The 32-year-old part-Spanish actress is set to star in ABC’s special holiday movie Same Time, Next Christmas, from Freeform Studios, which is slated to air in December 2019.
In the movie, theGleealum will play the lead role of Olivia Henderson, a young woman who met her childhood sweetheart during her family’s annual Christmas visit to Hawaii. After being separated by distance and years, the two reunite at the same Hawaii resort years later and the old chemistry between them flares up anew – but circumstances conspire to keep them apart.
“This holiday season holds special importance to me as I get to celebrate both my role in this film and my first-ever holiday album,” said Michele. “I’m honored to return to ABC with this movie event, and I am excited to share the holidays with everyone.”
Same Time, Next Christmas adds to Michele’s Yuletide repertoire as she’ll be releasing her first Christmas album this coming holiday.
Stephen Herekis set to direct and Karen Bloch Morseis writing.
The 44-year-old Nicaraguan-American playwright, screenwriter, and comic book writer who is currently the Chief Creative Officer of Archie Comics and the key creative force behind Warner Bros. Television’s growing Archie comics-based TV universe, has signed a massive new multi-year overall deal with the studio.
No details are being disclosed but the pact is said to be for five years, and it’s in the high eight figures.
Under the agreement, Aguirre-Sacasa will develop, write, and produce new series through his banner, Muckle Man Productions, while also continuing as executive producer/showrunner on WBTV series Riverdaleand The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,as well as pilot Katy Keene, co-developed with Michael Grassi.
Shortly after he was named Chief Creative Officer of Archie Comics in 2014, Aguirre-Sacasa teamed with WBTV-based Berlanti Prods. to bring the Archie characters to television. He is the developer/executive producer behind Riverdale, which has been a major hit for the CWand Netflix, and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which quickly established itself as a breakout for Netflix, and the co-developer/executive producer on the Riverdale spinoff pilot Katy Keene, which has been garnering solid early buzz at the CW.
Before becoming Archie Comics COO, Aguirre-Sacasa wrote two of the company’s best-selling horror series: Afterlife With Archie and Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina. He previously worked for Marvel Comics, scripting the adventures of Spider-Man, Nightcrawler, and the Fantastic Four.
Aguirre-Sacasa’s TV series writing-producing credits include Fox’s Glee, HBO’s Looking and Big Love, as well as a stint on WBTV/Berlanti Prods.’ Supergirl.
Aguirre-Sacasa is an accomplished screenwriter and playwright. He penned the feature remakes of Carrie and The Town That Dreaded Sundown, as well as the musical adaptation of American Psycho, which had runs in London and on Broadway.
Aguirre-Sacasa was part of the team that was brought in to overhaul Spider-man: Turn Off the Dark. This summer, Pasadena Playhouse will produce his prep school thriller, Good Boys and True, and he wrote the book to the Broadway-bound Magic Mike the musical, with Brian Yorkey (lyrics) and Tom Kitt(music).
Naya Riverais stepping up her game on the internet…
YouTube and Lionsgate’s hit dance drama series Step Up: High Water, starring the 32-year-old part-Puerto Rican actress and former Glee star, has surged in viewership for its Season 2 premiere.
The first episode of the sophomore season has drawn 11.5 million views in the seven days since its March 20 debut, according to YouTube. Compared with the first episode of Season 1, which drew 1.3 million viewers through seven days following its January 31, 2018 debut, the Season 2 premiere is up 884% over the first season.
Based on the successful film franchise from Lionsgate, Step Up: High Water follows several students at a cut-throat performing arts school in Atlanta.
Series regulars Rivera, NE-YO, and Faizon Loveare back for Season 2, along with newcomers Ashley Greene, Robin Givensand Jeremy Copeland.
Multi-platinum recording artist and entrepreneur Rick Rossis set to guest star as himself. Todrick Hallwill also make a cameo playing himself. JaQuel Knightwill choreograph episode three as well as make a cameo playing himself.
Step Up: High Water is created and executive produced by showrunner Holly Sorensen(Recovery Road, Make It Or Break It).Adam Shankman, Jennifer Gibgotand Meredith Milton, all producers of the original Step Up films, executive produced season one, along with Channing Tatumand Jenna Dewan, who both co-starred in the original Step Up film. All have returned to executive produce for the second season.
The 71-year-old Puerto Rican actress and Jane the Virgin star has landed a series regular role in Jane the Novela, the CW’s Jane the Virgin spinoff pilot.
The project will be headlined by Jacqueline Grace Lopezand narrated and executive produced by Jane the Virgin star Gina Rodriguez, with Coll providing a little continuity from the original series in front of the camera.
The telenovelaanthology offshoot will also star Remy Hii, Hunter Parrish,Benito Martinez and Holland Roden.
Written/executive-produced by Jane the Virgin writer Valentina Garza, directed/exec produced by Jane the Virgin EP Brad Silberling and executive-produced by Jane the Virgin creator/EP Jennie Snyder Urman, Jane the Novela is a soapy, telenovela-inspired anthology series in the tradition of Jane the Virgin, where each season is based on a different fictional novel “written by” Jane Villanueva and narrated by the author herself.
The first installment takes place at the intersection of Napa Valley wine country and the San Francisco art scene and pairs family secrets and sins of the past with twists, tropes and a bloody bottle of red. It centers on Estela (Lopez), an up-and-coming art curator who has spent years playing it safe and coloring within the lines. But a shocking secret changes everything and forces her to live a double life.
Being “in the tradition” of Jane the Virgin,Jane the Novela mirrors the setup of the original series. It too follows a driven, imaginative twentysomething Latina woman (Lopez) who is torn between her boyfriend, Luen (Hii), and Felix (Parrish), a handsome, rich guy. In this case, Luen is head of security while Felix is in the wine business vs. Jane Villanueva’s cop boyfriend Michael and love interest Rafael, a hotel heir.
Hii’s Luen is Estela’s sweet, dependable, long-term boyfriend. When the life he’s planned for himself and Estela is threatened by Felix, Luen will stop at nothing to win back the woman he loves.
Coll will play Camila, Estela’s adoptive mother. Camila would do anything to protect her daughter and the life they have built, even lie to her. On Jane the Virgin, Coll plays Jane’s grandmother and Xo’s mother Alba.
Martinez portrays Raul, the winery’s enigmatic riddler. Nobody knows Napa’s terrain like he does – he specializes in collecting dirt on everyone.
Coll’s other television credits include Switched at Birth, Teen Wolf, Glee, East Los High and Nip/Tuck.
Martinez is known for his portrayal of Los Angeles politician David Aceveda for seven seasons on FXpolice dramaThe Shield. He had a starring role in John Ridley’s anthology series American Crime Story alongsideFelicity Huffmanand Regina Kingand can next be seen in the upcoming seasons of 13 Reasons Why, The Blacklist, Jack Ryan, and the feature film Queen & Slim.
The 26-year-old Cuban American actor and Glee star has been cast as the male lead in What/If, Netflix’s social thriller anthology drama series starring Renée Zellweger and Jane Levy.
FromRevenge and Swingtown creator Mike Kelley, the series is written by Kelley, directed by Phillip Noyce and produced by Page Fright, Atlas Entertainment and Compari Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television.
What/If explores the ripple effects of what happens when acceptable people start doing unacceptable things. Each season will tackle a different morality tale inspired by culturally consequential source material, and the power of a single fateful decision to change the trajectory of an entire life.
The 10-episode first season focuses on two struggling newlyweds, scientist-entrepreneur Lisa (Levy) and EMT Sean (Jenner), who accept a powerful woman’s (Zellweger) ethically perilous proposition to secure a badly needed financial windfall. All actors have one-year deals.
Jenner first gained acclaim on the second season of The Glee Project, which he won, landing him the role of Ryder Lynn onGlee. He also recurred on Supergirl. Jenner most recently starred in the indie heist film American Animals. His feature credits also include The Edge of Seventeen andEverybody Wants Some!!
This weekend, Jenner finished out a run as Chrisitian to Peter Dinklage’s Cyrano in Goodspeed Musicals’ Cyrano, a new take on the Edmond Rostand classic Cyrano de Bergerac adapted by Erica Schmidt in collaboration with members of indie alternative band The National.
After five seasons on the air, ABC‘s The Goldbergs, starring the 23-year-old part-Mexican American actress/singer, will finally have a soundtrack.
The Goldbergs “Mixtape” will feature 14 tracks, including five classic ’80s songs that Orrantia, who portrays Erica, has covered, including Cyndi Lauper‘s “True Colors” and Katrina & the Waves‘ “Walking on Sunshine,” performed with AJ Michalka.
The other nine tracks on the album, which is being released by Madison Gate Records, are original songs written specifically for Adam F. Goldberg‘s 1980-something semi-autobiographical comedy and include “Love Ninja,” with Orrantia and Troy Gentile (Barry).
The Goldbergs, produced by Sony Pictures Television, has featured a number of original songs on the series as Erica has an interest in becoming a singer-songwriter, while Barry has dreams of becoming a famous rapper via his “alter-ego” Big Tasty. Many television shows like Empire, Glee and Nashville have turned to producing soundtracks featuring their original music as a form of earning ancillary revenue.
Orrantia rose to acclaim as a member of Lakoda Rayne, a country-pop girl group assembled byPaula Abdul during the first season of The X Factor. During her teen years, she sang background vocals for Demi Lovato on Disney‘s Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam soundtrack and background vocals for Miley Cyrus on Disney’s Hannah Montana Forever soundtrack.
Here’s a look at the track list:
“Rewind” (The Goldbergs Main Title Theme) — I Fight Dragons
“Love Ninja” — Hayley Orrantia & Troy Gentile
“D&D” — Kurtis Blow
“Hit Me With Your Best Shot” — Hayley Orrantia
“Bad Boy Good Guy” — Troy Gentile
“True Colors” — Hayley Orrantia
“Ferris Wheel” — Troy Gentile
“Tom Sawyer” — Hayley Orrantia & AJ Michalka
“He’s the Man” — Troy Gentile (feat. Hayley Orrantia, AJ Michalka & Sam Lerner)
“Eternal Flame” — Hayley Orrantia & AJ Michalka
“Judah Macabee” — Troy Gentile (feat. Sean Giambrone, Sam Lerner, Noah Munck, Matt Bush)
“Barry Goldberg: A Rap Story” — Anthony Petix
“Walking On Sunshine” — Hayley Orrantia & AJ Michalka
“Dads Just Don’t Care” — Troy Gentile
The Goldbergs “Mixtape is available for pre-order on digital platforms, including iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and more. The Goldbergs album costs $8.99.
Ricky Martin is bracing for a life of American Crime…
The 45-year-old Puerto Rican singer/actor has been cast in Versace: American Crime Story, the third installment in the FX limited series from Ryan Murphy, Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson.
Martin, who starred on ABC’s General Hospital back in 1994-1995, will co-star opposite Édgar Rarmirez, Penélope Cruz and Darren Criss.
The 10-episode Versace examines the shocking July 1997 assassination of Gianni Versace (Ramirez) on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion by sociopath and serial killer Andrew Cunanan (Criss).
This is a reunion for Martin and Murphy, who first cast the Latin music superstar in an episode of his Fox seriesGlee.
Versace, from Fox 21 and FX Productions, is based on the book Vulgar Favors byVanity Fair writer Maureen Orth.
Tom Rob Smith is writing the first two and multiple subsequent episodes, and Murphy, who received an Emmy nomination for directing the opening episode of The People v. O.J. Simpson, will direct the first hour.
Versace will begin production later this month in Los Angeles and Miami for a 2018 premiere. It will follow the second installment in the franchise, Katrina: American Crime Story.
American Crime Story’s core producing team — Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, all Emmy winners for People v O.J. Simpson as Best Limited Series — executive produce Versace alongside Smith.
Martin has sold more than 70 million albums and has done runs on Broadway in Evita and Les Miserables. The “Livin’ la Vida Loca” singer’s most recent 10th studio album, 2015’s A Quien Quiera Escuchar, won Best Latin Pop Album at the 2016 Grammy Awards.
A dedicated global advocate for tolerance via his Ricky Martin Foundation, Martin can be seen in Las Vegas at his residency at Monte Carlo Resort and Casino.
The 44-year-old Puerto Rican and Brazilian American broadcast journalist, the Today Show West Coast anchor and an NBC News correspondent, will appear on this season of NBC’s Hollywood Game Night.
Hosted by Glee star Jane Lynch, this game night show brings regular people face-to-face with celebrities.
In addition to Morales, this season’s famous contestants include Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz, Justin Hartley from This Is Us, Ben Feldman from Superstore, plus Michael Bolton, NE-YO, Mike Colter, Margaret Cho, Gabby Douglas, Taye Diggs, and RuPaul.
Hollywood Game Night will premiere on Monday, August 7 at 10 pm ET.
Prince Royce is taking his Passion to a live audience…
The 26-year-old Dominican American singer has been tapped to star in Fox‘s live religious musical event The Passion, the network has revealed.
The multi-platinum recording artist is set to play the disciple Peter.
Hosted and narrated by Tyler Perry, The Passion tells the 2,000-year-old story of the last hours of Jesus Christ’s life on earth through a variety of popular music, sung by the cast including Trisha Yearwood and Royce, and arranged by executive producer Adam Anders (Glee).
Set in modern-day, the event follows the dramatic and inspirational story of Jesus of Nazareth, as he presides over the Last Supper, and then is betrayed by Judas, put on trial by Pontius Pilate, convicted, crucified and resurrected. As Mary follows her son into Jerusalem, she already has witnessed Jesus struggle with opposition from other religious leaders, but bolsters him with the boundless depth of a mother’s love. Peter, meanwhile, remains one of Jesus’ closest confidantes, but his loyalty will be sternly tested.
The event will unfold live at some of New Orleans’ most iconic locations and feature a procession of hundreds of people carrying a 20-foot, illuminated cross from outside the Superdome to the live stage at Woldenburg Park on the banks of the Mississippi River.
Royce released his debut album in 2010 and saw it go triple-platinum. He has scored 11 No. 1 hits on the Latin and Tropical charts, won 20 Latin Billboard Awards and earned eight Latin Grammy nominations. His music has collected more than 1 billion online streams.
The 23-year-old half-Cuban American actor/singer will star opposite his wife and former Glee co-star Melissa Benoist on CBS’ Supergirl.
Jenner will be joining the show as a potential love interest for Kara (Benoist), according to TVLine.
Benoist and Jenner met on the set of Glee where they were both freshman New Direction members after the original crew went off to college.
Now, Jenner will play Adam Foster, “a handsome stranger from Cat Grant’s (Calista Flockhart) past whose arrival in National City tests Kara and Cat’s relationship like never before.” As if Kara needed to add boy trouble to her strained relationship with her boss!
Jenner is scheduled to appear in multiple Supergirl episodes beginning in early 2016.
