Michael Cuesta to Direct Pilot Episode of Marvel Studios’ “Daredevil: Born Again”

Posted on March 11, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cuesta is born again…

The 59-year-old Latino director, who helmed the pilots for shows like Dexter and Homeland, will direct the first episode of Marvel Studios’ Daredevil: Born Again.

Production on the 18-episode Disney+ series begins this month in New York and marks the true integration of characters that began life on Netflix, when the streamer had a slate of Marvel series in the mid-2010s, into the popular and dominant Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Charlie Cox, who starred as Matt Murdoch, aka Daredevil, the man without fear, is reprising his role for the series after making brief and teasing cameos in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

Vincent D’Onofrio is back as Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime — his first appearance in the MCU was a cameo in Hawkeye — and Jon Bernthal is returning as the hard-edged vigilante known as the Punisher.

Other actors on the call sheet include Michael Gandolfini, Margarita Levieva and Sandrine Holt, the latter of whom is playing Vanessa Fisk, the wife of Fisk. Michael Gaston (Chicago P.D., Mayor of Kingstown) is also in the series.

Born Again takes its title from a landmark Daredevil storyline published in 1986, written by Frank Miller and drawn by David Mazzuchelli. The show is deviating from that plot, although by how much is unclear. The Punisher, for example, made no appearance in the comic story. Daredevil versus Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin, remains the focal point.

Writers and executive producers Matt Corman and Chris Ord are behind the show, which is expected to bow in the spring of 2024. Cuesta is only directing the opening episode, according to sources. Other directors are being lined up to helm blocks of episodes.

Cuesta is one of the top helmers in the pilot game. In addition to directing the pilots for Dexter and Homeland, both acclaimed gritty dramas and for which he earned an Emmy nomination on the latter, he also directed the pilots for police show Blue Blood and procedural Sherlock Holmes mystery show Elementary.

Directing a pilot is an important task as it normally sets the casting, tone, and look of a series and is seen as a test for a show’s promise as well as a chance to put its best foot forward. And while in the streaming age many shows tend to be given straight-up series orders, helming the first episode remains equally as important.

Other recent series work for Cuesta includes episodes of Dopesick and Billions, and he also directed the action thriller American Assassin, which starred Dylan O’Brien and Michael Keaton.

Michael Cuesta to Direct ABC’s Latinx-Themed Drama Pilot “Promised Land”

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cuesta has landed a promising project…

The 57-year-old Latino film and television director has been tapped to direct and executive produce ABC’s drama pilot Promised Land..

Written by Matt Lopez, Promised Land is an epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley.

The cast includes John Ortiz as Joe Sandoval, patriarch of the Sandoval family, Cecilia Suárez as Lettie Sandoval, matriarch of the Sandoval family, Augusto Aguilera as Mateo Sandoval, the hardworking, highly capable general manager of the Heritage Vineyard and stepson to patriarch Joe Sandoval, Mariel Molino as Camila Sandoval, the youngest daughter of the Sandoval family, Christina Ochoa as Veronica Sandoval, the eldest daughter of the Sandovals, as well as Andres Velez as Carlos Rincón, a young immigrant who comes to the Heritage Vineyard in search of a better life.

Lopez executive produces with Cuesta and Adam Kolbrenner of Lit Entertainment Group. ABC Signature is the studio.

Cuesta also is one of the directors, working with Barry Levinson, on Dopesick, Hulu’s upcoming eight-episode limited series written by Danny Strong, based on Beth Macy’s bestselling book, from The Handmaid’s Tale executive producer Warren Littlefield and Touchstone Television.

He most recently served as executive producer and director, including on the pilot episode, of Homeland, which recently wrapped its eighth and final season on Showtime.

In addition to Homeland, Cuesta directed the pilots for Dexter, Blue Bloods and City on a Hill. His episodic directing credits include Elementary, True Blood and Billions, among others.

Carlos Gomez to Appear on Season Two of Starz’s “Hightown”

Posted on December 19, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Gomez is coming to (high)town…

The 58-year-old Latino American actor has landed a recurring role on the second season of Starz’s crime drama series Hightown, starring Monica Raymund, from Jerry Bruckheimer and Lionsgate Television.

The second season picks up about six weeks after the events in the Season 1 finale, around Halloween, in Cape Cod’s desolate, cold but still achingly beautiful off-season. The tourists are gone, and all of our characters are in a different place compared to where they were at the beginning of season one. The weak are now powerful, and the powerful are now weak. But beyond that, there is darkness beneath the surface of all of our main characters, particularly Jackie and Ray. Both have shadow sides of their personality — holes in their souls that they try to fill with drugs, alcohol, women, ambition and work. There’s a new terror on The Cape, and it may be its greatest White Whale yet.

Gomez will play Rafael. Father of Jackie (Raymund), past his glory days but always looking for a good time. Charismatic and charming with a dark side, Rafael is a fisherman in New Bedford, MA. He has a strained and complicated relationship with his daughter.

Rebecca Cutter created the series and serves as executive producer with Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman and KristieAnne Reed.

Gomez’s previous television credits include The Baker and the Beauty, Chicago Med, Elementary and Madam Secretary.

Erica Hernandez to Appear on Epix’s New Dramedy “Bridge & Tunnel”

Posted on December 16, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Erica Hernandez is tunneling forward…

The half-Colombian American actress has joined the ensemble cast of Epix’s upcoming dramedy Bridge & Tunnel.

Written, directed and produced by Edward Burns, the dramedy series set in 1980 revolves around a group of recent college grads setting out to pursue their dreams in Manhattan while still clinging to the familiarity of their working-class Long Island home town.

Hernandez, appearing a recurring role, will play Genie, the fun-loving and sassy sister of Jimmy (Sam Vartholomeos). She and her best friend Lizzie (Barrett Wilbert Reed) dream of rock stardom for their all-girl punk band, Wildfire.

Caitlin Stasey, Gigi Zumbado, JanLuis Castellanos, Brian Muller and Isabella Farrell round out the ensemble cast.

Hernandez can be seen in the feature films Hollywood Fringe opposite Justin Kirk, Lazy Susan opposite Sean Hayes and in Brittany Runs a Marathon opposite Jillian Bell.

She has appeared on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Other Two, High Maintenance, Search Party, Dietland, The Brave, The Last OG and Elementary.

Bridge and Tunnel premieres on January 24 at 9:00 pm ET/PT on Epix.

Freddy Miyares to Star in the HBO Max Pilot “DMZ”

Posted on February 18, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Freddy Miyaresis getting comic-al…

The 25-year-old Latino actor has been cast in Ava DuVernay’s upcoming HBO Max pilot DMZ, an adaptation of the DC comic book series.

Miyares will star opposite Rosario Dawsonand Benjamin Brattin the project.

DMZ is set in the near future where Americais embroiled in a bitter civil war, leaving Manhattana demilitarized zone — hence the title of the series. The show chronicles the journey of fierce medic Alma Ortega (Dawson), who saves lives while desperately searching for her lost son. As she contends with the gangs, militias, demagogues and warlords that control this lawless no man’s land, she becomes the unlikely source of hope.

Miyares will be a series regular and play the character of Skel, the ruthless triggerman of one of the DMZ’s most powerful gangs, led by Parco Delgado (Bratt). He’s also a talented graffiti artist with a profound passion for art, which serves as his lasting connection to his humanity in a world where survival is predicated on power.

Miyares previously worked with DuVernay on the Emmy-winning Netflix series When They See Us, playing the adult Raymond Santana, one of the Exonerated Five.

He recently appeared in the Showtime drama series The L Word: Generation Q. His other credits include appearances on Elementaryand The Code.

The project will be written and executive produced by showrunner Roberto Patino. DuVernay is set to direct and executive produce. The pilot is produced by ARRAY Filmworksin association with Warner Bros. Television.

Christian Camargo to Star in the Coming-of-Age Horror Film “Student Body”

Posted on August 17, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Christian Camargo has a new body of work…

The 48-year-old Mexican American actor has joined the cast of the feminist coming-of-age horror film Student Body.

Camargo joins a cast that includesMontse Hernandez, Cheyenne Haynes, Anthony Keyvan, Harley Quinn Smith and Austin Zajur.

The story follows high school student Jane Shipley (Hernandez) as she seeks to mend her splintering relationship with childhood best friend Merritt (Haynes), and fit in with her rebellious peers Ellis (Keyvan), Nadia (Smith) and French (Zajur). When Jane’s math teacher Mr. Aunspach (Camargo) oversteps his bounds, an apathetic high school administration forces Jane and Merritt to take matters into their own hands, driving their relationship into further turmoil and inciting deadly consequences.

Student Body marks the directorial debut of Lee Ann Kurr, who also wrote the film.

The film is currently in production.

Camargo’s previous credits include House of Cards, Penny Dreadful, Elementary and The Hurt Locker.

Hernandez’s credits include Jane the Virgin, Colony, Coco and Lowriders.

Isabel Arraiza to Star in USA Network’s “Suits” Spinoff Series with Gina Torres

Posted on September 22, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Isabel Arraiza is Suits-ing up…

The Latina actress has joined the cast of USANetwork and Universal Cable Prods.’s upcoming Suits spinoff series starring Gina Torres.

Arraiza joins a cast that includes Bethany Joy Lenz, Chantel Riley, Eli Goree, Simon Kassianides and Morgan Spector.

Centered on powerhouse lawyer Jessica Pearson (Torres) as she adjusts to the dirty world of Chicago politics, the spinoff hails from UCPand is executive produced by Suitscreator and executive producer Aaron Korsh alongside executive producer and showrunner Daniel Arkin.

The project was introduced in the Season 7 finale of Suits, which served as a backdoor pilot for the spinoff. It featured four main characters at the center of the offshoot, played by Torres, Kassianides, Spector and Rebecca Rittenhouse.

The role played by Rittenhouse in the backdoor pilot is being recast with Lenz. Riley will reprise a character that she played as a guest star in the backdoor pilot, while Arraiza and Goree play new characters.

Arraiza will portray Yoli Castillo, Jessica’s passionate assistant who will learn from the best how to most effectively channel her intensity.

The series is starting production in Los Angeles.

Arraiza’s previous credits include television appearances on The Oath, Elementary and American Dreamer.

Curnen to Star in NBC’s Straight-to-Series Adaptation of Film Franchise “Taken”

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Monique Gabriela Curnen has taken on a new role…

The 45-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress has been cast as a series regular opposite Clive Standen in Taken, NBC’s straight-to-series adaptation of the hit movie franchise.

Written and executive produced by Alex Cary, who serves as showrunner, the Taken television series is a modern-day prequel to the film franchise that depicts how Bryan Mills developed and sharpened his particular set of skills.

Curnen will portray Vlasik, an integral member of OPCON, a role that has been elevated to a series regular.

Curnen recurred last season on Elementary and The Following. She has also appeared on Person of Interest, Sons of Anarchy and Lie to Me.

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.

Martinez Joins Cast of USA Network’s Drama Pilot “Queen Of The South”

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

The compass is pointing south for James Martinez…

The Latino actor has joined the cast of USA Network’s drama pilot Queen Of The South.

Based on the popular telenovela La Reina Del Sur, series centers on Teresa Mendoza (portrayed by Alice Braga), who’s forced to go on the run when her drug-dealing boyfriend is unexpectedly murdered in Mexico.

Martinez will recur as Gato Fierros, a right-hand man of drug lord Cesar Guemes, who seems to delight in making his victims suffer before he does away with them.

His previous television credits include appearances on Elementary, Beauty and the Beast, Unforgettable, Blue Bloods, Army Wives and Breaking Bad.

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