Milian to Star Opposite John Stamos in Fox’s Comedy Pilot “Grandpa”

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Christina Milian is ready for an ancestral project…

The 33-year-old Afro-Cuban American singer and star of her own E! reality series has landed a lead role opposite John Stamos and Josh Peck in Fox’s single-camera comedy pilot Grandpa.

From ABC Studios and 20th Century Fox Television, the project centers on Jimmy (Stamos), a charismatic longtime bachelor whose life is upended when he discovers he’s a father — and a grandfather.

Peck plays Gerald, the son Jimmy didn’t know he had – a sweet unemployed techie who is himself the proud and surprisingly capable father of a two-year-old daughter, the product of a one-night stand with the sexy Vanessa (Milian), described as a hip, hot mess. Just when she seems to be warming up to Gerald at least, she meets Jimmy — and is instantly attracted to this older, cooler man, a complication that doesn’t bode well for Gerald.

Grandpa was written by Danny Chun.

Milian’s previous television acting credits include appearances on A Gifted Man, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Meet the Browns and Smallville.

Guzman to Star in CBS’ Medical Drama Pilot “Code Black”

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Guzman is breaking the code…

The 58-year-old Puerto Rican actor has been cast as a lead opposite Maggie Grace in the CBS pilot Code Black.

The medical drama, written by Michael Seitzman and directed by David Semel for ABC Studios, is based on Ryan McGarry’s feature documentary of the same name.

The project is set in the busiest and most notorious emergency room in the nation and revolves around four residents who are getting their first taste of ER medicine and the medical staff who mentor, teach and terrify them.

Guzman will portray Jose Santiago, the affable but tough and strong, no-s**t, seen-it-all, senior nurse at the ER who is responsible for the four new residents. As he puts it, “for the next three years I’m your mama…and your mama knows when you’re lying, crying or dying.”

Guzman, a favorite of director Steven Soderbergh, who cast him in Out of Sight, The Limey, and Traffic, has starred in Boogie Nights, Magnolia and Punch-Drunk Love. He also starred in the HBO original series How to Make It in America.

Rodriguez Lands Lead Male Role in ABC’s Drama Pilot “Runner”

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Adam Rodriguez is ready to run(ner)…

The 39-year-old Puerto Rican/Cuban-American actor and CSI: Miami alum has landed the male lead role opposite Paula Patton in ABC’s drama pilot Runner.

Based on the Turkish series Son and directed by Michael Offer, the project, from 20th Century Fox Television and ABC Studios, centers on Lauren Marks (Patton), a wife and mother who had believed her husband had died in a plane crash, only to discover him alive, well and traveling with a mysterious woman who uses Lauren’s stolen identity. Thrown into a world of secrets and crime, Lauren finds herself running into Mexican cartels and people from her past she had hoped to forget.

Rodriguez plays Troy, who is hated by Lauren’s family as he is responsible for the death of her nephew years ago but may be the only person who can help Lauren find her husband.

The project was written by Michael Cooney.

Rodriguez has a recurring role on NBC’s The Night Shift and next reprises his role in the Magic Mike XXL sequel this summer.

Longoria to Star in NBC Comedy “Telenovela”

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is heading back to the spotlight on the small screen…

NBC has given a 13-episode order to the 39-year-old Mexican American actress’ single-camera comedy Telenovela.

It will mark Longoria’s first series starring role since Desperate Housewives.

Telenovela, set behind the scenes of a Spanish language telenovela, was guaranteed a 13-episode order if Longoria committed to star in the project and a pilot order if she didn’t.

Additionally, since Telenovela is set behind the scenes of a telenovela, NBC has had discussions with sister network Telemundo about doing 4-5-minute segments in Spanish that would be used to promote the NBC series to Spanish-speaking audiences.

Despite the straight-to-series 13-episode order, Telenovela will do a pilot.

NBC was one of two networks pursuing Longoria in a big way this development season. At ABC, there was a comedy from ABC Studios. It was fast-tracked as a script that will go to pilot with a 13-episode penalty for Longoria attached if she commits to star.

Longoria had been developing Telenovela through her Universal Television-based UnbeliEVAble at NBC for some time.

Written/executive produced by Cougar Town co-executive producers Chrissy Pietrosh and Jessica Goldstein, based on an idea by Longoria, it stars Longoria as the willful but popular diva Ana Maria, star of Latin America’s most beloved telenovela who strives to stay on top in a world where the drama on-camera is nothing compared to the drama off-camera.

Since the end of Desperate Housewives, Longoria had been focused on producing through her UnbeliEVAble banner. She executive produces Lifetime’s Devious Maids and her company has sold nine projects this development season, including medical drama Critical at NBC and Texas political/family drama Pair of Aces at ABC.

Martinez’s “Secrets and Lies” to Premiere on ABC in March

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Next year will feature plenty of secrets and lies for Natalie Martinez…

ABC’s murder mystery Secrets and Lies, starring the 30-year-old Cuban American actress, will succeed Resurrection on Sundays at 9:00 pm ET.

Based on an Australian format, the series stars Ryan Phillippe and Juliette Lewis. It centers on a family man who finds the body of a young boy while jogging and becomes the prime suspect. He has no choice but to try to find the real killer as his marriage, his kids, his reputation, and his sanity are all at stake.

Martinez, who most recently starred on CBS’ Under the Dome, portrays Jess Mullen on Secrets and Lies.

It will launch with a two-hour premiere from 9-11 PM on March 1 before moving into its regular 9-10 PM slot the following week.

The series also stars KaDee Strickland, Dan Fogler, Indiana Evans, Natalie Crawford and Belle Shouse.

Barbie Kligman developed the series based on the Australian drama

Consuelos and Kelly Ripa Developing “Rated P for Parenthood” for ABC Family

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Mark Consuelos may soon be bringing Rated P programming to ABC Family…

The network has put in development Rated P for Parenthood, a half-hour musical comedy chronicling the stages of modern-day parenting from the 43-year-old half-Mexican actor and his wife Kelly Ripa’s Milojo Prods. and writer-actress Jamie Denbo.

ABC Signature, the cable division of ABC Studios, is producing Rated P For Parenthood, which is based on the stage musical comedy of the same name created by Sandy Rustin, with music and lyrics by Dan Lipton and David Rossmer, which had an off-Broadway run in 2012.

Denbo will write the adaptation and executive-produce the project with Ripa and Consuelos.

In the spirit of Girls, Avenue Qand Parenthood, Rated P is an irreverent (musical) peek into the struggles of parenting in the age of parents who all still feel much closer to being kids themselves. And in many ways, still are.

Milojo is gearing up production on a new series for Logo, Secret Guide To Fabulous Living. Two digital projects, Unstoppable Moms and La Familia De Hoy have premiered online in recent months, with another, 30 Things for Conde Nast Entertainment’s Glamour channel, in the beginning stages of production.

ABC Orders Martinez’s “American Crime” to Series

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Crime apparently does pay for Benito Martinez…

ABC has ordered to series American Crime, which stars the 42-year-old Latino actor.

From ABC Studios, the dark, racially charged drama, starring Timothy Hutton and Felicity Huffman, centers on a young couple in Modesto, California, who are attacked in their home.

Matt Skokie, a war vet, was killed, and his wife, Lily, is unconscious, barely hanging on. Both sets of parents are at her bedside hoping for a miracle while four suspects are about to be arrested. The case sends shock waves into the community stirring up tensions across racial lines in this gritty drama.

Benito Martinez, best known for hisroles on Sons of Anarchy, Supernatural and The Shield, portrays Alonzo Gutierrez.

Martinez’s costars W. Earl Brown, Richard Cabral, Penelope Ann Miller, Elvis Nolasco and Johnny Ortiz.

American Crime was written, directed and produced by John Ridley (12 Years A Slave).

ABC Sends Souza’s Legal Thriller “How to Get Away with Murder” to Series

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Karla Souza is about to get away with murder…

ABC has given a series pickup to the legal thriller How to Get Away with Murder, featuring the 29-year-old Mexican actress in a series regular role.

Executive produced by Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal creator Shonda Rhimes, the series Viola Davis as the brilliant, charismatic and seductive Professor Annalise Keating, who gets entangled with four law students from her class “How to Get Away with Murder.” Little do they know that they’ll have to apply what they’ve learned to real life, in this masterful, sexy, suspense-driven legal thriller.

In addition to Davis and Souza, who portrays Laurel, How to Get Away with Murder also stars Billy Brown, Alfred Enoch, Jack Falahee, Katie Findlay, Aja Naomi King, Matt McGorry, Charlie Weber and Liza Weil.

Written by executive producer Peter Nowalk, the pilot was directed by Michael Offer and produced by ABC Studios.

Garcia Swisher’s “The Astronaut Wives Club” to Premiere on ABC in July

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s shaping up to be an out of this world July for JoAnna Garcia Swisher…

The 34-year-old half-Cuban American actress upcoming ABC drama series The Astronaut Wives Club will premiere on Thursday, July 24, according to the network’s just-released summer premiere schedule.

Based on Lily Koppel’s novel of the same name, the 10-episode summer series comes from ABC Studios and tells the real story of the women who stood beside some of the biggest heroes in American history during the height of the space race.

Garcia Swisher portrays Betty Grissom, the wife of one of the original astronauts. A bouncy redhead with curls askew and a folksy Hoosier accent, she’s got a down-home appeal, which endears her to the public.

In addition to the former Better With You star, the series will also star House starlet Odette Annable.

Here’s the network’s full schedule:

Thursday, April 24 10-11 PM – Black Box (Series Premiere)

Sunday, May 18 8-11 PM – The 2014 Billboard Music Awards

Monday, May 19 9:30-11 PM – The Bachelorette

Wednesday, May 21 10-11 PM – Motive

Monday, May 26 8-10 PM – The Bachelorette (Regular Time Period Premiere)

Tuesday, May 27 8-10 PM – Extreme Weight Loss

Saturday, May 31 8-9 PM – Bet On Your Baby

Monday, June 2 10:01-11 PM – Mistresses

Thursday, June 5 8-8:30 PM – Jimmy Kimmel Live: Game Night

Thursday, June 19 8-9 PM – The Quest (New Series Premiere)

Sunday, June 22 7-9 PM – Wipeout (Special Two-Hour Premiere) 9-11 PM – Rising Star (Series Premiere)

Tuesday, June 24 10-11 PM – NY Med

Sunday, June 29 8-9 PM – Wipeout (Regular Time Period Premiere)

Thursday, July 17 10-11 PM – Rookie Blue

Thursday, July 24 9-10 PM – The Astronaut Wives Club (New Series Premiere)

Monday, August 4 8-10 PM – Bachelor In Paradise (New Series Premiere)

Soltillo Lands Lead Role in Fox’s Pilot “Red Band Society”

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Nolan Sotillo is joining the (red) band…

The 19-year-old half-Cuban American actor and singer-songwriter has landed a lead role on Fox’s pilot Red Band Society.

From Steven Spielberg‘s Amblin Television and ABC Studios, the coming-of-age drama project explores with dark humor the daily lives of a group of teenagers living in a hospital who become unlikely friends.

Soltillo, best known for playing Lucas in the 2011 film Prom, will portray Jordi Palacios, a very smart and resourceful young man who refuses to take “No” for an answer.

Soltillo starred in the Disney television series Corey and Lucas For The Win.

He sings the song We Could Be Anything on Prom’s 2011 soundtrack.

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