Baccarin Earns First-Ever MTV Movie Awards Nominations

Posted on March 9, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Morena Baccarin has a (Dead)pool of reasons to celebrate…

The 36-year-old Brazilian-American actress has earned her first ever MTV Movie Awards nominations for playing Ryan Reynolds’ love interest in Deadpool.

The former Homeland star is nominated for Best Female Performance, where she’ll face stiff competition from Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina), Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect 2), Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road), Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and Jennifer Lawrence (Joy).

Baccarin and Reynolds are also nominated in the Best Kiss category.

The awards show will be hosted by Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart on Sunday, April 10.

Here are this year’s MTV Movie Awards nominees:

MOVIE OF THE YEAR

Avengers: Age of Ultron
Creed
Deadpool
Jurassic World
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Straight Outta Compton

TRUE STORY

Concussion
Joy
Steve Jobs
Straight Outta Compton
The Big Short
The Revenant

DOCUMENTARY

Amy
Cartel Land
He Named Me Malala
The Hunting Ground
The Wolfpack
What Happened, Miss Simone?

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE

Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina
Anna Kendrick – Pitch Perfect 2
Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road
Daisy Ridley – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Jennifer Lawrence – Joy
Morena Baccarin – Deadpool

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE

Chris Pratt – Jurassic World
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
Matt Damon – The Martian
Michael B. Jordan – Creed
Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool
Will Smith – Concussion

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE

Amy Schumer – Trainwreck
Brie Larson – Room
Daisy Ridley – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Dakota Johnson – Fifty Shades of Grey
John Boyega – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
O’Shea Jackson Jr. – Straight Outta Compton

BEST COMEDIC PERFORMANCE

Amy Schumer – Trainwreck
Kevin Hart – Ride Along 2
Melissa McCarthy – Spy
Rebel Wilson – Pitch Perfect 2
Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool
Will Ferrell – Get Hard

BEST ACTION PERFORMANCE

Chris Pratt – Jurassic World
Dwayne Johnson – San Andreas
Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
John Boyega – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool
Vin Diesel – Furious 7

BEST HERO

Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road
Chris Evans – Avengers: Age of Ultron
Daisy Ridley – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Dwayne Johnson – San Andreas
Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
Paul Rudd – Ant-Man

BEST VILLAIN

Adam Driver – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Ed Skrein – Deadpool
Hugh Keays-Byrne – Mad Max: Fury Road
James Spader – Avengers: Age of Ultron
Samuel L. Jackson – Kingsman: The Secret Service
Tom Hardy – The Revenant

BEST VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE

Amy Poehler – Inside Out
Andy Serkis – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Jack Black – Kung Fu Panda 3
James Spader – Avengers: Age of Ultron
Lupita Nyong’o – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Seth MacFarlane – Ted 2

ENSEMBLE CAST

Avengers: Age of Ultron
Furious 7
Pitch Perfect 2
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
Trainwreck

BEST KISS

Amy Schumer & Bill Hader – Trainwreck
Dakota Johnson & Jamie Dornan – Fifty Shades of Grey
Leslie Mann & Chris Hemsworth – Vacation
Margot Robbie & Will Smith – Focus
Morena Baccarin & Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool
Rebel Wilson & Adam DeVine – Pitch Perfect 2

BEST FIGHT

Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) vs. Ajax (Ed Skrein) – Deadpool
Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) vs. The Bear – The Revenant
Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) vs. Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) – Mad Max: Fury Road
Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) vs. Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) – Avengers: Age of Ultron
Rey (Daisy Ridley) vs. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) vs. Lia (Nargis Fakhri) – Spy

Pineda to Star in the TBS comedy “The Detour”

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Daniella Pineda is taking a detour…

The 28-year-old Mexican American actress has been cast as a series regular in TBS comedy, The Detour.

Created by Jason Jones and Samantha Bee, the series is inspired by Jones and Bee’s own experiences with family getaways.

It follows a couple and their two young kids as they take a road trip to Florida. Jones plays unfiltered dad Nate, who packs his wife, Robin (Natalie Zea), along with their rebellious daughter Delilah (Ashley Gerasimovich) and simpleton son Jared (Liam Carroll), into the family car for what Nate is convinced will be the adventure of a lifetime. Every leg of their trip, however, is fraught with unforeseen disaster as they encounter one hellish turn after another.

Pineda, who starred in The Originals and American Odyssey, will play Vanessa, Robin’s obliviously distasteful sister.

Pineda’s other television credits include Men of a Certain Age and Homeland.

Villafañe to Portray Gloria Estefan in the Broadway Musical “On Your Feet!”

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a Miami Sound Machine moment for Ana Villafañe…

The Cuban-American singer, dancer and actress has been cast as Gloria Estefan in On Your Feet!, the highly anticipated Broadway musical about the Latin music superstar and her equally talented husband, producer Emilio Estefan.

Villafañe, who attended the same Miami high school as la Estefan, wasn’t able to make the open casting call last fall but sent a video audition, according to an announcement Monday from the production team. She got the call to audition for director Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Hairspray) and the Estefans, and was cast in the show.

She’ll star opposite Josh Segarra, who will portray Emilio.

The musical — a rare Latino-themed Broadway offering that will surely benefit from Estefan’s global status — is based on the life story of the seven-time Grammy-winning singer and her husband, who owns 19 of his own Grammys. It’s slated to open at Broadway’s Nederlander-operated Marquis Theatre on November 5, following previews beginning October 5. I

n addition to staging by Mitchell, the show will have choreography by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, Memphis), with a book by Oscar winner Alexander Dinelaris (Birdman). Prior to Broadway, the show will try out at Chicago’s Oriental Theatre from June 2-July 5.

“She walked into the room, and I immediately thought to myself – ‘this is it’,” Mitchell said of Villafañe in a prepared announcement. “Not only was she beautifully reminiscent of a young Gloria, but she embodied her energy and spirit in such a captivating way. And then she fully rose to the occasion by giving a sensational audition.”

Villafañe’s film and television credits include Magic City Memoirs (executive producer Andy Garcia), Los Americans and the upcoming Hulu original series South Beach: Fever as well as the female lead in Max Steel (Mattel), set for global release this summer.

Segarra has appeared in New York in Second Stage Theater’s Dogfight and Lysistrata Jones. On television, he stars in USA’s comedy series Sirens and has a recurring part on NBC’s Chicago PD as well as PBS’ The Electric Company, and guest appearances on Showtime’s Homeland and FX’s The Following. This summer, he’ll appear in the Judd Apatow feature film Trainwreck.

The company will also feature Andréa Burns (In The Heights) as Gloria Fajardo (Gloria’s mother); Alma Cuervo (Beauty And The Beast) as Consuelo (Gloria’s grandmother); Alexandria Suarez as Little Gloria; and Noah Johnston as little Emilio.

David Rockwell (Kinky Boots, On The Twentieth Century) has designed the sets, with costumes by Emilio Sosa (Porgy & Bess), lighting by Kenneth Posner (Wicked, Hairspray), sound by Steve Kennedy and projections by Darrel Maloney. The show is produced by James L. Nederlander and Estefan Enterprises Inc., in partnership with Bernie Yuman.

In anticipation of a wide-ranging social media campaign to publicize the show, the production also released three videos about the Estefan’s and the making of the musical.

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.

Cuesta to Direct the Drama “Code Name Veil”

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cuesta is ready to break the code…

The 51-year-old Latino film and television director will direct the drama Code Name Veil.

The Matt Billingsly-scripted film is inspired by true events. It follows a rookie CIA agent who investigates the first terrorist attacks against America—the Embassy and Marine barracks bombings in Beirut in 1983. When his station chief and mentor is taken hostage, he must resort to desperate measures, unwittingly becoming part of the scandal that would become known as Iran-Contra. That subject played into Kill The Messenger, about how a newspaper journalist was smeared for reporting on the CIA’s role in the infiltration of crack cocaine into the U.S.

Cuesta most recently directed the Jeremy Renner-scripted Kill the Messenger. He also directed the pilot of Showtime’s Homeland and serves as the series’ executive producer.

Baccarin Lands Role on Fox’s Batman Series “Gotham”

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Morena Baccarin is headed to Gotham City…

The 35-year-old Brazilian actress, who earned an Emmy nomination for her acclaimed performance on Showtime’s Homeland, has joined the cast of Fox’s new Batman series Gotham.

She’ll appear as a recurring actor this season and will become a regular in Season 2.

Baccarin will portray Dr. Leslie Thompkins, a gifted and dedicated physician who was a friend of Bruce Wayne’s parents, Thomas and Martha. She’s determined to use her skills to aid Gotham’s most in need, which currently means working at the newly opened Arkham Asylum’s Home for the Criminally Insane.

In addition to her medical skills, her coolness under pressure will serve her well as she finds herself drawn close to James Gordon and into more and more dangerous waters.

This marks Baccarin’s return to Fox ,where she previously co-starred on Joss Wheden’s Firefly. It was one of several cult sci-fi series Baccarin is known for, including Stargate SG-1 and V, which was produced by Warner Bros. Television, the studio behind Gotham.

Segarra Upped to Series Regular on USA Network’s “Sirens”

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Prepare for more of Josh Segarra on the USA Network..

The 28-year-old Puerto Rican actor has been upped to series regular on the cable network’s comedy series Sirens.

Segarra, who starred in the Broadway musical Lysistrata Jones, recurred for five episodes of Sirens’ freshman run.

From creators Denis Leary and Bob Fisher, the series follows three Chicago EMTs who, despite their narcissistic and self-destructive personalities, are uniquely qualified to save lives.

Segarra portrays the handsome yet dim bulb cop Billy —Theresa’s (Jessica McNamee) new partner and friend who brings out Johnny’s (Michael Mosley) jealous side.

He becomes the latest Sirens cast member to be promoted to series regular for season two. Bill Nunn, who plays EMT Cash, was also upped for its sophomore run after appearing in nearly all of the half-hour comedy’s rookie run as a recurring guest star.

USA renewed Sirens for a second season in June.

Segarra previously starred as who Hector Ruiz, Jessica Ruiz’s older brother,on the television show The Electric Company. His other television credits include appearances on Blue Bloods, Chicago P.D., The Following and Homeland.

Baccarin to Star Opposite Melissa McCarthy in Paul Feig’s Comedy “Spy”

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

The spy’s the limit for Morena Baccarin…

The 34-year-old Brazilian actress and Homeland star has been cast in 20th Century Fox’s female comedy Spy.

It’s the latest film from writer-director Paul Feig and will star Bridesmaids scene-stealer star Melissa McCarthy.

Baccarin, who earned a Primetime Emmy award nomination for her work on Showtime’s Homeland, will play Karen Walker in the film.

The comedy, about a CIA analyst who gets a shot at field work, reunites also stars Rose Byrne, Jude Law, Jason Statham and Bobby Cannavale.

Spy is slated for a Memorial Day 2015 release.

Machado to Star in ABC’s Medical Drama Pilot “Warriors”

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Morena Baccarin isn’t the only Latina warrior…

Justina Machado will join the former Homeland star as a series regular on ABC’s medical drama pilot Warriors.

Inspired by the goings-on at the Walter Reed Military Medical Center, Warriors follows the best and brightest active-duty military doctors and nurses as they practice trailblazing medicine.

The 41-year-old Puerto Rican actress will play Anna, the chief surgical scrub nurse for Dr. George Mann (Don Hany), who is impervious to his teasing but not his bad jokes.

Machado’s previous television credits include appearances on ABC Family’s The Fosters, ABC’s Desperate Housewives, HBO’s Six Feet Under and NBC’s ER.

Baccarin Cast as Female Lead in ABC’s Medical Pilot “Warriors”

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Morena Baccarin is about to prove she’s a real warrior…

The 34-year-old Brazilian actress, who earned the first Emmy nomination of her career last year for her supporting role on Showtime’s Homeland, has been cast as the female lead in ABC’s medical pilot Warriors.

The drama project, from writer Chris Keyser, Mandeville Films and Television and ABC Studios, deals with war veterans.

Inspired by the Walter Reed Military Medical Center, Warriors follow the best and brightest active-duty military doctors and nurses as they practice trailblazing medicine.

Baccarin will play Tory, a psychiatrist and expert on PTSD who suffers a mild case herself having just returned from Afghanistan.

This marks Baccarin’s return to ABC, after she starred in the sci-fi drama series V.

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