Zoe Saldana to Receive Critics Choice Association‘s Groundbreaker Award

Posted on October 14, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Zoe Saldana is a special Critics Choice honoree…

The 46-year-old 44-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress is among the honorees from the Critics Choice Association‘s 4th Annual Celebration of Latino Cinema & Television taking place on October 22, 2024 at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.

Saldaña will receive the Groundbreaker Award for her starring role in Netflix’s Emilia Pérez, which won the Best Actress prize for the ensemble cast at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.

The Director Award – Film will be awarded to Pablo Larraín for his directorial work on Netflix’s Maria.

The film competed in the Venice Film Festival and was one of the official selections for both the Telluride Film Festival and the New York Film Festival this year.

The Vanguard Award will be given to filmmaker Fede Alvarez for his writing and directorial work in creating 20th Century Studios’ Alien: Romulus.

The film notably earned $45.1 million in its domestic opening weekend at the box office and became the highest grossing horror film in IMAX history.

Emmy-nominated director, writer and producer Issa López will receive The Director Award – Series for her directorial work on the HBO Original Series True Detective: Night Country.

The series received 19 Emmy nominations, the most for any limited or anthology series this year and won star Jodie Foster the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for a Limited Series, Anthology, or Television Movie.

The Showrunner Award will recognize Emmy-nominated television writer and producer Francesca Sloane for her work on Prime Video’s series Mr. & Mrs. Smith. The series was nominated 16 times at this year’s Emmys and was awarded two wins.

Oscar and Emmy-nominated actress Adriana Barraza will be honored with the Actress Award – Film for her role in Roadside Attractions’ film My Penguin Friend.

Barraza previously earned an Academy Award nomination in 2007 for Best Supporting Actress for her work in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s film Babel and just received a 2024 International Emmy nomination for Best Actress for her work in the award-winning Netflix film El último vagón.

Actress and writer Fernanda Torres will receive the Actress Award – International Film for her role in Sony Pictures Classics’ film I’m Still Here, which notably garnered the Best Screenplay award at this year’s Venice Film Festival and has been selected as Brazil’s 2024 submission for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars.

Emayatzy Corinealdi will accept the Actress Award – Series for her performance on Hulu/Onyx Collective’s Reasonable Doubt.

Corinealdi also recently appeared in the HBO series Ballers and in the Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead. STARZ will bestow Emayatzy Corinealdi’s award with a special STARZ #TakeTheLead designation as part of its ongoing commitment to amplifying narratives by, about, and for women and underrepresented audiences.

Ramón Rodríguez will be awarded with the Breakthrough Actor Award – Series for his starring role in the ABC series Will Trent.

Rodríguez was also nominated in the Best Actor in a Drama Series category for season one at last year’s Critics Choice Awards.

The Comedy Series Award will be bestowed upon the acclaimed Apple TV+ series Acapulco, starring Emmy-winner Eugenio Derbez, Enrique Arrizon, Fernando Carsa, and Camila Perez.

The International Series Award will recognize the Apple TV+ Spanish-language drama series Familia de Medianoche, which features an entirely Latino cast and crew led by performers Renata Vaca, Joaquín Cosío, and Diego Calva.

The Celebration honors standout performances and work, both onscreen and offscreen from the Latino entertainment community.

Julio César Cedillo to Appear in Prime Video’s “El Gato”

Posted on July 23, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Julio César Cedillo is officially a cool cat….

The 54-year-old Mexican actor has landed a recurring role in Prime Video’s El Gato.

Cedillo is among a rosetr of new recurring actors that includes Alejandro Edda.

Production is currently underway.

Details regarding their characters are being kept under wraps.

Based on the comic series El Gato Negro by Richard Dominguez, El Gato follows Frank Guerrero (Diego Boneta), who returns home to Mexico after the death of his father and finds himself neck-deep in a nest of vipers – his estranged family – who are vying for control of his father’s business empire. But Frank’s grief is interrupted when he learns his only inheritance, a seemingly worthless parcel of land on the border, sits atop the lair of a famous costumed vigilante — his father, “El Gato.”

Now, Frank is in the crosshairs. To survive, he’ll have to solve mysteries decades in the making and unravel the truth about his father’s connections to a modern-day terror plot.

Previously announced cast also includes Lorenza Izzo, Sarah Jones, Adriana Barraza, Eric Lange and Alfonso Dosal as series regulars and Angela Sarafyan as a recurring guest star.

Eric Carrasco created the series and will co-showrun with Turi Meyer and Alfredo Septién.

El Gato is being produced by MGM Television, a division of Amazon MGM Studios.

Cedillo is best known for the title role in the 2005 film The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. The Sicario star’s most recent credits include A Million Miles Away and The Black Demon.

Adriana Barraza to Star in Prime Video’s Comic Book Series “El Gato”

Posted on June 11, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Adriana Barraza has found a purr-fect role…

The 68-year-old Mexican Oscar-nominated actress has landed a series regular role in Prime Video’s comic book series with the working title El Gato.

Barraza joins new cast addition Sarah Jones and previously announced leads Diego Boneta and Lorenza Izzo.

Based on the comic series El Gato Negro by Richard Dominguez, El Gato follows Frank Guerrero (Boneta), who returns home to Mexico after the death of his father and finds himself neck-deep in a nest of vipers – his estranged family – who are vying for control of his father’s business empire. But Frank’s grief is interrupted when he learns his only inheritance, a seemingly worthless parcel of land on the border, sits atop the lair of a famous costumed vigilante — his father, “El Gato.” Now, Frank is in the crosshairs. To survive, he’ll have to solve mysteries decades in the making and unravel the truth about his father’s connections to a modern-day terror plot.

Barraza will play Alma, who, in the 1970s, discovered her husband was living a double life: moonlighting as a costumed vigilante: El Gato Negro. Alma worked side by side with him for years, providing operational support for his missions. She is careful with her words, and vault-like in the keeping of secrets. Alma thought her old life was behind her, but now widowed, she finds herself pulled back into a world of masks. In the series, she will form an unlikely partnership with our hero, Frank – her husband’s bastard son. It will test the openness of her heart. This is Alma, back in the saddle for one last ride.

Jones will play Ashley, a CIA field agent working as our hero Frank’s handler. Ash is good at reading people. She’s a fast-talking cynic with something to prove. Ash believes the family agricultural business at the center of our series is a front for a criminal enterprise. As she develops Frank as a CIA asset, she will find herself dangerously drawn to him. She is well-trained, physically capable, and seemingly born for this. But it’s a deadly game she’s playing, and if she wants to survive this, she’ll need to watch her back.

Eric Carrasco created the series and will co-showrun with Turi Meyer and Alfredo Septién.

El Gato is being produced by MGM Television, a division of Amazon MGM Studios.

Barraza recently celebrated 50 years in the entertainment industry. She is best known for her collaborations with director Alejandro González Iñárritu in Amores Perros (1999) and Babel (2006), on which she made history as one of only six Mexican actresses to ever receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Most recently, she was a supporting lead in the DC Comics/Warner Bros feature film Blue Beetle opposite Xolo Mariduena and directed by Angel Manuel Soto.

In August, Barraza will star in the indie feature My Penguin Friend opposite Jean Reno.

DC Releases New Trailer for Xolo Maridueña-Starrer “Blue Beetle”

Posted on July 11, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Xolo Maridueña is preparing for a major battle…

DC has release the latest trailer for Blue Beetle, starring the 22-year-old Mexican, Cuban and Ecuadorian American actor and Cobra Kai star.

Jaime Reyes (Maridueña) may not be familiar with his new superpowers in the film, but his family unites to help him as he faces off against supervillain Carapax.

Maridueña’s character is described as a recent college grad who returns home with aspirations for his future, but finds out his home is no longer the same. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab.

When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero Blue Beetle.

Maridueña is joined by a cast that includes Adriana Barraza as Jaime’s grandmother, Nana, Damían Alcázar as his father, Elpidia Carrillo as his mother, Bruna Marquezine as Jenny Kord, Raoul Max Trujillo as Carapax, with Susan Sarandon as Victoria Kord, and George Lopez as Jaime’s Uncle Rudy.

The film also stars Belissa Escobedo as Jaime’s sister Milagro and Harvey Guillén as Dr. Sanchez.

Angel Manuel Soto directs Blue Beetle from a screenplay by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, based on characters from DC. John Rickard and Zev Foreman are producing, with Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman and Garrett Grant serving as executive producers.

Blue Beetle is schedule to hit theaters on August 18.

Becky G Offers First Look at Her “Blue Beetle” Character

Posted on June 6, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Becky G is feelin’ blue…

The 26-year-old Mexican American singer, rapper and actress will officially be part of the cast of Blue Beetle, the upcoming superhero film based on the DC Comics character Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle.

Becky G, born Rebbeca Marie Gomez, will voice the key role of Khaji-Da, an alien who controls the Scarab (an ancient relic of alien biotechnology), she revealed in a joint Instagram post with the film’s account.

“I’m so excited to finally be able to share with you guys that I am officially a part of the Blue Beetle familia,” she said in the short video. “I have the honor of playing the voice of Khaji-Da, who is an alien who decides to who she wants to give her superpowers, and when I say I could not be any more proud of what you guys are going to experience when watching this film, I mean that from the bottom of my heart.”

Produced by DC Studios and the Safran Company, and directed by Ángel Manuel Soto, Blue Beetle stars a Latino-led cast including Xolo Maridueña portraying the lead character and its alter ego Jaime Reyes, Becky G, Adriana Barraza, Damián Alcázar, Elpidia Carrillo, Bruna Marquezine, Raoul Max Trujillo, Susan Sarandon and George Lopez.

Known for Billboard hits such as “Mayores” with Bad Bunny, “Sin Pijama” with Natti Natasha, and “MAMIII” with Karol G, this marks one of Becky’s many efforts as an actress following her role as Trini Kwan (the yellow ranger) in Power Rangers (2017), Chloe in Gnome Alone (2017), Sara Reyes in A.X.L. (2018), and Apple in Good Mourning (2022).

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Blue Beetle opens in theaters nationwide on August 18.

Eva Longoria Among Celebrities & Entertainment Figures Encouraging World Leaders to “End the COVID-19 Pandemic Now”

Posted on September 21, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is urging on world leaders to take action to end the ongoing coronavirus pandemic…

Tuesday morning, just before President Joe Biden addressed the United Nations for the first time, more than 80 celebrities and entertainment figures, including the 46-year-old Mexican American actress, producer and activist, issued an open letter to world leaders calling for them to end “the COVID-19 pandemic now.”

The letter, which mentioned the United Nations General Assembly Session specifically, was posted on the website of CARE, an organization dedicated to ending poverty worldwide.

It was signed by a raft of boldfaced names including Longoria, Debra Messing, Alyssa Milano, Anne Hathaway, Malin Akerman, Debbie Allen, Jordana Brewster, Connie Britton, Ciara, Peter Dinklage, Richard Gere, Dolores Huerta, Joel McHale, Iman, Edward James Olmos, Laura Linney, Julianna Margulies, Joel McHale, Idina Menzel, Ana Ortiz, Adam Shankman, Michael Sheen, Adam Shulman and Sarah Silverman.

Specifically, the letter calls COVID-19 “a manmade pandemic of apathy.” It states that “Only 2% of people in low-income countries have received a single dose.” The signatories call on “global leaders to make 7 billion vaccine doses available before the end of 2021, and an additional 7 billion doses by mid-2022 to fully vaccinate 70% of the world by next summer.”

Those are lofty goals given the world’s most highly vaccinated countries, like the U.S., remain well under 70%.

It also asks leaders to “invest in last-mile delivery systems, public education, and frontline healthcare workers to get vaccines from tarmacs into arms.”

Here’s the full letter:

An open letter to world leaders on ending the COVID-19 pandemic now.

None of us are safe until all of us are safe.

We call on leaders gathering at the United Nations General Assembly Session to boldly act
together to end COVID-19 everywhere.

COVID-19 is now a manmade pandemic of apathy. Only 2% of people in low-income countries have received a single dose, leaving the world’s most vulnerable to face COVID with no
protection. This situation also lets new variants, like Delta, emerge and ravage the lives of
millions.

We are joining with CARE to call on global leaders to make 7 billion vaccine doses available before the end of 2021, and an additional 7 billion doses by mid-2022 to fully vaccinate 70%
of the world by next summer.

To get this done the world community must also invest in last-mile delivery systems, public education, and frontline healthcare workers to get vaccines from tarmacs into arms. Millions
of doses could go to waste because low-income countries don’t have the support they
need to get vaccines to vulnerable people.

We can save millions of lives — and trillions in further economic damage — by meeting this moment with the resources and political will needed to end COVID-19 for everyone,
everywhere. Because none of us are safe until all of us are safe.

Malin Akerman
Debbie Allen
Dorothy Amuah
Morena Baccarin
Adriana Barraza
Troian Bellisario
Bobby Berk
Jordana Brewster
Connie Britton
Karamo Brown
Gloria Calderón Kellett
Ciara
Tena Clark
Kim Coates
Madison Cowan
Alexandra Daddario
Peter Dinklage
Melinda Doolittle
Tan France
Richard Gere
Duff Goldman
Tony Goldwyn
Fiona Gubelmann
Anne Hathaway
Ingrid Hoffmann
Anders Holm
Dolores Huerta
Osas Ighodaro
Joel McHale
Iman
Edward James Olmos
Sonam Kapoor Ahuja
Ellie Krieger
Iskra Lawrence
Annie Lennox
Lola Lennox
Esther Lewis
Laura Linney
Kimberly Locke
Eva Longoria
Anja Manuel
Julianna Margulies
Catherine McCord
Joel McHale
Spike Mendelsohn
Idina Menzel
Debra Messing
Alyssa Milano
Sepideh Moafi
Tamera Mowry-Housley
Yvette Nicole Brown
Christina Ochoa
Ana Ortiz
Helen Pankhurst
Jessica Pimentel
Julie Plec
Adina Porter
Zac Posen
Leven Rambin
April Reign
Holland Roden
Sheila Shah
Adam Shankman
Omar Sharif Jr.
Michael Sheen
Adam Shulman
Sarah Silverman
Hannah Skvarla
Todd Snyder
Kimberly Steward
Curtis Stone
Christy Turlington Burns
Laura Vandervoort
Gabby Williams
Michelle Williams
Kimberly Williams-Paisley
Russell Wilson
Scott Wolf
Kelley Wolf
Bellamy Young
Rachel Zoe

Diego Luna to Receive 2021 Platino Award of Honor

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Diego Luna is being celebrated for his platinum career.

This year’s seventh edition of the Ibero-American Platino Awards (Premios Platinos) will honor the 41-year-old Mexican actor, director, producer and festival organizer with the Platino Award of Honor.

An itinerant award show by design, this year’s Platinos will be held on October 3 in Madrid.

Luna will be the youngest recipient of the career achievement honor, joining previous winners Miguel Rafael Martos Sánchez, often simply referred to as Raphael, one of Spain’s most iconic entertainers of the 20th century; Adriana Barraza, the Oscar nominated Spanish-English-language crossover star of Alejandro Iñárritu’s Babel and Amores Perros; Oscar and three time Primetime Emmy nominee Edward James Olmos (Stand and Deliver); Oscar nominee Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory); and Primetime Emmy (The Burning Season) and BAFTA (“Dona Flor e Seus Dois Maridos) nominee Sonia Braga.

A child actor who excelled from an early age, Luna’s first film appearance was in Javier Bourges’ 1991 Mexican Academy Award-nominated short The Last New Year.” He appeared in several telenovelas throughout the ‘90s, joined on screen for the first time by his longtime collaborator and close friend Gael García Bernal in El abuelo y yo in 1992. Alternating between film and television over the next decade, his international breakout came with García Bernal and Spain’s Marbel Verdú in Alfonso Cuarón’s seminal coming-of-age road trip film “Y Tu Mamá También.”

Shortly after, Luna began his Hollywood career appearing alongside Bon Jovi in John Carpenter’s Vampires: Los Muertos and in Salma Hayek’s Oscar-winning biopic Frida.

In the decades since, Luna has continued to work on both Latin American and U.S. productions while also taking turns as a producer, writer and director. He also, again with García Bernal, launched the nomadic documentary film festival Ambulante, as well as their own production label, first Canana in 2005 and now La Corriente del Golfo.

Most recently, he created and hosts the Amazon Original conversation series Pan y Circo and is starring in the Disney+’s Andor, a spinoff series following his Rogue One: A Star Wars Story character Cassian Andor.

He was also recently confirmed as a voice actor for Netflix’s upcoming animated series Maya and the Three, where he will team with frequent collaborator Jorge Gutierrez (The Book of Life).

Last year’s ceremony was, like so many, forced online by the COVID-19 pandemic. But this time around, the Platinos are planning an in-person event to celebrate the best offerings from the Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American screen industries.

At 11 nominations each, the two standout titles are Fernando Trueba’s Colombian drama Memories of My Father and Jayro Bustamante’s Guatemalan thriller La Llorona.

The Platino Awards are promoted by EGEDA (Spain’s Entity for the Rights Management of Audiovisual Producers) and FIPCA (the Ibero-American Federation of Film and Audiovisual Producers) and have the support of the Ibero-American film academies and institutes as well as numerous sponsors in Europe and Latin America.

Marc Anthony Developing Music for Sofia Vergara’s Animated Film “Koati”

Posted on March 11, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Marc Anthony is bringing his music to the big screen…

The 52-year-old Puerto Rican Grammy-winning and his Magnus Studios team are joining Sofia Vergara’s animated feature comedy, Koati.

The project’s soundtrack, executive produced by the salsa music icon and produced by Grammy-winning producer and songwriter Julio Reyes Copello, will include 10 original songs by notable names in Latin music and will be released on the Magnus/Sony Music Latin labels and distributed by Sony Music Latin worldwide.

Produced by Upstairs Animation, Latin WE Productions and Los Hijos de Jack, Koati follows three unlikely heroes — Nachi, a free-spirited coatí; Xochi, a fearless monarch butterfly; and Pako, a hyperactive glass frog — as they embark on an adventure to stop wicked coral snake Zaina (Vergara) from destroying their rainforest homeland and friends.

Produced simultaneously in English and Spanish, the voice cast includes Oscar nominee Adriana Barraza (Babel), Joe Manganiello (Justice League), Eduardo Franco (Stranger Things) and actors-musicians Evaluna Montaner (Club 57) and Sebastián Villalobos (Soy Luna).

The film, which is due to be released later this year, was developed by producer-creator Anabella Dovarganes-Sosa, executive producer-chief story consultant Melissa Escobar and executive producer and lead actress, Vergara. Luis Balaguer and Felipe Pimiento will also act as executive producers. Timeless Films handles sales.

Latin American talent runs through the project from director Rodrigo Pérez-Castro, production designer and visual development artist Simón Varela, writer and cultural consultant Ligiah Villalobos, and producer Julio Reyes Copello, who also composed the film’s score.

Anthony said: “I am thrilled to join Sofia in a project where for the first time a renowned team of Hispanic producers, music stars, comedians, and actors come together outside of Hollywood to create an animated movie set up in the Latin American rainforests, which I feel is really exciting and long overdue. I will leave no stone unturned on the music being authentic and celebrating the amazing story and message of Koati. It’s time to show the world, and share what we Latinos have been enjoying for years in a very fun, inspirational film.”

Vergara added: “Koati is a beautiful animated film full of fun and exotic characters that will make you laugh and also touch your heart. I couldn’t dream of a better partner than Marc Anthony to bring this project to life with authentic and powerful Latin American music. Our team is very proud to finally share Koati with families around the world very soon!”

Anthony is the top-selling tropical salsa artist of all time. The two-time Grammy and six-time Latin Grammy winner has sold more than 12 million albums worldwide.

Adriana Barraza to Star in Amazon Studios’ ‘Welcome To The Blumhouse’ Anthology Horror Film “Bingo”

Posted on March 3, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Adriana Barraza is playing bingo…

The 65-year-old Mexican Oscar-nominated actress will serve up some scares in Amazon Studios’ next slate of films in the horror anthology Welcome To The Blumhouse. Barraza will star in Bingo directed and co-written by rising genre filmmaker Gigi Saul Guerrero. The film is currently in production.

The collaboration is a Latinx-driven narrative that includes two generations of Mexican artists. In this case, Barraza and the up and comer Guerrero.

Set in the barrio of Oak Springs, Bingo follows a strong and stubborn group of elderly friends who refuse to be gentrified. Barraza plays the leader of the pack, Lupita, a “chingona” who grew up in the neighborhood formerly filled with crime and dangerous characters. Lupita has dedicated her life to cleaning up the neighborhood and creating a community the residents could be proud to call home. Little does Lupita and her friends know, their beloved bingo hall (hence the title) is about to be sold to a much more powerful force than money itself.

Bingo continues Amazon Prime Video’s Welcome to the Blumhouse slate of genre, horror-thriller films highlighting female and emerging filmmakers, and diverse casts with new and established actors in unexpected roles. The upcoming 2021 slate for the anthology also includes The Manor, Black as Night, and Madres.

Guerrero co-wrote Bingo with Shane McKenzie and Perry Blackshear. The film comes from Blumhouse Television and Amazon Studios.

Prime Video launched the Welcome to the Blumhouse in October of last year with Black
Box, The Lie, Evil Eye and Nocturne.

Barraza’s career spans more than 40 years in film, television and theater. In 1999, Barraza starred in a breakout role opposite Gael Garcia Bernal in Amores Perros directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu, who she worked with again in 2006 on Babel. She is one of only six Mexican actresses to ever receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Barbara De Regil to Star in the Action-Thriller “Blackout”

Posted on November 5, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Barbara De Regil is blacking out…

The 33-year-old Mexican actress has been cast in the action-thriller Blackout, starring Josh Duhamel, Abbie Cornish, Nick Nolte and Omar Chaparro.

Also joining are Jose Sefami and Hernan Del Riego. Shooting on the film is underway in Mexico City.

Blackout will follow Cain (Duhamel), who wakes up in a Mexican hospital with no memory. After meeting Anna (Cornish), he discovers who he is but soon finds himself fighting for his life as several warring cartel factions attack him, each looking for something he has stolen. Cain looks towards co-worker and mentor, DEA Agent McCoy (Nolte), for answers.

The Patriot Pictures (Synchronic) feature is being directed by Sam Macaroni, director of the VR fight sequences on John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. The script comes from Van B. Nguyen. XYZ will launch world sales at the upcoming American Film Market.

De Regil is best known for her starring role in the La Femme Nikita-inspired action-crime-thriller TV series Rosario Tijeras from Sony Pictures Television and TV Azteca.

She has also starred in lead roles in films like the comedy feature Loca Por El Trabajo, opposite Adriana Barraza, and, most recently, Netflix’s Spanish-language comedy feature, Mutiny of the Worker Bees, opposite Gustavo Egelhaaf and Mexican star Alejandro Suárez.

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