The 38-year-old Mexican actress, producer and screenwriter has joined the lead cast of Fox’s upcoming musical drama Monarch alongside Emma Milani.
Higareda and Milani will appear alongside Susan Sarandon, Albie Roman, Anna Friel, Trace Adkins and Beth Ditto.
Created by Melissa London Hilfers, Monarch is described as a Texas-sized, multigenerational musical drama about America’s first family of country music, the Romans. The Romans are headed by the insanely talented, but tough as nails Queen of Country Music Dottie Cantrell Roman (Sarandon). Along with her beloved husband, Albie (Adkins), Dottie has created a country music dynasty. But even though the Roman name is synonymous with authenticity, the very foundation of their success is a lie. And when their reign as country royalty is put in jeopardy, heir to the crown Nicolette “Nicky” Roman (Friel) will stop at nothing to protect her family’s legacy, while ensuring her own quest for stardom.
Higareda will play Catt Phoenix, the stunning and unpredictable mother of 17- year-old Ana Phoenix, a talented young singer and who is trying to get signed to the Roman Family’s record label. Catt harbors a deep-seated grudge against the Romans, Nicky in particular, and her presence creates quite a stir in Austin.
Milani will portray Ana Phoenix, the sweet, wide-eyed daughter of Catt with a beautiful voice, who is a recent TikTok sensation with her modern, Spanish language interpretation of Roman’s first hit song.
They join recently announced cast members Inigo Pascual, John Sasse and Meagan Holder.
Monarch debuts with a special two-night event beginning on Sunday, January 30.
Higareda can be seen in Hulu’s Into the Dark: Culture Shock. Her recent credits also include Netflix’s Altered Carbon, Queen of the Southand Royal Pains.
Milani, who recently appeared onSolve, is a 2020 graduate of the Acting Conservatory at the Orange County School of the Arts. Also a vocalist, Milani has appeared in productions of The White Roseand12 Angry Jurors.
Yul Vazquez is bringing the Blood to this year’s Screamfest…
The Screamfest Horror Film Festival has revealed the lineup of films that’ll be featured at this year’s drive-in edition, including the 55-year-old Cuban actor’s latest project Books of Blood.
Vazquez’s latest film, directed by Brannon Braga, will kick off the festival, which runs from October 6-15.
The Hulu original film, based on Clive Barker’s horror anthology, is slated to premiere on the streamer on October 7. Starring Vazquez, Britt Robertson, Anna Friel and Rafi Gavron, the film takes a journey into uncharted and forbidden territory through three tales tangled in space and time.
Meanwhile, Jon Huertas and Isabella Gomez’s social media teen slasher Initiationwill also be screened at Screamfest.
The film also stars Lindsay LaVanchy, Froy Gutierrez, Gattlin Griffth, Patrick Walker, James Berardo, Bart Johnson, Shireen Lai, Kent Faulcon, Yancy Butler and Lochlyn Munro.
Initiation, from Screamfest alum Berardo, was recently acquired by Saban Films.
Also among the list of screenings are Thirst, the first-ever Icelandic gay splatter vampire flick, and psychological horror film Sweet River (making its North American debut).
“2020 has been challenging for everyone and certainly not how we planned on celebrating Screamfest’s 20th edition, but we’re thrilled to be able to continue to serve the LA community and give our hardworking filmmakers the premieres they wholeheartedly deserve with our lineup of drive-in titles,” says festival founder Rachel Belofsky. “In this unprecedented, uncharted territory of hosting an entirely drive-in festival, we are honored that these wonderfully frightening films have entrusted Screamfest LA to be their festival home, and we’re excited for the opportunity to showcase the horror and sci-fi genre to LA audiences.”
Here’s the 2020 Screamfest Horror Film Festival lineup:
A Ghost Waits (US, 2020) – US Premiere Directed by Adam Stovall. Written by Adam Stovall, MacLeod Andrews. Produced by Adam Stovall, MacLeod Andrews. Cast: MacLeod Andrews, Natalie Walker.
Jack’s job is to fix up the house. Muriel’s job is to haunt it. They should be enemies, but they become fascinated by one another and eventually smitten, leading them to question everything about their work, lives, and decisions. But as the pressure mounts for them to fulfill their duties, something will have to give for them to have the time together they both so desperately want.
An Ideal Host (Australia, 2020) – US Premiere Directed by Robert Woods. Written by Tyler Jacob Jones. Produced by Robert Woods, Tyler Jacob Jones. Cast: Nadia Collins, Evan Williams, Naomi Brockwell, St John Cowcher.
Liz just wants to host the perfect dinner party but an unexpected guest sends the evening into chaos, with potentially apocalyptic consequences.
Anonymous Animals (France, 2020) – US Premiere Directed and written by Baptiste Rouveure. Produced by Anonymous Animals Films. Cast: Thierry Maros, Aurélien Chilarski, Pauline Guilpain, Emilien Lavaut.
The balance of power between man and animal is reversed. In a remote countryside, any encounter with the dominant can become hostile. At the crossroads of fantastic and suspense kind, Anonymous Animals questions the place of animals in our societies.
Books of Blood (US, 2020) – Opening Night Directed by Brannon Braga. Written by Brannon Braga & Adam Simon, based on the short story by Clive Barker with contributing original material. Cast: Britt Robertson, Rafi Gavron, Anna Friel, Yul Vazquez, and Freda Foh Shen. Executive Producers: Braga, Seth MacFarlane, Erica Huggins, Alana Kleiman, Brian Witten, Jeff Kwatinetz, Josh Barry, Clive Barker and Adam Simon/ Producers: Jason Clark and Joe Micucci.
Based on Clive Barker’s acclaimed and influential horror anthology Books Of Blood, this feature takes audiences on a journey into uncharted and forbidden territory through three uncanny tales tangled in space and time.
The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (US, 2019) – LA Premiere Directed by Derek Carl. Written by Hank Huffman. Produced by Molly Preston, Derek Carl, Hank Huffman, Daniel Timothy Treacy. Cast: Rachael Perrell Fosket, Patrick D. Green, Jason Reynolds, David Withers, Robert Blanche, Mia Allen
Set in the early sixties, The Brain That Wouldn’t Die follows the misadventures of Dr. Bill Cortner (Patrick Green), a brilliant surgeon, whose unorthodox practices produce fantastic results – the reanimation of dead tissue. Bill’s father and mentor, William, cautions his son against meddling with the forces of nature, but Bill insists that his work will bring an end to human mortality. Bill’s methods are put to the test when his fiancée, Jan Compton (Rachael Perrell Fosket), is decapitated in a car accident. Absconding with her remains to his secret laboratory, Bill successfully revives Jan’s head in a pan. She begs for death but Bill refuses to oblige, promising that he can make her whole again. Putting his assistant, Kurt (Jason Reynolds), in charge of the lab, Bill leaves to find Jan a new body, knowing full well that he will have to murder an innocent woman to do so. Bill’s quest takes him through the seedy underbelly of the city, from smoky cabarets to sleazy swimsuit competitions. Despite his efforts, Bill is foiled at every turn, narrowly avoiding the suspicions of Mancini (Robert Blanche), the hardboiled detective investigating the car accident. However, Bill’s luck changes when he chances upon an old flame, Doris Powell (Mia Allen), a vulnerable model with surgical needs. Meanwhile, Jan, determined to bring an end to the madness, uses her newly discovered psychic abilities to communicate with another of Bill’s hideously deformed experiments. Together, they plot their revenge…
Caveat (UK, 2020) – North American Premiere Directed and written by Damian Mc Carthy. Produced by Justin Hyne. Cast: Ben Caplan, Jonathan French, Leila Sykes
A lone drifter, Isaac suffering from partial memory loss accepts a job from his old landlord Barrett, to look after his niece Olga, a psychologically troubled woman living in an abandoned house on an isolated island. When Barrett convinces Isaac to confine his movements to the house and leaves the two of them alone, a game of cat and mouse ensues with Isaac fighting to survive amid the terrifying resurgence of his own memory.
Initiation (US, 2020) – US Premiere Directed by John Berardo. Written by John Berardo, Lindsay LaVanchy, Brian Frager. Produced by Brian Frager, John Berardo, JP Castel, Stephanie Stanziano, Lindsay LaVanchy, Jon Huertas. Cast: Jon Huertas, Isabella Gomez, Lindsay LaVanchy, Froy Gutierrez, Gattlin Griffth, Patrick Walker, James Berardo, Bart Johnson, Shireen Lai, Kent Faulcon, Yancy Butler, Lochlyn Munro
Teen horror is back with a vengeance in this edgy slasher about a cruel social media game that spins out of control. Whiton University unravels the night a star-athlete is murdered in the wake of a hidden assault allegation, kicking off a spree of social media-linked slayings. As a masked killer targets students across campus, a trio of sorority sisters race to uncover the truth behind the school’s hidden secrets – and the horrifying meaning of an exclamation point – before they become the killer’s next victims.
Sanzaru (US, 2019) – LA Premiere Directed and written by Xia Magnus. Produced by Alyssa Polk, Anthony Pedone, Nathan Hertz. Cast: Ania Dumlao, Justin Arnold, Jayne Taini, Jon Viktor Corpuz.
When a mild Filipina nurse is hired by an elderly woman declining into dementia, the walls between this world and the next crumble as she uncovers her employer’s shocking family secret.
Sweet River (Australia, 2020) – North American Premiere Directed by Justin McMillan. Written by Eddie Baroo, Marc Furmie. Produced by Ashley McLeod. Cast: Lisa Kay, Martin Sacks, Jack Ellis, Charlotte Stent
Hannah’s search for her son’s body leads her to sleepy Billins, where her investigations uncover more than she expected and threaten to expose the town’s dark secrets….secrets that both the living and the dead will fight to protect.
Thirst (Iceland, 2019) – LA Premiere Directed by Steinþór Hróar Steinþórsson, Gaukur Úlfarsson. Written by Björn Leó Brynjarsson. Produced by Haraldur Hrafn Thorlacius. Cast: Hjörtur Sævar Steinason, Hulda Lind Kristinsdóttir, Jens Jensson.
Hulda is a drug addict, arrested and accused of murdering her brother. After she is let go because of insufficient evidence, she meets Hjörtur, a thousand-year-old vampire. Together they have to fight a cult while being investigated by a rogue detective.
