiving. In this multigenerational love letter to moms, the three Holly women will have to get through Christmas under one roof, learn to reconcile their differences and mend their fractured relationship in order to cook up a new future for themselves.

“DiNovi Films has a reputation for making insightful, timeless films that champion relevant and bold female narratives to become generation-spanning cinematic gems,” said Shahi. “Under the ingenious direction of Burr Steers, along with the eye of Denise Di Novi, Margaret French Isaac and the rest of the DiNovi team, it’s the perfect home to turn our Christmas tale into an instant classic to revisit year after year.”

Shahi stars alongside Dwayne Johnson in New Line/DC’s Black Adam, which was the No. 1 movie globally its first three weeks of release and has grossed $390M to date. She also stars in the lead role of Netflix’s hit series Sex/Life, which amassed more than 67 million viewers in its first season.

The series will return for Season 2 in 2023.

Shahi also has wrapped production on the Amazon film Red, White & Royal Blue, based on Casey McQuiston’s bestselling novel, and is working on a book.

“We are admirers of Sarah’s brilliant and honest performances, we are thrilled to partner with her and Burr on this evergreen holiday movie,” Di Novi and French Isaac said in a statement. “Combining the heartfelt wit and nuance from our writers with Burr’s comedic and visual excellence, we are excited to deliver a film starring Sarah that showcases working parents, family, togetherness, and all sides of the passion and love brought forth during the holiday season.

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