Philip Anthony-Rodriguez to Appear on Season Three of Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer”

Philip Anthony-Rodriguez is lawyering up…

The 55-year-old Puerto Rican actor has joined the cast for the third season of Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer.

Philip Anthony-Rodriguez

Anthony-Rodriguez is among a roster of new cast additions that includes Merrin Dungey, Allyn Moriyon and John Pirruccello.

They join returning stars Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Mickey Haller, Becki Newton as Lorna, Jazz Raycole as Izzy, Angus Sampson as Cisco and Yaya DaCosta as Andrea Freemann.

The recurring cast also includes Neve Campbell, Elliott Gould, Krista Warner, Fiona Rene and Devon Graye.

Anthony-Rodriguez will portray Adam Suarez, the Chief Deputy District Attorney, to whom prosecutor Andrea Freeman (DaCosta) reports and who proves to be a force with whom she must reckon.

Season 3, currently in production, consists of 10 episodes and is based on the fifth book in The Lincoln Lawyer series by Michael ConnellyThe Gods of Guilt. In a preview for the new season with Deadline.com, co-showrunners and executive producers Ted Humphrey and Dailyn Rodriguez shared the unique way they’re adapting the book their way.

“While Season 3 of The Lincoln Lawyer is based on Michael Connelly’s novel The Gods of Guilt, we decided that a fun (and poignant) way to come into the season would be via a flashback sequence that gave us some insight into how Mickey Haller became Mickey Haller — not just the brilliant criminal defense lawyer but the husband, the father, and the man that he would come to be,” they said.

“There is no comparable flashback in the book, so we devised something that would also serve as a fitting introduction to the story of the season, both on a plot level but also emotionally. These images, of a young Mickey finishing up surfing before a life-changing day at work, as well as cuddling on the couch with his wife Maggie after putting their young daughter Hayley to bed, are from a pair of these flashback scenes that bookend the first episode and propel us into the rest of Season 3,” they added.

Anthony-Rodriguez is an Emmy-nominated actor who most recently appeared in Hulu’s The Company You Keep and Freeform’s Good Trouble.

His other television credits include Apple’s The Morning Show, the voice of Fifth Brother in Star Wars Rebels and the role of Ruben Enriquez on four seasons of ABC Family’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

Netflix Renews Manuel Garcia-Rulfo’s “The Lincoln Lawyer” for Third Season

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo is lawyering up for another season…

Netflix has renewed The Lincoln Lawyer, starring the 42-year-old Mexican actor, for a 10-episode third season.

Manuel Garcia-RulfoThe announcement follows a successful sophomore turn that saw the series reach the Top 10 in 81 countries.

Season 3 will be based on The Gods of Guilt, the fifth book in Michael Connelly’s Lincoln Lawyer series.

Garcia-Rulfo will return as Mickey Haller. Additionally, Becki Newton (Lorna), Jazz Raycole (Izzy), Angus Sampson (Cisco), Yaya DaCosta (Andrea Freemann) and others will reprise their roles.

The show follows Mickey Haller, an iconoclastic idealist who runs his law practice out of the back seat of his Lincoln as he takes on cases big and small across the expansive city of Los Angeles. The second season was based on the fourth book in Connelly’s series, The Fifth Witness.

“The audience response to the show has been so gratifying and wonderful, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to dive back into Michael Connelly’s universe and bring Mickey Haller and his world to the screen again,” said Ted Humphrey and Dailyn Rodriguez, co-showrunners and executive producers.

Humphrey and Rodriguez executive produce alongside David E. Kelley, Connelly, Ross Fineman, Barry Jossen and Tana Jamieson.

The Lincoln Lawyer was created for television by Kelley and developed by Humphrey. A+E Studios is the studio.

Yaya DaCosta to Appear on Season Two of Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer”

Yaya DaCosta is preparing to call her next witness…

The 39-year-old half-Brazilian American actress/model has joined the Season 2 cast of Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer in a recurring role.

Yaya DaCostaDaCosta will portray Andrea Freemann, a cutthroat prosecutor and Mickey Haller’s (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) undefeated courtroom rival, who is also a friend of his ex-wife Maggie (Neve Campbell).

Based on the series of bestselling novels by Michael ConnellyThe Lincoln Lawyer follows the redemption of Mickey Haller, a Los Angeles attorney who regains much of what he lost due to addiction with hard work and hustle. His success is also thanks to his devoted supporters: his ex-wives Maggie and Lorna (Becki Newton), his driver and unofficial sponsor Izzy (Jazz Raycole), and the best investigator in town—and Lorna’s newly minted fiancé—Cisco (Angus Sampson).

DaCosta isn’t the latest addition to the show…

Lana Parrilla recently joined Season 2 in the role of Lisa Trammell, a beloved chef and community advocate struggling to keep her restaurant afloat as a predatory real estate developer threatens the neighborhood around her. As the season’s client, Lisa will surely bear witness to Andrea’s fierce courtroom arguments as she goes head-to-head with Mickey.

The 10-episode second season will be based on the fourth book in The Lincoln Lawyer series by ConnellyThe Fifth Witness.

Season 2 will be executive-produced by co-showrunners Ted Humphrey and Dailyn Rodriguez; as well as Connelly, David E. Kelley, Ross Fineman, Barry Jossen and Tana Jamieson. The series is produced by A+E Studios for Netflix.

DaCosta most recently returned to the role of April Sexton in NBC’s Chicago Med following her exit after six seasons in 2021. Additionally, she starred as Angela Vaughn in Fox’s Our Kind of People. Her other television credits include Ugly BettyHouse, and All My Children.

Her big screen credits include The Nice Guys, The ButlerIn TimeTron: Legacy and The Kids Are Alright.

Melissa De Sousa to Appear on Fox’s Drama Series “Our Kind of People”

Melissa De Sousa has found her people

The 54-year-old Panamanian American actress has landed a recurring role opposite Morris Chestnut and Yaya DaCosta in the Fox drama series Our Kind of Peoplefrom writer/executive producer Karin Gist and executive producer Lee Daniels.

Melissa De Sousa

The role reunites De Sousa with Chestnut, with whom she stars in The Best Man franchise. Joe Morton also stars in the series.

Inspired by Lawrence Otis Graham’s book Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class, the series written by Gist takes place in the aspirational world of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard, a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful Black elite have come to play for more than 50 years.

Our Kind of People follows strong-willed single mom Angela Vaughn (DaCosta) as she sets out to reclaim her family’s name and make an impact with her revolutionary haircare line that highlights the innate, natural beauty of Black women. But she soon discovers a dark secret about her mother’s past that will turn her world upside-down and shake up this community forever.

De Sousa will play Alex Rivera. Attractive and savvy, Alex Rivera is an accomplished financial reporter and Raymond’s (Chestnut’s) ex-wife.

A co-production between 20th Century Fox Television and Fox EntertainmentOur Kind of People is executive produced by Gist and Claire Brown via The Gist of It Productions; Daniels and Marc Velez via Lee Daniels Entertainment; Pam Williams; Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens and Rodney Ferrell via Propagate; and Montrel McKay.

De Sousa, best known for her performance as the infamous Shelby in the Universal franchise The Best Man and The Best Man Holiday, will next star opposite Chestnut in the Peacock limited series The Best Man: The Final Chapter.

She most recently recurred as Chief Ana Lopez on the CW’s Black Lightning and as the pill-popping journalist Mirta Herrera on Showtime’s On Becoming A God In Central Florida opposite Kirsten Dunst.

Fox Releases First Look Trailer for Yaya DaCosta’s Drama Series “Our Kind of People”

Yaya DaCosta isn’t Bluffin’

Fox has released the first teaser trailer for its new drama Our Kind of People, starring the 38-year-old half-Brazilian American actress.

Yaya DaCosta

The clip shows DaCosta’s character Angela Vaughn isn’t playing around when it comes to what’s truly hers.

The series hails from writer/executive producer Karin Gist and executive producer Lee Daniels.

Inspired by Lawrence Otis Graham’s book Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class, the series written by Gist takes place in the aspirational world of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard, a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful Black elite have come to play for more than 50 years.

Our Kind of People follows strong-willed single mom Angela Vaughn (DaCosta) as she sets out to reclaim her family’s name and make an impact with her revolutionary haircare line that highlights the innate, natural beauty of Black women. But she soon discovers a dark secret about her mother’s past that will turn her world upside-down and shake up this community forever.

“My mama worked for one of them, but I have a secret that will expose them all,” DaCosta’s Angela says about her family. “Little do they know I’m one of them. So whether they like it or not, I belong here.”

Our Kind of People premieres on Tuesday, September 21, and also features Morris Chestnut, Joe Morgan, Alana Bright, Rhyon Nicole Brown, Debbi Morgan, Kyle Bary, Lance Gross, Nadine Ellis and L. Scott Caldwell.

Our Kind of People was the first Fox drama series ordered for the 2021-22 season and the first series to come out of the network’s script-to-series model introduced last summer.

Tasha Smith will direct the series premiere.

NBC Moves Up Dacosta’s “Chicago Med” Premiere to Fall

Yaya Dacosta’s new series is headed to television sooner than expected…

NBC is tweaking its fall schedule, replacing the new medical drama Heartbreaker with the 32-year-old part-Brazilian American actress’ new series Chicago Med.

Yaya Dacosta in Chicago Med

The network had announced a fall 2015 Tuesday lineup consisting of The Voice leading to Heartbreaker and new variety show Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris, to be succeeded by NBC Tuesday 10 PM anchor Chicago Fire in November, when Best Time Ever’s run ends.

Chicago Med, which originated as a planted spinoff episode of Chicago Fire this past season, was previously slated for a midseason launch but will now debut in September behind The Voice. Starting in November, it will form a Chicago 9-11 PM block, paired with the franchise’s mothership series.

The scheduling change stems from the pregnancy of Heartbreaker star Melissa George, who is expecting her second child.

Both Heartbreaker and Chicago Med will start production in mid-summer, but Heartbreaker will then go on hiatus to accommodate George’s pregnancy.

Dick Wolf’s Chicago Med is described as an emotional thrill ride through the day-to-day chaos of the city’s most explosive hospital.

Chicago Med also stars Oliver Platt, S. Epatha Merkerson, Laurie Holden and Nick Gehlfuss.

DaCosta to Star in NBC’s “Chicago Fire” Spinoff “Chicago Med”

Yaya DaCosta is ready to go on call…

The 32-year-old part-Brazilian American actress, who recently portrayed Whitney Houston in the Lifetime biopic about the late singer, is set to star in NBC’s Chicago Med, the proposed ensemble medical drama spinoff from Chicago Fire.

Yaya DaCosta

DaCosta and the other cast members of the potential spinoff will be introduced in Episode 19 of Chicago Fire this season.

DaCosta will play Maggie Seaver (formerly Emily Sexton), an attractive nurse who begins to date Chicago Fire‘s Kelly (Taylor Kinney), with whom she has a history dating back to high school.

Like with Chicago PD, which also started as a planted spinoff from Chicago Fire, the Chicago Med  episode is conceived/written by Chicago Fire creators/executive producers Derek Haas and Michael Brandt, executive producer Matt Olmstead and executive producer Dick Wolf, whose company Wolf Films produces the Chicago Fire/Chicago PD franchise for Universal Television.

“There will be an event that brings Chicago Med within Chicago Fire,” NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt said at TCA last month.

DaCosta, who had been sought for pilots after following her breakout role as Whitney Houston, also appeared in Lee Daniels’ The Butler. She is with Gersh.

Lifetime Releases First Trailer for DaCosta’s “Whitney” Biopic

Prepare to watch Yaya DaCosta as the Queen of the Night

Lifetime has released the first official trailer for its Whitney Houston biopic Whitney, starring the 32-year-old part-Brazilian American actress as the late songstress.

Yaya DaCosta as Whitney Houston

Houston, one of the world’s best selling performers, sold more than 200 million albums sold worldwide and had a slew of diamond, multi-platinum certifications.

DaCosta, a runner-up on the CW’s America’s Top Model landed the role of Houston in June, with Belizean actor Arlen Escarpeta playing Houston’s ex-husband, Bobby Brown.

Meanwhile, Mark Rolston portrays Houston’s music biz mentor, Clive Davis, in a scene-stealing role.

Whitney marks the directorial debut of Angela Bassett.

Escarpeta & DaCosta Recreate Classic Whitney Houston-Bobby Brown Photo for Their Lifetime Biopic

Arlen Escarpeta isn’t having any trouble being Bobby Brown….

Lifetime has released the first official photo for its upcoming Whitney Houston biopic featuring the 33-year-old Belizean actor as the R&B singer-songwriter and part-Brazilian actress Yaya DaCosta as the late Grammy-winning songstress.

Arlen Escarpeta & Yaya DaCosta

In the picture, the two recreate a classic photo of Houston and Brown in their early days as a couple. Escarpeta, donning a black top and blue jeans, hugs Dacosta from behind. The actress sports a white tank top and flashes a big smile for the camera.

The biopic, titled I Will Always Love You: The Whitney Houston Story, is currently shooting in Los Angeles with Oscar nominee Angela Bassett serving as the director.

It’s scheduled to premiere early next year, three years after Houston accidentally drowned in the bathtub of a Los Angeles hotel room at the age of 48.

It will center on Houston’s life in the early-to-mid ’90s, when she skyrocketed to fame not only for her powerful singing voice but also for her appearance in 1992’s The Bodyguard, where she co-starred opposite Kevin Costner.

She contributed to the movie’s soundtrack, which later won a Grammy and is the biggest-selling soundtrack album in movie history.

It will also focus on the singer’s relationship with Brown, whom she met in 1989. The couple got married in 1992 and they welcomed their daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown the following year.

Escarpeta to Star as Bobby Brown in Lifetime’s Whitney Houston Biopic

There’s a new edition to Arlen Escarpeta’s acting resume.

The 33-year-old Belizean American actor has been cast in the highly anticipated role of Bobby Brown in Lifetime’s Whitney Houston biopic.

Arlen Escarpeta

Escarpeta, whose credits include Into the Storm, Final Destinaton 5 and We Are Marshall, will star opposite Yaya DaCosta as Whitney in the film, now officially titled, I Will Always Love You: The Whitney Houston Story.

Helmed by Angela Bassett in her directorial debut, the biopic chronicles the tumultuous relationship between Houston and singer-songwriter Bobby Brown — from the time they first met at the very height of their celebrity through their courtship and rocky marriage, all during Whitney’s meteoric rise as a singer, actress and model.

As previously reported, actress Yolonda Ross (Go For Sisters) was cast as Whitney’s lifelong friend and rumored lover Robyn Crawford.

The television film is slated for a 2015 premiere.