Zión Moreno to Star in American High and Hartbeat Hulu’s “Prom Dates”

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Zión Moreno has secured a prom date(s)…

The 28-year-old Mexican American actress and Gossip Girl reboot star has been cast in Prom Dates, an American High and Hartbeat Hulu film.

Chelsea Handler, John Michael Higgins, Julia Lester, Antonia Gentry, Kenny Ridwan, JT Neal, Jordan Buhat and Terry Hu also star.

The film will hit the service this spring.

The Kim O. Nguyen directed, D.J. Mausner scripted film follows best friends Jess and Hannah (Gentry and Lester), who make a pact at 13 to have the perfect senior prom. Despite the impending changes that college will bring over the next four years, the two are committed to honoring their prom pact. But with only 24 hours left before the big event, everything falls apart when they break up with each of their dates. Jess and Hannah are left with one night to find new dates and live out their middle-school fantasies.

Producers are Jeremy Garelick, Will Phelps and Molle DeBartolo for American High; Kevin Hart, Bryan Smiley and Luke Kelly-Clyne for Hartbeat; and Mickey Liddell and Pete Shilaimon for LD Entertainment. EPs are Kevin Healey and Thai Randolph for Hartbeat, Michael Glassman for LD Entertainment, and Mausner and Andrew Reyes. Jason Zaro will serve as co-producer for Hulu and Axelle Azoulay as associate producer.

Moreno plays Heather, a college party girl who grabs life by tegh horns. The actress has appeared on Max’s Gossip Girl and Netflix’s Control Z, .

Mausner currently serving as a staff writer on Nickelodeon’s Max and the Midnights and consulting on various projects for Netflix Animation. They previously won a Canadian Screen Award for best writing in a variety sketch comedy series for their work on CBC/IFC’s Baroness Von Sketch Show. Additionally, they were featured in the 2023 CBS TALENT SHOWCASE and starred opposite Ruby Rose, Paris Berelc and Barbie’s Hari Nef in the Amazon/Lionsgate comedy feature 1UP.

American High’s collaboration with Hulu Originals has resulted in seven original films and one acquisition, which launched to critical and consumer acclaim, including hit films such as Pete Davidson’s lead debut, Big Time Adolescence, Natalie Morales’ Plan B and the company’s first-ever sequel, It’s a Wonderful Binge — directed by The Binge scribe, Jordan VanDina, in his feature directorial debut.

Prom Dates marks the eighth film under the original first-look slate deal with American High for Hulu.

Aaron Dominguez to Star in Chuck Russell’s Remake of the ’80s Supernatural Horror “Witchboard”

Posted on May 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the witching hour for Aaron Dominguez…

The 28-year-old Latino actor will star in Chuck Russell’s remake of the ’80s supernatural horror Witchboard, which is currently in production in Montreal.

Dominguez is among a roster of new cast additions that includes Madison Iseman, Antonio Desplat and Charlie Tahan, who will all star alongside Jamie Campbell Bower.

The new film watches as recovering drug addict Emily (Iseman), her fiancé Christian (Dominguez) and a group of their friends open an organic café, refurbishing an old carriage house in New Orleans’ French Quarter. A darkness descends over Emily when she discovers an ancient pendulum board, once used to summon spirits, with Christian then seeking help for Emily from occult expert Alexander Babtiste. Babtiste, however, has secrets of his own, knowing the fateful bloodlines that binds them all to the Witchboard. A modern coven of White Witches, a masked ball at Babtiste’s mansion, and the legacy of Naga Soth, the Queen of Witches, are all then part of a dangerous game that puts Emily’s very soul at risk.

Russell is directing from his script co-written by Greg McKay, with the pair set to produce alongside Kade Vu and Bernie Gewissler, in an A-Nation Media production.

Best known for his work on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, Dominguez has also appeared on shows like Gossip Girl and SEAL Team. The actor most recently hitting the big screen as part of Elegance Bratton’s acclaimed A24 drama The Inspection has also been seen in films like Roadside’s YA romantic drama Words on Bathroom Walls and Tim Story’s take on Shaft for New Line. Among his other upcoming projects is the Amazon rom-com Sitting in Bars with Cake executive produced by and starring Yara Shahidi.

Judy Reyes to Star in New Line’s Film Adaptation of John Green’s “Turtles All the Way Down” for HBO Max

Posted on April 13, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s turtle time for Judy Reyes…

The 54-year-old Dominican American former Scrubs star will appear in New Line’s film adaptation of John Green’s #1 NY Times best seller Turtles All the Way Down for HBO Max.

Turtles All the Way Down tackles anxiety through its 17-year-old protagonist, Aza Holmes (played by Isabela Merced).

Reyes will play Gina, the mother of Aza. Cree Cicchino and Felix Mallard also star. It’s not easy being Aza, but she’s trying… trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, and a good student, all while navigating an endless barrage of invasive, obsessive thoughts that she cannot control. When she reconnects with Davis, her childhood crush, Aza is confronted with fundamental questions about her potential for love, happiness, friendship, and hope in the face of her mental illness.

New Line/HBO Max picked up the project from Fox 2000 when that division closed; the project being ripe for the streamer’s devotion to YA fare, i.e. the new Gossip Girl, The Sex Lives of College Girls, and the upcoming Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.

Green’s Turtles All the Way Down is his follow-up to his hit novel The Fault in Our Stars, which was a big YA movie in 2014 for 20th Century Fox and Temple Hill, making over $307M WW.

Reyes played Carla on the TV series Scrubs, Zoila on Lifetime’s Devious Maids, and Quiet Ann on the hit TNT series Claws.

Upcoming for Reyes is the Paramount Players’ horror film Something’s Wrong Rose.

Recent film credits include Netflix’s All Together Now, The Circle and Gun Hill Road. Recurring roles include Eva on HBO’s smash hit Succession, Lala on FX’s Better Things, Ramona on Netflix’s One Day at a Time, Deb on the TBS series Search Party and Irene Vega on Bravo’s Dirty John.

Reyes has worked extensively in television, theater, and film for the last 20 years and remains a founding member of NYC’s Labyrinth Theater Company.

She is executive-producing the animated video series LaGolda, which tackles a variety of social and environmental issues through the sport of soccer and is sponsored by UnitedHealthcare’s “Do Good. Live Well.” initiative.

HBO Max Renews Zion Moreno’s “Gossip Girl” for Second Season

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

There’s more gossip in Zion Moreno’s future…

HBO Max has renewed its Gossip Girl reboot, starring the 26-year-old Mexican American actress/model, for season 2 ahead.

The news comes ahead of the release of the second part of its debut season, which is set to premiere in November.

Gossip Girl is a reboot of a CW original series of the same name which is set 9 years after the original website went dark.

The new iteration of Gossip Girl, written by showrunner Joshua Safran, is based on the book by Cecily von Ziegesar and the original show, developed by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, which ran from 2007-2012.

The HBO Max series follows a new generation of New York private school teens who are introduced to the social surveillance of Gossip Girl. The series explores just how much social media — and the landscape of New York itself — has changed in the intervening years.

In addition to Moreno, season one also stars Jordan Alexander, Eli Brown, Thomas Doherty, Tavi Gevinson, Emily Alyn Lind, Evan Mock, Whitney Peak, and Savannah Lee Smith with Todd Almond, Adam Chanler-Berat, Johnathan Fernandez, and Jason Gotay.

Executive producers include Schwartz and Savage of Fake Empire and Leslie Morgenstein and Gina Girolamo of Alloy Entertainment. Lis Rowinski of Fake Empire serves as co-executive producer.

The reboot was hailed by the steamer as its most-watched original series over the first weekend of availability. It also saw record viewership over the first four days of availability. The first episode opened to viewers in 555,000 U.S. households, per Samba TV.

The first six episodes of the first half of season 1 are currently available to stream via HBO Max.

Melissa Fumero to Star in Comedy “Bar Fight”

Posted on August 17, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Melissa Fumero is joining the Fight…

The 39-year-old Cuban American actress will star in Bar Fight, a comedy from writer/director Jim Mahoney, which wrapped production this week in Los Angeles.

Fumero is part of a cast that includes Rachel Bloom, Luka Jones and Julian Gant.

Bar Fight follows exes Nina (Fumero) and Allen (Jones), who split everything in their lives 50/50 after their break-up to avoid any drama—everything, that is, except for their favorite local bar. Nina and Allen must compete in a ridiculous, tavern-style custody battle for their prized watering hole, in which lines will be drawn, sides will be chosen, and beers will be drunken.

The film is presented by Particular Crowd and Ingenious Media.

Fumero is best known for her turn as Amy Santiago in NBC’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The actress has also featured on the television side in Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K., Elena of Avalor, One Life to Live, Gossip Girl and more. She has appeared on the film side in Dan Cohen’s A Stone in the Water and Henry Barrial’s The House That Jack Built, among other titles.

HBO Max Releases Official Trailer for Gossip Girl Reboot, Starring Zion Moreno

Posted on June 10, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

It’s exes and ohs for Zion Moreno…

HBO Max has released the official trailer for the upcoming Gossip Girl reboot, which stars the 28-year-old Mexican American actress/model.

Almost a decade after the end of the original series on the CW, the omniscient “Gossip Girl” narrator (Kristen Bell), is back. Her blog is replaced with an Instagram account, but her objective is the same, to expose the secrets of privileged upper class teens in Manhattan.

In addition to Moreno, the series, which debuts July 8, also stars Jordan Alexander, Eli Brown, Thomas Doherty, Tavi Gevinson, Emily Alyn Lind, Evan Mock, Whitney Peak and Savannah Lee Smith.

Gossip Girl, developed, written and executive produced by Joshua Safran, is produced by Fake Empire and Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Studios.

HBO Max Releases First Trailer for Zion Moreno’s “Gossip Girl” Reboot, Premiering in July

Posted on May 30, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Zion Moreno is bringing the X’s and O’s this July…

HBO Max has dropped the first teaser trailer and poster art for the Gossip Girl reboot, starring the 28-year-old Mexican American actress/model, and set a premiere date of July 8 for the show.

The teaser promises to deliver Gossip Girl’s usual sultry shenanigans but all now set in the smartphone era, where beautiful influencers carefully police their image on social media. Not that our narrator cares much for how her contemporaries project, as she makes clear in the trailer message, which she ends with her famous signature.

“Thinking you’re in control of your image, your actions, the narrative. But you forgot one thing: I can see you. And before I’m through, I’ll make sure you see me too. XOXO,” says our New York gossip queen.

In addition to Moreno, who portrays Luna, the series also stars Jordan Alexander, Eli Brown, Thomas Doherty, Tavi Gevinson, Emily Alyn Lind, Evan Mock, Whitney Peak and Savannah Lee Smith. The poster is each emblazoned with either an X or an O.

Gossip Girl is produced by Fake Empire and Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Studios. The series is written, executive produced and was developed by Joshua Safran of Random Acts.

Karena Evans directs two episodes, and original costume designer Eric Daman rejoins the series.

Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage created and ran the original series. They also serve as EPs on the reboot.

HBO Max Releases Zion Moreno’s “Gossip Girl” Reboot Character Photo

Posted on January 2, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Zion Moreno’s got some serious style…

The official Instagram account for HBO Max’s Gossip Girl reboot brought in the new year with some fresh faces, including a photo of the 28-year-old Mexican American actress/model.

The social media page unveiled the cast and characters set to grace the screen when the reboot hits HBO Max. Like the original series, the new iteration of Gossip Girl, written by Joshua Safran, is based on the book by Cecily von Ziegesar. The logline: Eight years after the original website went dark, a new generation of New York private school teens are introduced to the social surveillance of Gossip Girl. The prestige series will address just how much social media — and the landscape of New York itself — has changed in the intervening years.

Each post featured the new Gossip Girl cast members, their characters and their most important traits.

Moreno’s character, Luna La, is is described with the sword “style.”

All the characters flaunted their New Year’s best in the photo announcements.

Produced by Fake Empire and Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Studios, Gossip Girl is written and executive produced by Safran of Random Acts.

Karena Evans will direct the first two episodes of the upcoming reboot.

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Sofia Carson to Star in the YA Romance “Purple Hearts”

Posted on November 11, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Sofia Carson is in a purple haze…

The 27-year-old Colombian American actress & singer will star opposite Charles Melton in director Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum’s YA romance Purple Hearts about two star-crossed lovers.

Adapted from Tess Wakefield’s novel by Tony Award-nominee Kyle Jarrow and Liz Garcia, Rosenbaum will direct the story of aspiring singer-songwriter Cassie and military man Luke, who in spite of their apparent differences, fall hopelessly in love.

“Purple Hearts provides hope that two people with such differing world views, stuck in the same place, forced to fight the same fight, might be able to learn a little about each other’s beliefs, get over their own bullshit, start to understand each other and just maybe fall in love. It’s a very timely, emotional story – truly a romance for the ages,” says Rosenbaum.

Carson will also write and perform the film’s original soundtrack.

The film is produced by YA-book-to-screen specialists Alloy Entertainment, known for content including Everything, Everything, Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars and The Vampire Diaries.

Principal photography is due to start in May 2021 in Austin, Texas.

Best known for her role as Evie in Disney’s Descendants franchise and Freeform series Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, Carson recently made her feature debut in Netflix movie Feel The Beat. Next up she will star alongside KJ Apa in pandemic thriller Songbird, produced by Michael Bay.

Johnathan Fernandez to Star on HBO Max’s “Gossip Girl” Series Reimagining

Posted on March 3, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Johnathan Fernandez is ready to spill the tea…

The 46-year-old Colombian and Honduran American actor joined Emily Alyn Lindin Gossip Girl, HBO Max’s upcoming series reimagining of the pop culture phenomenon that made household names of stars like Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, Chace Crawford and Ed Westwick.

Fernandez joins a roster of new cast additions that includes Whitney Peak, Eli Brown and Jason Gotay.S

The 10-episode series hails from Joshua Safran, Josh Schwartzand Stephanie Savage’s Fake Empire, Alloy Entertainment, Warner Bros Televisionand CBS Television Studios.

Like the original series, the new iteration of Gossip Girl, written by Safran, is based on the book by Cecily von Ziegesar. Eight years after the original website went dark, a new generation of New York private school teens are introduced to the social surveillance of Gossip Girl.

The prestige series will address just how much social media — and the landscape of New York itself — has changed in the intervening years.

No official character descriptions for the quartet are being released. The new series is said to have a similar character dynamic to the original, with Peak, Brown and Lind as the leading trio and Fernandez and Gotay as members of the core ensemble.

Gossip Girlran for six seasons from 2007-2012 on the CW across 121 episodes. Its influence extended beyond television.Fernandez was a series regular on another WBTV series, Fox’s Lethal Weapon. For three seasons, he played the dry-toned medical examiner on the series reboot. Fernandez will next appear in the Marvel feature Morbiusand the indie Together-ish.

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