Zayas Starring in George Lopez’s New FX Series “Saint George”

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

David Zayas is one of the saints…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican actor, best known for playing Homicide Lieutenant Angel Batista on Showtime‘s serial killer drama Dexter, has joined the cast of FX‘s George Lopez comedy Saint George, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The comedy centers on the chaotic life of a recently divorced working-class Mexican-American man who becomes a successful entrepreneur.

Lopez is set to portray the man who struggles to balance his demanding ex-wife, his 11-year-old son, his overbearing mother who just moved in and his uncle as well as his new role as a philanthropist “giving back” by teaching history once a week at night school.

Zayas will appear in the recurring role of Junior, Tio’s (Danny Trejo) son and George’s cousin. Junior, like Tio, is a bit quirky and off-center. Both admire the other and take advantage of George’s success and are always brainstorming ways to make money — sometimes legally.

Saint George was co-created by Lopez, Matt Williams and David McFadzean, with the trio set to co-write the first episode of the project, which begins production this month.

Lionsgate Television is set to produce the series.

In addition to Dexter, which wraps its run on Sunday, Zayas most recently guest starred on Fox‘s The Following. His credits include Grimm and Person of Interest.

Cuesta’s “Kill the Messenger” ThisClose to Landing its Female Lead

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cuesta may have found his leading lady…

Rosemarie DeWitt is in final talks to take on the female lead role in Kill the Messenger, which will be directed by the 49-year-old Latino film and television director.

Kill the Messenger is a true-story thriller about journalist Gary Webb, a San Jose Mercury News reporter who committed suicide after being the target of a smear campaign when he linked the CIA to a scheme to arm Contra rebels in Nicaragua and import cocaine into California.

Jeremy Renner will play Webb, which will be released worldwide by Focus Features.

Along with serving as an executive producer on Blue Bloods and Dexter, Cuesta has also directed episodes of series like Homeland, True Blood and Six Feet Under.

His film credits include L.I.E., 12 and Holding and Roadie.

Vega to Star in “Kill the Messenger”

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Don’t blame Paz Vega if she kills the messenger…

The 37-year-old Spanish actress has joined the cast of Kill the Messenger, Focus Features’ adaptation of the true-life drama book by Nick Schou.

Vega, who makes a cameo appearance in Pedro Almodóvar’s highly anticipated comedy I’m So Excited, is joining Jeremy Renner in the film.

Michael Cuesta, who has helmed episodes of Homeland and Dexter, is directing.

Messenger tells the true story of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Gary Webb who through his reporting exposed the CIA’s involvement in helping Nicaragua’s Contra rebels import cocaine into California during the 1980s. The agency then tried to discredit him, which ultimately led to his “committing suicide,” though with two bullets to his head.

Vega will play the girlfriend of a wealthy dealer who is in jail and hopes that Webb can get him out.

Production is expected to start in Atlanta this August.

Vega will appear in Grace of Monaco as legendary opera singer Maria Callas opposite Nicole Kidman and recently wrapped Paul W.S. Anderson‘s historical drama Pompeii.

Serrano Cast in CBS’ Drama Pilot “The Ordained”

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Nestor Serrano could be CBS’ next bad guy…

The 57-year-old Latino actor has landed a role in CBS’ drama pilot The Ordained.

Directed by RJ Cutler, the project revolves around Tom, the son of a Kennedy-type family who leaves his role as priest and becomes a lawyer to help prevent the assassination of his politician sister.

Serrano, who starred opposite Roselyn Sanchez in Act of Valor last summer, will portray Hector Nunez, a politician-turned-partner-at- New-York-law-firm where Tom works as a lawyer, and the man Tom suspects is the force behind the plot to kill his sister.

Serrano, who has a recurring role on CBS’ Blue Bloods, has previously appeared on Dexter, Burn Notice, Homeland, Alias, 24, Ugly Betty and Law & Order.

Garcia Promoted to Series Regular on Showtime’s “Dexter”

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

More screen time is in Aimee Garcia’s future…

The 34-year-old Latina actress has been upped to series regular on Showtime’s serial killer drama Dexter.

Garcia, best known for her role as Veronica Palmero on ABC’s George Lopez, portrays Jamie Batista, Detective Angel Batista’s (David Zayas) sister and the nanny for Dexter’s son Harrison while studying. She’s been known to wear skin-revealing clothing while out and about, which has lead to heated arguments with her older brother.

Production on Dexter’s upcoming eighth, and potentially last season, will begin shortly for a summer launch.

Garcia currently has a recurring role on CBS’ new drama Vegas and will next appear in MGM’s RoboCop remake.

CBS Orders “Second Sight” Pilot from Cuesta

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It may turn out to be love at first sight for Michael Cuesta’s latest project for the Eye Network.

CBS has given the pilot greenlight for the 49-year-old Latino filmmaker’s Second Sight, which he and CSI executive producer/showrunner Carol Mendelsohn adapted from a 2000 British television series of the same name starring Clive Owen.

Second Sight is described as a gothic psychological thriller about a detective who is suddenly afflicted with an autoimmune virus that causes hallucinations reflective of his subconscious. He discovers that catching the killer depends as much on insight as eyesight.

Cuesta, who recently picked up a Producers Guild Award for Showtime’s Homeland, wrote the adaptation with his brother Gerald Cuesta. The two previously joined forces for another CBS drama project, the cult 2007 zombie pilot Babylon Fields, which Gerald co-wrote and Michael directed.

Cuesta is set to direct Second Sight, which he’s executive producing with Mendelsohn, Julie Weitz, Paula Milne, who created the original series, and Nick Reed.

There are four series currently on the air whose pilots Cuesta directed: Showtime’s Homeland and Dexter and CBS’ Blue Bloods and Elementary.

Cuesta Wins Producers Guild Award for Showtime’s “Homeland”

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cuesta has another award to add to his mantle…

The 49-year-old Latino film & television director picked up a Producers Guild Award (PGA Award) on Saturday night in the Television Drama category.

Cuesta earned the award for producing Showtime’s Homeland, along with fellow producers Henry Bromell, Alexander Cary, Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Chip Johannessen, Michael Klick and Meredith Stiehm.

It’s the director’s first PGA Award. Cuesta, was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for directing Homeland’s pilot episode, had previously been nominated for a PGA Award in the Television Producer of the Year Award in Episodic category in 2008 for Showtime’s Dexter.

Meanwhile, Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chinn’s Searching for Sugar Man, about Mexican-American indie singer Rodriguez, earned the PGA Award in the Documentary category.

Zayas to Guest Star on Fox’s “The Following”

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

David Zayas is being promoted from homicide detective to FBI agent.

The 50-year-old Puerto Rican actor, whoportrays Sgt. Angel Batista on Showtime’s Dexter, will guest star on Fox‘s midseason drama The Following, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The psychological thriller centers on an Edgar Allan Poe scholar-turned-serial killer known as Joe Carroll (portrayed by James Purefoy) and stars Kevin Bacon as a troubles FBI agent on the case to recapture the killer and his army of copycats.

Zayas will play Tyson, a former FBI agent and good friend to Bacon’s Ryan Hardy. He’ll appear in the 10th episode of the Kevin Williamson drama, ultimately becoming an unlikely participant in Ryan’s effort to bring down Joe Carroll’s followers.

Zayas joins Marin Ireland, as recent additions to the drama, which premieres Monday, January 21 at 9:00 pm on Fox.

Along with starring on Dexter, Zayas’ credits include episodes of Grimm, Person of Interest and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

Coto Developing “The Defectives” for ABC

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Manny Coto has a defective project on his hands…

The Latino writer, director and producer has sold the police drama The Defectives to ABC, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The drama, which received a script commitment from the network, centers on a female internal affairs investigator tasked with rebuilding the Los Angeles Police Department’s special detective unit after she spearheads the probe into a corruption scandal that ultimately brings the department to its knees.

Denied financial and internal support, she recruits a team of overlooked detectives, flawed cops and ignored analysts — all of whom possess unique skills. The talented oddballs must work together to overcome the forces working against them while solving crimes on a weekly basis.

Coto, an executive producer and writer for the fifth season of the Emmy Award-winning hit Showtime series Dexter, will write and executive produce the project alongside Hot in Cleveland’s Lynda Obst, who will serve as an executive producer.

The project comes as Dexter inches closer to the potential end of its run, with a renewal already in place for an eighth season.

Coto, whose credits also include 24 and Star Trek: Enterprise, shared in the Kiefer Sutherland real-time drama’s 2006 Emmy drama series win and 2011 Dexter nomination.

Garcia Starring in Padilha’s “Robocop” Remake

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Aimee Garcia is starring in her first Hollywood blockbuster…

The 33-year-old actress, best known for her role as George Lopez’s spoiled niece on the comedian’s ABC series of the same name and Showtime’s Dexter, has joined the cast of Robocop, the remake of the 1980s sci-fi classic.

Starring Joel Kinnaman, the film is being helmed by Brazilian filmmaker Jose Padilha.

Garcia will portray a scientist who helps put together the Robocop with his creator, played by Gary Oldman.

Garcia is currently shooting her second season of Dexter, in which she plays Dexter’s nanny and the sister to Angel Batista (David Zayas). The show premieres its seventh season on September 30.

Garcia is also set to recurr on Vegas, CBS’ new crime drama starring Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis. Vegas premieres September 25

Robocop began shooting in Toronto last week. No word on an expected release date.

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