Rosie Perez to Star in Apple TV+’s Limited Series “Before”

Rosie Perez is embracing the before

The 59-year-old Puerto Rican Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actress, choreographer, dancer and activist will star in the Apple TV+ limited series Before alongside executive producer Billy Crystal and Judith Light.

Rosie PerezPerez will portray Denise, a caring and strong-willed foster mother to Noah, one of Eli’s [Crystal] patients.

Written by Sarah Thorp, Before is a 10-episode atmospheric, character-driven psychological thriller about Eli, a child psychiatrist who, after recently losing his wife, Lynn (Light), encounters a troubled young boy who seems to have a haunting connection to Eli’s past.

Seductively enigmatic, Lynn is the love of Eli’s life, but her recent death may not be quite what it seems. As Eli digs deeper into the hidden life of the wife he thought he knew, he soon finds Lynn haunting him from beyond the grave.

Hailing from Paramount Television StudiosBefore will be showrun by Thorp. Emmy Award-winner Adam Bernstein will direct the pilot.

Most recently, Perez recurred in the Showtime drama series Your Honor opposite Bryan Cranston, Netflix’s Human Resources and as a series regular in Max’s The Flight Attendant.

Perez has dazzled audiences on the stage and screen for more than three decades while paving the way for Latinos and women in Hollywood.

She’s best known for her roles in various projects including her breakout in Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing and later White Men Can’t JumpIt Could Happen To You and Birds of Prey.

But it all began with her role as choreographer and Fly Girl on the Fox sketch comedy series In Living Colour, which earned her three Emmy nominations.

In 2021, she was nominated again for her work in The Flight Attendant. Additionally, she was nominated for an Academy Award in 1993 for her role in the Peter Weir-directed film Fearless.

Max Renews “Bookie,” Featuring Jorge Garcia, For a Second Season

Jorge Garcia’s bookie life continues…

Max has renewed its sports book series Bookie, featuring the 50-year-old Cuban & Chilean American actor and former Lost star, for a second season.

Jorge GarciaThe renewal comes two weeks after the season one finale of the show, which stars Sebastian Maniscalco.

From Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay, the series follows bookie Danny (Maniscalco) as he and his partner, former NFL star Ray (Omar Dorsey), romp around Los Angeles trying to keep their illegal sports betting operation in play.

The series premiered on November 30.

Season 2 presumably will show whether Danny can win back the affections of his wife Sandra, played by Andrea Anders, after his Super Bowl win seems to have torn them apart, as well as Ray dealing with the fallout of his mother’s wedding, which saw the groom seemingly die at the alter.

Produced by Warner Bros. TelevisionBookie also stars Vanessa Ferlito as Danny’s side-hustling sister Lorraine, Garcia as reluctantly reformed drug dealer turned soccer expert Hector and Maxim Swinton as Sandra’s ten year old son.

Charlie Sheen also reunited with Lorre for a few appearances.

“The collaboration between Chuck and Sebastian has proven to be a winning hand and we’re looking forward to continuing the story with this incredibly talented cast and crew,” says Amy Gravitt, executive vice president, HBO Programming, Head of HBO & Max Comedy Series.

Channing Dungey, chairman, Warner Bros. Television Group added, “There’s no doubt that Chuck and Nick’s Bookie won big this season as they took us on a hilarious ride into the underbelly of illegal sports gambling, featuring a cast led by another dynamic duo: Sebastian Maniscalco and Omar J. Dorsey. I’m looking forward to watching more of their antics in Season 2.  Congratulations to the entire cast and crew, and thanks to our partners at Max.”

Raúl Castillo Joins the Cast of HBO’s Mark Ruffalo-Led “Task Force Project” Series

Raúl Castillo is joining the task force

The 46-year-old Mexican American actor has joined the cast of HBO’s Mark Ruffalo-led series, the Untitled Brad Ingelsby Task Force Project (w/t), currently in pre-production.

Castillo is among a list of new cast additions that includes Jamie McShane and Sam Keeley.

Castillo plays Cliff, Robbie’s lifelong best friend and devout cynic; McShane plays Perry, a feared and respected man who’s made a career out of mayhem; Keeley plays Jayson, the leader of a local crime organization.

The series is set in the working-class suburbs outside of Philadelphia and follows an FBI agent who heads a Task Force. His goal is to put an end to a string of drug-house robberies led by an unsuspecting family man. The Untitled Task Force project is based on an original idea by the creator of Mare of Easttown, Brad Ingelsby.

The trio joins the previously announced cast including Mark Ruffalo, Tom Pelphrey and Emilia Jones.

Executive producers include Brad Ingelsby (Writer/EP); Jeremiah Zagar (Director/EP); Salli Richardson-Whitfield (Director/EP); Ruffalo (Star/EP); Paul Lee and Mark Roybal for wiip; David Crockett.

Castillo’s previous credits include Cassandro, The Inspection, Looking: The Movie, El Chicano and Knives Out.

Colman Domingo Earns Career First Golden Globe Nomination for “Rustin” Performance

Colman Domingo is celebrating a Golden moment…

The nominations for the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards have been revealed, with the 54-year-old Belizean-Guatemalan American actor and social justice activist earning his first-ever Golden Globe nod.

Colman DomingoDomingo earned a nod for Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Motion Picture – Drama for his acclaimed performance in Netflix’s Rustin.

The film is based on the true story of Bayard Rustin, advisor to Martin Luther King Jr., who dedicated his life to the quest for racial equality, human rights and worldwide democracy. However, as an openly gay Black man, he was all but erased from the civil rights movement he helped build.

J.A. Bayona is also a first time Golden Globes nominee…

The 48-year-old Spanish film director is nominated in the Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language for directing and writing the Spanish-language survival thriller film La sociedad de la nieve (Society of Snow), an adaptation of Pablo Vierci‘s book of the same name about the Uruguayan 1972 Andes flight disaster.

Society of Snow has earned 13 Goya Awards nominations, including Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay for Bayona.

Pedro Pascal has also earned a first Golden Globes nod.

The 48-year-old Chilean actor is nominated in the Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Television Series – Drama category for his acclaimed performance in HBO’s The Last of Us.

He’s currently nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and Critics’ Choice Award for his work in The Last of Us. He has already claimed two MTV Movie & TV Awards (for Best Hero and Best Duo) for his performance in the hit TV series.

Selena Gomez has earned her second consecutive Golden Globe nomination in the Best Performance By A Female Actor In A Television Series – Musical Or Comedy category.

The 31-year-old Mexican American actress/singer earned the nod for her performance in Hulu’s Only Murders In The Building.

The 2024 Golden Globe Awards ceremony will take place January 7, 2024 at the Beverly Hilton and air live on CBS and Paramount+, after the network acquired rights following longtime home NBC not renewing its deal.

Last year, the Globes Globes returned to broadcast television after a forced hiatus due to issues around membership that eventually led to the wind-down of organizer the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. The Globes are now owned by longtime Globes producer Dick Clark Productions and Eldridge.

Among the changes, in addition to growing and diversifying its voter base, the Globes added new categories this year: Cinematic and Box Office Achievement and Best Stand-Up Comedian on Television.

Here’s the full list of nominees:

MOTION PICTURES

Best Motion Picture – Drama
Anatomy of A Fall (Neon)
Killers of The Flower Moon (Apple Original Films)
Maestro (Netflix)
Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)
Past Lives (A24)
The Zone of Interest (A24)

Best Motion Picture – Musical Or Comedy
Air (Amazon MGM Studios)
American Fiction (Orion Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios)
Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures)
The Holdovers (Focus Features)
May December (Netflix)
Poor Things (Searchlight Pictures)

Best Motion Picture – Animated
The Boy and The Heron (Gkids)
Elemental (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures Releasing)
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Universal Pictures)
Suzume (Crunchyroll / Sony Pictures Entertainment)
Wish (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Cinematic And Box Office Achievement
Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
John Wick: Chapter 4 (Lionsgate)
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1 (Paramount Pictures)
Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures Releasing)
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Universal Pictures)
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (AMC Theatres Distribution)

Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language
Anatomy of A Fall (Neon) – France
Fallen Leaves (Mubi) – Finland
Io Capitano (Pathe Distribution) – Italy
Past Lives (A24) – Usa
Society Of The Snow (Netflix) – Spain
The Zone Of Interest (A24) – United Kingdom / USA

Best Performance By A Female Actor In A Motion Picture – Drama
Annette Bening (Nyad)
Lily Gladstone (Killers of The Flower Moon)
Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of A Fall)
Greta Lee (Past Lives)
Carey Mulligan (Maestro)
Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla)

Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Motion Picture – Drama
Bradley Cooper (Maestro)
Leonardo Dicaprio (Killers of The Flower Moon)
Colman Domingo (Rustin)
Barry Keoghan (Saltburn)
Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)
Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers)

Best Performance By A Female Actor In A Motion Picture – Musical Or Comedy
Fantasia Barrino (The Color Purple)
Jennifer Lawrence (No Hard Feelings)
Natalie Portman (May December)
Alma Pöysti (Fallen Leaves)
Margot Robbie (Barbie)
Emma Stone (Poor Things)

Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Motion Picture – Musical Or Comedy
Nicolas Cage (Dream Scenario)
Timothée Chalamet (Wonka)
Matt Damon (Air)
Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers)
Joaquin Phoenix (Beau is Afraid)
Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction)

Best Performance By A Female Actor In A Supporting Role In Any Motion Picture
Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer)
Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple)
Jodie Foster (Nyad)
Julianne Moore (May December)
Rosamund Pike (Saltburn)
Da’vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers)

Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role In Any Motion Picture
Willem Dafoe (Poor Things)
Robert De Niro (Killers of The Flower Moon)
Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer)
Ryan Gosling (Barbie)
Charles Melton (May December)
Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things)

Best Director – Motion Picture
Bradley Cooper (Maestro)
Greta Gerwig (Barbie)
Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things)
Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer)
Martin Scorsese (Killers of The Flower Moon)
Celine Song (Past Lives)

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach (Barbie)
Tony McNamara (Poor Things)
Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer)
Eric Roth, Martin Scorsese  (Killers Of The Flower Moon)
Celine Song (Past Lives)
Justine Triet, Arthur Harari (Anatomy Of A Fall)

Best Original Score – Motion Picture
Jerskin Fendrix (Poor Things)
Ludwig Göransson (Oppenheimer)
Joe Hisaishi (The Boy And The Heron)
Mica Levi (The Zone Of Interest)
Daniel Pemberton (Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse)
Robbie Robertson (Killers Of The Flower Moon)

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Addicted to Romance” — She Came To Me
Music & Lyrics By: Bruce Springsteen
“Dance The Night” — Barbie
Music & Lyrics By: Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Dua Lipa, Caroline Ailin
“I’m Just Ken” — Barbie
Music & Lyrics By: Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt
“Peaches” — The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Music & Lyrics By: Jack Black, Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Eric Osmond, John Spiker
“Road To Freedom” — Rustin
Music & Lyrics By: Lenny Kravitz
“What Was I Made For?” — Barbie
Music & Lyrics By: Billie Eilish O’connell, Finneas O’connell

TELEVISION

Best Television Series – Drama
1923 (Paramount+)
The Crown (Netflix)
The Diplomat (Netflix)
The Last Of Us (HBO | Max)
The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Succession (HBO | Max)

Best Television Series – Musical Or Comedy
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Barry (HBO | Max)
The Bear (FX)
Jury Duty (Amazon Freevee)
Only Murders In The Building (Hulu)
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series Or Motion Picture Made For Television
All The Light We Cannot See (Netflix)
Beef (Netflix)
Daisy Jones & The Six  (Prime Video)
Fargo (FX)
Fellow Travelers (Showtime)
Lessons In Chemistry (Apple TV+)

Best Performance By A Female Actor In A Television Series – Drama
Helen Mirren (1923)
Bella Ramsey  (The Last of Us)
Keri Russell (The Diplomat)
Sarah Snook (Succession)
Imelda Staunton (The Crown)
Emma Stone (The Curse)

Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Television Series – Drama
Brian Cox (Succession)
Kieran Culkin (Succession)
Gary Oldman (Slow Horses)
Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us)
Jeremy Strong (Succession)
Dominic West (The Crown)

Best Performance By A Female Actor In A Television Series – Musical Or Comedy
Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary)
Ayo Edebiri (The Bear)
Elle Fanning (The Great)
Selena Gomez (Only Murders In The Building)
Natasha Lyonne (Poker Face)

Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Television Series – Musical Or Comedy
Bill Hader (Barry)
Steve Martin (Only Murders In The Building)
Jason Segel (Shrinking)
Martin Short (Only Murders In The Building)
Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)
Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)

Best Performance By A Female Actor In A Limited Series, Anthology Series, Or A Motion Picture Made For Television
Riley Keough (Daisy Jones & The Six)
Brie Larson (Lessons In Chemistry)
Elizabeth Olsen (Love & Death)
Juno Temple (Fargo)
Rachel Weisz (Dead Ringers)
Ali Wong (Beef)

Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Limited Series, Anthology Series, Or A Motion Picture Made For Television
Matt Bomer (Fellow Travelers)
Sam Claflin (Daisy Jones & The Six)
Jon Hamm (Fargo)
Woody Harrelson (White House Plumbers)
David Oyelowo (Lawmen: Bass Reeves)
Steven Yeun (Beef)

Best Performance By A Female Actor In A Supporting Role On Television
Elizabeth Debicki (The Crown)
Abby Elliott (The Bear)
Christina Ricci (Yellowjackets)
J. Smith-Cameron (Succession)
Meryl Streep (Only Murders In The Building)
Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso)

Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role On Television
Billy Crudup (The Morning Show)
Matthew Macfadyen (Succession)
James Marsden (Jury Duty)
Ebon Moss–Bachrach (The Bear)
Alan Ruck (Succession)
Alexander Skarsgård (Succession)

Best Performance In Stand-Up Comedy On Television
Ricky Gervais (Ricky Gervais: Armageddon)
Trevor Noah (Trevor Noah: Where Was I)
Chris Rock (Chris Rock: Selective Outrage)
Amy Schumer (Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact)
Sarah Silverman (Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love)
Wanda Sykes (Wanda Sykes: I’m An Entertainer)

Liza Colón-Zayas Signs with Liebman Entertainment for Management

Liza Colón-Zayas has new management…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican actress has signed with Liebman Entertainment for management.

Liza Colón-Zayas,  Colón-Zayas can currently be seen as Tina in FX’s critically acclaimed comedy series, The Bear. The show received a 2023 SAG Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series and won a Television Critics Award for Outstanding New Program. The Bear has also received 13 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series.

Colón-Zayas’ additional television credits include HBO’s In Treatment, opposite Uzo Aduba, the Latino comedy series Get Some!along with Law & Order, David Makes Man, Proven Innocent, Titans, Bull and Blue Bloods, among others.

Her film work includes Allswell in New York, Naked Singularity with Olivia Cooke and John BoyegaCat Person alongside Emilia Jones and Nicholas Braun and The Purge 3.

She will next be seen in John Krasinski’s upcoming feature Imaginary Friends, set for release in 2024.

On the stage, Colón-Zayas most recently starred in the Broadway performance of Stephen Adly GuirgisPulitzer Prize-winning dark comedy Between Riverside and Crazy, where she originated the role of Church Lady. Her off-Broadway credits include Between Riverside and Crazy (Lucille Lortel Award winner), Halfway Bitches Go Straight To Heaven (Drama Desk and Obie Award winner, Lucille Lortel Award nominee, Outer Critics Award honoree), Mary Jane (Lucille Lortel Award nominee), and Living Out (Lucille Lortel Award nominee). She is also a member The LAByrinth Theater Company.

Colón-Zayas continues to be repped by Stewart Talent and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

Felipe Esparza Signs with United Talent Agency for Global Representation

Felipe Esparza has new representation…

United Talent Agency (UTA) has signed the 47-year-old Mexican stand-up comedian and actor for representation in all areas globally.

Felipe Esparza,  Rising to fame as the 2010 winner of NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Esparza’s most recent special was the dual-language Felipe Esparza: Bad Decisions, which debuted on Netflix to critical acclaim, in both English and Spanish, in 2020.

His special, Translate This, premiered on HBO in 2017 and continues to be available for streaming on all HBO platforms.

His first, 2012’s They’re Not Gonna Laugh At You, made its way to Netflix after debuting on Showtime.

Esparza has also appeared on series like NBC’s Superstore, Adult Swim’s The Eric Andre Show, Netflix’s Gentefied, and Cartoon Network’s Victor and Valentino.

His notable film credits include Guest House with Pauly Shore7th & Union with Omar ChaparroDaddy Daughter Trip with Rob SchneiderYou People with Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill, and Blue Beetle with Xolo Maridueña and George Lopez.

The host of the weekly podcast What’s Up Fool?, which has consistently topped comedy podcast charts across platforms since its launch in 2014, Esparza is preparing his fourth special as he performs at theaters around the world, as part of his “Big Foo” tour.

Scheana Shay Signs Deal for Representation with Independent Artist Group

Scheana Shay has new representation…

The 38-year-old half-Mexican American television personality, actress, singer and Vanderpump Rules star has inked a deal with Independent Artist Group.

Scheana Shay

The announcement comes on the heels of the show’s Season 11 renewal.

Shay has been with the Emmy-nominated Bravo reality series since its 2013 debut season and earlier this year won an MTV Movie & TV Award alongside her female castmates for Best Reality On-Screen Team.

The show was the first spin-off of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and charts the personal and professional experiences of the staff at Lisa Vanderpump’s restaurants and bars in West Hollywood, California, including SUR Restaurant & Lounge, Pump Restaurant and Tom Tom Restaurant & Bar.

Shay came to the series as a server at SUR, who was building a career as an actress and singer. The SoCal native began her entertainment career with appearances on popular series including Jonas (Disney Channel), 90210 (The CW), Greek (ABC Family), Victorious (Nickelodeon) and Entourage (HBO), and has also been seen in numerous national commercials.

She’s also known for hosting and regular commentator appearances for programs like Steve Harvey and hosts the popular podcast Scheananigans with Scheana Shay, which has a consistent presence across the global charts and over a million monthly downloads. “Good As Gold,” one of Shay’s recent singles as a recording artist, was reconfigured into an Uber One commercial that has gone viral on social media platforms this year.

Katina Medina Mora to Direct Her First English-Language Film, “Freeland”

Katina Medina Mora is embracing a freeland

The 43-year-old Latina film, television and theatre director and Emily in Paris helmer will direct Freeland, her first English-language film.

Katina Medina MoraThe film will be co-written with Chilean scribe Julio Rojas, creator of podcast sensation Caso 63 and a co-writer on Pablo Fendrik’s El Refugio.

Nicolas Celis, who earned an Academy Award nod for producing Roma, will serve as the lead producer of Freeland.

The project was put together by producer Nestor Hernández, a former Sony and HBO development executive for Latin America who attended the San Sebastian Film Festival in September to present the project.

MadAvenue PR director Eva Herrero serves as an executive producer on the film.

“We have long been following Katina Medina Mora’s remarkable career and her impressive accomplishments over such a short time span,” remarked Celis who has been attending Iberseries to take part in a panel and to meet with contacts.

“I am also more than thrilled to be working with Rojas and alongside Hernández,” he said. “At Pimienta Films, we are increasingly focused on producing globally appealing films with talented and influential creators like Katina,” he noted.

“Nicolas is not only one of the most recognized producers in Mexico, but for me, is one of the few whose work has both narrative and artistic value.” said Medina Mora, adding: “Collaborating with him is something I have been waiting for a long time. I am certain that his involvement with ‘Freeland’ will bring many strengths to the project.”

In “Freeland,” based on Rojas’ eponymous novel, Nicolas, a 17-year-old living in a seemingly idyllic village, shocks his school when he asserts that the Earth is round in a world where a creationist revolution has rewritten history. He’s sent to a reeducation reformatory called Hotel Roma, where he falls in love with Hipatia, the daughter of political prisoners. Together, they plan to escape to Freeland’s border in a totalitarian dystopia of the mid-2030s.

“It is an honor for me that Pimienta and Nicolas Celis have chosen to lead this project. I have been a great admirer of the work of Julio, Katina and Nicolas himself for years. I feel like I am part of something truly unique,” said Hernandez.

Miguel Ángel Silvestre to Star in Spanish Miniseries “Lucio’s Treasure”

Miguel Ángel Silvestre has discovered a new treasure

The 41-year-old Spanish actor will topline the miniseries Lucio’s Treasure, a real-life inspired project co-produced by Spain’s Vértice360 and Friki Films with Red Arrow International Studios.

Miguel Ángel Silvestreilvestre will play the leading role of Lucio Urtubia, considered a modern Robin Hood who nearly bankrupted Citibank of America in the 1980s. Whether he was caught is another matter.

Structured as a six-episode, one-hour drama, the series is scheduled to lens in English by 2025.

Created by brothers Hugo and Roger Menduiña, Lucio’s Treasure is produced by Friki’s CEO Ana Manresa and Alberto Rull, Vertice’s EVP production and content.

The U.K.’s Anthony Alleyne has joined the series as co-creator, writer and executive co-producer.

Defined by Rull as “an ambitious series, both creatively and in terms of budget,” Lucio’s Treasure is set in Paris and New York, “aimed at being a world-class co-production with large appeal to global audiences.”

Red Arrow International Studios is co-producing and also managing international sales on the project.

The miniseries has been selected for the upcoming edition of MIA’s drama co-production market and pitching forum, which takes place in Rome on October 9-13.

The story follows Lucio, an apparently modest Spanish bricklayer living in Paris, hiding the brains behind the largest network of traveller’s check counterfeiters that led Citibank down a path towards ruin.

Silvestre’s acting career lifted-off in 2008, playing the role of masculine drug dealer Rafael Duque in Telecinco’s popular Spanish TV primetime series Sin tetas no hay paraíso.

In 2013 he toplined the Atresmedia-Bambú hit melodrama Velvet and played in Pedro Almodóvar’s comedy I’m So Excited.

Silvestre broke out with international roles in 2014, first playing in Lana Wachowski’s Netflix series Sense8 and then joining the Narcos Season 3 cast in 2016.

In 2019, he played a far different role, the Death Row-sentenced Pablo Ibar in BambúMovistar Plus+ miniseries En el corredor de la muerte. He also worked in Álex de la Iglesia’s HBO series 30 monedas.

After starring in Álex Pina’s action thriller series Sky Rojo, he joined the fifth part of Netflix flagship drama Money Heist.

Silvestre’s most recent leading work role was in the Paramount+ original series Los enviados, the platform’s biggest Spanish-language hit to date, created by Argentine Oscar-winning writer-director Juan José Campanella.

Julio Torres Signs Deal with Ars Nova to Identify, Develop & Commission Projects from Rising Comedy Artists

Julio Torres is hoping to cultivate new comedic talents…

The 36-year-old Salvadoran writer, comedian and actor has agreed to a deal with Ars Nova, the Off-Broadway, non-profit theater in New York City, that will see them partner to identify, develop, and commission full-length projects from early-career comedy artists.

Julio Torres,The collaboration further expands Ars Nova’s two-decade commitment to new comedy at a time when support systems for NYC-based artists have decreased.

Under the partnership, Torres and Ars Nova will look to provide comedians with opportunities for development and production outside of the traditional model of sketch shows and 10-minute sets. They’ll offer funding up front to create brand new, uniquely theatrical shows, while providing mentorship and development resources to the artists involved, the first set for a commission being Ars Nova Vision Residency Alum River L. Ramirez. Others will be announced at a later date.

To celebrate the alliance, the Problemista star will return to the Ars Nova stage on October 26 to host Showgasm. — the theater’s variety-show-meets-party that serves up comedy, burlesque, and more. In addition to the newly commissioned Ramirez, Showgasm. will feature performances by Spike Einbinder, Macy Rodman, and Max Wittert, among others. Tickets are Name Your Price starting at $5 with every dollar going directly to the artists involved.

“This is such a dream—I get to guide Ars Nova into commissioning shows from my brilliant friends, starting with the unique and powerful River L. Ramirez, who has been an inspiration of mine since I met them years ago doing open mics,” said Torres in a statement to Deadline. “Many years ago, John Early introduced me to Ars Nova where I had my first solo show. I’m proud that now I get to put the spotlight on others and give them the resources they need to translate their talent and experience into formal commissions by a welcoming theater.”

Added Founding Artistic Director Jason Eagan, “Julio is a singular talent whose groundbreaking work in comedy and television continues to redefine our culture. We’re ecstatic to have him actively in our community again and inspired by his desire to help the next wave of comedy talent break barriers, by getting their work made and seen. Placing this partnership alongside our ongoing comedy residency program CAMP, led by Matt Gehring and Mahayla Laurence, further cements Ars Nova’s commitment to its comedy, music, theater, and everything-in-between, mission.”

A Brooklyn-based comedian, writer, filmmaker and actor, Torres is best known for his Emmy-nominated and WGA-winning writing on Saturday Night Live, the Peabody and GLAAD Award-winning HBO series Los Espookys, which he co-created with Fred Armisen and Ana Fabrega, and his forthcoming directorial debut Problemista, a comedy he wrote and stars in alongside Tilda Swinton, which premiered at SXSW and will premiere theatrically in 2024, having been one of the many titles pushed out of 2023 amidst the strikes from the WGA and SAG-AFTRA.

First performing on the Ars Nova stage in 2014, Torres has also been seen on shows like High MaintenanceSearch Party and Shrill, the Ed HelmsPatti Harrison indie Together Together, and on assorted late-night shows, where he’s performed stand-up. His next television series, Fantasmas, will premiere on HBO next year.

Torres previously wrote, produced and directed the comedy special program Pervert Everything for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. They teach performance and public speaking at The Brick Aux in BK, perform experimental comedy at Littlefield in BK, and have been commissioned for original musical and dance-based performances by Baryshnikov Arts Center, Gibney, Ars Nova Vision Residency program, and Moma PS1. Named one of Comedy Central’s Up Next Comedians for 2018, Ramirez has additionally written for High Maintenance and The National Lampoon Radio Hour.