Yul Vazquez to Appear on ABC’s Latinx Family Drama “Promised Land”

Posted on January 10, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Yul Vazquez is promised some upcoming screen time on television…

The 56-year-old Cuban actor and musician has joined the cast of ABC’s upcoming Latinx family drama Promised Land, starring John Ortiz and Christina Ochoa.

Vazquez joins a roster of new cast additions that includes Julio Macias, Ariana Guerra, Kerri Medders, Tom Amandes, Natalia del Riego and Miguel Angel Garcia in heavily recurring roles.

Created and written by Matt Lopez and directed by Michael Cuesta, Promised Land is an epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley.

In addition to Ortiz and Ochoa, cast also includes Bellamy Young, Cecilia Suárez, Augusto Aguilera, Mariel Molino, Tonatiuh, Andres Velez, Katya Martín and Rolando Chusan.

Vazquez plays Father Ramos. A Catholic priest, Father Ramos has compassion and good humor tinged with a certain world-weariness. Apparently just another man of God, he knows quite a few secrets about the Sandoval family.

Garcia portrays Junior, the youngest child of the Sandoval family, and the most erratic. His siblings think he can be trusted with little or nothing, but his father Joe, the family patriarch, still holds out hope and a special affection for his troubled son.

Amandes is O.M. Honeycroft. An intimidating, all-powerful presence, he’s a successful businessman who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty — after all, it’s the soil and its fruit that made him rich.

Guerra plays Rosa. Fueled by dreams of becoming a nurse in her new home of California, she doesn’t give up on her dreams even as her circumstances become increasingly grim.

Medders plays Young Margaret, the ambitious, beautiful daughter of O.M. Honeycroft, the wealthy owner of the Honeycroft Estate.

Del Riego portrays Daniela, a new employee at the home of the Sandoval family, and an undocumented immigrant.

Macias plays Javier, the newly hired General Manager at the Heritage House Vineyard, son of the vineyard’s now-retired foreman.

ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios, is the studio.

Cecilia Suarez to Narrate Telemundo & The Story Lab’s New Podcast “Fort Hood,” Spotlighting the Case of Slain Army Soldier Vanessa Guillén

Posted on October 30, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Cecilia Suarez is helping shine a light on the case of slain Army soldier Vanessa Guillén.

The 49-year-old Mexican actress and prominent activist will narrate Telemundo and The Story Lab’s new podcast Fort Hood, a seven-part limited series that launched this week.

The podcast, narrated in English and Spanish by Suarez, takes a probing look at the 20-year-old’s April 2020 murder at the hands of fellow Fort Hood soldier Aaron David Robinson.

All episodes are about 30 minutes in length and are now available.

Guillen’s case drew nationwide attention, with her family, public officials, lawmakers and celebrities demanding #JusticeForVanessaGuillen.

After disappearing from the base, Guillén’s remains were found two months later. Investigators say she was killed by Robinson, who later fatally shot himself as police tried to take him into custody.

Guillén’s family has raised allegations she was sexually harassed before she was killed.

In July, Robinson’s girlfriend Cecily Aguilar was indicted on 11 counts by a federal grand jury as an accessory for allegedly helping Robinson destroy and bury Guillén’s remains.

Fort Hood will also explore the role of the military in the investigation, which has been heavily criticized. It also delves into the case revealing a deeper, more complex story about a renowned U.S. military base with a long record of unreported sexual abuse, and highlights Guillén’s family, which refused to stay quiet as they pushed authorities for answers.

“This is a consequential story that touches on critical issues in our country,” Telemundo Network News president Luis Fernandez said. “It’s a revealing exposé and a necessary investigation. Noticias Telemundo, with The Story Lab, believe this important story deserved a deeper examination and this format allows us to do just that.”

ABC Gives Series Order to John Ortiz’s Drama “Promised Land”

Posted on August 11, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

John Ortiz is headed to the Promised Land…

ABC has picked up drama series Promised Land, starring the 53-year-old Puerto Rican actor’s for the 2021-22 season.

In addition to Ortiz, the Latinx family drama also stars Christina Ochoa.

Written by Matt Lopez and directed by Michael Cuesta, Promised Land is an epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley.

Ortiz stars as Joe Sandoval, the patriarch of the Sandoval family, a wealthy vineyard-owning family in the Sonoma Valley.

Ochoa portrays Veronica Sandoval, the eldest daughter of the Sandovals.

The cast also includes Cecilia Suárez as Lettie Sandoval, Augusto Aguilera as Mateo, Mariel Molino as Camila Sandoval, Tonatiuh as Antonio Sandoval, Andres Velez as Carlos, Katya Martín as Juana and Rolando Chusan as Billy.

Lopez executive produces with Adam Kolbrenner of Lit Entertainment Group, along with Maggie Malina and Cuesta. ABC Signature is the studio.

Promised Land is the second drama pilot picked up to series at ABC this cycle, joining music-themed drama Queens, headlined by Brandy, Eve, Naturi Naughton, Nadine Velazquez and Pepi Sonuga.

Tonatiuh to Star in ABC’s Drama Pilot “Promised Land”

Posted on April 27, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Tonatiuh has landed a promising new role…

The 28-year-old Latino actor, whose real name Tonatiuh Elizarraraz, has been cast as a lead opposite John Ortiz in ABC’s drama pilot Promised Land.

Tonatiuh will play Antonio Sandoval, one of five children of the Sandoval family, a wealthy vineyard-owning clan in the Sonoma Valley. Antonio has been living in New York after being cast into exile by his father Joe (Ortiz), but is called back into the fold when the family faces a threat from the outside. Whether Antonio has forgiven or forgotten the treatment he received from his family remains an open question.

In addition to Ortiz, Tonatiuh joins previously announced series regulars Cecilia Suárez as Lettie Sandoval, matriarch of the Sandoval family, Augusto Aguilera as Mateo Sandoval, the hardworking, highly capable general manager of the Heritage Vineyard and stepson to patriarch Joe Sandoval, Mariel Molino as Camila Sandoval, the youngest daughter of the Sandoval family, Christina Ochoa as Veronica Sandoval, the eldest daughter of the Sandovals, as well as Andres Velez Carlos Rincón, a young immigrant who comes to the Heritage Vineyard in search of a better life.

Lopez executive produces with Cuesta and Adam Kolbrenner of Lit Entertainment Group. ABC Signature is the studio.

Tonatiuh is best known for his major recurring role as Marcos on all three seasons of Starz’s Vida. He stars in the indie feature Drunk Bus, alongside Charlie Tahan and Kara Hayward, which premiered virtually at the 2020 SXSW Film Festival. He’s also set to recur in Peacock’s Angelyne alongside Emmy Rossum, who plays the title character.

Michael Cuesta to Direct ABC’s Latinx-Themed Drama Pilot “Promised Land”

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cuesta has landed a promising project…

The 57-year-old Latino film and television director has been tapped to direct and executive produce ABC’s drama pilot Promised Land..

Written by Matt Lopez, Promised Land is an epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley.

The cast includes John Ortiz as Joe Sandoval, patriarch of the Sandoval family, Cecilia Suárez as Lettie Sandoval, matriarch of the Sandoval family, Augusto Aguilera as Mateo Sandoval, the hardworking, highly capable general manager of the Heritage Vineyard and stepson to patriarch Joe Sandoval, Mariel Molino as Camila Sandoval, the youngest daughter of the Sandoval family, Christina Ochoa as Veronica Sandoval, the eldest daughter of the Sandovals, as well as Andres Velez as Carlos Rincón, a young immigrant who comes to the Heritage Vineyard in search of a better life.

Lopez executive produces with Cuesta and Adam Kolbrenner of Lit Entertainment Group. ABC Signature is the studio.

Cuesta also is one of the directors, working with Barry Levinson, on Dopesick, Hulu’s upcoming eight-episode limited series written by Danny Strong, based on Beth Macy’s bestselling book, from The Handmaid’s Tale executive producer Warren Littlefield and Touchstone Television.

He most recently served as executive producer and director, including on the pilot episode, of Homeland, which recently wrapped its eighth and final season on Showtime.

In addition to Homeland, Cuesta directed the pilots for Dexter, Blue Bloods and City on a Hill. His episodic directing credits include Elementary, True Blood and Billions, among others.

Cecilia Suárez to Star in ABC Drama Pilot “Promised Land”

Posted on April 19, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Cecilia Suárez has landed a new starring role…

The 49-year-old Mexican actress and activist has been set as a lead opposite Augusto Aguilera in John Ortiz’s ABC drama pilot Promised Land.

Written by Matt Lopez, Promised Land is an epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley.

Suárez plays Lettie Sandoval, the matriarch of the Sandoval family, a wealthy vineyard-owning family in the Sonoma Valley. Lettie will do anything to keep her family, with all its fraying allegiances, intact. She is proud of the fortune the Sandovals have built, but the arrival of a figure from Lettie’s past soon causes her to question whether the cost of achieving the American Dream is too high.

Aguilera will play Mateo Sandoval,t he hardworking, highly capable general manager of the Heritage Vineyard, but as the stepson to patriarch Joe Sandoval (Ortiz), he has never felt fully accepted by the wealthy, vineyard-owning Sandoval family. Mateo finds himself at a crossroads when a young immigrant who reminds him of his roots arrives to work in the Sandoval household.

Previously cast in the pilot are Mariel Molino as Camila Sandoval, the youngest daughter of the Sandoval family, Christina Ochoa as Veronica Sandoval, the eldest daughter of the Sandovals, as well as Andres Velez as Carlos Rincón, a young immigrant who comes to the Heritage Vineyard in search of a better life.

Suárez just wrapped the title role in Latido Films’ feature Alegria, directed by Violeta Salama. She can be seen in the new Netflix Spanish mini-series Someone Has To Die, written and directed by her long-time collaborator Manolo Caro.

She also starred in the Amazon limited series 3 Caminos. For the last three seasons, she starred in Manolo Caro’s popular Netflix series: The House of Flowers (La Casa de las Flores). She also is the first Spanish speaking actress to be nominated for an International Emmy Award for her role in the Capadoccia series for HBO.

Aguilera recently recurred as Liver opposite Ray Romano and Cristin Milioti in HBO Max’s Made For Love, a half-hour series adaptation based on Alissa Nutting’s tragicomic novel. Aguilera was also seen as one of the leads in Nic Refn’s Amazon series Too Old To Die Young, opposite Miles Teller.

He was previously seen in 20th Century Fox’s The Predator, directed by Shane Black and the Hulu pilot Citizen directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon as well as the Audience Network series Ice directed by Antoine Fuqua.

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