José Moreno Brooks to Appear on ABC’s New Musical Drama Series “Queens”

José Moreno Brooks will soon be in the presence of royalty…

The 36-year-old half-Mexican American actor and former Telenovela scene stealer has landed a key recurring role opposite Brandy, Eve, Naturi Naughton and Nadine Velazquez on ABC’s new musical drama series Queens.

José Moreno Brooks

From Zahir McGhee, Sabrina Wind and ABC Signature, the series centers on four estranged and out-of-touch women in their 40s — Naomi (Brandy), Jill (Naughton), Brianna (Eve) and Valeria (Velazquez), who reunite for a chance to recapture their fame and regain the swagger they had as their ’90s group that made them legends in the hip-hop world.

 

Brooks will play Rodrigo, gorgeous, sexy, and the most in-demand music video director currently working.

 

The series is written by McGhee and directed by Tim Story.

 

Brooks’ previous credits include Telenovela opposite Eva Longoria and 9-1-1.

Lisette Alexis to Star in Disney+’s “National Treasure” Television Series

Lisette Alexis has struck gold…

The young Mexican American actress will star as the lead in Disney+’s National Treasure television series from Disney Branded Television and ABC Signature.

Lisette Alexis

The project, executive produced by the films’ producer Jerry Bruckheimer, director Jon Turteltaub and writers Marianne and Cormac Wibberley, is an expansion of the National Treasure movie franchise told from the point of view of a young heroine (Alexis) — a DREAMer in search of answers about her family–who embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to uncover the truth about the past and save a lost Pan-American treasure.

The series, whose pilot episode is written by the Wibberleys and will be directed by Mira Nair, centers on Jess (Alexis), a Latina whose brilliant and resourceful mind loves a good mystery, and she has a natural talent for solving puzzles. Over the course of the show, Jess will uncover her own buried history, as well as the truth about her parents and her connection to a long-lost treasure.

In the television extension of the National Treasure franchise, Jess is taking the proverbial torch from Benjamin Gates, the National Treasure films’ protagonist played by Nicolas Cage.

Production is starting in early 2022.

Alexis stars opposite Sierra McCormick in the Tribeca Film Festival selection We Need To Do Something, produced by Josh Mallerman.

Miguel Pinzon to Appear on Second Season of Hulu’s Comedy Series “Woke”

Miguel Pinzon is officially woke

The Latino actor has landed a recurring role on the second season of Hulu’s comedy series Woke.

Miguel Pinzon

Co-created by Keith Knight and Marshall ToddWoke centers on Keef Knight (Lamorne Morris), an African-American cartoonist who finds himself on the verge of mainstream success when an unexpected incident changes his life. With a newfound consciousness, Keef must navigate the new voices and ideas challenging him, all without setting fire to everything he’s already built.

Pinzon will play Tommy, a blunt and inscrutable un-housed artist with a sharp wit who challenges Keef and his view of activism.

Knight and Todd executive produce Woke, alongside Anthony King, Maurice “Mo” Marable, Richie Schwartz, John Will, Will Gluck and Eric Christian OlsenWoke is a co-production between Sony Pictures Television and ABC Signature.

Pinzon’s recent credits include guest starring on 9-1-1: Lone Star, recurring on YouTube Red’s Swipe Right, Freeform’s Mystery Girls, and the Melissa McCarthy/Ben Falcone pilot Amy’s Brother.

ABC Picks Up Nadine Velazquez’s Drama “Queens” to Series

It’s a royal moment for Nadine Velazquez

ABC has picked up the music-themed drama Queens, starring the 42-year-old Puerto Rican actress, to series for the 2021-22 season.

Nadine Velazquez

The series is headlined by Brandy, Eve, Naturi Naughton, Velazquez and Pepi Sonuga.

Estranged and out-of-touch, four women in their 40s reunite for a chance to recapture their fame and regain the swagger they had as the Nasty Bitches—their ‘90s group that made them legends in the hip-hop world.

Queens stars Eve as Brianna aka Professor Sex, Naturi Naughton as Jill aka Da Thrill, Velazquez as Valeria aka Butter Pecan, Taylor Selé as Eric Jones, Pepi Sonuga as Lil Muffin and Brandy as Naomi aka Xplicit Lyrics.

Zahir McGhee, Sabrina Wind and Tim Story are executive producers.

The series is produced by ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios. The pilot episode is written by McGhee and directed by Tim Story.

Zack Calderon to Star on Season 2 of Amazon’s YA Drama “The Wilds”

Zack Calderon is heading into the Wild(s)…

The Latino actor has joined the cast for Season 2 of Amazon’s YA drama The Wilds.

Zack Calderon

In addition to Calderon, those set to appear in the sophomore season are Aidan LapreteNicholas Coombe, Charles Alexander, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Reed Shannon, Tanner Ray Rook and Alex Fitzalan.

They will join returning cast Rachel Griffiths, David Sullivan, Troy Winbush, Sophia Ali, Sarah Pidgeon, Jenna Clause, Erana James, Mia Healey, Helena Howard, Reign Edwards and Shannon Berry.

The Wilds in Season 2 will continue to follow the harrowing ordeal of eight teenage girls stranded on a deserted island under mysterious circumstances. The new season will also focus on a new group of survivors, all boys, who find themselves in the same perilous situation. Both groups will be forced to navigate emotional and physical obstacles in the face of their extreme circumstances.

The Wilds is created and executive produced by Sarah Streicher. It is co-produced by Amazon Studios and ABC Signature, part of Disney Television Studios.

Calderon will play Rafael Garcia, a quiet, sensitive teenager who lives in Tijuana but attends high school in San Diego. Straddling two worlds has made it difficult to get a clear and certain sense of himself, so he gravitates toward people with stronger, more charismatic personalities than his own.

Calderon has appeared in CBS’ FBI.

Gutierrez-Riley will play Ivan Taylor, an activist and aspiring playwright with an impeccable fashion sense and a razor-sharp wit. But his words can be cutting, sometimes too deeply, which has cost him friends along the way.

The actor will appear in Leah Bleich’s The Moon and BackThe Wilds marks his television debut.

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Annie Gonzalez to Star in ABC Comedy Pilot “Bucktown”

Annie Gonzalez is buck-ed up!

The Latina actress has been cast as a series regular in the ABC comedy pilot Bucktown, from Emily Wilson, Tom Werner and Sara Gilbert and ABC Signature.

Annie Gonzalez

Gonzalez will star opposite Sofia Capanna, Shannon Woodward, Jane Lynch and Nicole Richie.

Written by Wilson and directed by Betsy ThomasBucktown centers on Amy (Woodward), who, after being dumped by her boyfriend and kicked out of her apartment on the eve of a big promotion, finds refuge at her mom’s house in the blue-collar neighborhood where she grew up.

Gonzalez will play Jessie, Amy’s opinionated best friend who works beside her as an assistant at the ad agency.

Gonzalez can currently be seen as Lidia on the hit Netflix series Gentefied. Other recent credits include Starz’s Vida, Showtime’s Shameless and Amazon’s Good Girls Revolt.

Mariel Molino to Star in ABC’s Drama Pilot “Promised Land”

Mariel Molino is headed to the Promised Land

The Mexican American actress has been cast as a lead alongside Christina Ochoa in ABC’s drama pilot Promised Land.

Mariel Molino

Written by Matt Lopez, the project is an epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley.

Molino will play Camila Sandoval, the youngest daughter of the Sandoval family, a wealthy vineyard-owning family in the Sonoma Valley. Her flirtatious, party-girl attitude masks a deeply flawed young woman who craves the achievements of her other siblings but has no idea how to attain them. No one expects anything from Camila. That makes her dangerous.

Ochoa plays her sister, Veronica Sandoval, the eldest daughter of the Sandovals.

Lopez executive produces with Adam Kolbrenner of Lit Entertainment Group. ABC Signature is the studio.

This marks the first major English-language role for Molino, who was born to Mexican parents in San Diego. She starred in Amazon’s Spanish-language original movie Locas por el Cambio, which was released on Amazon Prime in November. Her television credits include recurring roles in NBC Universo’s El Vato and Amazon’s Juego de las Llaves

Christina Ochoa to Star in Matt Lopez’s Latinx Family Drama Pilot “Promised Land”

There’s plenty of promise in Christina Ochoa’s future…

The 36-year-old Spanish actress and Animal Kingdom star is set as a lead in ABC’s Promised LandMatt Lopez’s Latinx family drama pilot.

Christina Ochoa

Formerly titled American Heritage, the project is an epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley.

Ochoa will play Veronica Sandoval, the eldest daughter of the Sandovals, a wealthy vineyard-owning family in the Sonoma Valley. Veronica is the highly capable heir to the Heritage Wines empire and her father Joe’s trusted Number Two. But her drive and ambition have left her with some glaring personal blindspots, and Veronica’s seemingly perfect life soon starts to unravel.

Lopez writes and executive produces. Adam Kolbrenner of Lit Entertainment Group also exec produces. ABC Signature is the studio.

Up next for Ochoa is Boon, the western sequel film from Yellowstones Neal McDonough. She stars as Renn Randall in TNT’s Animal Kingdom, which was recently renewed for a sixth and final season, and as Ashley Morales in ABC’s A Million Little Things. She has also appeared in Valor, Blood Drive, Matador and I Hate My Teenage Daughter.

Frankie Quinones to Star in Hulu’s Comedy Pilot “Punk Ass Bitch”

Frankie Quinones is in a real punk

The Mexican actor/comedian has been cast alongside Michelle Ortiz as series regulars in Punk Ass Bitch, Hulu’s half-hour comedy pilot starring up-and-coming comedian Chris Estrada and produced by ABC Signature.

Frankie Quinones

Written by Estrada and Jake Weisman, Matt Ingebretson and Pat Bishop, with Jonathan Groff supervising, Punk Ass Bitch is based on Estrada’s comedy and reflects his Latino identity.

It’s inspired by Estrada’s life in South Central Los Angeles and nearby Inglewood, where, by his own recollection, he spent his formative years running from loose pit bulls, getting robbed, and geeking out over comic books and punk rock.

The series centers on Julio Lopez (Estrada), a punk-ass bitch with a heart of gold who goes out of his way to help everyone but himself. Inspired by the life and stand-up comedy of star, co-creator and real-life punk ass bitch Estrada, the cinematic half-hour comedy explores Julio’s attempts to better his community, overcome his codependency issues with his family and navigate working class life in South Central.

Quinones plays Luis, a tatted up gangster who’s just finished eight years in prison, tough, aggressive, macho, yet immature. He’s not just a hard ex-gangster, he’s someone who also has not grown up yet emotionally.

Ortiz portrays Maggie. Feisty, strong-willed and fierce, Maggie is Julio’s ex, and it’s clear that they still have a spark and hang out together even though they both drive each other crazy.

Estrada executive produces with Fred Armisen, Groff, under his overall deal at ABC Signature, Weisman, Ingebretson and Bishop.

The pilot will be directed by Bishop, who directed all episodes of the Comedy Central series Corporate. Bishop and his Corporate collaborators Weisman and Ingebretson will serve as showrunners.

Quinones was a series regular in TBS comedy series The Dress Up Gang. He also was a member of the voice cast in Victor & Valentino and guest-starred on The Guest Book, among other credits.

Ortiz was a series regular on MADtv. She was most recently seen in recurring roles in Gentefied and Tacoma F.D., and she previously guest-starred on Mom

Nicole Richie to Star in ABC Family Comedy Pilot “Bucktown”

Nicole Richie is comin’ to (buck)town

The 39-year-old half-Mexican American actress, television personality and designer will star in ABC family comedy pilot Bucktown.

Nicole RichieRichie will star opposite Shannon Woodward in the project from a trio behind ABC’s The Conners, Emily Wilson, Sara Gilbert and Tom Werner.

Written by Wilson, Bucktown centers on Amy (Woodward), who, after being dumped by her boyfriend and kicked out of her apartment on the eve of a big promotion, finds refuge at her mom’s house in the blue-collar neighborhood where she grew up. Amy reconnects with her teenage niece living there due to her sister’s latest rehab stint and resolves to stay when she realizes that her mom and niece aren’t quite equipped to go it alone.

Richie plays Jan, Amy’s boss. A self-centered force who tends to suck up all the energy in a room, Jan is very professional — except in the extremely unprofessional partnership with her husband, Finn.

ABC Signature is the studio.

Richie recently appeared on ABC’s Bless This MessShe previously co-starred in the NBC comedy Great News and guest-starred on Grace and Frankie and Camping