Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias to Lend Voice to Comedy Central’s Animated Series “Everybody Still Hates Chris”

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias still hates Chris…

The 48-year-old Mexican American stand-up comedian and actor will guest star on Chris Rock’s animated series Everybody Still Hates Chris. which will premiere on Comedy Central on September 25.

Iglesias is among a roster of guest voice actors that includes Ayo Edebiri, Sally Jessy Raphael, Busta Rhymes, Tisha Campbell, Sam Richardson and Bell Biv DeVoe members Ricky Bell, Michael L. Bivins, Ronald Boyd DeVoe Jr.

Other guest actors include Jaylen Barron, Todd Bridges, Nicole Byer, Monét X Change, Eugene Cordero, Andy Daly, Loretta Devine, Earthquake, Ron Funches, Jaida Essence Hall, Jackée Harry, Phil Hendrie, Dave Herman, Thirstin’ Howl III, Rob Huebel, Phil Lamarr, Rack-Lo, Jessica Lowe, Vincent Martella, Laraine Newman, Gabrielle Nevaeh, Kevin Michael Richardson, Natasha Rothwell, Latrice Royale, Lindsey Stoddart, Cree Summer, Vanessa Vanjie and Jenny Yang.

Elsewhere, Paul Ben-Victor, Mike Estime, Antonio Fargas, Kevontay Jackson, Mikey Kelley, Jacqueline Mazarella, Paulina Singer and Ernest Thomas will be reprising their roles from the original, live-action series.

Everybody Still Hates Chris features Rock as Adult Chris, narrating stories inspired by his experience growing up as a skinny nerd in a large working-class family in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, during the late 1980s.

Terry Crews will voice his father Julius, a gentle giant with a relentless work ethic, and tightwad approach to life. He grew up dirt poor, so he knows the cost of everything down to the penny. He works two jobs to support the family, and on his days off, he takes on a third job.

Tichina Arnold will voice his mother Rochelle, who is smart, strong-willed, and has a nurturing spirit, but she can also be hot-headed, especially when it comes to her kids. She tolerates zero nonsense, so she quits more jobs in a month than most people do in a lifetime.

Tim Johnson Jr. voices Young Chris, Ozioma Akagha voices his baby sister Tonya, Terrence Little Gardenhigh voices his brother Drew and Gunnar Sizemore voices his friend Greg.

The series, which is based on Everybody Hates Chris, which ran for four seasons on UPN and The CW between 2005 and 2009, is produced by CBS Studios’ animation arm Eye Animation Productions and Chris Rock Enterprises.

Sanjay Shah is showrunner and executive produces alongside Rock, Everybody Hates Chris co-creator Ali LeRoi, Michael Rotenberg and Dave Becky of 3 Arts Entertainment, and Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, Antonio Canobbio and Ben Kalina from Titmouse, which serves as the animation studio.

Pope Francis to Bring Together Comedians From Around the World for Special Vatican Gathering

Posted on June 12, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Pope Francis is embracing the funny…

The 87-year-old Argentine head of the Catholic Church, bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State is set to meet with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Rock and other comedians from around the world on Friday for a special meeting.

According to the Vatican’s news site, the meeting “promises to be a moment of meaningful intercultural dialogue and sharing of joy and hope.”

Those on the guest list also include Jim Gaffigan, Whoopi Goldberg, Tig Notaro and Conan O’Brien.

Also on the list of James Martin, the Jesuit priest who was dubbed the chaplain of The Colbert Report.

Other comedians from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, France, Germany, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland and Italy will be in attendance.

In total, more than 100 guests are on the list for the papal audience.

Ian Hislop and Stephen Merchant are guests from the UK.

The Vatican noted that in an interview with an Italian TV channel, the pope said that he “prays daily in the words of St. Thomas More, asking the Lord to grant him a sense of humor.”

The meeting was organized by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education and Dicastery for Communication, and will take place at the Apostolic Palace.

The Vatican wants to “celebrate the beauty of human diversity” and “promote a message of peace, love and solidarity,” per the Vatican’s news site.

Colman Domingo to Receive TIFF Tribute Performer Award at Toronto International Film Festival

Posted on August 28, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Colman Domingo is getting a special tribute…

The 53-year-old Belizean-Guatemalan American actor and social justice activist will be honored with the Toronto International Film Festival‘s TIFF Tribute Performer Award, an accolade that has gone to many eventual Academy Award winners in the recent past.

Though the honor is billed as one for his overall career and for his performance in TIFF’s presentation of the new film Sing Sing, Domingo’s name has been heavily touted as one to watch in the upcoming race for the Best Actor Oscar, particularly for his work in director George C. Wolfe‘s Bayard Rustin biopic Rustin, which will also premiere at TIFF this year.

TIFF’s Tribute Awards have gone to significant contenders in past Oscar races, including Joker‘s Joaquin Phoenix, The Father star Anthony Hopkins, Nomadland director Chloé Zhao, The Eyes of Tammy Faye performer Jessica Chastain, and The Whale‘s Brendan Fraser — all of whom went on to win Oscars for their respective projects.

In Rustin, Domingo plays the titular queer activist as he plans the 1963 March on Washington, with Chris Rock, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen, CCH Pounder, Jeffrey Wright and Audra McDonald co-starring.

“Colman Domingo’s performances are a masterclass in the art of storytelling,” said TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey in a press statement. “Domingo’s presence, on stage and on screen, is a gift to audiences, and his work continues to resonate, leaving an indelible impact. He is a true visionary in the world of performance, and we’re excited to honor him this year.”

The 2023 Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 7-17, with the TIFF Tribute Awards ceremony occurring on Sunday, September 10.

Rustin debuts in select theaters on November 3, 2023 and hits Netflix on November 17.

First Trailer Released for Sally Potter’s Short Film “Look at Me,” Starring Javier Bardem

Posted on August 31, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Javier Bardem is drummin’ along…

The first trailer has been released for Sally Potter’s short film Look at Me, co-starring the 53-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning actor and Chris Rock ahead of its Out Of Competition premiere in Venice.

The film touches on the issue of male anger.

Rock and Bardem play a gala organizer and drummer, respectively. Tensions between the two men are running high ahead of a performance at the gala by the latter, who violently vents his pent-up stress.

Shot three years ago, the work has taken on fresh resonance after Rock received an infamous slap from Will Smith while hosting the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony in March. Rock confirmed on Monday that he turned down an offer from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to host the 2023 ceremony.

The 16-minute work, also featuring American tap dancer Savion Glover, originally was conceived as a short story to be embedded within Potter’s 2020 feature The Roads Not Taken, starring Bardem as a writer in the early stages of dementia.

Produced by Christopher Sheppard at Adventure Pictures, it was shot over five days in New York and London in 2019.

“When I got into the cutting room, I saw how dynamic these titans of the entertainment world are together, their volatile, fiery on-screen relationship offset by the rhythms of the brilliant tap-dancer Savion Glover,” explained Potter.

“The destiny of the story was clear: it had nothing to do with the other project. It had to become a short film, a fast-moving portrait of conflict and love. The result is Look at Me.”

The short film’s screening in Venice coincides with the 30th anniversary of the premiere of Potter’s Oscar-nominated breakout second feature Orlando in competition at the festival in 1992.

The U.K.’s Bankside Films has boarded international sales on the short film ahead of its Venice debut.

“The combination of Sally Potter, Chris Rock and Javier Bardem is truly arresting in this mesmerizing short film which audiences are going to be thrilled to discover,” said Bankside co-founder and director Stephen Kelliher.

Bleecker Street will release the film in the U.S. shortly after its Venice premiere, with screenings at the Metrograph in New York alongside Potter’s Orlando as well as a qualifying run at a Laemmle Theatre in Los Angeles.

Look at Me also will be made available on Bleecker Street’s app early in 2023.

“I am thankful to Bleecker Street for taking short films seriously and am thrilled that they will be bringing Look at Me to audiences in cinemas and online at a time when its themes feel so urgent,” said Potter.

Paul Rodriguez Appearing in Netflix’s “Dirty Daddy: A Tribute to Bob Saget” Special

Posted on June 8, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Paul Rodriguez is paying tribute to America’s dad…

The 67-year-old Mexican-American actor and stand-up comedian will appear in Netflix’s Dirty Daddy: A Tribute to Bob Saget, a special that celebrates his life and legacy.

The new Netflix special arrives five months after the comedy world lost the Full House star and stand up comedian.

“Bob wasn’t something that was taken away from us — he was something that was given to us,” says the trailer for the special.

The special will launch on Friday, June 10, on the streamer.

Saget died January 9 in an Orlando hotel room not long after a stand-up performance. His death at 65 rocked Hollywood and led to an outpouring of tributes, along with the farewell show at the Comedy Store in West Hollywood where Dirty Daddy was filmed.

In addition to Rodriguez, those taking part are Saget’s former Full House co-stars John Stamos and Dave Coulier, along with Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Jim Carrey, Michael Keaton, Tim Allen, Jeff Ross, Darren Criss, Jon Lovitz, John Mayer, Mike Binder, Jackson Browne, Seth Green, Mike Young and Candace Cameron Bure.

His widow Kelly Rizzo-Saget and their daughters Lara and Aubrey Saget also are set.

In the trailer, Rizzo-Saget steps to the stage and says, “The most important thing to him was belonging to this club, to this group, to being a comedian.” Carrey adds: “You created a cathedral of f*cking love, Bob Saget.”

As also noted in the trailer, everyone deserves a friend like Bob.

John Leguizamo to Serve as Presenter at 94th Annual Academy Awards Show

Posted on March 13, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

John Leguizamo has a date with Oscar…

The 61-year-old Colombian actor will serve as a presenter for this year’s Academy Awards show.

Leguizamo joins a roster of presenters that includes Daniel Kaluuya, Mila Kunis, Lupita Nyong’o, Naomi Scott, Wesley Snipes, John Travolta, Ruth E. Carter, Kevin Costner, Anthony Hopkins, Zoë Kravitz, Lady Gaga, Lily James, Simu Liu, Rami Malek, Rosie Perez, Chris Rock, Uma Thurman and Yuh-Jung Youn.

The Oscars will air live on March 27 on ABC.

Oscarcast producers Will Packer and Shayla Cowan had previously discussed the presenters who’ll form part of the show.

“Movies inspire us, entertain us and unite us across the globe,” Packer said at the time. “That’s the precise goal of the show this year, and we’re thrilled to welcome the first of a stellar lineup joining the Oscars stage to help us celebrate the power of film and honor the year’s best in filmmaking.”

The Power of the Dog leads the field with 12 nominations coming into this month’s Oscar show, and Dune is next with 10.

ABC will air the 94th annual Academy Awards live from Dolby Theatre in Hollywood at 5:00 pm PT/8:00 pm ET and in 200-plus territories around the world.

Rosie Perez Among First Presenters Announced for This Year’s Academy Awards Show

Posted on March 4, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Rosie Perez has a date with Oscar…

The 57-year-old Puerto Rican Oscar-nominated actress will serve as a presenter at this year’s Academy Awards show.

Oscarcast producers Will Packer and Shayla Cowan announced the first batch of presenters for the 94th Academy Awards that also includes Kevin Costner, Zoë Kravitz, Lady Gaga, Chris Rock and Yuh-Jung Youn.

“Movies inspire us, entertain us and unite us across the globe,” Packer said. “That’s the precise goal of the show this year, and we’re thrilled to welcome the first of a stellar lineup joining the Oscars stage to help us celebrate the power of film and honor the year’s best in filmmaking.”

Yellowstone’s Costner, The Batman’s Kravitz, House of Gucci’s Gaga, Birds of Prey‘s Perez, Fargo’s Rock and Minari‘s Youn make up the first group of announced presenters.

The producers will announce more talent joining the show in the coming weeks.

The show traditionally brings back the previous year’s winners to present Best Actress and Best Actor.

The Power of the Dog leads the field with 10 nominations coming into this month’s Oscar show, and Dune is next with 10.

ABC will air the 94th annual Academy Awards will air live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday, March 27, 2022 at 5:00 pm PT/8:00 pm ET and in 200-plus territories around the world.

Colman Domingo to Star as Gay Rights Activist Bayard Rustin in “Rustin”

Posted on October 11, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Colman Domingo is bringing the story of a gay rights activist to life.

The 51-year-old Guatemalan American actor will star as activist Bayard Rustin in Rustin, the first film production from Michelle and Barack Obama’s Higher Ground, which has a deal at Netflix.

Along with Domingo, the film will also star Chris Rock, Glynn Turman and Audra McDonald.

Turman previously starred alongside Domingo in the Oscar-nominated film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

The George C. Wolfe directed film, which he co-wrote with Milk‘s Dustin Lance Black, tells the story of how Rustin overcame an onslaught of obstacles, and altered the course of American history by organizing the 1963 March on Washington.

Domingo’s previous credits include appearances on HBO’s Euphoria, and the films Selma, If Beale Street Could Talk and Zola.

HBO Max to Release the Guillermo del Toro-Co-Penned Film “Roald Dahl’s The Witches” This Month

Posted on October 5, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Guillermo del Toro is 100% that witch (writer)…

Warner Bros. has announced that its adaptation of the beloved 1973 children’s book Roald Dahl’s The Witches, co-written by the 55-year-old Oscar-winning Mexican filmmaker, will premiere on October 22, exclusively on HBO Max.

The film, which stars Anne Hathaway and Octavia Spencer, was originally scheduled to hit theaters this month but was later postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Oscar-winning director Robert Zemeckis reimagines the tale of a young boy who stumbles upon a secret coven of witches and, with the help of his loving grandmother, must try to foil their evil plan to turn all the world’s children into mice.

Hathaway portrays the sly, menacing Grand High Witch, while Spencer is the tough but tender grandma who will fight her to the end. The film also features Stanley Tucci as the hotel manager who unwittingly hosts the witches’ convention, Kristin Chenoweth in an undisclosed role, and Jahzir Bruno as the heart of the story as the young boy (voiced by Chris Rock as an adult), who becomes the hero striving to stop the witches.

In addition to directing, Zemeckis wrote the screenplay with Kenya Barris and del Toro.

The Witches was previously adapted for the screen in 1990 with Anjelica Huston as the Grand High Witch, a version Dahl disavowed because it changed the book’s ending. Zemeckis’ film will reportedly be a more faithful adaptation.

Shakira to Take Part in Global Citizen’s “Global Goal: Unite for Our Future – The Concert”

Posted on June 22, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Shakirais going global…

Global Citizen and the European Commission have joined forces for Global Goal: Unite for Our Future – The Concert, with the43-year-oldColombian singer-songwriter set to perform.

Dwayne Johnson will host the event, which will take place on Saturday, June 27.

The Concertwill be televised worldwide and digitally streamed special that will highlight the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has on marginalized communities.

In addition to Shakira, The Concertwill feature performances from Jennifer Hudson, Chloe x Halle, Christine and the Queens, Coldplay, J Balvin, Justin Bieber and Quavo, Miley Cyrus, Usher and Yemi Alade.

In addition, there will be appearances from Billy Porter, Charlize Theron, Chris Rock, David Beckham, Derrick Johnson, Diane Kruger, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Jackman, Ken Jeong, Kerry Washington,Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Olivia Colman, Opal Tometi, Salma Hayek Pinault, Antoni Porowski and more.

“Global Citizens around the world are calling for systemic change, change that brings about justice for everyone, everywhere, regardless of where they were born or the colour of their skin,” said Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen. “If we are to end COVID-19 for all, we need our world leaders to commit the billions of dollars needed to develop and equitably deliver testing, treatments and vaccines. Global Goal: Unite for Our Future – The Concertwill bring the centuries-old concept of music as a motivator for change and unity, together with science and data, to honour the problem solvers – including doctors, scientists, lab workers, essential workers and human rights advocates – who are racing to not only create the cure for COVID-19, but also to ensure that it’s available for everyone who needs it.”

The Concertwill air on broadcasters across the globe including ARD,Canal+ Group, RTVE in Europe, Bell Media, CBC, Citytv, and Global TV, in Canada, NBC and iHeartMedia in the U.S.,Grupo Globo in Brazil, MultiChoice Group and SABC in Africa, Fuji TV and Star India in Asia, and Channel Nine in Australia.

The Concert will also be streamed on global platforms.

The virtual broadcast will celebrate innovators, scientists, health workers, activists and organizations working to develop and distribute COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines to everyone, everywhere who need them.

The Concertfollows Global Goal: Unite for Our Future—The Summit, a global pledging moment where world leaders, corporations and philanthropists will announce new commitments to help develop equitable distribution of COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines, as well as rebuild communities devastated by the pandemic.

The Summit will feature panel discussions and interviews moderated by journalists Katie Couric, Mallika Kapur, Morgan Radford, Isha Sesay and Keir Simmons. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Miley Cyrus, Angelique Kidjo and Ken Jeong will join the conversation as well as experts including Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Melinda Gates, Dr. Vin Gupta, NAACP President Derrick Johnson, Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Eddie Ndopu, Abiola Oke, Kate Upton and Justin Verlander.

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