Mel Rodriguez to Star in CBS’ Upcoming Series “CSI: Vegas”

Posted on February 14, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Mel Rodriguez is joining the force…

The 47-year-old Latino actor has been cast as one of the leads in CSI: Vegas, which Deadline.com reports is nearing a formal straight-to-series order at CBS.

Rodriguez will star opposite Paula Newsome and Matt Lauria in CSI: Vegas, which serves as a sequel to the mothership CSI series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

William Petersen and Jorja Fox are reportedly finalizing their deals to star in CSI: Vegas, reprising their roles as Gil Grissom and Sara Sidle, respectively.

While billed as an event series, CSI: Vegas, from writer Jason Tracey, CBS Studios and Jerry Bruckheimer Television, could become an ongoing series running for multiple seasons.

With CSI: Vegas, the most watched drama series of the 21st century, CSI, opens a new chapter in Las Vegas, the city where it all began. Facing an existential threat that could bring down the Crime Lab, a brilliant team of forensic investigators must welcome back old friends and deploy new techniques to preserve and serve justice in Sin City.

Rodriguez is said to be playing Hugo, who took over as Head Medical Examiner three years ago. He has an endless fascination with the bodies that find their way onto his slab, and the morgue is his happy place. Rodrigues previously guest starred in an episode of CSI: NY (character name: Al McGrath).

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation bowed out in 2015 after 15 seasons, having launched a $1 billion franchise for CBS that spanned four series; CSI and spinoffs CSI: Miami, CSI: New York and CSI: Cyber.

Rodriguez was most recently a series regular on the Showtime series On Becoming a God In Central Florida opposite Kirsten Dunst. He was also seen opposite Anne Hathaway in Dee Rees’ The Last Thing He Wanted for Netflix. Additionally, Rodriguez recently voiced Officer Colt Bronco in the Disney–Pixar animated feature Onward.

Jonas Rivera Makes History at the Academy Awards

Posted on February 10, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Jonas Riverahas entered the Oscars history books…

The 48-year-old Mexican American film producer picked up the second Academy Award of his career on Sunday night, making him the first U.S.-born Latino to win multiple Oscars.

Rivera won an Oscar as one of the producers of Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 4, which was named Best Animated Feature.

Rivera had previously won an Oscar for the 2015 film Disney/Pixar’s animated film Inside Out.

“As if my mind couldn’t be more blown about the last five minutes, thank you for that,” Rivera said during a backstage interview, after interviewers informed him that he had made history. “I’m a little bit out of my body right now. It means the world to me. I can’t even really put it into words.”

While Rivera doesn’t speak Spanish fluently, he said he feels connected to his Latino identity and that he tries to bring his culture into his work as he did in Toy Story 4by hiring Jay Hernandezto play Bonnie’s father in the movie. Rivera was particularly close to his Mexican grandfather, to whom he dedicated the animated feature Up.

“The only Spanish I learned was when my grandparents would fight,” Rivera said. “You work hard, you put your guts into it … and it does happen.”

Here are the winners at the 92nd annual Academy Awards:

Best Picture Parasite
Actress in a Leading Role Renée Zellweger, Judy
Actor in a Leading Role Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Directing Parasite, Bong Joon Ho
Original Song “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” Rocketman, Music by Elton John, Lyric by Bernie Taupin
Original Score Joker, Hildur Guðnadóttir
International Feature Parasite, South Korea
Makeup and Hairstyling Bombshell, Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan and Vivian Baker
Visual Effects 1917, Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler and Dominic Tuohy
Film Editing Ford v Ferrari, Michael McCusker and Andrew Buckland
Cinematography 1917, Roger Deakins
Sound Mixing 1917, Mark Taylor and Stuart Wilson
Sound Editing Ford v Ferrari, Donald Sylvester
Actress in a Supporting Role Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Documentary Short Subject Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl), Carol Dysinger and Elena Andreicheva
Documentary Feature American Factory, Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert and Jeff Reichert
Costume Design Little Women, Jacqueline Durran
Production Design Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Production Design: Barbara Ling, Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
Live Action Short Film The Neighbors’ Window, Marshall Curry
Adapted Screenplay Jojo Rabbit, Screenplay by Taika Waititi
Original Screenplay Parasite, Screenplay by Bong Joon Ho, Han Jin Won, Story by Bong Joon Ho
Animated Short Film Hair Love, Matthew A. Cherry and Karen Rupert Toliver
Animated Feature Film Toy Story 4, Josh Cooley, Mark Nielsen and Jonas Rivera
Actor in a Supporting Role Brad Pitt, Once upon a Time in Hollywood

Sergio Pablos’ “Klaus” Sweeps This Year’s Annie Awards

Posted on January 26, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a clean sweep for Sergio Pablos’ acclaimed animated film…

The Spanish animator and screenwriter’s Netflix holiday tale Klaus picked up seven trophies at the 47th annual Annie Awards, including Best Animated Feature.

Pablos, who’d previously earned nods for his work on Treasure Planetand Rio, earned three awards. In addition to Best Animated Feature, he won the awards for Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production andDirecting in an Animated Feature Production.

Starring Jason Schwartzman, J.K. Simmonsand Rashida Jones, Klaus is the story of a selfish postman and a reclusive toymaker who form an unlikely friendship, delivering joy to a cold, dark town that desperately needs it.

The Klaus wipeout throws the Academy Awards racefor a loop, as Netflix’s first original animated feature won all seven categories for which it was nominated.

Pablos’ film dominated over the Big 3 studio mega-grossing sequels — Disney’s Frozen 2, DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 4.

Here’s a look at this year’s Annie Awards winners:

Best Animated Feature: Klaus
Best Animated Feature-Independent: I Lost My Body
Best Animated Special Production: How to Train Your Dragon Homecoming
Best Animated Short Subject: Uncle Thomas: Accounting for the Days
Best Virtual Reality Production: Bonfire
Best Animated Television/Media Commercial: The Mystical Journey of Jimmy Page’s ‘59 Telecaster
Best Animated Television/Media Production For Preschool Children: Ask The Storybots
Episode: Why Do We Have To Recycle?
Best Animated Television/Media Production For Children: Disney Mickey Mouse
Episode: Carried Away
Best General Audience Animated Television/Media Production: BoJack Horseman
Episode: The New Client
Best Student Film: The Fox & The Pigeon
Michelle Chua, Sheridan College
Animated Effects in an Animated Television/Media Production: Love, Death & Robots
Episode: The Secret War
Animated Effects in an Animated Feature Production: Frozen 2
Character Animation in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production: His Dark Materials
Aulo Licinio (Character: lorek)
Character Animation In An Animated Feature Production: Klaus
Sergio Martins (Character: Alva)
Character Animation in a Live Action Production: Avengers: Endgame
Character Animation in a Video Game: Unruly Heroes
Character Design in an Animated Television/Media Production: Carmen Sandiego
Keiko Murayama
Episode: The Chasing Paper Caper
Character Design in an Animated Feature Production: Klaus
Torsten Schrank
Directing in an Animated Television/Media Production: Disney Mickey Mouse
Alonso Ramirez Ramos
Episode: For Whom the Booth Tolls
Directing in an Animated Feature Production: Klaus
Sergio Pablos
Music in an Animated Television/Media Production: Love, Death & Robots
Rob Cairns
Episode: Sonnie’s Edge
Music in an Animated Feature Production:I Lost My Body
Dan Levy
Production Design in an Animated Television/Media Production:Love, Death & Robots
Alberto Mielgo
Episode: The Witness
Production Design In An Animated Feature Production: Klaus
Szymon Biernacki, Marcin Jakubowski
Storyboarding in an Animated Television/Media Production:Carmen Sandiego
Kenny Park
Episode: Becoming Carmen Sandiego, Part 1
Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production:Klaus
Sergio Pablos
Voice Acting in an Animated Television/Media Production: Bob’s Burgers
H. Jon Benjamin (Character: Bob)
Episode: Roamin’ Bob-iday
Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production: Frozen 2
Josh Gad (Character: Olaf)
Writing in an Animated Television/Media Production:Tuca & Bertie
Shauna McGarry
Episode: The Jelly Lakes
Writing in an Animated Feature Production: I Lost My Body
Jérémy Clapin, Guillaume Laurant
Editorial in an Animated Television/Media Production: Love, Death & Robots
Bo Juhl, Stacy Auckland, Valerian Zamel
Episode: Alternate Histories
Editorial in an Animated Feature Production: Klaus
Pablo García Revert

Gael García Bernal to Perform at This Year’s Oscars

Posted on February 23, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Gael García Bernal has a date with Oscar…

The 39-year-old Mexican actor/filmmaker will perform at this year’s Academy Awards, according to the show’s producers.

Garcia Bernal will be among the artists tackling this year’s Oscar nominated songs.

Garcia Bernal will be joined by Natalia LaFourcade and Miguel to sing “Remember Me” from Disney/Pixar’s Coco; with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.

Garcia Bernal voiced the character of deceased songwriter Héctor Rivera in the animated film, and his character wrote the song.

Other performers include Mary J. Blige, Andra Day, Keala Settle, Sufjan Stevens and Common.

Blige will perform “Mighty River.” Blige performed the song for Mudbound, and she’s nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category. Blige wrote the Oscar-nominated song with Raphael Saadiq and Taura Stinson.

Common and Andra Day will perform his Oscar-nominated song “Stand Up For Something” from Marshall, his collaboration with Diane Warren.

Settle will perform the Oscar-nominated song “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman.

Stevens will perform his Oscar-nominated song “Mystery of Love,” written for Call Me by Your Name.

“We’re excited to have these talented artists showcase the powerful contribution music makes to film making,” said De Luca and Todd. “It’s a privilege to welcome them to the 90th Oscars stage.”

The Jimmy Kimmel-hosted show is set for Sunday, March 4.

“Coco” Co-Director Adrian Molina Picks Up Three Trophies at the Annie Awards

Posted on February 4, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Adrian Molina has plenty of reason to celebrate…

The 32-year-old Mexican American filmmaker, screenwriter and storyboard artist’s Coco was the big winner at the 45th annual Annie Awards.

Adrian Molina

The Day of the Dead-themed Disney/Pixar film pummeled the competition, going 11-for-13 in its nominated categories including Best Animated Feature.

Molina, Coco’s co-director, screenplay writer and lyricist, picked up three awards, sharing the trophies for Outstanding Achievement, Directing – Animated Feature Production, Outstanding Achievement, Writing – Feature Production and Outstanding Achievement, Music – Feature Production.

Presented by ASIFA-Hollywood, the Annie Awards honor overall excellence as well as individual achievement in a total of 36 categories including Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Special Production, Commercials, Short Subjects and Outstanding Individual Achievements.

Anthony Gonzalez’s Disney-Pixar Film “Coco” Wins Thanksgiving Holiday Box Office

Posted on November 27, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

He’s nowhere near voting age, but Anthony Gonzalez is beating superheroes at the box office…

The 13-year-old Latino actor voices the character of Miguel, a young Mexican boy with musical dreams who has a wondrous adventure in the Land of the Dead in Disney–Pixar’s animated film Coco, which won the Thanksgiving holiday box office.

Gonzalez’s Coco earned $71.2 million at 3,987 North American sites during the Wednesday-Sunday period, while Warner Bros.–DC Entertainment’s Justice League pulled in $60 million at 4,051 locations during the same timeframe in its second weekend in theaters.

Coco posted for the fourth-best Thanksgiving holiday opening ever, trailing three other Disney titles — Frozen with $93 million in 2013, Moana with $82 million in 2017 and Toy Story 3 with $80 million in 2010.

Audiences surveyed by comScore’s PostTrak gave Coco strong ratings with 66% calling it “excellent,” and another 23% rating it “very good.” Surveys also showed 77% of viewers saying they would “definitely recommend” the movie to friends and 20% saying they would watch it again in a theater.

Coco, directed by Lee Unkrich and co-directed by Adrian Molina, is based on the traditions surrounding the Day of the Dead holiday in Mexico and centers on a 12-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a musician and explores his family history in the Land of the Dead. The studio hasn’t released a price for the movie. Disney-Pixar titles are usually budgeted in the $175 million to $200 million range.

In addition to Gonzalez, in his breakout role, Coco’s ensemble voice cast includes Benjamin Bratt, Gael Garcia Bernal, Renee Victor, Edward James Olmos, Ana Ofelia Murguia, Jaime Camil, Sofia Espinosa, Gabriel Iglesias, Cheech Marin and Lombardo Boyar.

The holiday weekend is one of the busiest moviegoing periods of the year. According to comScore, this year’s five-day Thanksgiving weekend saw total grosses his $268 million — $7.5 million better than last year’s when Moana opened with $82 million, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them taking in $65 million in its second weekend.

The strong holiday performance left the 2017 overall domestic total at $9.71 billion, or 4% behind the same point last year, according to comScore. The industry fell behind last year’s record-setting total due to downbeat performances in August and October — so much so that the much-anticipated Dec. 15 opening of Star Wars: The Last Jedi will probably not be enough to pulled this year even.

New Trailer Released for Ochoa’s Disney-Pixar Film “The Good Dinosaur”

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Raymond Ochoa will have you seeing green in his next project…

Diney–Pixar has released the latest trailer for The Good Dinosaur, which features the 13-year-old Latino actor as part of the voice cast.

The animated film follows the story of a misfit prehistoric creature who bonds with a human toddler.

The Good Dinosaur takes place in an alternate past in which the event that wiped out all large life forms at the tail end of the Cretaceous period never happened. As a result, dinosaurs survived well into the Pleistocene era. What follows is an epic journey through this world from the perspective of an Apatosaurus named Arlo (Ochoa) and his unlikely cave-boy pal Spot (Jack Bright). As they travel, Arlo learns to confront his fears and become what he’s capable of being.

The film originally was slated for summer 2014, but it weathered a director change and got an entirely new voice cast.

Peter Sohn makes his feature directorial debut here, having helmed Partly Cloudy, the 2009 Pixar short that played in theaters before the studio’s hit feature Up. Riding high on the success of Pixar’s Inside Out, Disney sends The Good Dinosaur into theaters November 25, the day before Thanksgiving.

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