Cuesta’s “Kill the Messenger” ThisClose to Landing its Female Lead

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cuesta may have found his leading lady…

Rosemarie DeWitt is in final talks to take on the female lead role in Kill the Messenger, which will be directed by the 49-year-old Latino film and television director.

Kill the Messenger is a true-story thriller about journalist Gary Webb, a San Jose Mercury News reporter who committed suicide after being the target of a smear campaign when he linked the CIA to a scheme to arm Contra rebels in Nicaragua and import cocaine into California.

Jeremy Renner will play Webb, which will be released worldwide by Focus Features.

Along with serving as an executive producer on Blue Bloods and Dexter, Cuesta has also directed episodes of series like Homeland, True Blood and Six Feet Under.

His film credits include L.I.E., 12 and Holding and Roadie.

Pascal Cast in High-Profile Role on HBO’s “Game of Thrones”

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It’s game on for Pedro Pascal…

The Chilean actor has been cast in HBO’s drama Game of Thrones in one of the series’ most anticipated new roles of the upcoming fourth season.

Pascal will portray Prince Oberyn Martell, who is called the Red Viper. Martell, The Prince of Dorne comes to Kings Landing seeking revenge for the death of his sister, who was killed by the Lannisters when the Mad King was overthrown.

Pascal, who has been cast in a guest starring role on Showtime’s Homeland, has previously had arcs on CBS’ The Good Wife, ABC’s Red Widow and USA’s Graceland.

Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss told Entertainment Weekly the casting was “tough,” saying, “The Red Viper is sexy and charming, yet believably dangerous; intensely likable, yet driven by hate… We found a fellow who can handle the job description and make it seem effortless. He wasn’t easy to find and he won’t be easy to stop.”

The hit HBO drama returns in 2014.

Vega to Star in “Kill the Messenger”

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Don’t blame Paz Vega if she kills the messenger…

The 37-year-old Spanish actress has joined the cast of Kill the Messenger, Focus Features’ adaptation of the true-life drama book by Nick Schou.

Vega, who makes a cameo appearance in Pedro Almodóvar’s highly anticipated comedy I’m So Excited, is joining Jeremy Renner in the film.

Michael Cuesta, who has helmed episodes of Homeland and Dexter, is directing.

Messenger tells the true story of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Gary Webb who through his reporting exposed the CIA’s involvement in helping Nicaragua’s Contra rebels import cocaine into California during the 1980s. The agency then tried to discredit him, which ultimately led to his “committing suicide,” though with two bullets to his head.

Vega will play the girlfriend of a wealthy dealer who is in jail and hopes that Webb can get him out.

Production is expected to start in Atlanta this August.

Vega will appear in Grace of Monaco as legendary opera singer Maria Callas opposite Nicole Kidman and recently wrapped Paul W.S. Anderson‘s historical drama Pompeii.

Pascal to Guest Star on Showtime’s “Homeland”

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Pedro Pascal is heading to the homeland…

The Latino actor has signed on to guest star on Showtime’s award-winning drama series Homeland.

Pascal, who was previously cast in USA’s law enforcement drama Graceland, will portray Majority Counsel David Portillo, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in the series that stars Claire Danes and Damian Lewis.

Homeland, the Emmy-winning production, returns in the immediate aftermath of the bombing at Vice President Walden’s funeral, with outed (and framed) terrorist Nick Brody (Lewis) dubbed “the world’s most wanted terrorist.”

The third season of the series will premiere on September 29.

Baccarin Expecting Her First Child

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

She may be one of the star’s of Homeland… But Morena Baccarin’s next project will keep her closer to home.

The 33-year-old Brazilian American actress and her husband Austin Chick are expecting their first child.

Baccarin confirmed the news to Us Weekly, but she didn’t offer further details about the pregnancy, including the due date.

Baccarin met her director husband through a mutual friend and began dating in 2007. They later got married in November 2011.

“We are solid,” she said a year later to Daily Mail. Although the couple was really busy with their own schedule, she revealed that she had her way to keep their relationship intact.

“You have to talk a lot. Which guys love,” she said. “You have to keep checking in, being aware of what is happening in each other’s worlds, otherwise you miss things, and then it becomes very hard to go back and connect the dots. But you also need to just know that the connection is there,” she shared her tips with a smile.

Baccarin is known for her role as Jessica Brody, the wife of politician Nicholas Brody, played by Damian Lewis, on Showtime’s “Homeland.” She’s also starred on ABC’s V and the sci-fi series Stargate SG-1.

The CW Gives Pineda’s “The Originals” a Series Order

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It appears that you’ll be seeing more of Daniella Pineda on television…

The CW has given its The Vampire Diaries spinoff The Originals, which stars the Mexican American actress, a series order.

The network planted The Originals pilot episode in this week’s episode of its hit supernatural series.

Pineda portrays Sophie, a witch whose magic has been silenced but not killed. A leader and a sexy, sharp-tongued social force, she is quietly sowing the seeds of a revolution amongst her peers.

Pineda had previously co-starred in the NBC pilot Midnight Sun last season and recently guest starred on Showtime’s Homeland.

FX Release Mysterious Teaser Videos for its Bichir-Starrer “The Bridge”

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Demián Bichir’s first starring role on American television is gaining plenty of buzz…

FX recently released the first footage for its upcoming drama series The Bridge, which stars the 49-year-old Mexican actor.

The four mysterious teasers — titled “Ember,” “Escape,” “Red” and “Crossroads” — showcase little more than haunting imagery from the drama about two detectives (Bichir and Diane Kruger) who must work together to hunt down a serial killer operating on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

The series, set on the border between El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico, is an adaptation of the international hit Bron, which took place at the Denmark-Sweden border and kicks off when a body is dumped on the bridge that spans the El Paso-Juarez border and follows Ruiz (Bichir) and his American counterpart, Detective Sonya Cross (Kruger) as they tackle the case together.

The 13-episode series hails from Homeland writer/executive producer Meredith Stiehm and Hawaii Five-0 producer Elwood Reid.

The pilot, which was shot in Los Angeles and El Paso, was directed by Miss Bala helmer Gerardo Naranjo.

Production is under way for a July premiere.

Serrano Cast in CBS’ Drama Pilot “The Ordained”

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Nestor Serrano could be CBS’ next bad guy…

The 57-year-old Latino actor has landed a role in CBS’ drama pilot The Ordained.

Directed by RJ Cutler, the project revolves around Tom, the son of a Kennedy-type family who leaves his role as priest and becomes a lawyer to help prevent the assassination of his politician sister.

Serrano, who starred opposite Roselyn Sanchez in Act of Valor last summer, will portray Hector Nunez, a politician-turned-partner-at- New-York-law-firm where Tom works as a lawyer, and the man Tom suspects is the force behind the plot to kill his sister.

Serrano, who has a recurring role on CBS’ Blue Bloods, has previously appeared on Dexter, Burn Notice, Homeland, Alias, 24, Ugly Betty and Law & Order.

CBS Orders “Second Sight” Pilot from Cuesta

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It may turn out to be love at first sight for Michael Cuesta’s latest project for the Eye Network.

CBS has given the pilot greenlight for the 49-year-old Latino filmmaker’s Second Sight, which he and CSI executive producer/showrunner Carol Mendelsohn adapted from a 2000 British television series of the same name starring Clive Owen.

Second Sight is described as a gothic psychological thriller about a detective who is suddenly afflicted with an autoimmune virus that causes hallucinations reflective of his subconscious. He discovers that catching the killer depends as much on insight as eyesight.

Cuesta, who recently picked up a Producers Guild Award for Showtime’s Homeland, wrote the adaptation with his brother Gerald Cuesta. The two previously joined forces for another CBS drama project, the cult 2007 zombie pilot Babylon Fields, which Gerald co-wrote and Michael directed.

Cuesta is set to direct Second Sight, which he’s executive producing with Mendelsohn, Julie Weitz, Paula Milne, who created the original series, and Nick Reed.

There are four series currently on the air whose pilots Cuesta directed: Showtime’s Homeland and Dexter and CBS’ Blue Bloods and Elementary.

Pineda Cast in “The Vampire Diaries” Spinoff “The Originals”

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Daniella Pineda is preparing for a wicked role…

The Mexican-American actress and comedian has landed a regular role on the potential The Vampire Diaries spinoff The Originals, which will be introduced as an upcoming episode of the CW’s hit drama airing on April 25.

The Originals stars The Vampire Diaries’ Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies and Phoebe Tonkin reprising their roles as Original Vampire Klaus, Elijah Mikaelson and werewolf Hayley.

Written by the show’s co-creator/executive producer Julie Plec, The Originals centers on the Original family of vampires, as Klaus returns to the supernatural melting pot that is the French Quarter of New Orleans — a town he helped build centuries ago — and is reunited with his diabolical former protégé Marcel. Elijah, intent on helping his self-destructive brother find redemption, must side with Marcel’s enemies in order to keep Klaus in line.

Pineda will play Sophie, a witch whose magic has been silenced but not killed. A leader and a sexy, sharp-tongued social force, she is quietly sowing the seeds of a revolution amongst her peers.

Pineda co-starred in the NBC pilot Midnight Sun last season and recently guest starred on Showtime’s Homeland.

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