The 78-year-old Mexican American actor will portray Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, an upcoming historical epic that charts the pre-colonial era of the Philippines depicting the Battle of Mactan.
Produced by Filipino-American filmmaker Francis B. Lara Hoof Inspire Studios1521 is a U.S.-Philippines production that follows the journey of Magellan, who led the Spanish expedition and was one of the first Europeans to travel to Asia. He reached the archipelago that is known as Philippines today on March 16, 1521.
The script of 1521 was penned by Mary Krell-Oishi. Principal photography is expected to start this month in Palawan.
Joining Trejo in the cast is Michael Copon. He will play the role of Datu Lapu-lapu, an island ruler and leader of the warriors who fended off Magellan’s attempted colonization of the Philippine archipelago.
Magellan’s forces were defeated and the Portuguese explorer killed in the Battle of Mactan on April 27, 1521.
Complicating the historic encounter between Magellan and Copon is the forbidden romance between native Mactan princess Diwata, played by Filipino actress Bea Alonzo and a Spanish soldier, as well as Magellan’s translator Enrique, played by Hector David Jr. Filipino actress Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan will be playing Ahmani, the sister of Diwata.
Danny Trejo’s escándalo is getting global attention…
DistroTV, a free ad-supported streaming television platform, is moving into original content with the global debut of a feature film, Escándalo Secreto: En Plena Cuarentena, starring the 77-year-old Mexican American actor.
The comedy feature, directed and written by Jorge Cano, will debut on February 25th.
The Spanish language film will debut exclusively on DistroTV Español and be available to all DistroTV audiences globally, including 17 countries in Latin America and in the United States.
In addition to Trejo, the comedy features Alejandro Gutierrez, Ninel Conde, Lina Castrillon, Platanito, Nanis Ocha, Armando Hernandez, Lorena Herrera, Reykon, Margarita Reyes, Alexander Ospina, Valentina Lizcano, Nitzia Chama, Ricardo Hill, Isabella Santiago, and Pancho Moler.
The story is based during COVID-19 times and set in Bogota, Colombia.
The film premiere is a milestone for the new, free-to-stream DistroTV Español channel bundle. It comes on the heels of DistroTV’s recent expansion of its global distribution footprint, which now includes Latin American audiences.
“We were thrilled to work with such a diverse and talented group of artists on the making of this film, and to have DistroTV exclusively stream the worldwide premiere just makes sense,” said Cano. “DistroTV prides itself on streaming diversified content, content that will suit audiences of all backgrounds and interests. This movie premiere is special, because, to us, it represents the start of a movement — one in which all streaming services take a better hand in helping to profile more creative talent, and to appeal to more viewers in the process.”
Navdeep Saini, cofounder and CEO of DistroScale, parent company of DistroTV, said that debuting the film means ‘bringing exclusive Spanish-language content into our existing territories, we can ensure that this film will be seen all over the world in a time when we all could use a good laugh!”
DistroTV has a 150+ channel content library, including Bloomberg, EuroNews, People TV, Magellan TV and TD Ameritrade network, as well as independent channels like Black Enterprise, Kweli TV, and Desi TV. All are free to stream and ad-supported.
The 77-year-old Mexican American actor and entrepreneur has joined the cast of Alone Today, an upcoming crime drama from director Wendy Wilkins.
Trejo joins a roster of cast additions that includes Shannon Elizabeth and Frank Whaley.
The project centers on a woman (Elizabeth) in an abusive relationship with a dirty detective (Whaley) who is helping move sex trafficked girls coming over the Mexican Border. When attempting to save just one truck load before “disappearing forever” everything goes horribly wrong and she decides to take a different path.
The project hails from Different Duck Films founder Rob Margolies, who will produce.
The film will begin filming in Los Angeles this winter.
Wilkins is a former law enforcement official and the author of memoir Sex, Love & Cops: A Memoir of My Five Years as a Young Cop, a collection of stories of when she was a real life cop.
“As a former police officer, I wanted to write a film that portrayed a more authentic version of a woman who was also a police officer, not a stereotyped version, and to shine a light on domestic violence and that it could happen to anyone, regardless of your upbringing, job, and geography,” she said. “The script, I believe, is grounded, realistic and an accurate portrayal of the characters as these are inspired by true life events.”
Added Margolies: “The project is an interesting mesh of thrills and suspense. I look forward to working with Shannon. Alone Today will show her in a brand-new light. Shannon is excited to portray a multi-faceted woman that she said after reading the script ‘feels real to her’ and she is ‘thrilled to have a female director.’”
The 49-year-old Puerto Rican actress will appear in the first Halloween television special featuring The Muppets.
Muppets Haunted Mansion will premiere on Friday, October 8, exclusively on Disney+.
Starring in the special alongside the Muppets are Will Arnett (as The Ghost Host), Yvette Nicole Brown (The Hearse Driver), Darren Criss (The Caretaker) and Taraji P. Henson (The Bride).
In Muppets Haunted Mansion, the Great Gonzo – world-famous daredevil artiste, has done it all, seen it all and survived it all. But on Halloween night, the fearless Gonzo takes on the greatest challenge of his life by spending one very daring night in the most grim grinning place on Earth: the Haunted Mansion.
In addition to Machado, Muppets Haunted Mansion will also feature appearances from Chrissy Metz, Alfonso Ribeiro, Edward Asner, Jeannie Mai, Danny Trejo, Sasheer Zamata, Craig Robinson, Skai Jackson, Pat Sajak, Geoff Keighley, Kim Irvine and John Stamos as himself.
The Muppets Haunted Mansion EP will be released on October 8 from Walt Disney Records, and will include three new original songs: “Rest in Peace,” “Life Hereafter,” and “Tie the Knot Tango,” plus a cover of the 1970s classic, “Dancing in the Moonlight.”
The 77-year-old Mexican American actor has joined the cast of American Horror Stories, Hulu’s American Horror Story spinoff anthology series.
Trejo will join the cast as Santa as part of Ryan Murphy’s horror franchise.
AHSalums Matt Bomer, Billie Lourd and John Carroll Lynch are set to return to the series.
Bomer, Lourde and Lynch are set to play Michael, Liv Whitely and Larry Bitterman, respectively. Naomi Grossman will also return to the American Horror Story franchise to take on Rabid Ruth.
American Horror Stories is a weekly hourlong anthology series that will feature a different horror story in each contained episode. The spinoff will premiere exclusively on Hulu July 15. Murphy’s social media post also revealed that Aaron Tveit, Paris Jackson, Madison Bailey and Virginia Garndner and many more will appear throughout the series. Murphy also confirmed that
“And this isn’t even the half of it,” Murphy said about the packed cast.
The spin-off anthology series will premiere a little more than a month before American Horror Story returns for its tenth installment, Double Feature. American Horror Stories is set to conclude on Halloween.
And this isn't even the half of it. Take a peek at some of the American Horror Stories cast. The brand new anthology series begins streaming July 15 only on #FXonHulu. #AHStories@AHSFXpic.twitter.com/Phu6dh02Vd
The 76-year-old Mexican American actor will star opposite Tobin Bell and Latin singer Malu Trevejo in Wolf Mountain, which is wrapping up production now in Castaic, California.
The film is written by Keli Price, who also stars, and is directed by David Lipper.
The story follows AJ (Keli Price), who begins having vivid dreams of his parents’ death. He decides to go back to the spot where they were killed, 20 years ago, accompanied by his brother and his brother’s family. But legend has it there is something mysterious roaming these woods.
Additional cast include Karissa Staples, David Lipper, Fernanda Romero, Eddie McClintock, Matt Rife and Abdel Hameed.
The 76-year-old Mexican American actor, whose credits include Desperado, Machete, From Dusk Till Dawn andCon Air, will publish his memoir with Atria Books, according to the publisher. Titled Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywoodwill be released on July 6.
The book will detail Trejo’s path from crime to prison, addiction, loss and unexpected Hollywood fame. With appearances in more than 300 films, the 76-year-old actor continues to book 10-20 roles a year. A 2020 Pete Davidson tribute to Trejo went viral.
“Danny Trejo is more than an actor for the millions of Mexican Americans, like me, who love him,” says Michelle Herrera Mulligan, senior editor at Atria Books. “He is a legend. A role model. The first Chicano action star. Someone we can always hold up as a hero who made it. One of my proudest acquisitions to date, this book shows us the difficult path it took to get him there, in unforgettable, literary detail.”
Trejo first used heroin at age 12, learning that loyalty only came through violence and peace was found in oblivion. For a period of time, he did stints in some of America’s most notorious prisons including San Quentin, Folsom and Soledad. Then he was offered a part as a boxer inRunaway Train, giving him the opportunity to choose a new path.
In Trejo, he describes how the difficult lessons he learned in childhood both saved his professional life and hindered his personal one, offering an inspirational and brutally honest look at his fascinating life. He shares how he rebuilt his life after finding sobriety and spirituality in solitary confinement and went on to become a success, hobnobbing with A-list celebrities and using his memories of his adrenaline-fueled robbing heists to inspire him as an actor.
“At 76,” Trejo says, “this memoir was an opportunity for me to be fearlessly honest for the first time about the terrifying brutality of my experiences in the hardest prisons in the world, the family secrets that tore lives apart, my personal bottom while I was in the hole in Soledad facing a possible death penalty charge, the role God played in turning my life around, my acting career that started at the age of 40 by simply showing up to a set to help another addict in need and how all of it shaped the person I am.”
Trejo is co-writing his memoir with his best friend of 20 years, actor Donal Logue. Trejo will be published simultaneously in both English and Spanish and later will be adapted for a young-readers edition. The book also will be published simultaneously as an audiobook from Simon & Schuster Audio.
Danny Trejo is getting preparing for a divine battle…
“We will hunt and kill everyone of you that gets in our way,” declares Crispin Glover’s Mr. World in the new trailer for American Gods’ third season, guest starring the 76-year-old Mexican American actor. He’ll portray one of the many forms that Glover’s Mr. World will take in the new episodes.
With sex, blood and rock’n’roll and fueled by Superhuman’s cover of “My Way,” the extended look at the Ricky Whittle and Ian McShane-led series, based on EP Neil Gaiman’s award-winning 2001 novel, certainly raises the stakes in the divine war.
Now with former Charles “Chic” Eglee in the showrunner seat, the 10-episode new season debuts on Starz on Sunday, January 10.
Mainly set in and around the chilly and mystical Badger State town of Lakeside, this season of American Gods sees Lela Loren, Devery Jacobs, Blythe Danner, Marilyn Manson, Julia Sweeney, Trejo and Iwan Rheon on board for the battle between the Old Gods led by Odin (McShane) and the New Gods of digital media and more. As well the road trip of sorts sees Emily Browning, Omid Abtahi, Yetide Badaki, and Bruce Langley back with Glover, Whittle’s Shadow Moon and McShane’s Odin by any other name.
As McShane’s Mr. Wednesday says in the trailer: “Game on!”
Produced by Fremantle, American Godsis executive produced by Eglee, Gaiman, Anne Kenney, Damian Kindler, David Paul Francis, Mark Tinker, McShane, Craig Cegielski and Stefanie Berk.
The 76-year-old Mexican American actor has been cast in The Shift, an LGBT-centric short film from Eyeris Entertainment.
Trejo will star opposite Jessica Tuck, Brittany Curran, and Toni Trucks in the short film, which will be directed by Jade Tailor.
The film is set at the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and tells a deeply human story, through the intertwined vignettes of seven individuals, as they experience a paradigm shift in what was once their everyday lives.
Brooke Maroon, Skyler Davenport, Moses Muñoz and Aidan Bristow co-star in the short, which explores shifts in perspective, shifts in expectations, and shifts in society as a whole.
Curran and Sarah Wylie are producing with Tailor serving as an executive producer. The three are simultaneously fundraising for LGBTQ+ youth in crisis during COVID-19 and have partnered with the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
“Even the most unexpected elements of filmmaking have changed,” said Curran. “We took a group shot at the end of filming with the incredible Danny Trejo. With our masks on, we scattered ourselves all over the garden we were shooting in, and somehow managed to get the whole crew in one shot while staying totally compliant. Then Danny whips out his phone and says that he’s FaceTiming Mayor Garcetti because he wants him to see this. It was a singular moment.”
The project includes the participation of famed photographer Estevan Oriol and iconic Los Angeles-based artist Mister Cartoon aka Mark Machado.
Michael Connolly, under his Mad Hatter Entertainment banner, brought the elements together.
Lopez is in final talks to star and executive produce the project through his Travieso Productions, with Javier Rodriguez writing the pilot. Oriol and Cartoon will executive-produce.
“I’m thrilled to be teaming up with Cartoon, Estevan, Jada and Michael for this series and developing a show with STXtv,” Lopez said. “Cartoon and Estevan are the DaVincis of our community; they have been the street chroniclers of our uniquely Chicano story … our American story. I’m looking forward to working with them and the rest of the team to expand their canvas to capture the diverse stories and people that make our culture and community so amazing, colorful and vibrant.”
This authentic L.A.-based series examines a family coming to terms with the falsehoods of the American Dream and their ability to defy expectations.
“I want to create a vision of Los Angeles inspired by my tattoos and murals that enriches and showcases the culture, opening it up to new audiences,” Cartoon said. “Putting together the dream team of Latino street culture and a collection of creative minds headed up by George Lopez, who is born and raised in L.A. and is an icon of our community. George’s experience and sense of humor acts as a foundation for this team.”
The pilot will be directed by Ricardo de Montreuil, who helmed Eva Longoria and Demián Bichir in the Blumhouse/Imagine East L.A.-set drama, Lowriders.During that production, he worked closely with Oriol and Cartoon, who were also involved in the production.
Oriol and Cartoon’s longtime collaborators Mark Suroff and Marco Valadez, who produced LA Originals, also will serve as executive producers with Connolly.
“I’m looking forward to developing this with Cartoon, George, Jada and Michael,” said Oriol. “STXtv truly gets what it takes to develop a real show that can only be made in LA. This is the dream team. Period. It doesn’t get more authentic than this and I’m proud and privileged to be invited on this ride.”
He previously starred in Lopez for TV Land and Saint George for FX. And he had a talk show that ran from 2009-11. While his hit comedy George Lopez, whichended in 2007, ran on ABC, STXtv will zero in on buyers in the cable and streaming markets.
Cartoon is L.A.’s legendary tattoo artist, designer and cultural icon whose stylish and influential global work has been featured on countless celebrities including Kobe Bryant, Eminem, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Beyoncé, Lewis Hamilton, Snoop Dogg and many others. Cartoon also designed the logos for Cypress Hill and Eminem’s Shady Records, and his résumé includes cutting-edge designs for Nike, the LA Clippers and T-Mobile and others.
Oriol is an internationally celebrated photographer, director and urban lifestyle entrepreneur. Beginning as a tour manager for Cypress Hill and House of Pain, he developed a passion for photography as he documented life on the road to become hip-hop’s best-known chronicler; his work has been showcased in bestselling books, select galleries, and institutions, including the Smithsonian Center for Latino Initiatives,Mesa Contemporary Art Center, Petersen Automotive Museum, and The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles’ and New York’s Art in the Streets exhibit. He has photographed Eminem, Kim Kardashian, Cypress Hill, Dennis Hopper, Blink-182, Forest Whitaker, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, and Danny Trejo, among many others. He most recently executive produced the film Lowridersand directed the hit Netflix documentary L.A. Originals.
L.A. Originalswas critically acclaimed and extremely successful, introducing new fans to the world to Oriol and Cartoon.
Produced by Filipino-American filmmaker Francis B. Lara Ho of Inspire Studios 1521 is a U.S.-Philippines production that follows the journey of Magellan, who led the Spanish expedition and was one of the first Europeans to travel to Asia. He reached the archipelago that is known as Philippines today on March 16, 1521.
