Felix Solis to Star Opposite Niecy Nash in ABC’s Proposed “The Rookie” Spinoff

Posted on March 9, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Felix Solis is reporting for duty…

The 50-year-old Puerto Rican actor will star opposite Niecy Nash in ABC’s proposed spinoff from The Rookie.

Solis will guest star alongside Kat Foster in a two-episode arc in the current fourth season of The Rookie, which will serve as a backdoor pilot for the potential spinoff of the series starring Nathan Fillion.

The yet-untitled project will expand beyond the current Los Angeles Police Department and revolve around the FBI.

The potential new series comes from The Rookie creator/executive producer Alexi Hawley, executive producers Terence Paul Winter and Mark Gordon and studios eOne and ABC Signature.

The planted spinoff, co-created and written by Hawley and Winter, follows the premise of The Rookie, which stars Fillion as John Nolan, the oldest rookie in the LAPD.

In the two embedded pilot episodes, Officer John Nolan (Fillion) and the LA division of the FBI enlist the help of FBI trainee Simone Clark (Nash) when one of her former students is suspected of terrorism following an explosion at a local power station.

Solis will play Special Agent Matthew Garza, a 20-year veteran of the FBI who has been a true believer in the “Agency way” his whole career. A senior agent on the cusp of being promoted to a leadership role, Garza is tough, smart and filled with a little too much self-importance.

The Rookie and the spinoff will exist in the same universe, allowing characters to move back and forth.

Solis was most recently seen as Omar Navarro in Netflix’s Ozark and in the recurring role of Ray Vera in Charmed.

Karla Souza to Star in ABC’s Family Comedy Pilot “Home Economics”

Posted on July 18, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Karla Souza is cooking things up…

The 34-year-old Mexican actress will star in ABC’s family comedy pilot Home Economics.

Starring Caitlin McGee and Topher Grace, the series is described as ‘similar to Modern Family’ and revolves around three adult siblings: one in the 1 percent, one in the middle class, and one barely holding on.

The project hails from writers Michael Colton and John Aboud, the Tannenbaum Co., Lionsgate Television and ABC Studios. It was written by

Colton and Aboud and inspired by Colton’s family.

McGee plays the oldest sibling, Sarah, a therapist for at-risk kids, married to a teacher, and they’re often scraping to make ends meet. Of her siblings, she earns the least money, but she does the most socially important work (as she frequently reminds them). She’s a doting mom to her two kids and tries to be a guru to her two brothers, who obviously would be lost without her wisdom.

Grace plays Tom, the middle sibling and middle-class.

Souza will play Marina. A proud first-generation New Yorker whose parents came from Latin America, Marina is a former lawyer married to struggling novelist Tom (Grace). She’s constantly exhausted by caring for her seven-year-old daughter and toddler twin boys. Marina would like to go back to work one day, if only to escape her children. A rule-follower, Marina is often in conflict with her brother-in-law Connor, who never met a corner he didn’t try to cut. She’s pushed to the max and ready to call everyone out on how much easier they have it.

Souza is returning to ABC after starring in How To Get Away With Murder for the first five seasons. She recurred on the sixth and final season while shooting Pablo Larrain’s upcoming limited series El Presidente for Amazon.

After starring in three of the highest grossing films in Mexico (Que Culpa Tiene El Nino, Nosotros Los Nobles and Instructions Not Included), Souza was last seen on the big screen starring in Everybody Loves Somebody for writer/director Catalina Aguilar Mastretta.

ABC to Premiere Christina Vidal-Mitchell’s Family Comedy Series “United We Fall” in July

Posted on June 21, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Christina Vidal-Mitchell will be celebrating the Fall this summer…

ABC has scheduled a summer premiere date for United We Fall, the family comedy starring the 38-year-old Puerto Rican actress and Will Sasso.

The network ordered the series back in May 2019, and had been looking to release the series in the fall.

United We Fall, which hails from Sony Pictures Television and ABC Studios, will bow with back-to-back half-hour episodes starting at 8:00 pm ET on Wednesday, July 15, with episodes being available on Hulu the following day.

A holdover from ABC’s 2019-20 season, United We Fall follows the trials and tribulations of Jo and Bill (Vidal-Mitchell and Sasso), parents of two young kids, as they try to make it day to day as a functioning family. Bill’s very judgmental live-in mother (Jane Curtin) and Jo’s large Latinx Catholic family never hesitate to let the couple know they’re seemingly screwing up, but Bill and Jo will always have each other’s backs and united against everyone: other parents, teachers, doctors, specialists, coaches, co-workers and especially their kids.

Guillermo Diaz and Ella Grace Helton also star.

Julius “Goldy” Sharpe wrote and executive produced the pilot. Mark Cendrowski directed the pilot.

Miguel Gomez to Star in ABC’s Drama Pilot “Harlem’s Kitchen”

Posted on March 8, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Things are cookin’ for Miguel Gomez…

The 34-year-old Colombian actor will star opposite Sheryl Lee Ralph and Delroy Lindo in ABC’s family restaurant drama pilot Harlem’s Kitchen, from Zahir McGhee, Mandeville Television and ABC Studios.

Written by McGhee and to be directed by Stephen Williams, Harlem’s Kitchen is set in a fine dining restaurant in Harlem and centers on Ellis Rice (Lindo), Executive Chef and patriarch, who runs a successful restaurant with his wife CC (Ralph) and three daughters. But an unexpected death thrusts the family into turmoil and puts the restaurant’s future in jeopardy as long-buried secrets are revealed.

Ralph’s Cecilia CC Rice is the Rice family matriarch. Devoted wife of Ellis. Caring mother of their three daughters, and a world-class pastry chef. CC is a strong, traditional black woman who is secretly the driving force behind her husband’s success. CC has patience in spades, and always puts the needs of her family ahead of her own. It’s time for that to change.

Gomez is Marco, a talented line cook and an undocumented El Salvadorian who trekked to America with his little brother. Like his mentor and surrogate father, Ellis, Marco had nothing when he landed in Harlem. Ellis took Marco in and made him employee number one at RICE. Marco repaid Ellis with hard work, quickly rising from dishwasher through the ranks of the kitchen. Marco is a surrogate member of the Rice family and the embodiment of the American Dream. Passionate, sensitive and sexy — Marco is easy to love and quick to fall in love.

Gomez, known for his role as Gus on The Strain, was most recently seen on Showtime’s SMILF.

Ariela Barer to Star in ABC’s Erin Brockovich-Inspired Drama Pilot “Rebel”

Posted on February 21, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Ariela Barer is ready to rebel…

The Mexican American actress will star in ABC’s drama pilot Rebel, inspired by the life of activist Erin Brockovich.

Barer will star as a series regular opposite Katey Sagaland Tamala Jonesin the project.

Executive produced by Brockovich, Rebel hails from Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 showrunner Krista Vernoff, Davis Entertainment, Sony Pictures Television and ABC Studios.

Written by Vernoff, Rebel centers on Annie “Rebel” Bello (Sagal), a blue-collar legal advocate without a law degree. A funny, messy, brilliant and fearless woman who cares desperately about the causes she fights for and the people she loves.

Barer will play Ziggie. The rebellious adopted daughter of Aiden and Rebel, Ziggie is going through a bad patch. She got hooked on pain medication after an injury, but has been drug-free for the last 72 days. A teenager who needs to attend Narcotics Anonymous meetings on a very regular basis, Ziggie is vulnerable as hell and needs her mother — only her mother is busy-busy-busy with her latest cluster of tormented clients.

Barer most recently played the role of Gert Yorkes in Marvel’s Runaways,and she recurred on Atypical and One Day At A Time.

In film, she portrayed Olivia in feature Lady Worldand will next be seen as a lead in upcoming Disfluencyand in a supporting role in The Ultimate Playlist of Noise.

Odette Annable to Star in Pilot for ABC’s “thirtysomething” Sequel, “thirtysomething(else)”

Posted on February 12, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Odette Annable is taking on something big!

The 34-year-old Colombian & Cuban American actress will lead the ensemble cast of the ABC pilot thirtysomething(else), a sequel to Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick’s beloved 1987-91 drama series thirtysomething, playing grown-up Janey Steadman.

Written by Herskovitz and Zwick and to be directed by Zwick, thirtysomething(else) will follow an ensemble of new faces playing the grown-up children of the original cast, the new generation of thirtysomethings.

They are being joined by returning original cast members Ken Olin(Michael Steadman),Mel Harris(Hope Murdoch), Timothy Busfield(Elliot Weston) and Patty Wettig(Nancy Weston), reprising their characters in supporting roles.

Annable’s Janey Steadman is the striking spinoff of Hope and Michael. With piercing eyes and unruly dark hair, Janey is a passionate, some might say driven person, possessed of what her boyfriend, Brad, calls a very big engine in a very small car.

Annable joins recently cast Chris Wood, who’ll play Janey’s younger brother, Leo Steadman. The two previously co-starred together on Supergirl.

Although seen as an ensemble drama, the original thirtysomethingseries revolved around husband and wife Michael and Hope and their baby Janey. Little Janey was played by twins Brittanyand Lacey Craven.

Herskovitz and Zwick executive produce for ABC Studios, part of Disney Television Studios, and MGM Television.

Filming on the pilot is slated to begin in March in New Jersey.

Annable played a lead on the second season of CBS All Access’ anthology series Tell Me a Story. Before that, she was a series regular on Season 3 of the CW’s Supergirl, playing the villainous Samantha Arias/Reign.She is reprising her role in an episode airing later this month.

Her other credits include House, October Road and Banshee.

ABC Renews Nicholas Gonzalez’s “The Good Doctor” for a Fourth Season

Posted on February 11, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Things are still goodfor Nicholas Gonzalez…

ABC has given an early Season 4 renewal to its hit medical drama series The Good Doctor, starring the 44-year-old Mexican American actor.

The Good Doctor marks the first ABC scripted series renewal this season.

Produced by Sony Pictures Television and ABC Studios, The Good Doctoris ABC’s most-watched show this season after 35 days of delayed viewing across all linear and digital platforms, averaging 15.6 million total viewers with multi-platform playback.

The Good Doctor,Monday’s No. 1 series in total viewers, is the season’s No. 1 gainer in TV playback in total viewers, jumping by 6.41 million viewers from its Live+Same Day average to its Live+35 Day average. In addition, the ABC drama nearly triples its Live+Same Day adults 18-49 rating after 35 days of playback, spiking by 175% to stand as the No. 1 broadcast gainer this season.

Developed by David Shore and based on a Korean format, The Good Doctor stars Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy, a young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome.

Gonzalez portrays Dr. Neil Melendez, an attending cardiothoracic surgeon in charge of surgical residents.

“The Good Doctorhas been a cornerstone on Monday nights and is one of those special heartfelt series that fearlessly tackles inclusivity,” said ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke. “David Shore’s thoughtful storytelling, combined with an incredible cast led by Freddie Highmore’s nuanced performance as Dr. Shaun Murphy, are what have made this series a breakout hit over the past three seasons, and I’m excited to see where they take us next.”

In the current third season, Shaun continues to use his extraordinary medical gifts at St. Bonaventure Hospital’s surgical unit. As his friendships deepen, Shaun continues to tackle the world of dating and romantic relationships, and work harder than he ever has before, navigating his environment to prove to his colleagues that his talents as a surgeon will save lives.

Mariah Carey Writes & Performs Theme Song for ABC’s “black-ish” Spinoff “mixed-ish”

Posted on August 6, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey is Mix’ingthings up…

The 49-year-old half-Venezuelan American five-time Grammy-winning singer has been tapped to write and perform the theme song for ABC’s new black-ish spinoff mixed-ish.

Titled “In the Mix”, the track is written by Carey and produced by Carey and Daniel Moore. Sung by Carey, the new theme song will be heard when the series premieres on Tuesday, September 24 at 9:00 pm ET on ABC.

“As a fan of Kenya Barris’ megahit shows, black-ish and grown-ish, I was inspired to connect with Kenya to find a way we could work together,” said Carey. “As a biracial woman in the entertainment industry, there was no way I did not want to be a part of mixed-ish, especially after seeing the pilot, which I loved. I could not be more honored and proud to be writing and performing ‘In the Mix’ for Kenya and the show.”

ABC’s mixed-ish will follow Rainbow Johnson as she recounts her experience growing up in a mixed-race family in the ‘80s and the dilemmas they face to acclimate in the suburbs while staying true to themselves. Bow’s parents, Paul and Alicia, decide to move from a hippie commune to the suburbs to better provide for their family. As her parents struggle with the challenges of their new life, Bow and her siblings navigate a mainstream school in which they’re perceived as neither black nor white. This family’s experiences illuminate the challenges of finding one’s own identity when the rest of the world can’t decide where you belong.

The series stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Paul Johnson, Tika Sumpter as Alicia Johnson, Christina Anthony as Denise, Arica Himmel as Bow Johnson, Ethan William Childress as Johan Johnson, Mykal-Michelle Harris as Santamonica Johnson and Gary Cole as Harrison.

Karin Gist, Peter Saji and Barris are writers and executive producers, along with Tracee Ellis Ross, Randall Winston, Artists First (Brian Dobbins), Cinema Gypsy (Laurence Fishburne and Helen Sugland) and Anthony Anderson.

Anton Cropperdirected the pilot. The series is produced by ABC Studios, a part of Disney Television Studios, a collection of studios comprised of 20th Century Fox Television, ABC Studios and Fox 21 Television Studios.

Christina Vidal to Star in ABC’s Family Comedy Pilot “United We Fall”

Posted on March 21, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a united effort for Christina Vidal.

The 37-year-old Puerto Rican actress has been cast as a lead opposite Will Sasso and Jane Curtin in United We Fall, ABC’s family comedy from Making History creator Julius Sharpe, Seth Gordon, Sony Pictures Television and ABC Studios.

Written by Sharpe and directed by Mark Cendrowski, United We Fall is a profoundly realistic, multicultural sitcom that shows how, when two people, Bill (Sasso) and Jo (Vidal) with young children and overzealous extended families truly love each other, barely anything is possible.

Sasso’s Bill is a confident, analytical yet funny and emotional father and husband. Bill and his wife, Jo, both have college degrees, great careers, and a solid, loving marriage. However, since having their second kid, they can barely make it out the door. He tries to hold it together because he loves his family more than anything, and, deep down, he knows his wife is slightly too cool to be with him.

Vidal’s Jo, the youngest of ten siblings, is not a “traditional” mom. Although she is a strong female role model for her kids, she’s cool, sarcastic, and does things her own way, often bringing her into conflict with other parents and her own extended family.

Vidal played the series regular role of Detective Valeria Chavez in Training Day, which aired for one season on CBS. She was most recently seen in a recurring role on Sneaky Pete, and previously recurred on Limitless and Code Black, among other credits.

Zabryna Guevara to Star in NBC’s Mystery Drama Pilot “Emergence”

Posted on March 18, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

It’s an emergence-y moment for Zabryna Guevara…

The 47-year-old Afro-Latina American actress has landed a series regular opposite Allison Tolmanand Donald Faisonin Emergence, NBC’s mystery drama pilot.

The project hails from Kevin (Probably) Saves the World creators/executive producers Michele Fazekasand Tara Butters, director Paul McGuiganand ABC Studios.

Written by Fazekas and Butters and directed by McGuigan, Emergence is a character-driven genre thriller that centers on Jo (Tolman), a police chief who takes in a young child, Piper (Alexa Skye Swinton), she finds near the site of a mysterious accident who has no memory of what has happened. The investigation draws her into a conspiracy larger than she ever imagined, and the child’s identity is at the center of it all.

Guevara will play Abby, a pediatrician who is a longtime friend of Jo.

Guevara stars as Dora in NBC’s breakout drama series New Amsterdamand in CBS All Access’ Tell Me A Story. She will be seen next month opposite Ginnifer Goodwinand James Frainin CBS All Access’ The Twilight Zonereboot. She also co-stars in indie film Swallow, which will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.

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