Alice Braga to Star in Sci-Fi Series “Dark Matter”

Posted on September 29, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a Dark time for Alice Braga.

The 39-year-old Brazilian actress and producer will star opposite Jimmi Simpson and Joel Edgerton in Dark Matter, an adaptation of Blake Crouch’s acclaimed sci-fi novel, at Apple TV+.

Jennifer Connelly also stars in the series from Sony Television and executive produced by Edgerton.

Written and showrun by Crouch, the nine-episode series will follow Jason Dessen, (Edgerton) a physicist, professor, and family man who — one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago — is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the multiverse of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of mind-bending realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.

Braga will play Amanda, a psychiatrist. Simpson portrays Ryan, a brilliant neuroscientist and friend of Jason’s (Edgerton).

Dark Matter is executive produced by Matt Tolmach and David Manpearl for Matt Tolmach Productions.

Crouch will write and serve as showrunner and executive producer on the series, and Jakob Verbruggen is set to direct the first three episodes.

Braga is known for her starring role as Teresa Mendoza in USA’s Queen of the South. On the film side she was most recently seen in The Suicide Squad, and soon will be seen in FX’s upcoming limited series Retreat.

Shakira Barrera to Star in Marvel Studios’ “Ironheart

Posted on September 7, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Shakira Barrera has ironed out her latest plans…

The Nicaraguan-American actress/dancer has joined the cast of Marvel Studios’ Ironheart as a series regular, according to Deadline.com.

The six-episode series created by Chinaka Hodge will star Dominique Thorne as Marvel character Riri Williams, a genius inventor and creator of the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man.

The previously announced members of the cast include Anthony Ramos, Manny Montana, Alden Ehrenreich, Regan Aliyah, Shea Couleé and Zoe Terakes.

Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes are directing, with Ryan Coogler’s Proximity among the production entities.

Coogler, Ironheart head writer Chinaka Hodge, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian serve as executive producers alongside Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum and Zoie Nagelhout.

Barrera can currently be seen as a series regular in the Freevee series Sprung opposite Garrett Dillahunt and Martha Plimpton. She also recently wrapped a recurring arc in OWN’s legal drama All Rise as part of the show’s third season.

She’s notably known for her portrayal of lady wrestler Yolanda in GLOW and Lulu in It’s Bruno, both for Netflix.

Her other TV credits include TNT’s Animal Kingdom, Showtime’s Shameless, and USA Network’s Queen of the South.

On the film side, she appeared in Daniela Garcia’s short film Huella, The Collection opposite Alex Pettyfer, and The Knocking opposite Shiloh Fernandez.

Outside of acting, Barrera serves as a goodwill ambassador for organizations that specialize in humanitarian aid in Nicaragua.

Rosa Salazar to Star Opposite Michael Peña in Prime Video’s Film “A Million Miles Away”

Posted on August 31, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Rosa Salazar is traveling a million miles…

The 37-year-old half-Peruvian Canadian actress has joined the cast of Prime Video’s Michael Peña starrer A Million Miles Away, which has entered production in Mexico City.

Salazar is among a list of new cast additions that includes Bobby Soto, Julio César Cedillo, Veronica Falcón, Sarayu Blue and Eric Johnson.

Others rounding out the ensemble of the Alejandra Márquez Abella-helmed film include Jordan Dean, Ashley Ciarra, Michelle Krusiec, Emma Fassler, Michael Adler, Carlos S. Sanchez and Isaac Arellanes.

A Million Miles Away is based on the inspiring true story of Jose Hernandez, who defied insurmountable odds to become the first migrant farmworker to travel to space. From six years old, he toiled in the fields between Michoacán and Stockton, California —dreaming of traveling the night skies on a rocket ship. Through his family’s support and his unrelenting determination, pushing through 11 rejections from NASA, Jose’s story is a tale of perseverance, community and sacrifice to accomplish an impossible dream.

Abella is directing from the script she wrote alongside Hernàn Jiménez and Bettina Gilois.

The Amazon Original Movie will ultimately stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Salazar stars in Prime Video’s animated series Undone, and has also been part of such series as Big Mouth, Brand New Cherry Flavor, B Positive, Man Seeking Woman, Parenthood and American Horror Story, among others.

She recently appeared in Dean Fleischer-Camp’s live-action-animated hybrid Marcel the Shell with Shoes On for A24, and has also been seen in multiple Maze Runner films, as well as such titles as Pink Skies Ahead, Alita: Battle Angel, Bird Box, The Kindergarten Teacher and The Divergent Series: Insurgent.

The actress will next be seen in the Hulu series Wedding Season, launching in September.

Soto has been seen on series like Narcos: Mexico, and in such films as The Tax Collector, The Quarry and A Better Life. He’ll next be seen in Chase Joliet’s drama Grapefruit, as well as Eva Longoria’s Flamin’ Hot for Searchlight and Michael Lozano’s Bridge to Somewhere.

Cedillo is perhaps best known for turns on such series as Coyote, Narcos: Mexico and Queen of the South. Notable film credits include The Harder They Fall, Sicario, Frontera, Cowboys & Aliens, The Mist and Bordertown. The actor will next be seen in Jonás Cuarón’s feature Chupa, as well as Adrian Grunberg’s thriller The Black Demon, Lance Larson’s action-thriller Deadland and Mark Lambert Bristol’s dramedy Chocolate Lizards.

Falcón has previously appeared on series including Perry Mason, Ozark, Why Women Kill and Queen of the South, among many others. Notable film credits include The Starling, Jungle Cruise, The Forever Purge and Voyagers. The actress will next be seen in Aitch Alberto’s film Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, based on the book by Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

Cattleya Producciones Acquires Rights to Arturo Pérez-Reverte’s Novel “The Italian” with Plans to Adapt as a Miniseries

Posted on July 13, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It appears another of Arturo Pérez-Reverte’s novels is coming to life…

ITV Studios-owned Spanish drama house Cattleya Producciones has acquired the rights to the 70-year-old Spanish novelist and journalist’s bestselling novel El Italiano and will adapt it as a miniseries.

Inspired by real events, El Italiano is a story of love, spies and the sea set at the height of World War II in the Bay of Algeciras, where Italian combat divers are causing chaos among the Allied forces.

Arturo Díaz, Managing Director and Executive Producer of Cattleya Producciones, and Ricardo Tozzi, founder and President of Cattleya, are leafing the project.

Cattleya Producciones is searching for an international cast to bring El Italiano‘s Spanish, Italian and English characters to life.

Screenwriter Beto Marini, co-creator of Movistar+ series La Unidad and feature films such as Retribution and Extinction is adapting the story.

Pérez-Reverte was trained in underwater activities at Spain’s Centro de Buceo de la Armada (Navy Diving Center) in Cartagena in the late 1960s and part of El Italiano comes from a story told to him by his father when he was a child.

“I’m positive that this series from Cattleya, whose productions I have always admired for their quality, will be faithful to the story I wrote,” he said.

Pérez-Reverte’s previous work La Reina del Sur (2002), about a Mexican woman who becomes a leader of a drug trafficking cartel in the south of Spain, was adapted into a Spanish-language telenovela starring Kate del Castillo, and later an English-language series (Queen of the South) starring Alice Braga.

Peter Gadiot to Star in NBC’s Untitled Drama Pilot Based on Dutch Series “Adam & Eva”

Posted on May 5, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Peter Gadiot is embracing a new drama…

The 36-year-old half-Mexican actor has been cast as a series regular on NBC’s untitled drama pilot, which is based on the award-winning Dutch series Adam & Eva.

The former Queen of the South will star alongside Kim Matula, Ben Rappaport and Alexandra Chando in the pilot.

The project was written by The Village creator Mike Daniels and will be directed by Stephanie Laing.

The project, described as a funny and heartfelt drama, chronicles the epic love and lives of two complete strangers, Adam (Rappaport) and Eva (Chando), whose multiple run-ins begin to defy coincidence, leading both to believe in fate. The show breaks the mold by pairing a serialized, stand-up-and-cheer romantic comedy with the wildly diverse and often unexpected human stories of anyone who finds themselves six degrees from Adam and Eva.

Gadiot will play Felix, an ambitious fine art and fashion photographer whose depth and talent are an irresistible draw for Eva.

Series regular cast also includes Kevin Iannucci and Bethany Brown.

The Dutch series, which drew critical acclaim and ran from 2011-16, starred Teun Luijkx as Adam and Eva van de Wijdeven as Eva.

The adaptation is produced by Universal Television in association with 6107 Productions, David Janollari Entertainment and Willy Waltz International.

Gadiot, most recently seen in Yellowjackets, previously co-starred in USA’s Queen of the South as James Valdez. Other credits include Tut, opposite Ben Kingsley, Matador, from executive producer Robert Rodriguez; and Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. On the film side, Gadiot worked with Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola in the short film Prada Candy.

Justina Machado to Star in Mario Garcia’s Indie Comedy “The Throwback”

Posted on April 25, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s throwback time for Justina Machado.

The 49-year-old Puerto Rican actress will star opposite Will Sasso in The Throwback, an indie comedy marking the feature directorial debut of Mario Garcia.

The project will be heading into production in Tampa next month.

The film follows a married couple (Machado and Sasso) in full-blown midlife crisis who are thrown into further turmoil when the wife (Machado), an underappreciated and stressed ‘supermom,’ suffers a post-traumatic breakdown during the holiday season, causing her to regress to her 19-year-old college party-girl self.

Garcia wrote the script and will produce via his company Garcia Interactive, alongside Michael A. Alfieri of Miantri Films and Doug Fox. Machado and Sasso’s longtime manager, Danielle Del, will executive produce alongside Machado and Sterling Macer Jr.

Machado recently starred as Penelope on Sony Picture Television’s revival of One Day at a Time. She will next be seen in the Blumhouse-produced Amazon series, The Horror of Dolores Roach.

The actress has also been seen on series like Queen of the South, Jane the Virgin and Six Feet Under, among many others.

Her additional film credits include All Together Now, The Purge: Anarchy, The Call and The Accidental Husband.

Natalie Chaidez Signs Exclusive, Multi-Year Deal with Warner Bros. Television

Posted on April 5, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Natalie Chaidez has been warn(er)ed.

The Latina television writer and producer has signed an exclusive, multi-year deal with Warner Bros. Television.

As part of the deal, she’ll develop and create original programming via WBTV for all platforms.

The news comes ahead of HBO Max’s Season 2 premiere of The Flight Attendant on April 21, marking Chaidez’s debut as series executive producer and co-showrunner alongside Steve Yockey.

Chaidez is a veteran creator, executive producer and showrunner who works in both television and features. Prior to joining The Flight Attendant, she served as executive producer and writer on USA Network’s crime drama Queen of the South.

She previously created and executive produced the Syfy drama series Hunters. Her additional TV writing and producing credits include 12 Monkeys, In Plain Sight, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Heroes, Judging Amy and New York Undercover among many others.

She was nominated for an Emmy and WGA Award for her work on Heroes.

Most recently, Chaidez received a pilot order from Freeform for the coming-of-age story AZNBBGRL, a collaboration with Dinh Thai.

Peter Gadiot to Star in Netflix’s Live-Action Series “One Piece”

Posted on March 28, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Peter Gadiot has found a little piece of mind…

The 36-year-old half-Mexican actor has joined the cast of Netflix’s upcoming One Piece.

Gadiot will play Shanks, the legendary captain of the red-haired pirate crew in the live-action series based on the Manga classic, from Tomorrow Studios and One Piece publisher Shueisha.

The casting news was announced Monday by Gadiot himself via video at Shueisha’s Great Pirate Festival.

One Piece follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew as they explore a fantastical world of endless oceans and exotic islands in search of the world’s ultimate treasure known as “One Piece” to become the next Pirate King. Writers Matt Owens and Steven Maeda serve as co-showrunners and executive producers.

Gadiot joins previously announced cast Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D Luffy; Mackenyu as Rorona Zoro; Emily Rudd as Nami; Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp; Taz Skylar as Sanji; Morgan Davies as Koby; Ilia Isorelýs Paulino as Alvida; Aidan Scott as Helmeppo; Jeff Ward as Buggy; McKinley Belcher III as Arlong and Vincent Regan as Garp.

Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements of Tomorrow Studios are executive producers alongside Eiichiro Oda, the author of the manga series.

Gadiot played the series regular role of James Valdez on Queen of the South and most recently was seen in a recurring role on Yellow Jackets.

Dailyn Rodriguez Adapting “Tropicana Nights: The Life and Times of the Legendary Cuban Nightclub” for Television

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Dailyn Rodriguez is preparing for some hot Havana nights…

The Cuban American television writer and producer and Queen of the South showrunner is teaming up with Keshet Studios, to adapt Tropicana Nights: The Life and Times of the Legendary Cuban Nightclub by Rosa Lowinger and Ofelia Fox.

Tropicana Nights, which is in the vein of Moulin Rouge, Cabaret and Casino, tells the story of the notorious Cuban nightclub in the 1950s, when the club provided a fun, vibrant, wildly entertaining safe haven for those looking to escape the political unrest and persecution on the streets of Havana.

It centers on the love story and partnership between the club’s owners Martin and Ofelia Fox, who tirelessly fought to preserve their paradise under the stars against various threats, including rival club owners, the mafia and Cuban revolutionaries.

The El Tropicano night club, which opened in 1939 and is still open today, played host to greats such as Nat King Cole and party goers included Marlon Brando, Ernest Hemingway, Rita Hayworth and J.F.K.

Keshet Studios’ president Peter Traugott tells Deadline that the project came out of a general meeting with Rodriguez, who has also written on series including Fox’s Fantasy Island reboot and ABC’s Ugly Betty.

“It’s a spectacularly beautiful space that still exists today. But when you peel it back a bit, [the Tropicana] was this kind of safe-haven for people who didn’t fit in, people from all over the world –people of different colours, sexualities, genders and whatever was going in beyond the walls was left behind,” he said. “It’s a really crazy love story at the centre with this backdrop and at it centre its exploring lots of issues that are still relevant.

Rodriguez added, “I’ve wanted to write about the Tropicana for years. My mother used to tell me amazing stories about the shows she and my father saw there, so this dynamic, special world is close to my heart.”

Keshet Studios is now taking it out to market.

Natalie Chaidez Developing Television Series Based on the Late Oscar “Zeta” Acosta’s Novels

Posted on July 19, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

The late Oscar “Zeta” Acosta’s life story will be getting the Hollywood treatment…

Half-Mexican American television writer/producer Natalie Chaidez has acquired the film and television rights to the late Chicano attorney, politician, novelist and activist’s novels Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo and The Revolt of the Cockroach People.

She will executive produce and supervise writing for an upcoming television series.

Chaidez is developing the project with Joe Loya and Phillip Rodriguez.

Acosta was a Mexican American activist in the Chicano Civil Rights Movement who disappeared in Mexico in 1974, a year after his second novel The Revolt of the Cockroach People was released and is presumed dead. He is also famously known for his friendship with Hunter S. Thomson, who characterized Acosta as Samoan attorney Dr. Gonzo in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

“Oscar Zeta Acosta has been a passion of mine since I first encountered his books in an East LA library. Acosta’s story is one of the deepest and cinematic stories in the Latinx canon. I’m thrilled to bring his story to life,” Chaidez told Deadline in an exclusive statement.

The televison series will feature elements from both of his published novels, the first is loosely based on his early years, and the second tells real stories from his later years during the Chicano movement while changing the identities of those involved. It’s currently being shopped around to networks and streamers.

Chaidez is currently co-showrunner on the second season of HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant alongside Steve Yockey currently in production. She was previously an executive producer and writer on USA Network’s Queen of the South and served as creator and executive producer of the Syfy drama Hunters.

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