New Episodes of “The Bay,” Starring A Martinez, Coming Out Beginning This Month

Posted on November 5, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

A Martinez is returning to The Bay…

The Daytime Emmy-winning drama series The Bay, starring the 75-year-old part-Mexican actor, will release eighteen all new episodes daily this month and in December.

The series is an independent multi-camera drama that’s produced under a non-struck SAG-AFTRA contract, which has allowed the series to continue production and self distribute new content.

The final four new episodes of season 7 will air on Popstar! TV starting November 14 at 4:00 pm ET / 1:00 pm PT with encore presentations at 9:00 pm ET and 9:00 pm PT. Replays of Season 7 will follow in its entirety every weekday up to the debut of 14 all-new episodes of season 8, beginning Monday, December 11, and will include The Bay’s 100th episode special on, December 14.

Previously on The Bay, several chore characters found their lives hanging in the balance after being kidnapped and brought to a non-disclosed location in Puerto Rico by the nefarious Adam Kenway (Daytime Emmy-winner Kristos Andrews).

With help in Bay City from the Police Commissioner Lex Martin and former Police Detective Nardo Ramos (Daytime Emmy-winners Tristan Rogers and A Martinez), vigilantes Pete Garrett (also played by Andrews), Caleb McKinnon (Daytime Emmy-winner Mike Manning), and R.J. Garrett-Foster (Najee DeTiege) set out to a remote island to find and rescue their abducted family members Vivian Johnson-Garrett (Daytime Emmy-winner Karrueche Tran), Daniel Garrett (Daytime Emmy-winner Eric Nelsen), and Tamara Garrett (Celeste Fianna). But will they arrive in time?

Back in Bay City, psychic medium and southern belle Sofia Madison (played by the late Jacklyn Zeman, in her Emmy nominated role) taps into socialite and town matriarch Sara Garrett’s (Daytime Emmy-winner Mary Beth Evans) coma to discover she’s being visited by the spirit of her deceased husband, Lee Nelson (Joe Lando) and haunted by the ghost of her late grandfather, the corrupt Senator Red Garrett (Golden Globe-winner and Oscar-nominated special guest star Bruce Davison), whose spirit is said to have cursed the town after his drowning in the bay 30 years prior.

In December, the series will introduce billionaire Sir Thomas Kenway (played by special guest star Maxwell Caulfield), the father of Adam Kenway.

Returning series regulars include Brandon Beemer, Alicia Leigh Willis, Matthew Ashford, Taylor Stanley, Carlo Mendez, Kiara Liz Ortega and Dante Aleksander.

The Bay received three Daytime Emmy nominations this year for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series, Outstanding Writing and for Outstanding Directing. It is written and produced by Daytime Emmy-winners Gregori J Martin and Wendy Riche and is owned by the independent production company LANY Entertainment, in association with She Mogul Media.

Filmed at ATI Studios in Burbank, a segment of season 7 of The Bay was shot on location in Puerto Rico. Ninety-two episodes of THE BAY are currently available on Tubi, Prime Video, and Popstar! TV, with several episodes also available for streaming on Peacock and The Roku Channel.

Fans can also #BingeTheBay on demand on multiple streaming platforms in early 2024.

Jenna Ortega Starring Opposite Paul Rudd in A24’s Dark Comedy “Death of a Unicorn”

Posted on November 2, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Death becomes Jenna Ortega.

The 21-year-old Mexican American actress has wrapped work on A24’s dark comedy Death of a Unicorn, which co-stars Paul Rudd.

The ensemble cast includes Richard E. Grant, Téa Leoni, Will Poulter, Anthony Carrigan, Sunita Mani, Jessica Hynes and Stephen Park.

Filmed over the summer under a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, Death of a Unicorn marks the directorial debut of Alex Scharfman, who also penned the script.

The film follows a father (Rudd) and daughter (Ortega) who accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where the former’s billionaire boss (Grant) seeks to exploit the creature’s miraculous curative properties.

A24 will globally distribute the film after co-financing alongside Ley Line Entertainment.

Halloween’s John Carpenter is composing music for the film alongside son Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies. Larry Fong is on board as Director of Photography, with Amy Williams as Production Designer, Avy Kaufman as Casting Director and Andrea Flesch as Costume Designer.

Disney Releases First Look Photo of Rachel Zegler in Live-Action “Snow White” Film

Posted on October 27, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Rachel Zegler is the fairest of them all…

Disney has released a first look photo of its live-action Snow White film, starring the 22-year-old half-Colombian American Golden Globe-winning actress and singer.

The film’s release date has been pushed back a year to March 21, 2025, amidst the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.

Zegler portrays the title character in the new take on Disney’s 1937 animated classic, a work foundational to the studio’s empire that was itself based on a 19th century fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm.

The story follows a princess who is rescued by seven dwarf miners who make Snow White part of their household after she’s exiled into a dangerous forest by her wicked stepmother.

The new still from Disney’s Snow White features Zegler’s princess opposite dwarves Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy and Sneezy.

Marc Webb directed from a script by Barbie‘s Greta Gerwig and Erin Cressida Wilson, with Marc Platt producing.

Gal Gadot plays the Evil Queen, with Tony Award winner Andrew Burnap portraying a new male lead character.

Original songs for the film were penned by the Oscar-winning La La Land duo of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Oscar Isaac to Star in the Crime Thriller “In the Hand of Dante”

Posted on October 16, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Oscar Isaac has a new project on his hand(s)…

The 44-year-old Cuban-Guatemalan actor will star in the crime thriller In the Hand of Dante, with Oscar nominee Julian Schnabel directing and Martin Scorsese among the executive producers.

Isaac will star opposite Jason Momoa and Gerard Butler in the film, which is in production in Italy and recently landed an Interim Agreement from SAG-AFTRA allowing it to film during the actors strike.

Based on the novel by Nick Tosches, it follows the story of the original manuscript for The Divine Comedy emerging in the clutches of a black-market smuggling ring in the dangerous underbelly of New York City, and weary scholar Nick is called by the mob to authenticate it.

Overwhelmed by temptation, Nick defies the mafia and steals the manuscript in a frenzied bid to have it all. He follows a dark and violent path from a metaphorical Hell into Paradise with his love Giulietta, while a parallel tale unfolds: the odyssey of Dante himself, a man who is trapped in a loveless marriage with Gemma and bolstered only by his mentorship under an austere intellectual. He escapes to Sicily and creates his greatest work, immortalizing his lost love, Beatrice.

Nick and Dante’s timelines weave separate paths, and yet the two men are inextricably linked — both lose themselves chasing love, beauty and the very promise of the divine.

Scorsese will executive produce alongside DreamCrew, Screen Capital/Screen One and Tribune Pictures, with Isaac (through his production company Mad Gene Media) and Schnabel also executive producing.

ABC to Premiere New Season of Dancing with the Stars, Featuring Xochitl Gomez, As Scheduled

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Xochitl Gomez is headed to the ballroom as originally scheduled…

ABC will proceed as planned with the September 26 season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, featuring the 17-year-old Mexican American actress, in light of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the studios reaching a tentative agreement on Sunday night.

The reality competition will kick off its 32nd season with its full celebrity cast, including Gomez.

The network last Thursday put in place plans to postpone DWTS‘ return after actors in its celebrity cast, particularly Walsh, Alyson Hannigan and Mira Sorvino, came under pressure from striking WGA members.

Last week, WGA picketers targeted multiple rehearsals for DWTS, which is a WGA signatory that typically employs one writer to pen talking points for the host.

Picketing on the show continued through yesterday. Just hours before the WGA-AMPTP deal was announced, a group of around 35 writers went out to picket Dancing with the Stars at TV City where producers were doing prep ahead of the Tuesday live season opener.

Following the tentative deal with the studios, all WGA picketing was suspended Sunday night.

Variety shows like DWTS are covered under the SAG-AFTRA National Code of Fair Practice for Network Television Broadcasting, better known as Network Code. It is separate to the film and TV collective bargaining agreement that SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP negotiated unsuccessfully in the spring and early summer, leading to the current actors strike.

Because of that, ABC is allowed to put on DWTS, and SAG-AFTRA members are allowed to participate. In fact, SAG-AFTRA last week backed actors who are appearing on the show, noting that they are not in violation of strike rules and are required to go to work. It is the show’s WGA affiliation via the employment of one writer out of 500 crew members that made it a struck production.

Season 32 marks the return of DWTS to ABC. The show aired last season on Disney+. The new season will simulcast live on Disney+ and be available next day on Hulu.

A24 Moves Release Date of Jacob Elordi’s New Film “Priscilla” to November

Posted on September 8, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jacob Elordi’s Blue Suede Shoes will have to wait an extra week…

A24’s Sofia Coppola-directed film, Priscilla, starring the 26-year-old half-Spanish Australian actor, will now go wide on November 3 instead of October 27.

The news comes on the heels of a glowing world premiere out of the Venice Film Festival where the movie based on the Priscilla Presley’s memoir Elvis and Me grabbed a 94% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.

With Dune: Part Two moving off of November 3, it creates more breathing room for others movies and availability of theaters. And, it’s also the last ‘official’ weekend of the Taylor Swift: Eras Concert movie.

Talent and creators of the film including Coppola, Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi are now cleared to promote the film since it was granted a SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreement ahead of its world premiere.

The film stars Spaeny as Priscilla and Elordi as Elvis. Coppola adapted the memoir. Producers are Coppola, Lorenzo Mieli and Youree Henley.

John Leguizamo Starring in “Bob Trevino Likes It”

Posted on August 24, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

John Leguizamo likes it!

The 63-year-old Colombian actor, comedian and film producer stars in Bob Trevino Likes It, which recently wrapped production in Louisville, Ky.

Bob Trevino Likes It marks the feature debut for writer and director Tracie Laymon.

In addition to Leguizamo, the film also stars Barbie Ferreira, best known for her work on Euphoria.

They appear alongside the previously announced French Stewart, Lauren “Lolo” Spencer and Rachel Bay Jones.

The film is inspired by Laymon’s life. It centers around a people-pleasing young woman who, while searching for her estranged father online, unexpectedly forms a close bond with a grieving, childless man with the same name on Facebook.

“This is a story about learning to let go of the people who continually hurt you to make room for the people who want to love and support you,” says Laymon. “Having personally experienced many of the events that inspired this film, I’ve witnessed how our small acts of kindness toward others create a ripple effect that can change the world for the better.”

“We are so pleased to have been able to help Tracie Laymon and her team get through principal photography. The cast has provided extraordinary performances,” says executive producer Kirk D’Amico. “I think distributors will be pleasantly surprised to see this unique comedy with heart come to life on the screen. We look forward to introducing the film to distributors around the world during this upcoming TIFF.”

Myriad Pictures has acquired worldwide sales rights and will launch sales out of Toronto in September.

The film is one of the first independent productions to be approved for a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement during the actors strike.

Ángel Manuel Soto Teaming Up with Dave Bautista & Jason Momoa for Buddy Action Comedy “The Wrecking Crew”

Posted on August 21, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Ángel Manuel Soto is wrecking things…

The 40-year-old Puerto Rican film director, producer, screenwriter and Blue Beetle director is teaming up with Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa on The Wrecking Crew, the buddy action comedy that they’ve set up at MGM.

Bautista and Momoa were both in talks for the film, scripted by Warrior creator Jonathan Tropper, long before the SAG-AFTRA strike. Tropper’s deal was negotiated and closed, and his script submitted, prior to the WGA strike began in early May.

Plot details are being kept under wraps for now, but Bautista and Momoa sold the pitch to MGM following a four-bidder battle in the fall 2021. Jeffrey Fierson, Momoa’s collaborator on the Netflix/Discovery Canada series Frontier, will produce.

Soto most recently helmed Blue Beetle — the first DC film fronted by a Latino superhero, which opened this past weekend.

Other notable recent projects from the filmmaker include two for Max: the docuseries Menudo: Forever Young and drama Charm City Kings.

Guillermo del Toro’s “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” Wins Humanitas Prize

Posted on August 17, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Guillermo del Toro is a Humanitas prize winner…

The 58-year-old Mexican filmmaker and author’s Oscar-winning project Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio has won the Family Feature Film prize from Humanitas, the organization that annually honors film and television writers whose work best explores the human condition.

Following a win at the Golden Globes, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio won Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 12 in Los Angeles.

Humanitas will not hold its usual awards show this year in solidarity with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, opting for a party to celebrate winners on November 2 at the Avalon Hollywood.

Here’s the list of year’s winners and nominees:

DRAMA TELEPLAY

Winner
Craig Mazin: The Last of Us, “Long, Long Time”

Nominees
Peter Gould: Better Call Saul, “Saul Gone”
D.J. Nash & James Roday Rodriguez: A Million Little Things, “One Big Thing”
Ben Vanstone: All Creatures Great and Small, “Surviving Siegfried”

COMEDY TELEPLAY

Winner
Amy Sherman-Palladino: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “Four Minutes”

Nominees
Francesca Sloane & Karen Joseph Adcock: Atlanta, “The Goof Who Sat by the Door”
Sterlin Harjo & Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs: Reservation Dogs, “Mabel”
Garrett Werner: Abbott Elementary, “Read-A-Thon”

CHILDREN’S TELEPLAY (Live Action or Animation)

Winner
Hernán Barangan: Life By Ella, “Prison or Palace”

Nominees
Gigi D.G.: Pinecone & Pony, “A Life of Adventure”
Kwame Alexander & Damani Johnson: The Crossover, “X’s and 0’s”
Lisa Muse Bryant: Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, “Hair Today Gone Tomorrow”

DRAMA FEATURE FILM

Winner
Tyler Perry: A Jazzman’s Blues

Nominees
Rebecca Lenkiewicz: She Said
Michael Reilly & Keith Beauchamp and Chinonye Chukwu: Till

COMEDY FEATURE FILM

Winner
Cooper Raiff: Cha Cha Real Smooth

Nominees
Peter Farrelly & Brian Currie & Pete Jones: The Greatest Beer Run Ever
Mark Rizzo: Champions
Tom Huang: Dealing with Dad

FAMILY FEATURE FILM

Winner
Guillermo del Toro, Patrick McHale: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Nominees
Paul Fisher and Tommy Swerdlow: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
David Hudgins: Gigi & Nate

LIMITED SERIES, TV MOVIE OR SPECIAL

Winner
Tony Phelan & Joan Rater: A Small Light, “Pilot”

Nominees
Brian Savelson: Little America, “Paper Piano”
Lee Eisenberg & Idil Ibrahim: Little America, “Camel on a Stick”
Michael Nankin and Barbara Nance: An Amish Sin

DOCUMENTARY

Winner
Ondi Timoner: Last Flight Home

Nominees
Lisa Hepner: The Human Trial
Razelle Benally and Matthew Galkin: Murder In Big Horn, “Episode 1”
Stefan Forbes: Hold Your Fire

SHORT FILM

Winner
Sabina Vajrača: Sevap/Mitzvah

Nominees
Joseph Lee: Other Homes
Felicia Pride: Look Back At It
Chris Bowman and Hubbel Palmer: Ninety-five Senses

VOICE FOR CHANGE

WGA

NEW VOICES FELLOWSHIP

2023 Fellows
Jordan Guingao, Max Asayesh-Brown, Julia Weisberg Cortés, Terron Jones, and Luis Antonio Aldana & Miguel Angel Caballero

Finalists
Feyza Safoglu, Luke Hart-Moynihan, Adrien Callahan, Callie Waligora, and Lane Stanley

Semifinalists
Marina Kato, Emma Demorest, Kaelan Dickinson, Natasha Trotter, Jon Lazar, April Wright, AP Hello, Dennis Gonzalez, Nadine Pequeneza, Gina Young, Nia Ashley, Chaseedaw Giles, Ziyao Liu, Yeon Jin Lee, and Julia Bergeron

CAROL MENDELSOHN COLLEGE DRAMA AWARD

Awardee
Lara Palmqvist, “The Garden”

Finalists
Feyza Safoglu, AJ Currie, and Liz Beall

Semifinalists
Victor Adame, Carrie Finn, Anthony Poon, Aaron Lopez, Sophia Lin, Ahmed Uthman, Jacqueline Olivé, Tracy Kowalski, Marcus Crawford Guy, Alex Marsha Sylvia, Noah Arjomand, Charmaine Colina, María Cristina Marrero-Morales, Christopher Lukens, Cynda Wang, Renee Cunningham

DAVID AND LYNN ANGELL COLLEGE COMEDY AWARD

Awardee
Emma Fiske-Dobell, “Shakespeare Sister”

Finalists
Jules Crosby, Reid Pope, and Kevin Walsh

Semifinalists
Gabrielle Ruiz, Juwairiya Syed, Aadrise Johnson, Kareem El Arab, Hayley Zablotsky, Alexia Valentina Ureña, Isabela Aquino, Straton Rushing, Catherine Loerke, Ari Shapiro, Adrien Callahan, Callie Waligora, Chandler Moore, Tia Phillip, Cara-Lynn Branch, and Melina Maraki

HBO Orders Half-Hour Comedy “The Franchise,” Featuring Daniel Brühl, to Series

Posted on August 9, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Daniel Brühl is a franchisee…

HBO has ordered to series the half-hour comedy The Franchise, featuring the 45-year-old Spanish-German actor.

From Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes, Armando Iannucci and writer Jon Brown, the series takes a wry look at superhero movie-making.

Work on the pilot was completed before the SAG-AFTRA strike began, and production on the series won’t begin until the strikes have concluded.

Himesh Patel and Aya Cash have joined as series regulars on the comedy, which revolves around the crew of an unloved franchise movie who fight for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe.

The Franchise shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking to ask the question: How exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every f*ckup has an origin story.

Patel and Cash are featured in the pilot, but their roles never were announced.

In addition to Brühl in a recurring role, the previously announced cast includes series regulars Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, and Isaac Powell.

“With a deft touch only he can bring, Sam has brilliantly captured the romance and the reality of filmmaking today, said Amy Gravitt, EVP, HBO Programming, Head of HBO & Max Comedy. “Jon is superb at sending up worlds we think we already know. Together, with Armando, they have delivered a truly hilarious comedy ensemble. I can’t wait to see more.”

The series comes from the mind of Mendes and marks his first U.S. TV directorial project. He won a Best Director Oscar for American Beauty and earned three Academy Award nominations for 1917, for Best Picture, Director and Original Screenplay.

Patel stars as Daniel, Cash as Anita, Hynes as Steph, Magnussen as Adam, Adefope as Dag, Goldstein as Pat and Powell as Bryson. Brühl recurs as Eric.

The pilot was directed by Mendes and written by Jon Brown, who serves as showrunner.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

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