Danny Pino to Star in FOX‘s Anthology Crime Series “Accused”

Posted on July 10, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Danny Pino is among the accused…

The 50-year-old Cuban American actor will star in FOX‘s anthology crime series Accused for Season 2.

Pino is among a roster of new cast additions that includes Taylor Schilling and Justin Chambers.

New episodes will drop this fall.

They join the previously announced actors Felicity Huffman, William H. Macy, Nick Cannon and Michael Chiklis.

The project reunites Pino and Chiklis who most recently co-starred in the MGM+ series Hotel Cocaine.

From FOX Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television, Accused is a collection of intense, topical human stories of crime and punishment. Told from the defendant’s point of view through flashbacks, each episode is a fast-paced provocative thriller, exploring a different crime, in a different city with an entirely original cast.

The series is based on the BBC BAFTA Award-winning crime anthology of the same name created by Jimmy McGovern.

Schilling, Chambers and Pino will star in “April’s Story” where a nurse commits a crime that changes the trajectory of her life. Schilling will play ‘April,’ Chambers will play ‘Tyler’ and Pino will play ‘Jake.’

Accused is developed for American television by Howard Gordon, who executive produces with Alex Gansa, David Shore, Erin Gunn and Daniel Pearle.

Pino currently stars as the general manager of the Mutiny Hotel and Club, Roman Compte, in the MGM+ series, Hotel Cocaine.

Before that, he completed his run in the fifth and final season of FX’s Mayans M.C., where he starred as “Miguel Galindo” and directed two episodes.

Additionally, he played opposite Amy Adams in Stephen Chbosky’s film adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen and portrayed NYPD detective Nick Amaro in four seasons of Law & Order: SVU.

Pino also recently completed the short film, Unión De Reyes, which he wrote, directed, produced and starred in.

“The Color Purple,” Starring Colman Domingo, Tops Box Office on Christmas Day

Posted on December 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a Purple reign for Colman Domingo this Christmas…

The Color Purple, a vibrant adaptation of the book-turned-beloved-film-turned-hit-Broadway-musical and starring the 54-year-old Belizean-Guatemalan American actor and social justice activist, dominated at the box office on Christmas Day.

The film has outperformed expectations with $18 million from 3,152 North American theaters. It’s the largest Christmas Day opening for a film since 2009, and the second-biggest Christmas Day opening of all time.

Those ticket sales were enough to lead the way on Monday ahead of two other newcomers, Neon’s racing drama Ferrari and director George Clooney’s inspirational sports story The Boys in the Boat.

Boosted by positive reviews and a glowing “A” CinemaScore, The Color Purple marks the first musical in some time that’s resonated at the box office. The film, backed by Warner Bros. and directed by Blitz Bazawule, collected more in a single day than recent stage-to-screen stories — including West Side Story ($10.5 million), In the Heights ($11 million), Dear Evan Hansen ($7.5 million) and Cats ($6.6 million) — earned in their opening weekends.

The Color Purple benefitted by premiering on Christmas Day, one of the most popular days of the year for moviegoing. But this is a promising start for the $100 million-budgeted musical, which should benefit from word of mouth in the coming days.

“The Color Purple” looks to remain the de facto choice for families over the remainder of what has otherwise been a lackluster holiday season. American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino brings to life the trials, tribulations and triumphs of Celie, a Black woman living in Georgia in the early 1900s. Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Domingo as Albert “Mister” Johnson, and Halle Bailey round out the cast.

Zoey Luna Signs with A3 Artists Agency for Representation

Posted on October 20, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Zoey Luna has new representation…

The pioneering Latina transgender youth activist turned actress, who stars in The Craft: Legacy star Zoey Luna has signed with A3 Artists Agency.

Luna portrayed Lourdes in The Craft: Legacy and currently can be seen in Universal’s Dear Evan Hansen, directed by Stephen Chbosky.

Luna was the subject of the groundbreaking documentary film Raising Zoey, chronicling her journey of how she was determined to live her authentic life, and fought school officials in the Los Angeles school system with the ACLU for her right to self-identify in school between ages 12-15.

She was also part of Laverne Cox’s documentary film Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word for MTV and the documentary 15: A Quinceañera Story for HBO.

She began her acting career with a lead role in the Rosario Dawson-directed short film Boundless and she most recently appeared in the season finale of FX’s award-winning series Pose.

Luna served as the grand marshal at the 2015 LA Pride parade, is the recipient of the San Diego Equality Award and the recipient of the ALMA Awards’ Young Trailblazer Award.

She also is a frequent featured speaker at the Human Rights Campaign’s Time to Thrive conferences.

Danny Pino to Appear on Soundtrack for Film Adaptation of Broadway Musical “Dear Evan Hansen”

Posted on August 31, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Danny Pino isn’t just starring in Dear Evan Hansen… He’s also appearing on the soundtrack.

Universal has announced the track list for the film adaptation of the award-winning Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen, with the 47-year-old Cuban American actor among the talents appearing on the album.

Pino appears on the film’s track “Requiem,” alongside Kaitlyn Dever and Amy Adams.

The soundtrack, which will be available on September 9 – the same day as the film’s theatrical release via Interscope Records, will also feature Sam Smith with Summer Walker, SZA, Carrie Underwood with Dan + Shay, Finneas, and Tori Kelly. They’ll be performing reimagined versions of the musical’s Tony Award-winning songs and as well as original recordings from the film’s score.

Songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul also wrote original tracks for the movie adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen. The album also features 16 tracks that include recordings by the film’s cast.

“Pasek and Paul’s songs from the Dear Evan Hansen stage play are so amazing and timeless — newly recorded by our film’s cast for the soundtrack (and freshly produced by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Alex Lacamoire and Dan Romer, and supervised by Jordan Carroll) — and they’re now also complemented by two new original songs written for the film (with one of them co-written and performed in the film by Amandla Stenberg),” Mike Knobloch, president of global film music and publishing at Universal Pictures, tells Billboard.

Pino portrays Larry Mora in the film.

Javier Bardem to Star in Sony Pictures’ Film Adaptation of the Popular Children’s Book “Lyle, Lyle Crocodile”

Posted on July 10, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Javier Bardem is getting animated…

The 52-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning actor will star in Will Speck and Josh Gordon’s Lyle, Lyle Crocodile for Sony Pictures.

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the Oscar-winning songwriting team behind the music of La La Land and upcoming Dear Evan Hansen film, will reportedly write original songs for the film.

Speck and Gordon will direct with the script, based on the best-selling children’s book by Bernard Waber, being adapted by Will Davies.

First published in 1965, the venerable children’s tale centers on the title reptile, who lives in a house on East 88th Street in New York City. Lyle enjoys helping the Primm family with everyday chores, and playing with the neighborhood kids. He’s the happiest crocodile any home ever had…until one neighbor insists that Lyle belongs in a zoo. Mr. Grumps and his cat, Loretta, don’t like crocodiles, and everything Lyle does to win them over seems to go wrong. It will take all of Lyle’s charm—and courage—to reveal the hero, and friend, behind the big crocodile smile.

The film will debut on July 22, 2022.

For an actor known more for his adult roles like Biutiful and his Oscar-winning work in No Country For Old Men, the film marks his rare trek into the family-friendly genre.

But sources say Waber’s original story was very appealing to Bardem from the moment he was offered the part.

This isn’t his first dive into material meant for all ages. He’s previously played the villain in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and will play King Triton in Disney’s live action adaptation of its acclaimed animated film The Little Mermaid.

When it comes to adult roles, Bardem’s upcoming slate includes Legendary’s Dune, Fernando León de Aranoa’s The Good Boss (El Buen Patron) and Aaron Sorkin’s Being The Ricardos, where he plays Desi Arnaz, opposite Nicole Kidman’s Lucille Ball.

Rachel Zegler to Star as Snow White in Disney’s Live-Action Adaptation of the Classic Animated Film

Posted on June 23, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Rachel Zegler’s royal coronation is around the corner…

The 20-year-old half-Colombian American actress and singer will star as Snow White in Disney’s live-action adaptation of the classic film that started it all for the studio’s legendary slate of animated features.

Marc Webb will direct the film, with Marc Platt producing. Production is expected to begin in 2022.

“Rachel’s extraordinary vocal abilities are just the beginning of her gifts,” said Webb of the actress who will star as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s new retelling of West Side Story. “Her strength, intelligence and optimism will become an integral part of rediscovering the joy in this classic Disney fairytale.”

The original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs cartoon, based on the Brothers Grimm fairytale, was released in 1938.

It was Disney’s inaugural animated feature and became a massive success for the studio.

Insiders say the live-action film will expand upon the story and music from the original. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the Oscar– and Tony Award-winning duo behind La La Land, The Greatest Showman and Dear Evan Hansen, will write new songs for the film.

The studio had been taking its time on the live-action adaptation because they wanted to get the music right, and insiders says higher-ups are excited with what Pasek and Paul have come up with so far.

As for the casting process, Webb and studio execs had been meeting with talent for several months for the role of Snow White. Zegler’s auditions impressed everyone, insiders say, but another factor was footage from West Side Story that blew away the Disney studio brass who’ve seen it, and helped push the decision across the finish line.

The casting also marks a step in the right direction of Disney diversifying its Disney Princess characters, after tapping Halle Bailey to play Ariel in the upcoming live-action The Little Mermaid film.

Zegler was just 17 when she beat out more than 30,000 actresses for the lead role of Maria in West Side Story. The new adaptation will debut on December 10 and also stars Ansel Elgort and Rita Moreno.

She’ll also star in her first big comic-book film, joining Zachary Levi in D.C.’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

Universal Releases First Trailer for Danny Pino’s Film Adaptation of the Broadway Musical “Dear Evan Hansen”

Posted on May 18, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a Dear moment for Danny Pino…

Universal Pictures has released the first trailer for the much-anticipated film adaptation of Broadway’s award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen, starring the 47-year-old Cuban American actor.

Stephen Chbosky directs, with Ben Platt reprising the lead role that made him a Broadway star.

Over Platt’s rendition of the musical’s breakout song “You Will Be Found,” the trailer includes clips from the film featuring Platt, Kaitlyn Dever, Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Amandla Stenberg, Nik Dodani, DeMarius Copes, Pino and Colton Ryan.

The musical follows Evan Hansen, an anxious and isolated high school student whose letter to himself is found in the pocket of a classmate (Ryan) who died by suicide, with the note misinterpreted by the classmate’s parents as a suicide letter.

The film is written for the screen by the musical’s Steven Levenson with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul.

Dear Evan Hansen is produced by Marc Platt and Adam Siegel, and is executive produced by Michael Bederman, Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Universal Pictures will distribute the film in all territories.

The movie opens in theaters on September 24.

Universal Pictures to Release Film Adaptation of “Dear Evan Hansen,” Starring Danny Pino, in September

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Danny Pino is set to have a dear fall season…

The movie adaptation of Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen, starring the 46-year-old Cuban American actor, will hit theaters on September 24, according to Universal Pictures.

Ben Platt is reprising his Tony-winning title role alongside Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, Colton Ryan, Nik Dodani, DeMarius Copes and Pino, who portrays Larry Murphy.

The story follows Evan Hansen (Platt), a high schooler with social anxiety who unintentionally gets caught up in a lie after the family of a classmate who died by suicide mistakes one of Hansen’s letters for their son’s suicide note.

Stephen Chbosky directed the film from a script by Steven Levenson, who wrote the book for the stage musical, with music and lyrics by La La Land Oscar winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Pino, an Imagen Award winner, previously starred in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Cold Case and Mayans M.C.

Danny Pino to Star in Universal’s Film Adaptation of the Broadway Hit Musical “Dear Evan Hansen”

Posted on August 29, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Danny Pino has landed a Dear role…

The 46-year-old Cuban American actor has joined the ensemble cast of Universal’s film adaptation of the Broadway hit musical Dear Evan Hansen, joining Ben Platt, Kaitlyn Dever, Amy Adams and Amandla Stenberg.

The story follows Hansen, a high school student with social anxiety. He unintentionally gets caught up in a lie after the family of a classmate who committed suicide mistakes one of Hansen’s letters for their son’s suicide note.

Pino will play the stepfather to the classmate that commits suicide.

Steven Levenson, who wrote the book for the stage musical, wrote the script, and Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote the music and penned the original lyrics for the musical and film.

Stephen Chbosky will direct.

Pino is best known as the cartel boss Miguel on FX’s series Mayans M.C.

His other credits include Cold Case, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Across the Hall and The Burning Plain.

Lin-Manuel Miranda Releases Latest #Hamildrop

Posted on November 21, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Lin-Manuel Miranda is ready to (Hamil)drop it like it’s hot…

The 38-year-old Broadway star, rapper and actor, who created the smash musical Hamilton, and composer John Kander have released the latest #Hamildrop.

Kander created the music and Alex Lacamoire (Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen) led his orchestra to play it.

“So they’re cheering for me now/ In streets, hear them cheering for me now/ Right up Broadway they’re cheering for me now/ And one day all the enemies I’ve made might hold their own parade,” sings Miranda, musing about opportunity and promise in the place he calls home.

The black and white video that accompanies the new single shows Miranda, who also wrote the lyrics, singing alone on a stage in costume as Hamilton’s titular character. The footage is overlaid with scenes of modern-day New Yorkers.

Miranda dreamed up the idea of Hamildrops (monthly Hamilton-inspired singles covered by various artists) in lieu of creating a sequel to the Tony Award-winning Broadway show’s mixtape.

Miranda will reprise his role as a founding father in a three-week Hamilton engagement in Puerto Rico in January.

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