Machado Cast in USA’s “Paging Dr. Freed” Pilot

Justina Machado will be heading back to the hospital in the near future…

The 40-year-old Puerto Rican actress has landed the last regular role in USA’s single-camera comedy pilot Paging Dr. Freed, which begins shooting in Los Angeles this week.

Justina Machado

The project centers on gynecologist brothers David (Kyle Howard) and Jonathan (Joel David Moore) who inherit their father’s thriving medical practice and have to deal with their meddling mother (Annie Potts).

Machado, who has appeared on the medical shows ER and Three Rivers, will portray the no-nonsense office manager and gatekeeper at the practice who acts as the brothers’ tough-loving figure at the workplace.

Machado is best known for her role as Vanessa Diaz on the HBO drama series Six Feet Under. She most recently appeared on the final season of ABC’s Desperate Housewives.

Rodriguez to Star in the Punk-Rock Indie Film “CBGB”

Freddy Rodriguez will soon be helping shine a spotlight on New York City’s punk-rock scene.

The 37-year-old Puerto Rican actor has joined the growing cast of CBGB, a film that will take a look at the Big Apple’s venerable nightclub of the same name.

Freddy Rodriguez

The former Six Feet Under and Ugly Betty star will appear as Idaho, an addict who hung around Hily Kristal’s infamous New York City club in the 1970s.

Rodriguez—who will be starring in the upcoming John Stockwell-directed drama Code Name Geronimo, which centers on the hunt for Osama bin Laden—is scheduled to start work on CBGB next week.

Randall Miller is writing and directing the indie film about the club that saw the birth of American punk rock with bands like The Ramones, Blondie, Television and the Dead Boys on its tiny stage.

Sons of Anarchy’s Ryan Hurst has also joined the cast as a biker named Mad Mountain who is a regular at the club and provides Hily Kristal with some much need help when the CBGB owner. Alan Rickman will play CBGB proprietor Kristal.

Malin Akerman is set to play Blondie’s lead singer Debbie Harry. Twilight Saga’s Ashley Greene will play Kristal’s daughter. The Hangover’s Justin Bartha will play Stiv Bators, lead singer of the Dead Boys. The Big Bang Theory’s Johnny Galecki is playing band manager Terry Ork. Foo Fighters’ drummer Taylor Hawkins is playing Iggy Pop. And Harry Potter’s Rupert Grint will play Dead Boys guitarist Cheetah Chrome.

The film is shooting in Savannah, Ga., before moving to NYC.

Rodriguez Starring in Racing Film with Leo…

Freddy Rodriguez is heading “over the wall” with an Academy Award-winning actress…

Melissa Leo—this year’s Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Fighter—has signed on to star in Rodriguez’s upcoming project, Over the Wall.
Freddy Rodriguez

The racing film is a love story set in the world of stock car racing. Written by Steven Christopher Young, it follows a husband, wife,
surrogate mother and best friend dealing with a tragic event.

Over the Wall will also star Nick Stahl and Hayden Panettiere.

The movie, executive produced by Rodriguez and Steven Beer and Rodriguez, will shoot in Ohio and North Carolina in the spring.

Rodriguez is best known for playing “Rico” Diaz on HBO’s Six Feet Under and as Giovanni “Gio” Rossi on ABC’s Ugly Betty.