Cabral to Star in the ABC Drama Pilot “American Crime”

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Richard Cabral has crime on his mind…

The Latino actor, an East Los Angeles native, has joined the ensemble cast of John Ridley’s American Crime pilot for ABC Studios.

The ABC project centers on the home invasion and murder of a young war veteran and his beauty queen wife in Modesto, CA.

Cabral will play Hector Tonz, a hustler and occasional drug dealer who is implicated in the murder and attack of the young couple.

Cabral will star opposite Johnny Ortiz, who will play Tony Gutierrez, Alonzo’s son who is eager for independence and sick of his dad’s rules.

Cabral’s credits include appearances in the films Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, End of Watch, The Counselor and Snitch.

Peña to Star in the Heist Thriller “Triple Nine”

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Peña is heading back to the force…

The 36-year-old Mexican American actor, who earned a Spirit Award nomination for his performance in the police drama End of Watch, will star in the heist thriller Triple Nine.

Directed by John Hillcoat, the drama centers on a crew of dirty cops that is blackmailed by the Russian mob to execute a virtually impossible heist. The only way to pull it off is to manufacture a 999, police code for “officer down.” Their plan is turned upside down when the unsuspecting rookie officer they set up to die foils the attack, triggering a breakneck, action-packed finale filled with double-crosses, greed and revenge.

In addition to Peña, the film’s all-star cast includes Fruitvale Station’s Michael B. Jordan, Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul, Warm Bodies’ Teresa Palmer and Gal Gadot, 12 Years A Slave‘s Chiwetel Ejiofor, Casey Affleck and Kate Winslet.

Open Road Films, which just completed a deal to pre-buy domestic distribution rights on Triple Nine, plans to release the film in 2015.

Peña to Star in the Demonic Thriller “The Vatican Tapes”

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Peña is headed to the priesthood…

The 37-year-old Mexican American actor has joined the cast of Lakeshore Entertainment and Lionsgate’s The Vatican Tapes.

Peña, who earned a Spirit Award nomination for his performance in the police drama End of Watch, will portray Father Lozano in the demonic thriller directed by Mark Neveldine.

Filming is expected to begin next month with Djimon Hounsou, Dougray Scott, Kathleen Robertson, Peter Andersson, John Patrick Amedori, Alex Sparrow and Olivia Dudley part of the cast.

Dudley plays a twentysomething who seems to cause death and destruction to those around her. Peña’s character is the local priest who first tries to help.

It’s the latest project for Peña, who will next appear in DreamWorks Animation’s Turbo.

He recently signed on to star in David O. Russell’s next film alongside Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Jennifer Lawrence.

Peña Cast in David O Russell’s Next Film

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Peña has lined up his next big project…

The 37-year-old Mexican American actor has been cast in director David O. Russell’s next film.

The Sony Pictures drama, which was formerly known as American Bullshit, is inspired by the true story of a notorious financial con artist and his mistress/partner in crime, who were forced to work with an overly ambitious federal agent to turn the tables on other con artists, mobsters and politicians.

Peña joins a cast that includes Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Jennifer Lawrence.

The film is set for a December 13 release.

Peña, whose recent credits include a Spirit Award-nominated role in David Ayer’s End Of Watch and Gangster Squad, recently completed voice work on DreamWorks Animation’s Turbo, which is set to be released in July. He also just wrapped the Diego Luna-directed Chavez.

He has also been cast as the lead in Fox’s drama pilot The List.

Russell’s film is set for a December 13 release.

Peña Cast in Fox’s Drama Pilot “The List”

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Peña is officially on The List at Fox…

The 37-year-old Mexican American actor has landed the lead role in Fox’s drama pilot The List.

The project, from Paul Zbyszewski, Ruben Fleischer and 20th Century Fox Television, revolves around an intense deputy U.S. Marshal who must hunt down the person who stole “the list,” a file with the identities of every member of the federal witness protection program, when people on that list start getting picked off.

Peña’s character is described as a ruggedly attractive, oddly charismatic man, a notoriously quirky maverick who often gets into trouble with the bureaucracy.

Peña, who earned a 2013 Independent Spirit Award nomination for End Of Watch and starred opposite Ryan Gosling in Gangster Squad, recently wrapped up work with Ed Harris on the border drama Frontera.

He’ll next be seen portraying Cesar Chavez in the Diego Luna-directed film Chavez.

Martinez Cast in CBS’ “Under the Dome”

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Natalie Martinez is heading under the dome…

The 28-year-old Cuban-American actress has been cast in CBS’ new drama series Under the Dome.

Based on Stephen King’s novel, the series follows residents in the community as they deal with post-apocalyptic conditions while searching for answers as to what the barrier is, where it came from and when — and if — it will go away.

Martinez, who has a recurring role on CSI: New York, will play Deputy Linda, a young, ambitious deputy who’s is fiercely loyal to the town’s sheriff, a man who runs a tight ship in the town of Chester’s Mill.

CBS Television Studios will produce the drama, which was picked up straight to series, in association with Steven Spielberg‘s Amblin Television.

Martinez, who rose to acclaim as the spokesmodel for Jennifer Lopez’s JLO by Jennifer Lopez brand, has appeared in the films Death Race, The Baytown Outlaws and End of Watch. Her television credits include Fashion House, Sons of Tucson and Detroit 1-8-7.

Peña’s “End of Watch” Returning to Theaters This Month

Posted on December 1, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like it isn’t exactly the End of Watch for Michael Peña’s most recent film…

The 36-year-old Mexican American actor’s End of Watch, which earned him a Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Male this week, will return to movie theaters nationwide on December 7.

The reason: to give awards voters another chance to see the Los Angeles police drama written and directed by David Ayer.

End of Watch, which opened to No. 1 at the box office in September, stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a tough LA cop and Peña as his partner.

Peña Earns a Spirit Award Nomination

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Peña has the spirit…

The 36-year-old Mexican American actor has received a Spirit Award nomination in the Best Supporting Male category for his work in the police drama End of Watch.

Peña, who portrays Los Angeles police officer Mike Zavala in the film, will face off against Magic Mike’s Matthew McConaughey, Middle of Nowhere’s David Oyelowo, Seven Psychopaths’ Sam Rockwell and Moonrise Kingdom’s Bruce Willis.

Meanwhile, Aurora Guerrero has been nominated for the John Cassavetes Award, which is given to a picture made for under $500,000. The Mexican American filmmaker earned the nod for writing and directing the film Mosquita y Mari.

Nominees for the Spirit Awards are determined by its “independence” based on guidelines that include uniqueness of vision, original and provocative subject matter and they must be made for budgets up to $20 millions.

Winners of the 2013 Spirit Awards will be announced on February 23, during the annual awards luncheon taking place in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica.

The ceremony will be broadcast at 10:00 pm ET on IFC.

Here’s a complete look at the 2013 Spirit Award nominees:

Best Feature

Beasts of the Southern Wild
Bernie
Keep the Lights On
Moonrise Kingdom
Silver Linings Playbook

Best Director

Wes Anderson – Moonrise Kingdom
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook
Julia Loktev- The Loneliest Planet
Ira Sachs – Keep the Lights On
Benh Zeitlin – Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Screenplay

Wes Anderson – Moonrise Kingdom
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook
Ira Sachs – Keep the Lights On
Zoe Kazan – Ruby Sparks
Martin McDonagh – Seven Psychopaths

Best First Feature

Fill the Void
Gimme the Loot
Safety Not Guaranteed
Sound of My Voice
The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Best First Screenplay

Rama Burshtein – Fill the Void
Derek Connolly – Safety Not Guaranteed
Christopher Ford – Robot & Frank
Rashida Jones & Will McCormack – Celeste and Jesse Forever
Jonathan Lisecki – Gayby

John Cassavetes Award (given to best picture made for under $500K)

Breakfast with Curtis
Middle of Nowhere
Mosquita y Mari
Starlet
The Color Wheel

Best Female Lead

Linda Cardinelli – Return
Emayatzy Corinealdi – Middle of Nowhere
Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook
Quvenzhane Wallis – Beasts of the Southern Wild
Mary Elizabeth Winstead – Smashed

Best Male Lead

Jack Black – Bernie
Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook
John Hawkes – The Sessions
Matthew McConaughey – Killer Joe
Wendell Pierce – Four
Thure Lindhardt – Keep the Lights On

Best Supporting Female

Rosemarie DeWitt – Your Sister’s Sister
Ann Dowd – Compliance
Helen Hunt – The Sessions
Brit Marling – Sound of My Voice
Lorraine Toussant – Middle of Nowhere

Best Supporting Male

Matthew McConaughey – Magic Mike
David Oyelowo – Middle of Nowhere
Michael Pena – End of Watch
Sam Rockwell – Seven Psychopaths
Bruce Willis – Moonrise Kingdom

Best Cinematography

Yoni Brook – Valley of Saints
Lol Crawley – Here
Ben Richardson – Beasts of the Southern Wild
Roman Vasyanov – End of Watch
Robert Yeoman – Moonrise Kingdom

Best Documentary

How to Survive a Plague
Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present
The Central Park Five
The Invisible War
The Waiting Room

Best International Film

Amour
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
Rust and Bone
Sister
War Witch

Piaget ProduPcers Award

Nobody Walks
Prince Avalanche
Stones in the Sun

Someone to Watch Award

Pincus
Gimme the Loot
Electrick Children

Truer Than Fiction Award

Leviathan
The Waiting Room
Only the Young

Robert Altman Award

Starlet

Ferrera Returning to Off Broadway…

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

It’s bye, bye Betty… and Hello, Bethany for America Ferrera…

The 28-year-old Honduran American actress will be returning to Off Broadway this season to play the lead in Bethany.

Written by Laura Marks, the dark comedy is set in an American community hit hard by foreclosures and economic woes, the play revolves around a woman who tests the limits of her own morality as she scrambles to regain her financial footing.

Produced by Women’s Project Theater, the world premiere will be directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch.

The play is scheduled to run January 11-February 17, 2013 at New York City Center Stage II.

The Emmy and Golden Globe-winning star of ABC‘s Ugly Betty’s last Off Broadway project was in the satirical Peanuts riff Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead back in 2005. Ferrera recently did an eight-week stint as Roxie Hart in Chicago on London’s West End.

Ferrera’s latest projects include appearing with Michael Peña in End of Watch, She’ll next appear opposite Peña in the Diego Luna-directed biopic, Chavez, playing the wife of Latin American civil rights activist Cesar Chavez.

Peña’s Arresting New Trailer for “End of Watch” Released

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the end of watch for Michael Peña… And now you’re invited to go along for the ride.

The latest trailer for End of Watch shines a spotlight on the bromance between the 36-year-old Mexican American actor and his co-star Jake Gyllenhaal.

The just released clip is packed with violent scenes featuring Peña and Gyllenhaal as their characters, young police officers Zavala and Taylor, patrol the mean streets of Los Angeles, as well as scenes of the duo discussing the importance of having a family.

End Of Watch is a powerful story of family, friendship, love, honor and courage. , Together, Zavala and Taylor patrol the streets of south central LA. Giving the story a gripping, first-person immediacy, the action unfolds through footage from the handheld HD cameras used by the police officers, gang members and citizens caught in the crossfire. Together they create a riveting portrait of the city’s most dangerous neighborhoods, the cops who risk their lives there every day and the price they and their families are forced to pay.

Anna Kendrick, America Ferrera, Natalie Martinez, Cody Horn and Frank Grillo round out the ensemble cast.

The R-rated film, directed and written by David Ayer, is slated for a September 21 release.

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