Chrissie Fit to Star in Indie Comedy “The List”

Posted on November 1, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Chrissie Fit is makin’ The List…

The 37-year-old Cuban American actress has joined the cast of The List, the indie comedy from director Melissa Miller Costanzo.

Fit forms part of a list of new cast additions that includes Jonah Platt, Will Peltz and Zach Reino.

They join previously announced leads Halston Sage, Christian Navarro and Gregg Sulkin.

The film written by Rob Lederer and Steve Vitolo centers on Abby (Sage), a woman who is about to get married, for whom everything is perfect. Until she finds out her fiancé Matt (Platt) has slept with a celebrity from his “free pass” list. To get her mind off things, Abby and her best friend Chloe (Fit) come up with a crazy idea: Abby should pursue a celebrity from her own list. But things become complicated when she meets Jake (Navarro), a sweet and charming waiter at a neighborhood cafe, who gives her a fresh perspective.

Peltz is portraying Avon, an LA-based rapper/pop star who is on a lot of free pass lists, including Abby’s, with Reino as Matt’s best friend and consistent bad influence, Connor.

Fit is best known for turns in Universal’s Pitch Perfect franchise and Disney Channel’s Teen Beach films. She can currently be seen in Amazon’s series reboot of I Know What You Did Last Summer, and will next be seen in Showtime comedy series I Love This for You, as well as Starz’ horror comedy, Shining Vale.

Fit has also recurred on Comedy Central’s Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens and Disney Channel’s Elena of Avalor, among other series. Additional film credits include Universal’s All My Life and HBO Max’s Women Is Losers.

Reino is a comedian and actor who has appeared on the TV side in HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, Netflix’s Brews Brothers, A.P. Bio, Sofia the First, Speechless, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and more. He recently wrote on Peacock’s new series Baking It with Maya Rudolph and Andy Samberg and co-hosts Off Book, a popular podcast, which originally debuted on Earwolf. Reino also co-wrote the script for Elizabeth Banks’ upcoming Amazon film Where the Fore Are We? with David Wain and Jess McKenna.

Ilana Peña Signs Overall Deal with CBS Television Studios

Posted on September 13, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Ilana Peña has a new deal…

The Cuban American television creator, the mastermind behind the Disney+ series Diary of a Future President, is expanding her relationship with CBS Television Studios, signing an overall deal with the studio behind the series.

Peña also serves as co-showrunner and executive producer of the series, which has been renewed for a second season on Disney+.

The series was inspired by Peña’s own childhood, and follows a young Cuban-American girl as she navigates the ups and downs of middle school and her journey to becoming the future president of the United States.

Prior to Diary of a Future President, Peña served as a writer on the CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and a co-writer of Her Shortswith Rachel Bloom, produced by Refinery29 and Planned Parenthood.

“We first got to know Ilana when she was working on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” said Kate Adler, EVP of Comedy Development, CBS Television Studios. “She is exactly the kind of writer executives dream of: smart, funny, hard-working and inspired. We knew she had a lot to say and couldn’t wait to develop with her. Our suspicions were confirmed when we read her first draft of Diary of a Future President. Now we just need to figure out how to clone her.”

“Since day one on Diary, CBS Studios has been so supportive of my vision and voice,” said Peña. “I am incredibly grateful to the team for giving me a creative home to tell meaningful, inclusive stories.”

Peña’s plays have been produced professionally in Chicago (Goodman Theatre Latino Theater Festival) and New York (INTAR Theatre), among others.

She’s also the co-founder of See What Sticks, a monthly workshop with an audience in Los Angeles.

Carmela Zumbado to Star in the Indie Holiday Rom-Com “White Elephant”

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Carmela Zumbado isn’t avoiding the Elephant in the room…

The 29-year-old Latina actress recently wrapped production on veteran producer Corey Moss’ indie holiday romantic comedy White Elephant.

The movie marks Moss’s directorial debut and follows eight friends who convene for their annual gift exchange and secrets are revealed that thrust the game into chaos and push relationships to the brink.

Zumbado stars alongside Devin Druid, Matthew Hancock, Lana McKissack, CoCo Jones, Paul Karmiryan, Nathan Moore and Avery Norris.

Zumbado most recently starred on season two of Netflix’s You. Her other credits include television appearances on Rosewood, The Magicians, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and a starring role in the film The Wall of Mexico.

Gina Gallego to Star in Showtime’s Drama Pilot “The President is Missing”

Posted on February 13, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Gina Gallegois feeling presidential…

The 64-year-old Mexican American actress has been cast as a series regular opposite David Oyelowo in The President is Missing, Showtime’s drama series adaptation of the novel by President Bill Clinton and James Patterson.

Hailing from Christopher McQuarrieand Anthony Peckham, The President is Missing centers on a powerless and politically aimless vice president (Oyelowo) who unexpectedly becomes president halfway into his administration’s first term, despite his every wish to the contrary. He walks right into a secret, world-threatening crisis, both inside and outside the White House. Attacked by friends and enemies alike, with scandal and conspiracy swirling around him, he is confronted with a terrible choice: keep his head down, toe the party line and survive, or act on his stubborn, late-developing conscience and take a stand.

Gallego will play Mrs. Aceves, Martin’s executive assistant, a position of influence. She is sweet but also an extremely patient adversary.

The project is based on the book by Clinton and Patterson, which was the No. 1 novel of 2018 and has sold more than 2.3 million copies in North America alone.

Peckham is writing the adaptation.

Gallego’s television credits include Shooter, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, NCIS, The Middle, Shameless and Grey’s Anatomy,among others.

Her film work includes Erin Brockovich, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Anger Management and Mr. Deeds.

Gina Rodriguez Appears in the CW’s New Inclusion & Representation Campaign #CWOpenToAll

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Gina Rodriguez is representing the represented on The CW…

The network has launched #CWOpenToAll, a new on-air, digital, social and print campaign designed to reinforce the network’s commitment to inclusion and representation, featuring the 34-year-old Puerto Rican actress and Jane the Virgin star.

“We think this campaign really captures the spirit and mission of the CW and why our fans come to us,” said network president Mark Pedowitz. “We are committed to making sure our viewers see themselves represented on screen, and that we also have diverse voices being heard behind the camera.”

Pedowitz points out that 12 out of the CW’s 17 series this season are created and/or executive produced by women or people of color. Additionally, the network sees 47% women series regulars across its shows and 49% people of color series regulars.

“We are proud of the strides we’ve made and are continuing to make, and #CWOpenToAll reflects that, and helps drive the message that we want to be known as a place where all are welcome to be, and all are welcome to watch,” he continued.

#CWOpenToAll will feature a video component, with spots airing during the network’s primetime programming as well as being placed in house ad slots on cwtv.com, the CW and CW Seedapps and on social channels. There will also be a print portion of the campaign, which begins rolling out Monday in major market newspapers and industry trade publications. The message for both is that “the CW is a place for everyone, and all are welcome on-screen and in our audience.”

In addition to Rodriguez and her Jane the Virgincostars Jaime Camiland Justin Baldoni, who kicks off the video, other participating CW talent includes Riverdale’sCamila Mendes, Ashleigh Murrayand Casey Cott; Supernatural’s Jensen Acklesand Jared Padalecki; All American’s Daniel Ezra, Bre-Zand Taye Diggs; Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s Rachel Bloom and Vincent Rodriguez III, television’s first transgender superhero, Supergirl’s Nicole Maines, and The Flashhimself, Grant Gustin.

The CW Moving Nathalie Kelley’s “Dynasty” Reboot to Fridays

Posted on January 7, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Nathalie Kelley is making a move…

The CW has announced plans to move its Dynasty reboot, starring the 32-year-old Peruvian-Argentine actress, from Wednesdays to Fridays beginning on March 9.

Despite performing below ratings expectations, the series has been given a full-season order, with Nicollette Sheridan cast as Alexis.

Dynasty will be taking over the 8:00 pm time slot from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which produces 13-episode seasons.

Dynasty will be replaced in the post-Riverdale Wednesday 9:00 pm slot by new comedy Life Sentence, which will debut on March 7.

Here’s the full list of the CW’s midseason premiere dates:

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16
8:00-9:00 PM THE FLASH (New Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM BLACK LIGHTNING (Series Premiere)

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26
8:00-9:00 PM DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW (New Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM IZOMBIE (Season Premiere)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7
8:00-9:00 PM RIVERDALE (New Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM LIFE SENTENCE (Series Premiere)

FRIDAY, APRIL 20
8:00-9:00 PM DYNASTY
9:00-10:00 PM THE ORIGINALS (Season Premiere)

TUESDAY, APRIL 24
8:00-9:00 PM THE FLASH (New Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM THE 100 (Season Premiere)

Cannavale to Appear in “Variety Studio: Actors on Actors” Series

Posted on April 2, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Bobby Cannavale is ready to talk shop…

Variety and PBS SoCal have announced the line-up for the fourth installment of their awards season series “Variety Studio: Actors on Actors,” with the 45-year-old half-Cuban American actor making the final cut.

Available to stream on Variety.com, the new “Actors on Actors” season will feature one-on-one discussions between this year’s Emmy contenders.

Along with Cannavale, who stars in HBO’s Vinyl, this year’s conversations, which will be printed in the June 7 issue of Variety, will also include Aziz Ansari (“Master of None”), Rachel Bloom (“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”), Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”), Jamie Lee Curtis (“Scream Queens”), Kirsten Dunst (“Fargo”), Jay Duplass (“Transparent”), Billy Eichner (“Difficult People”), Sam Heughan (“Outlander”), Tom Hiddleston (“The Night Manager”), Felicity Huffman (“American Crime”), Lady Gaga (“American Horror Story”), Jennifer Lopez (“Shades of Blue”), Rob Lowe (“Grinder”), Rami Malek (“Mr. Robot”), Thomas Middleditch (“Silicon Valley”), Aaron Paul (“The Path”), Sarah Paulson (“American Crime Story”), Krysten Ritter (“Jessica Jones”), Tracee Ellis Ross (“Black-ish”), Patrick Stewart (“Blunt Talk”), John Travolta (“American Crime Story”), Courtney B. Vance (“American Crime Story”) and Kerry Washington (“Confirmation”).

“Variety is thrilled to cover the best actors on television in this season’s ‘Actors on Actors’ for PBS stations,” said Variety‘s executive TV editor Debra Birnbaum in a statement. “This season’s lineup includes actors from some of the top new television programs and showcases the wide diversity of roles for actors on broadcast, cable and streaming platforms.”

PBS SoCal will premiere the segment in two episodes, one on June 12 and the other on June 19.

“Through their craft, the actors interviewed on ‘Actors on Actors’ effortlessly spark our imaginations and take us to new places,” said PBS SoCal president and CEO Andy Russell in a statement. “Through this partnership with Variety we are pleased to enhance the experience of fans of great television – providing them greater insight into the people who bring them their favorite dramas, comedies and more.”

Rodriguez’s “Jane the Virgin” Returning to the CW on October 12

Posted on August 1, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Gina Rodriguez is bringing Virgin back one week earlier…

The CW’s comedy Monday lineup, including the 31-year-old Puerto Rican actress’ hit series Jane the Virgin, will launch a week earlier than originally planned.

Jane The Virgin will debut on Monday, October 12, instead of October 19 as previously announced, along with new hourlong comedy Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

The decision was made after CW affiliates, including the station in the No. 1 market, New York, informed the network of NFL pre-emptions on October 19.

Feeling that it was crucial to make the two premieres available to all fans for sampling on opening night, the CW moved them up a week.

Episode 2 of both shows will now air on October 19.

Rodriguez Cast in Showtime’s Comedy Pilot “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”

Posted on October 1, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Things are about to get a little crazy for Vincent Rodriguez III…

The Latino professional actor, singer, dancer has been cast as a potential series regular on Showtime’s comedy pilot Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, starring Rachel Bloom.

The project centers on Rebecca (Bloom), a successful, driven and possibly crazy young woman who impulsively gives up everything – her partnership at a prestigious law firm and her upscale apartment in Manhattan – in a desperate attempt to find love and happiness in that exotic hotbed of romance and adventure: West Covina, CA.

Rodriguez, who starred in Broadway’s Here Lies Love, will play Josh, Rebecca’s childhood boyfriend who she runs into years later and who acts as the catalyst for her dramatic life change.

The CBS Television Studios pilot, a half-hour with musical elements, starts production in October. Marc Webb will direct the pilot.

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