Olmos to Take Part in Center Theatre Group’s 50th Anniversary Event

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a special homecoming for Edward James Olmos…

The 70-year-old Mexican American actor will take part in a star-studded event to celebrate the Center Theatre Group’s 50 years of excellence.

The event will feature a one-night-only production from writer, director and producer Robert Egan, followed by dinner in downtown Los Angeles’ Grand Park.

Co-Chairs Robert Greenblatt, chairman of NBC Entertainment, and Sue Tsao, Center Theatre Group board member will be joined by celebrated alumni like Olmos, Alfred Molina, Annette Bening, Matthew Bourne, Danai Gurira, Phylicia Rashad and more.

The celebration, taking place on May 20 at the Ahmanson Theatre, will spotlight Center Theatre Group’s education and community outreach programs as well as its continuing role in creating new work and helping to define the role of theatre both in Los Angeles and beyond.

“We are thrilled to have so many incredible artists returning to help us celebrate this exciting milestone, and the power of theatre to shape the cultural landscape of Los Angeles,” said Center Theatre Group Board President Kiki Ramos Gindler. “Our 50th Anniversary Celebration will bring together some of our most beloved and talented artists to reflect on Center Theatre Group’s proud history of world-class productions, innovative programs and field-defining new work.”

Olmos, an Academy Award nominee for his performance in Stand and Deliver, starred in the in the Center Theatre Group’s production of the Chicano protest musical Zoot Suit as El Pachuco back in 1978. Oscar-nominated actor Demian Bichir stepped into that role for the revival of the Luis Valdez play, also produced by the Center Theater Group.

Molina to Star in BBC/Acorn TV’s WWII Drama “Close to the Enemy”

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Alfred Molina has found a new Enemy…

The 63-year-old half-Spanish actor will star in the period drama Close to the Enemy.

Co-produced by Acorn Media Enterprises, All3Media International and the BBC, the seven-part series from Stephen Poliakoff is set in a bomb-damaged London hotel in the aftermath of World War II and centers on intelligence officer Captain Callum Ferguson. His last task for the Army is to ensure that a captured German scientist, Dieter urgently starts working for the British RAF to develop the jet engine. Callum uses unorthodox methods in his attempt to convince Dieter and the two form a friendship. But tensions soon arise, as all is not as it seems.

In addition to Molina, Close To The Enemy will also star Jim Sturgess, Alfie Allen, Angela Bassett and Freddie Highmore.

Coinciding with the BBC broadcast, the drama will make its U.S. debut on streaming service Acorn TV in November/December.

Garcia Joins Cast of Fox’s Comic Book-Themed Drama “Lucifer”

Posted on June 25, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Aimee Garcia is headed back to television…

The 37-year-old Puerto Rican and Mexican American actress has joined the cast of Fox’s comic book-themed drama Lucifer as a new series regular for Season 2.

Garcia will play Ella Lopez, the department’s new forensic scientist…and she sure does love her job. Ella grew up in a pretty rough neighborhood in Detroit, but also in a strong Catholic family, under the watchful and protective eye of her five brothers…which might explain some of her opposing personality traits. Her mutual belief in both faith and science proves a point of interest to Lucifer (and the rest of the department) as they get to know and love her quirky ways.

Known for her role as Dexter’s nanny Jamie Batista on Showtime’s Dexter, Garcia recently co-starred in CBS’ Rush Hour and filmed the indie Sister Cities with Alfred Molina, Jackie Weaver, Jess Weixler and Kathy Baker.

Her other credits include TV Land’s Impastor and Jose Padilha’s RoboCop.

Molina to Star Opposite Gerard Butler in “The Headhunter’s Calling”

Posted on September 12, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Alfred Molina has found his new calling…

The 62-year-old half-Spanish actor has joined the cast of The Headhunter’s Calling, the drama starring Gerard Butler.

Mark Williams is directing the project, which is due to being shooting October 26 in Toronto.

In the film, Butler is playing a ruthless headhunter who is on the verge of achieving his dream, taking over the company he works for, when the sudden illness of his 10-year old son causes his personal and professional life to crash.

Molina will portray a lovable, unemployed engineer who is looking for a chance to shine.

Bill DuBuque, who wrote The Judge and the upcoming Ben Affleck movie The Accountant, penned the script.

First Trailer Released for Isaac’s Upcoming HBO Miniseries “Show Me a Hero”

Posted on August 4, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Oscar Isaac doesn’t need a hero; he is one…

The first trailer for HBO‘s upcoming miniseries Show Me a Hero, starring the 36-year-old Guatemalan/Cuban American actor, has been released.

Set in Yonkers, New York in the 1960s, the six-part political drama follows Isaac’s character Wasicsko, a young mayor who faces huge resistance from public and his rival in politics, Alfred Molina‘s Henry J. Spallone,, despite his good intentions to bring justice to people in the neighborhood.

The miniseries is based on Lisa Belkin‘s 1999 non-fiction book of the same name. It will explore notions of home, race and community through the lives of elected officials, bureaucrats, activists and ordinary citizens in Yonkers, N.Y.

As Wasicsko is faced with a federal court order that says he must build a small number of low-income housing units in the white neighborhoods of his town, his attempt to do so tears the entire city apart, paralyzes the municipal government and, ultimately, destroys the mayor and his political future.

HBO Releases Trailer for Isaac’s Miniseries “Show Me a Hero”

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Oscar Isaac is ready for his Hero’s welcome…

HBO has released the official trailer for its period drama Show Me a Hero, starring the 36-year-old Guatemalan/Cuban American actor.

The story takes place in the 1980s and ’90s and centers on Isaac’s character Nick Wasicsko, a young Yonkers mayor who finds himself at the crossroads of race and politics when he is instructed to build low-income housing units in his largely Caucasian community. He hopes to be on the right side of history, but at what cost?

Show Me a Hero, which draws a lot of parallels to the current civil-rights battle in our country, also stars Catherine Keener, Jim Belushi, Winona Ryder, Alfred Molina and Jon Bernthal.

Set to be shown in six hour-long installments, the series is an adaptation of Lisa Belkin’s 1999 book and is penned by The Wire‘s David Simon and William F. Zorzi and directed by Paul Haggis.

Show Me a Hero premieres at 8:00 pm on August 16 on HBO.

Dawson to Lend Voice to the Animated Film “Henchmen”

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Rosario Dawson is about to get animated…

The 36-year-old Puerto Rican and Afro-Cuban American actress has been added to the voice cast of Bron Studios’ first animated feature film Henchmen, which is based on an Adam Wood short.

In addition to Dawson, the voice cast also includes James Marsden, Thomas Middleditch, Alfred Molina, Nathan Fillion, Jane Krakowski, Rob Riggle, Craig Robinson and Will Sasso.

Henchmen centers on a band of blue-collar workers at the Union of Evil who must come together to save the world.

The movie is currently in production at Bron’s studios in Burnaby and Duncan, British Columbia.

Molina to Star in BBC 2’s Six-Part Drama “Close to the Enemy”

Posted on March 31, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Alfred Molina is getting too close to the enemy…

The 61-year-old half-Spanish actor has been cast in BBC 2’s new six-part drama Close to the Enemy.

Written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff, the Cold War drama is set in a bomb-damaged London hotel in the aftermath of World War II.

Jim Sturgess plays an intelligence officer whose last task for the Army is to ensure that a captured German scientist, played by August Diehl, starts working for the British RAF on urgently developing the jet engine.

There’s no word on Molina’s character in the project, which also stars Freddie Highmore, Charlotte Riley, Alfie Allen, Charity Wakefield and Angela Bassett.

“Close To The Enemy is set in the transitional period of 1946 — the brutal Second World War is finally over but the destruction of families and cities permeates everyone’s lives,” said producer Helen Flint, a longtime collaborator with Poliakoff. “As the Cold War takes its hold in Europe and the public realization that the atom bomb could be used by any government, our hero Callum (Sturgess) passionately believes that to safeguard the future you mustn’t heed the past regardless of how terrible it has been.”

Close to the Enemy will film in Liverpool and London and air in 2016.

GKIDS to Release Hayek’s “Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet” in August

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Salma Hayek’s latest personal project is headed to theaters in August…

GKIDS has announced plans to release Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet on August 7 in Los Angeles and New York before expanding it nationwide the following week.

The animated film, adapted from Kahlil Gibran‘s book The Prophet, was spearheaded by Hayek and features a narrative story written and directed by Roger Allers (The Lion King), with “chapters” based on Gibran’s poems designed and directed by animation directors including Tomm Moore, Joan Gratz, Bill Plympton, Nina Paley, Joann Sfar, Paul and Gaetan Brizzi, Michal Socha and Mohammed Harib.

Hayek, Liam Neeson, Quvenzhané Wallis, John Krasinski, Frank Langella and Alfred Molina make up the voice cast.

The Prophet is a book of 26 prose poetry essays written in English by the Lebanese artist, philosopher and writer^. It was originally published in 1923 by Alfred A. Knopf. It is Gibran’s best-known work. The Prophet has been translated into over 40 different languages and has never been out of print.

Martinez to Star in the Revenge Thriller “Message From The King”

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a King’s landing for Natalie Martinez…

The 30-year-old Cuban American actress has landed a role in Message From The King, a revenge thriller from director Fabrice Du Welz.

The film stars Chadwick Boseman as Jacob, a South African man who descends into the Los Angeles underworld in an attempt to avenge his younger sister’s death and rescue her stepson from the immoral world into which he’s been sold.

Martinez will portray Trish, the former neighbor of Jacob’s missing sister Bianca who he recruits to help find the woman’s murderer.

Teresa Palmer, Luke Evans and Alfred Molina also star.

Filming is expected to begin this month in Los Angeles.

Martinez currently plays Jess Murphy on ABC’s midseason Sunday drama Secrets And Lies, and her other recent credits include multiple episodes of Under The Dome, CSI: NY and Detroit 1-8-7.

She will next be seen in the Focus Features summer pic Self/Less starring Ryan Reynolds and Ben Kingsley.

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