Bobby Cannavale to Receive Artist of Distinction Award at Newport Beach Film Festival

Bobby Cannavale has earned a special distinction

The 54-year-old half-Cuban American Emmy-winning actor will be among the honorees at this year’s Newport Beach Film Festival, which runs October 17-24.

Bobby CannavaleCannavale will be recognized with the Artist of Distinction Award during the festival’s awards brunch on October 20.

Cannavel’s recent credits include Ezra, Old Dads and Under the Boardwalk.

Margaret Qualley, meantime, will receive the Spotlight Award, while Kiernan Shipka will receive the Artist of Distinction Award.

Previously announced honorees include Nicolas Cage, Joan Chen, Colman Domingo, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Sheryl Lee Ralph, George MacKay, Diane Warren and June Squibb.

The festival will also be celebrating those behind the camera with the just-announced Master of the Frame panel with leading industry cinematographers on October 19. Current participants include Alice Brooks (“Wicked”) and Lawrence Sher (“Joker: Folie à Deux.”)

The luxury lifestyle film festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year with a wide selection of international films including buzzy titles like Blitz, Nightbitch and The Piano Lesson.

For Festival passes, tickets, and complete line-up, visit www.NewportBeachFilmFest.com.

Ariana DeBose to Star Opposite Nicole Kidman in “Scarpetta”

Ariana DeBose has a new license to thrill…

The 33-year-old half-Puerto Rican Oscar-winning actress, singer and dancer has been cast as a series regular on Scarpetta, starring and executive produced by Nicole Kidman.

Ariana DeBose,Prime Video has officially ordered two seasons of the series, which is based on Patricia Cornwell’s best-selling Kay Scarpetta book series.

In addition DeBose, the mystery thriller has also added Emmy winner Bobby Cannavale (Ezra), Emmy nominee Simon Baker (Breath), Rosy McEwen and Jake Cannavale (The Offer).

Scarpetta follows Kay Scarpetta (Kidman), Chief Medical Examiner, as she returns to Virginia and resumes her former position with complex relationships, both personal and professional – including her sister Dorothy (Curtis), with plenty of grudges and secrets to uncover.

DeBose will play Lucy Farinelli-Watson, Dorothy’s daughter; Bobby Cannavale will play former detective Pete Marino; Baker joins as FBI profiler Benton Wesley; McEwen joins as Past Kay Scarpetta and Jake Cannavale will play Past Pete Marino.

“I’m beyond excited that this is finally happening. This will be great fun for all, and I’m grateful for the immense talent that the show is drawing. I’ve always been a huge fan of Jamie Lee Curtis and Nicole Kidman. Their wanting to do this is humbling and simply awesome. Working with the brilliant Liz Sarnoff is amazing. Blumhouse and Prime Video are a dream. This has been worth waiting for, and I’m so looking forward to the show,” Cornwell shared.

Liz Sarnoff will write, executive produce, and showrun. David Gordon Green (Halloween, Stronger) is set to direct the first two episodes.

Kidman will executive produce for Blossom Films, and Curtis will executive produce for Comet Pictures.

Kate del Castillo to Star in the Action Film “Trap House”

Kate del Castillo has trapped her next project.

The 51-year-old Mexican actress will star opposite Dave Bautista in the action film Trap House.

Kate del Castillodel Castillo is among a roster of new cast additions that includes Jack Champion, Sophia Lillis, Tony Dalton, Whitney Peak and Bobby Cannavale.

Inde Navarrette, Zaire Adams and Blu del Barrio have also joined the cast.

Principal photography is set to begin today.

Michael Dowse will direct a script written by Fast & Furious creator Gary Scott Thompson and Tom O’Connor. The action film follows an undercover DEA agent and his partner who embark on a game of cat and mouse with an audacious group of thieves: their own rebellious teenagers, who have begun robbing from a dangerous cartel, using their parents’ tactics and top-secret intel to pull off their heists.

Trap House is produced by Marc Goldberg and Sarah Gabriel of Signature Films, Michael Pruss and Rebecca Feuer of Scott Free Productions with Ridley Scott executive producing alongside Bautista and Jonathan Meisner of Bautista’s Dogbone Entertainment and Todd Lundbohm of 828 Productions.

The feature is financed and executive produced by Christian Mercuri’s Capstone Studios, Signature Entertainment, Creativity Media and Koala, and Ashland Hill Media Finance.

Dogbone and Signature developed Trap House after working together on 2018’s actioner Final Score, which starred Bautista alongside Pierce Brosnan.

del Castillo currently stars in Fox’s The Cleaning Lady.

Cannavale’s film credits include Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman and Old Dads.

Bobby Cannavale Wins Best Performance in a Film Award at Sun Valley Film Festival for “Ezra”

Bobby Cannavale has another award-winning performance on his resume…

Organizers of the 13th annual Sun Valley Film Festival, which took place from February 28 to March 1, have announced this year’s juried film award winners, with the 53-year-old half-Cuban American Emmy-winning actor among the recognized.

Bobby CannavaleIn all, the festival screened 20 narrative and documentary features, 37 shorts and three episodics.

For his performance in Ezra, Cannavale received the inaugural best performance in a film award. The winner of an audience award, Ezra was met with a sold-out crowd during the festival’s opening night. The screening was followed by a Q&A with producer Jon Kilik and a live performance by Adrienne Ackerman.

Ezra had a second screening on March 2, which was followed by a Q&A with Cannavale and director Tony Goldwyn, moderated by Variety’s Tatiana Siegel.

Melissa Barrera received an Honorable Mention award for her performance in Caroline Lindy’s Your Monster.

Raul Sanchez and Pasqual Gutierrez’s Shut Up & Fish won the SVShorty Award, while Maggie ContrerasMaestra received an Honorable Mention prize in the Best Documentary Feature Film category.

Tiger Stripes and Maya and the Wave won best narrative and documentary feature film, respectively. Photographer and Abundance: The Farm Link Story also received audience awards.

During the festival, Annette Bening and David O. Russell received the Vision Award. The Pioneer Award went to Ted Hope, while Julia Cox received the High Scribe Award.

The Sun Valley Film Festival is set to return in 2025 from Feb. 26 to March 2.

Here’s the full list of winners:

Best Performance in a Film Award: Bobby Cannavale for his role in “Ezra”

Audience Award Winners

FEATURE WINNER: “Ezra,” directed by Tony Goldwyn
EPISODIC WINNER: “Photographer ‘Paul Nicklen & Cristina Mittermeier: Win or Die,’” directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
SHORT WINNER: “Abundance: The Farmlink Story,” directed by Owen Dubeck

Best Narrative Feature Film
WINNER
: “Tiger Stripes,” directed by Amanda Nell Eu
HONORABLE MENTION FOR PERFORMANCE: Melissa Barrera in “Your Monster” directed by Caroline Lindy

Best Documentary Feature Film
WINNER
: “Maya and the Wave,” directed by Stephanie Johnes
HONORABLE MENTION: “Maestra,” directed by Maggie Contreras

One in a Million Awards
NARRATIVE WINNER: “Long December,” directed by Thomas Torrey
DOCUMENTARY WINNER: “Invisible Nation,” directed by Vanessa Hope

The SVShorty Award
WINNER
: “Shut Up & Fish,” directed by Raul Sanchez and Pasqual Gutierrez
SPECIAL MENTION: “The Sperm Bank,” directed by Margaux Susi

The Gem State Award
WINNER
: “The Balloonist,” directed by Heather Parkinson Dermott and Kai Barry

SVFF Film & Screenwriting Competition Winners

High Scribe Award
WINNER
: “Aman and Flor Against the Motherfucking World,” written by Emilie McDonald

SVJR Film Competition
HOT SHOT WINNER
: “The Overlocks’ Dilemma,” directed by Julian Felix Aaronson
2nd PLACE: “Happiness in the Palm of Her Hand,” directed by Ella Janes
3rd PLACE: “Anna McGee’s Wild Ride,” directed by Ava Bounds

The Gem State Jr. Award
WINNER: “Kenai River King,” directed by Bentley Allen Zylstra

Netflix Acquires Rights to Raphael Alejandro’s Comedy “Incoming”

Raphael Alejandro’s latest project is heading to Netflix

Netflix has acquired the rights to Incoming, a comedy starring the 16-year-old Latino actor and Acapulco star.

Written and directed by Dave Chernin and John Chernin in their feature debut, the film also stars Mason Thames, Bardia Seiri and Ramon Reed.

Alejandro and his co-stars star as four high school freshmen who navigate the terrors of adolescence at their first-ever party.

Among those rounding out the cast are Bobby Cannavale, Kaitlin Olson, Scott MacArthur, Isabella Ferreira, Thomas Barbusca, Ali Gallo and Loren Gray.

The Chernin brothers are best known for creating The Mick, the Fox sitcom starring Olson as foul-mouthed babysitter Mackenzie Molng, which ran for two seasons.

Alejandro’s credits include Once Upon a Time, Kindergarten Cop 2, How to Be a Latin Lover and Almost Human.

Bleecker Street Acquires U.S. Distribution Rights to Bobby Cannavale’s Family Dramedy “Ezra”

Bobby Cannavale’s latest project is headed to a U.S. theater near you…

Bleecker Street has acquired the U.S. rights to Ezra, the starry family dramedy starring the 53-year-old half-Cuban American Emmy-winning actor.

Bobby CannavaleHailing from actor-turned-director Tony Goldwyn, the film is coming off of its world premiere in the Special Presentations section of the Toronto Film Festival.

Starring Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Robert De Niro and newcomer William A. Fitzgerald, the film is slated for release in theaters in 2024.

Also starring Vera Farmiga, Rainn Wilson and Whoopi GoldbergEzra follows Max Brandel (Cannavale), a once successful late-night comedy writer turned less-successful stand-up comedian, who struggles through the failure of his career and marriage. After moving in with his father, Stan (De Niro), Max and his ex-wife Jenna (Byrne) remain at odds on how to best raise their autistic son, Ezra (Fitzgerald).

Described by Deadline as “a touching testament to the power of love, acceptance, and the challenges of parenthood,” the film was written by Tony Spiridakis, with William Horberg, Jon Kilik, Goldwyn and Spiridakis producing.

Isabella Ferreira Signs With Innovative Artists

Isabella Ferreira is officially innovating

The 20-year-old Latina actress, one of the young stars of Hulu’s teen dramedy Love, Victor, has signed with Innovative Artists for representation.

Isabella FerreiraSet in the same universe as the hit 20th Century Fox film Love, Simon, based on the novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky AlbertalliLove, Victor wrapped up a three-season run on the streamer last summer. Created by Love, Simon scribes Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, who also served as showrunners, the show follows the journey of Victor, a high school student coming to terms with his sexuality while navigating the ups and downs of love, family, and friendships.

Starring alongside Michael Cimino as Victor, as well as Ana Ortiz, James Martinez, Rachel Naomi Hilson and others, Ferreira played the role of Pilar, Victor’s sullen younger sister in the throws of teenage angst.

The Philadelphia native also recently starred alongside Rowan Blanchard and Auli’i Cravalho in Crush, the coming-of-age rom-com marking the directorial debut of Sammi Cohen, which was produced for Hulu by companies including American High. In the film released in April of last year, a young aspiring artist is forced to join her high school track team, using it as an opportunity to pursue the girl she’s been harboring a long-time crush on. But she soon finds herself falling for an unexpected teammate and discovers what real love feels like.

Ferreira previously appeared in Jenji Kohan’s Emmy-winning series Orange Is the New Black, as well as the pandemic-inspired anthology series Social Distance, on which Kohan was an EP, both of which were for Netflix.

She’ll next be seen starring alongside Kaitlin Olson, Bobby Cannavale, Scott MacArthur, Mason Thames and more in the upcoming Spyglass film Incoming, a comedy from filmmakers John and Dave Chernin that watches as four freshmen navigate the terrors of adolescence at their first-ever high school party.

Bobby Cannavale to Star in First Staging of Stephen Sondheim’s Final Musical, “Here We Are”

Bobby Cannavale is here

The 53-year-old half-Cuban American Emmy-winning actor will star in Here We Are, the first production of Stephen Sondheim’s final musical.

Bobby CannavaleCannavale is among a roster of cast members that include Francois BattisteTracie BennettMicaela DiamondAmber GrayJin HaRachel Bay JonesDenis O’HareSteven PasqualeDavid Hyde Pierce and Jeremy Shamos are set for the show, which will make its world premiere on September 28 for a limited Off Broadway engagement at The Shed.

Sondheim’s final, long-awaited musical will be directed by two-time Tony winner Joe Mantello.

Formerly known as Square One, the final musical composed by Sondheim before his death in 2021 features a book by David Ives and is inspired by the two films The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and The Exterminating Angel by Luis Buñuel.

Executive Producers for Here We Are are Sue Wagner, John Johnson and Jillian Robbins, and the musical will be co-presented by The Shed; Artistic Director Alex Poots, President and COO Maryann Jordan, and Chief Executive Producer Madani Younis.

Here We Are will be the latest in a string of Sondheim musicals to receive New York stagings since the Broadway legend’s death, including Company and Into the Woods. Sweeney Todd is currently in previews on Broadway, and revival of Merrily We Roll Along will begin Broadway previews in September.

Shortly before his death, Sondheim appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and confirmed that the musical, then called Square One, was being readied for staging. He told Colbert that he’d been working on the musical for “a couple of years.” A workshop was held in 2016, and Nathan Lane said in 2021 that he Bernadette Peters had recently participated in a reading of the musical.

La La Anthony to Guest Star on Peacock’s Comedy Series “Bupkis”

La La Anthony is doing bupkis this year…

The 40-year-old television personality and actress will guest star on the Peacock comedy series “Bupkis,” from Pete Davidson.

La La AnthonyIn addition to the Anthony, the guest line up Charlamagne That God, Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly), Steve Buscemi, Bobby Cannavale, Philip Ettinger, Al Gore, Paul Walter Hauser, Sunita Mani, John Mulaney, Oona Roche, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Jon Stewart and Marissa Jaret Winokur will be featured in the television series.

The upcoming comedy series “Bupkis,” which will premiere on Thursday, May 4.

Previously announced guest stars include Charlie Day, Brad Garrett, Simon Rex, Ray Romano, Kenan Thompson and Chase Sui Wonders.

“Bupkis” is an eight episode comedy series that Davidson will star in. Davidson, too, serves as writer and executive producer. Aside from himself, series regulars include Edie Falco and Joe Pesci. The show is a fictionalized retelling of Davidson’s life as he navigates family dynamics, fame and relationships.

Judah Miller serves as showrunner of the series in addition to writer and executive producer alongside Dave Sirus. Lorne Micheals, Andrew Singer and Erin David, too, join “Bupkis” as executive producers.

Bobby Cannavale to Star in A24’s Horror Film “MaXXXine”

Bobby Cannavale is Maxxximizing his time…

The 52-year-old half-Cuban American actor will star in Ti West’s Mia Goth-led A24 horror film MaXXXine.

Bobby CannavaleCannavale joins an all-star cast that includes Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle MonaghanLily CollinsHalsey, Giancarlo Esposito and Kevin Bacon.

MaXXXine is the third title in A24’s first major horror franchise, on the heels of West’s films X and Pearl, both of which were released to much acclaim last year.

The ’70s-set X had Goth pulling double duty as Maxine, who sees her pornography-shooting friends violently murdered in Texas, and one of their elderly assailants, Pearl. The latter film, set in 1918, meanwhile, served up an origin story for the latter villain character.

MaXXXine reverses the franchise’s trajectory through time to pick with Maxine after the violent events of X, as their sole survivor continues her journey towards fame, setting out to make it as an actress in 1980s Los Angeles.

The film heads into production this month.

Two-time Emmy winner Cannavale stars opposite Naomi Watts in Ryan Murphy’s hit Netflix series The Watcher, which has been renewed for a second season.

His other notable television credits include Nine Perfect StrangersHomecoming, Mr. Robot, Angie TribecaWill & Grace, Vinyl and Nurse Jackie.

The actor recently appearing in films like Blonde will also soon be seen in comedian Bill Burr’s directorial debut Old Dads, Tony Goldwyn’s comedy Inappropriate Behavior and more.