Tag Archives: Apple

Dan Hernandez to Co-Pen Film Featuring Disney’s Iconic Dragon Figment

Posted on by
Reply

It’s no figment of Dan Hernandez’s imagination…

The 38-year-old Latino film and television writer and producer will co-write Disney’s upcoming film featuring its iconic small purple dragon Figment alongside Benji Samit.

Dan HernandezFigment serves as the mascot of Epcot’s Imagination Pavilion in Orlando.

The feature hails from Seth Rogen’s Point Grey.

Figment was created by Walt Disney Imagineers Tony Baxter and Steve Kirk, among other collaborators, in 1983, the same year it made its debut in the Epcot ride Journey Into Imagination. Figment is the embodiment of the imagining process— a figment of your imagination.

Although one of Disney’s more obscure characters, Figment has a devoted fanbase that has ensured his role at the park is never diminished. Various attempts to remove the ride or decrease his presence have been met with loud protests.

Today, he is the star of the latest version of the ride Journey Into Imagination with Figment.

The feature will not be Figment’s first time on the big screen, however.

He made cameo appearances in 2015’s Inside Out and 2019’s Toy Story 4.

The writing team of Hernandez and Samit penned 2019’s Pokémon Detective Pikachu and 2021’s The Addams Family 2 and developed the upcoming Hulu animated series Koala Man, premiering in 2023.

Other notable credits include Apple’s Central Park, The Tick for Amazon and the One Day at a Time reboot.

Ricardo Chavira to Appear Opposite Kim Cattrall in Netflix’s Drama Series “Glamorous”

Posted on by
Reply

Ricardo Chavira is about to lead a glamorous life…

The 50-year-old Mexican American actor and former Desperate Housewives star has landed a heavily recurring role opposite Kim Cattrall in Netflix’s drama series Glamorous, from Jordon Nardino and Damon Wayans Jr.

Ricardo ChaviraGlamorous, which originally had been ordered to pilot at The CW in 2019, tells the story of Marco Mejia, played by previously announced Miss Benny, a gender-nonconforming queer young man whose life seems to be stuck in place until he lands a job working for legendary makeup mogul Madolyn Addison (Cattrall). It’s Marco’s first chance to figure out what he wants out of life, who he actually is and what it really means for him to be queer.

Chavira plays Teddy. The handsome personal full-time driver for makeup mogul Madolyn Addison (Cattrall), as well as maybe her closest confidant. Professional but unpolished, Teddy isn’t wowed by Madolyn’s celebrity or beauty and enjoys calling her out on her bullshit and telling it to her like it is. Their friendly sparring and frank relationship betray a chemistry that could lead to more, if either of them was willing to admit it.

Nardino writes and exec produces the 10-part drama series, which is also executive-produced by Wayans Jr. and Kameron Tarlow of Two Shakes Entertainment. CBS Studios is the studio.

Chavira most recently appeared in the Netflix series Selena as a series regular and can next be seen in the upcoming third season of Apple’s Truth Be Told. He is best known for his portrayal of Carlos Solis in the hit ABC series Desperate Housewives. Other credits include Kevin Can Wait, Jane the Virgin, The Santa Clarita Diet, and Scandal. 

Doreen Calderon to Star in Paramount+’s Series “Fatal Attraction”

Posted on by
Reply

Doreen Calderon has attracted a new role…

The Latina actress has joined the cast of Fatal Attraction, the upcoming Paramount+ series that reimagines the classic 1980s psychosexual thriller film.

Doreen Calderon,Calderon will portray Maureen Walker, Dan’s (Joshua Jackson) longtime assistant who worked for his father before him. She knows how he thinks and keeps in perfect stride, but also has enough cred to tease her boss once in a while.

Written by Alexandra Cunningham from a story she co-wrote with Kevin J. Hynes, the Paramount Television Studios and Amblin Television series explores the timeless themes of marriage and infidelity through the lens of modern attitudes towards strong women, personality disorders, and coercive control.

Lizzy Caplan, Amanda Peet, Wanda De Jesus, Alyssa Jirrels, Toby Huss, Reno Wilson and Brian Goodman also star.

Calderon’s most recent credits include appearances in Apple’s Loot, Fox’s Call Me Kat, the CW’s Riverdale and NBC’s This Is Us.

Her upcoming new releases include Welcome to Chippendales for 20th Television and HBO Max’s White House Plumbers.

Her film credits include Oscar nominee Please Hold and Art Camacho’s Final Payback. She’ll next be seen in Curse of the Clown Motel with Tobin Bell.

Shakira Teams Up with Rauw Alejandro for “Te Felicito,” Due April 22

Posted on by
Reply

Shakira is celebrating a Rauw deal…

The 45-year-old Colombian superstar has joined voices with Rauw Alejandro for her next single, called “Te Felicito.”

Shakira

Shakira revealed the news by posting the single’s cover art, where she’s posing next to the Puerto Rican sensation, with both rocking metallic outfits.

“I’m happy to share the release of my new single #TeFelicito with Rauw Alejandro,” she captioned the post, also using the robot emoji to hint at a futuristic music video. Marking their first-ever collaborative effort, “Te Felicito” will premiere Friday, April 22.

In the same social media post, Shak — who has collaborated with Puerto Rican artists like Anuel AA, Residente and Pedro Capo — also invited her fans to pre-save the song on Spotify, Apple and Deezer “to be among the first to listen to their new music.”

“Te Felicito” follows Shakira’s EDM bop “Don’t Wait Up,” which was released in summer 2021. Currently, she’s an executive producer of NBC’s Dancing With Myself, where she’s also a judge alongside Nick Jonas and actress Liza Koshy.

Rauw, on the other hand, is set to wrap his 2022 tour on April 24 at San Jose’s SAP Center and is making the rounds with his latest single “Museo,” part of his Trap Cake, Vol. 2 album, which earned the artist his fourth top 10 success on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart, debuting at No. 6 on the March 12-dated ranking.

Apple Renews Surfing Docuseries “Make or Break,” Featuring Gabriel Medina, for Second Season

Posted on by
Reply

Gabriel Medina is still riding the wave…

Apple has renewed its surfing docuseries Make or Break, featuring the 28-year-old Brazilian professional surfer, for a second season.

Gabriel MedinaThe announcement comes ahead of the premiere of the series’ first season on April 29.

Make or Break follows World Surf League elite champions Medina, Kelly Slater, Stephanie Gilmore, Tyler Wright, Italo Ferreira, and Tatiana Weston-Webb as they battle for the championship.

Gabriel MedinaMedina joined the world’s elite of the World Surf League Tour in 2011, and in his rookie year he finished within the top 12 of the ASP World Tour at the age of 17. He won the 2014, 2018 and 2021 WSL World Championships

Ferreira has competed on the World Surfing League Men’s Championship Tour since 2015. The 27-year-old Brazilian professional surfer won the world title in the 2019 World Surf League.

The seven-part series also explores the aspirations, challenges, accomplishments and personal lives of the surfers who compete to remain on the elite 2021 Men’s and Women’s WSL Championship Tour.

The first season follows the 2021 competition, navigating as the league responds to the global pandemic, while exploring the surfing culture along with issues including diversity, mental health, and the physical impact of the sport.

Production has already started on the current competition season for season two.

It’s produced by Box To Box Films with  producer James Gay-Rees, producer Paul Martin and WSL CEO Erik Logan and WSL Studios chief Ryan Holcomb executive producing.

Ariana DeBose to Star in Sony Pictures’ Marvel Film “Kraven the Hunter”

Posted on by
Reply

Ariana DeBose is ready to Calypso…

The 31-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/singer/dancer, who made history with her SAG Awards win on Sunday, is set to join Sony Pictures’ Marvel film Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor Johnson in the titular role.

Ariana DeBoseAlthough it’s unconfirmed, sources say DeBose would play Calypso in the movie.

J.C. Chandor is directing the film with Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach producing. Art Marcum and Matt Holloway and Richard Wenk penned the screenplay.

One of Sony Pictures’ universe of Marvel characters, Kraven is among Marvel’s most iconic and notorious antiheroes who has encountered Venom and Black Panther among many others as well as being one of Spider-Man’s best-known and most-formidable enemies. The film will be released theatrically January 13, 2023.

As for Calypso, she is a voodoo priestess who utilizes magic potions, and besides being an adversary of Spider-Man, she is also the occasional partner and lover of Kraven.

Sony is coming off a hot streak, with Spider-Man: No Way Home becoming the biggest film of 2021 with $1.8 billion in worldwide sales after Venom: Let There Be Carnage made more than $500 million worldwide. As for future films, the Jared Leto-starrer Morbius bows in the U.S. in April, and the studio just named Dakota Johnson to lead Madame Web.

DeBose’s stock has been skyrocketing following her scene-stealing role as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated West Side Story adaptation. Besides taking home the SAG Award for Supporting Actress, DeBose also has Oscars, BAFTA and Critics Choice nominations in the same category.

She’ll next appear in Matthew Vaughn’s action film Argylle from Apple, starring opposite Henry Cavill, Bryan Cranston, Samuel L. Jackson and Dua Lipa, and will also star in Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s space thriller I.S.S. alongside Chris Messina and Pilou Asbaek.

Ariana DeBose Makes SAG Awards History with Best Supporting Actress Win for “West Side Story”

Posted on by
2

Life’s a real SAG for Ariana DeBose…

The 31-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/singer/dancer earned her first-ever SAG Award.

Ariana DeBoseDeBose won the Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture prize from the Screen Actors Guild for her scene-stealing turn in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story.

With the win, DeBose becomes the first openly queer woman of color to win an individual film SAG Award.

“I think it’s just indicative that the doors are opening,” DeBose said in the SAG Awards press room while talking with the media. “It’s an honor to be seen, it’s an honor to be an Afro-Latina—an openly queer woman of color, a dancer, a singer, and an actor. It’s indicative to me that I will not be the last, and that’s the important part. Whatever firsts are attached to my name, they are immensely special to me, but I’m focused on the fact that if I’m the first of anything that means I won’t be the last.”

DeBose, the latest Latina to portray Anita in West Side Story, also honored her predecessors, Rita Moreno and Chita Rivera for paving the way.

“The legacy of Anita means a great deal to me, for many different reasons,” she shared. “I’m a Broadway girl at heart. We speak so frequently about Rita Moreno, as we should, she’s legendary. But the OG Anita on stage is Chita Rivera, and I have looked up to Chita for such a long time. She [paved the] way for me on the stage for me to be able to do what I do in that facet of the industry. So, to be able to be a part of the legacy of Anita that includes both Chita and Rita—and now Ariana— it’s really special to me. And we’re all very different types of Latinas, that’s beautiful and important too. There’s no one way to be Latina or Hispanic. There are many beautiful ways. I think each one of us is a testament to that.”

Eugenio Derbez has earned his first career SAG Award…

The 60-year-old Mexican actor, comedian, and filmmaker was among the winners in the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for their work in CODA.

The Apple film is the first movie with a predominantly deaf cast to win the top prize at the awards honoring actors. Derbez is not hearing impaired.

In the television categories, Cristo Fernandez picked up his first-ever SAG Award…

The 31-year-old Mexican actor, and former professional footballer for the Estudiantes Tecos Club of the Liga Premier de México and his Ted Lasso cast mates took home the Comedy Ensemble trophy.

The SAG Awards aired live on TNT and TBS from The Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, with a red carpet, a maskless crowd and a full roster of A-listers part of the show.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
CODA
EUGENIO DERBEZ / Bernardo Villalobos
DANIEL DURANT / Leo Rossi
EMILIA JONES / Ruby Rossi
TROY KOTSUR / Frank Rossi
MARLEE MATLIN / Jackie Rossi
FERDIA WALSH-PEELO / Miles

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
WILL SMITH / Richard Williams
KING RICHARD

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
JESSICA CHASTAIN / Tammy Faye Bakker
THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
MICHAEL KEATON / Dr. Samuel Finnix
DOPESICK

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
KATE WINSLET / Mare Sheehan
MARE OF EASTTOWN

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
SUCCESSION
NICHOLAS BRAUN / Greg Hirsch
JULIANA CANFIELD / Jess Jordan
BRIAN COX / Logan Roy
KIERAN CULKIN / Roman Roy
DAGMARA DOMINCZYK / Karolina Novotney
PETER FRIEDMAN / Frank Vernon
JIHAE / Berry Schneider
JUSTINE LUPE / Willa
MATTHEW MACFADYEN / Tom Wambsgans
DASHA NEKRASOVA / Comfrey Pellits
SCOTT NICHOLSON / Colin
DAVID RASCHE / Karl Muller
ALAN RUCK / Connor Roy
J. SMITH-CAMERON / Gerri Kellman
SARAH SNOOK / Shiv Roy
FISHER STEVENS / Hugo Baker
JEREMY STRONG / Kendall Roy
ZOË WINTERS / Kerry Castellabate

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
JUNG HO-YEON / Kang Sae-byeok
SQUID GAME

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
LEE JUNG-JAE / Seong Gi-hun
SQUID GAME

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
TED LASSO
ANNETTE BADLAND / Mae
KOLA BOKINNI / Isaac McAdoo
PHIL DUNSTER / Jamie Tartt
CRISTO FERNÁNDEZ / Dani Rojas
BRETT GOLDSTEIN / Roy Kent
BRENDAN HUNT / Coach Beard
TOHEEB JIMOH / Sam Obisanya
NICK MOHAMMED / Nathan Shelley
SARAH NILES / Dr. Sharon Fieldstone
JASON SUDEIKIS / Ted Lasso
JEREMY SWIFT / Leslie Higgins
JUNO TEMPLE / Keeley Jones
HANNAH WADDINGHAM / Rebecca Welton

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
JEAN SMART / Deborah Vance
HACKS

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
JASON SUDEIKIS / Ted Lasso
TED LASSO

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
ARIANA DeBOSE / Anita
WEST SIDE STORY

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
TROY KOTSUR / Frank Rossi
CODA

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
NO TIME TO DIE

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series
SQUID GAME

SAG Life Achievement Award
HELEN MIRREN

Alicia Sanz to Star in the Sci-Fi Thriller “Hello Stranger”

Posted on by
Reply

Alicia Sanz is spending time with a Stranger…

The 33-year-old Spanish actress and Robbie Amell have joined Sam Worthington and Jordana Brewster in the thriller Hello Stranger, which began filming in Canada this week.

Alicia SanzIn Hello Stranger, Faye (Brewster) attempts to replace her newly deceased husband, Evan, with an android simulant (SIM). Although SIM Evan appears like human Evan in every way, Faye does not feel the same love for SIM Evan as it does for her. SIM Evan tries to win Faye back while at the same time being on-the-run from a government agent (Worthington) chasing down SIMs who have become “conscious” and could potentially be a threat to humankind.

April Mullen directs from a script by Ryan Christopher Churchill. Producers are Tim Doiron and James van der Woerd in association with their production company Wango Films, with Myriad’s Kirk D’Amico (The Last Word) an executive producer.

Sanz is known for series like El Rey Network‘s From Dusk Til Dawn: The Series, Amazon’s El Cid and Apple’s Now and Then.

Gina Rodriguez to Star In & Executive Produce TV Adaptation of Pedro Almodovar’s Classic Film “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown”

Posted on by
Reply

Gina Rodriguez is on the verge of a breakdown…

Apple has put in development a television series adaptation of Pedro Almodovar’s classic 1988 black comedy Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, with the 37-year-old Puerto Rican Golden Globe winning actress and former Jane The Virgin star set to star in and executive produce the series.

Gina RodriguezThe project hails from Almodovar’s El Deseo banner, Rodiguez’s I Can and I Will Productions, 3Pas Studios and Lionsgate Television. Noelle Valdivia will pen the series adaptation.

Rodriguez will play Pepa in the potential series, the role played by Carmen Maura in the film, which would feature a mix of English and Spanish, sources tell Deadline.

Almodovar will executive produce for El Deseo, along with Rodriguez and Molly Breeskin for Rodriguez’s I Can and I Will Productions. 3Pas Studios’ Eugenio Derbez and Ben Odell will also executive produce, Sonia Gambaro will co-produce.

The series is produced by Lionsgate Television, where Derbez is under an overall deal.

The 1988 film, starring Maura and Antonio Banderas, brought Almodóvar widespread international attention following its debut at the 45th International Venice Film Festival. It received a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nomination and won five Goya Awards including Best Film and Best Actress in a Leading Role for Maura.

Ana Villafañe to Star in Apple’s Drama “Bad Monkey”

Posted on by
Reply

Ana Villafañe isn’t afraid to monkey around…

The 32-year-old Cuban and Salvadoran American actress/singer has joined the cast of Apple’s drama Bad Monkey, written and executive produced Bill Lawrence.

Ana Villafañe

Villafañe, best known for her portrayal of Latina icon Gloria Estefan in the Broadway musical On Your Feet!, joins an ensemble cast that Rob Delaney, newcomer Ahmed Elhaj and Arturo Luis Soria as series regulars, joining Vince Vaughn, who also serves as executive producer, Michelle Monaghan, Jodie Turner-Smith and Meredith Hagner.

Based on Carl Hiaasen’s popular 2013 novel, Bad Monkey tells the story of Andrew Yancy (Vaughn), a one-time detective demoted to restaurant inspector in Southern Florida. A severed arm found by a tourist out fishing pulls Yancy into the world of greed and corruption that decimates the land and environment in both Florida and the Bahamas. And yes, there’s a monkey.

Villafañe plays Rosa, a Miami medical examiner who is starting to realize she may not be cut out for her job, so is happy to ditch work and help Yancy try to figure out the story of the severed arm he brings into her lab.

Soria portrays Rogelio, a good Key West police detective who comes to his best friend and ex-partner, Andrew Yancy, with a life-changing assignment. It further complicates things that Rogelio’s husband is also Yancy’s attorney.

Villafañe was most recently seen in a recurring role on the final season of Younger. Her other previous credits include a heavily recurring role on NBC’s New Amsterdam. She was most recently seen in a starring role in the Broadway production of Chicago.

Soria’s guest star/recurring roles include Insatiable and The Blacklist.