Zayas Cast in Sian Heder’s Film “Tallulah”

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

It’s Tallulah time for David Zayas…

The 52-year-old Puerto Rican actor and former Dexter star has been cast in the film Tallulah, from writer-director Sian Heder.

Ellen Page stars as Tallulah, a free-spirited, urban adventurer who rescues a baby from the girl’s self-absorbed and reckless mom (Tammy Blanchard). But people think she kidnapped the child, so she passes the baby off as her own with her ex-boyfriend’s mother (Allison Janney).

Rounding out the cast is Evan Jonigkeit, Zachary Quinto, Uzo Aduba and John Benjamin Hickey.

No word on Zayas’ role yet.

Garcia Cast in CBS’ Hour-Long Pilot “Rush Hour”

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Aimee Garcia is ready, ready, ready to rush…

The 36-year-old Mexican American and Puerto Rican actress, who starred on Showtime’s Dexter, has been cast as the female lead opposite Jon Foo in CBS’ hour-long pilot Rush Hour.

The pilot, written by Bill Lawrence and Blake McCormick and directed by Jon Turteltaub, centers on Lee (Foo), a stoic, by-the-book Hong Kong police officer assigned to a case in Los Angeles, where he’s forced to work with Carter, a cocky black LAPD officer who has no interest in a partner.

Garcia will play Didi Diaz, a sergeant with the LAPD who chose to leave the streets once she became a mom. Didi is Carter’s former partner who knows him better than most people and is not afraid to call him out.

The movies’ director Brett Ratner will executive produce.

Garcia most recently starred in MGM’s Robocop remake.

Santiago Joins Cast of Starz’s Series “Ash vs. Evil Dead”

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Things are about to get downright evil for Ray Santiago…

The 30-year-old Latino actor has been cast opposite Dana DeLorenzo and Bruce Campbell in Starz’s 10-episode series Ash vs. Evil Dead, the follow-up to the cult film franchise.

In it, Campbell reprises his role as Ash, the aging lothario and chainsaw-handed monster hunter who has spent the last 30 years avoiding responsibility, maturity and the terrors of the Evil Dead. When a Deadite plague threatens to destroy all of mankind, Ash is finally forced to face his demons – personal and literal.

Santiago, who appeared in Meet the Fockers, will play Pablo Simon Bolivar, an idealistic immigrant who becomes Ash’s loyal sidekick – a Sancho Panza to Ash’s Don Quixote. Pablo believes in Ash’s heroism even if Ash himself doesn’t.

The series is set to film on location in New Zealand this spring for a premiere on Starz in late 2015.

Santiago’s other credits include appearances on My Name is Earl, Crossing Jordan, Law & Order: LA and Dexter.

Cuesta to Direct Fox’s Sci-Fi Drama Pilot “Frankenstein”

Posted on February 1, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cuesta is a Frank man…

The 51-year-old film and television director is set to helm the Fox drama pilot Frankenstein.

Written and executive produced by Crisis and Life creator Rand Ravich and executive produced by Homeland and Tyrant executive producer Howard Gordon, the project is described as a grounded sci-fi drama that takes inspiration from the basic Mary Shelley mythology of a man brought back to life by scientists playing god.

Frankenstein centers on Ray Pritchard, a morally corrupt retired cop who is given a second chance at life when he is brought back from the dead. Now younger and stronger, Pritchard will have to choose between his old temptations and his new sense of purpose.

This marks a reunion for Gordon and Cuesta, who also directed the pilot for Homeland and served as an executive producer on the Showtime drama’s first two seasons.

20th Century Fox Television and Gordon’s studio-based Teakwood Lane Prods. produce.

For Cuesta, the gig stems from his overall deal at 20th Century Fox Television. His pilot directing credits also include Dexter, Blue Bloods and Elementary. On the genre side, Cuesta helmed the two incarnations of the zombie drama pilot Babylon Fields.

Soria to Appear in Recurring Role on USA Network’s Drama “Complications”

Posted on October 18, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

There are a few complications in Joseph Julian (J.J.) Soria’s future…

The 28-year-old Latino actor, best known for his role as Private First Class Hector Cruz on the Lifetime series Army Wives, has landed a recurring role on the USA Network’s Complications.

From Burn Notice creator Matt Nix and Fox Television Studios, the drama series centers on John Ellison (portrayed by Jason O’Mara), a disillusioned suburban ER doctor who finds his existence transformed when he intervenes in a drive-by shooting, saving a young boy’s life and killing one of his attackers.

Soria will play Alvarez, a Superior Lieutenant of the Nortenos Locos and a man you simply don’t mess with.

His previous television credits include The Shield, CSI: Miami, Dexter, Sons of Anarchy, Bones and The Closer.

Zayas Lands Mobtastic Role in Fox’s Batman Prequel Series “Gotham”

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

David Zayas is heading to Gotham City…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican actor and Dexter alum has joined the cast of Fox’s Batman prequel drama series Gotham.

Zayas will portray DC Comics character Mob Boss Salvatore Maroni in a recurring role. He’s considered one of the city’s most dangerous gangsters.

In the Batman mythology, Maroni is a street operator who clawed his way into controlling the city’s drug trade and unions. He is second only to Carmine Falcone in power and reach, and second to none in his appetite for violence.

In time, Maroni will develop into one of Batman’s first enemies and become infamous as the man responsible for disfiguring district attorney Harvey Dent, leading to his transformation into Two-Face.

But for now, as he strives to increase his territory in Gotham, he’ll find himself on a crash course with his rival Falcone (portrayed by John Doman) for control of the city.

In the feature film The Dark Knight, the role of Maroni was played by Eric Roberts.

Zayas, a former New York police officer, segued to a career in acting in 1992, originally focusing on theater before expanding to film and television projects. While co-starring on the short-lived UPN cop drama The Beat, Zayas met the show’s executive producer Tom Fontana who went on to create the Enrique Morales character on his HBO series Oz for him. He’s best known though for his role as Angel Batista on Showtime’s Dexter.

He recently recurred on the FX comedy series Saint George. He also appeared in the features The Expendables, Skyline and Michael Clayton and will next be seen in the indie Ride and the Annieremake.

NBC Acquires U.S. broadcast rights to EuropaCorp Television‘s “Taxi Brooklyn,” Starring José Zúñiga

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

José Zúñiga is Brooklyn bound…

NBC has acquired the U.S. broadcast rights to EuropaCorp Television‘s action/comedy series Taxi Brooklyn, starring the Honduran-born American actor.

The 12-episode series, based on Luc Besson‘s Taxi feature film franchise, stars Grey’s Anatomy alumna Chyler Leigh and Inglourious Basterds’ Jacky Ido.

Leigh portrays Detective Caitlyn “Cat” Sullivan, who is determined to find out the truth about the death of her father, an New York PD detective who was killed in the line of duty. When her stubborn character and recklessness behind the wheel see her demoted to foot patrol, she teams with the highly skilled and charming Marseille-born cabbie Leo Romba. Realizing Leo lied on his immigration form, Cat offers him a deal: in exchange for his driving prowess and taxi, she will help Leo with his papers situation. He becomes her personal driver and police consultant as they race through the streets of New York City solving cases.

Formerly known as Taxi: Brooklyn South, Taxi Brooklyn was shot in English in the titular borough along with Manhattan and Queens.

No word on Zúñiga’s character in the series, which NBC plans to debut the series this summer.

Former Blue Bloods co-star Jennifer Esposito, Ally Walker, James Colby, Bill Heck and Raul Casso round out the cast.

The series hails from EuropaCorp Television with the participation of France’s TF1 which starts airing the series April 14.

Zúñiga’s previous television credits include 24, Prison Break, CSI: Miami, The Event, Scandal, Person of Interest and Dexter.

Garcia to Star in CBS’ Drama Pilot “Red Zone”

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Aimee Garcia’s next role will have her seeing red…

The 35-year-old Mexican American and Puerto Rican, who recently starred in the MGM reboot of the RoboCop franchise, has joined the cast of the CBS drama pilot Red Zone.

Written by Nikki Toscano and directed by James Foley, the project centers on a retired CIA operative named Holden Weller who, when a terrorist event rocks Washington, D.C., is pulled back into action, as he’s forced to investigate closer to home where the next generation of terrorists is being bred.

Garcia, who starred on Showtime’s Dexter, will portray Vera Bradley, a whip-smart, driven and impatient case officer with the CIA’s Counter-Terrorism department.

Garcia Starring in Non-Typical Latina Role in Jose Padilha’s “RoboCop”

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Call it a Robo-tastic moment in Aimee Garcia’s acting career…

The 35-year-old Mexican American and Puerto Rican actress is starring in MGM‘s reboot of the RoboCop franchise.

Garcia portrays Dr. Jae Kim in the film, a role she landed through sheer determination even though the role was written with an Asian actress in mind.

“The role was not for a Latina initially,” Garcia told Efe in an interview. “But I fought hard. I wanted to work with (Brazilian director) Jose Padilha because I love the Elite Squad films. And the cast was amazing. So I did a lot of auditions. Why couldn’t a Latina be a scientist?”

“Jose chose me in the end and I feel proud to play someone who knows about biology, engineering and chemistry like modern-day Hispanics. That’s the reality. I like the fact young Latinos can see themselves reflected in my character and realize they can also achieve their dreams,” said Garcia.

RoboCop, a remake of the 1987 film of the same name, is set to open in U.S. theaters on February 12. It’s set in the year 2028 and tells the story of conglomerate OmniCorp’s efforts to bring its hi-tech crime-fighting technology to the United States.

A new product developed by OmniCorp scientist Dr. Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman) has been developed to circumvent a ban on the use of drones: a half-man, half-machine known as “RoboCop.”

Garcia plays Norton’s assistant, Jae Kim, a researcher who heads a team responsible for assembling the first cyborg (Joel Kinnaman) and helping him transition to becoming a machine that can faithfully respond to a series of pre-programmed directives.

“We all know that Latinas are sexy, sassy and full of life, but it was time to also show another side of that reality: well-educated, intelligent people,” said Garcia, who most recently starred on Showime’s Dexter.

Zayas to Star in the Mob Thriller “The Wannabe”

Posted on October 23, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

David Zayas is officially a wannabe…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican actor, best known for his role as Angel Batista on Showtime’s Dexter, has joined the cast of the mob thriller The Wannabe.

Zayas joins Golden Door’s Vincenzo Amato, Moonrise Kingdom’s Neal Huff, Goodfellas’ Mike Starr and The Town’s Slaine as the final additions to the film’s cast.

The Wannabe, which will begin shooting on October 28 in Brooklyn, stars Patricia Arquette, Vincent Piazza and Michael Imperioli and will be directed by Nick Sandow, who also wrote the script.

Martin Scorsese and Dean Devlin are executive producing the film, which is set in New York City in the early ’90s and follows a man obsessed with mob culture (Piazza) who attempts to fix the jury in the trial of John Gotti. But his plans are foiled, so he sets off with Rose (Arquette), a neighborhood fixture, on a ride worthy of mob lore.

Zayas, who portrayed Enrique Morales on the HBO prison drama series Oz, recently signed on to Sony‘s new Annie film.

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