Robin De Jesus to Star in Netflix’s New Limited Series “Black Rabbit”

Robin De Jesus is hoppin’ along to his next project…

The 39-year-old Latino actor and Broadway star will star in Netflix’s new limited series Black Rabbit, which is led by stars and executive producers Jude Law and Jason Bateman.

Robin de JesusDe Jesus is part of a roster of new cast additions that includes Academy Award-winning actor Troy KotsurAbbey Lee and Odessa Young.

From Zach Baylin and Kate SusmanBlack Rabbit follows the owner of a New York City hotspot (Law) who allows his turbulent brother (Bateman) back into his life, opening up the door to escalating dangers that threaten to bring down everything he’s built.

In addition to Law and Bateman, Cleopatra Coleman, Amaka Okafor, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Dagmara Dominczyk and Chris Coy also star.

Kotsur will play “Joe Mancuso,” a local bookie with ties to organized crime and the brothers’ past. Lee will play “Anna,” a formidable NYC bartender. Young will play “Gen,” an East Village tattoo artist with a connection to the brothers. De Jesus plays “Tony,” a talented NY chef.

Also joining the hour-long series in recurring roles are Amir Malaklou, who will play “Naveen,” an investor in Jake’s businesses; Don Harvey will play “Matt,” an old school BK bartender. Forrest Weber who will play “Junior,” a hotheaded criminal. Francis Benhamou will play “Lisa Klein,” a journalist with New York Magazine. Gus Birney will play “Mel Whitney,” an aspiring actress and hostess. John Ales will play “Jules Zablonski,” a renowned NY artist. Steve Witting will play “Andy,” a credit card processor and money lender.

Executive producing are Bateman and Michael Costigan for Aggregate Films; Law and Ben Jackson for Riff Raff Entertainment; Zach Baylin and Kate Susman via Youngblood Pictures; Andrew Hinderaker, who will serve as co-showrunner; Zac Frognowski; Justin Levy and David Bernon and Erica Kay. Bateman will direct the first two episodes. Black Rabbit is the latest series out of Aggregate’s creative partnership with Netflix.

De Jesus, a multiple Tony Award nominee, has starred in tick, tick… BOOM!, The Boys in the Band, Milkwater and 11:55.

Cámara to Star in Paolo Sorrentino’s Eight-Episode Series “The Young Pope”

Javier Cámara is getting his Masters

The 48-year-old Spanish actor has been cast in Paolo Sorrentino’s The Young Pope.

Javier Cámara

Starring Jude Law and Diane Keaton, the eight-episode series that tells the fictional story of the beginning of the Pontificate of Pius XIII, an Italian-American born Lenny Belardo.

Law is Pius XIII/Lenny with Keaton as Sister Mary, a nun from the U.S. The plot centers on the controversial story of the beginning of Pius’ Pontificate. A complex and conflicted character, he is a man of great power who’s stubbornly resistant to the Vatican courtiers, unconcerned with the implications on his authority.

Cámara, who starred in the Pedro Almodóvar films Talk to Her and Bad Education, is set to play Cardinal Gutierrez, Vatican City Master of Ceremonies.

Other cast members include James Cromwell as Cardinal Michael Spencer, Silvio Orlando (The Caiman) as Secretary of State Cardinal Voiello, Scott Shepherd (And So It Goes) as Cardinal Dussolier and Belgian actress Cécile de France (The Kid With A Bike) as Sofia, who is in charge of marketing in Vatican City.

Swimming Pool‘s Ludivine Sagnier is Esther, the wife of a Swiss guard; and Toni Bertorelli (Passion Of The Christ) has been cast as Cardinal Caltanissetta.

Sorrentino, who won the Foreign Language Oscar for The Greaty Beauty and helmed this year’s Cannes Film Festival entry Youth, is directing all eight episodes of The Young Pope.

Sorrentino says the series will cover “The clear signs of God’s existence. The clear signs of God’s absence. How faith can be searched for and lost. The greatness of holiness, so great as to be unbearable when you are fighting temptations and when all you can do is to yield to them. The inner struggle between the huge responsibility of the Head of the Catholic Church and the miseries of the simple man that fate (or the Holy Spirit) chose as Pontiff. Finally, how to handle and manipulate power in a state whose dogma and moral imperative is the renunciation of power and selfless love towards one’s neighbor.”

Additional cast members include: Guy Boyd, Andre Gregory, Sebastian Roché, Marcello Romolo, Ignazio Oliva, Vladimir Bibic and Nadie Kammalaweera.

Production on the SkyHBO and Canal Plus drama began last week with the full cast now set.

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

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.

Morena Baccarin

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.

Cannavale In Talks to Appear in the Melissa McCarthy-Starrer “Spy”

Bobby Cannavale has his spy on a new movie role…

The 43-year-old half-Cuban American actor is in talks to join the cast of Spy, the Melissa McCarthy action comedy from director Paul Feig.

Bobby Cannavale

The film, which at one point was titled Susan Cooper, centers on a CIA analyst who goes into the field to find the person responsible for the death of her lover.

Jude Law is already on board as the ill-fated lover, a suave super-spy, while Jason Statham will play an overconfident yet clumsy spy. Also in the cast are Rose Byrne and British comedienne Miranda Hart.

Cannavale is in negotiations to portray one of the villains, an Italian lothario.

Feig will direct the film from a script he wrote.

Cannavale, who won a Primetime Emmy for his performance on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, also appears in Jon Favreau‘s upcoming indie Chef.

He has Imagine, a drama with Al Pacino and Annette Bening, and Annie, Sony‘s remake starring Jamie Foxx, in the can and was recently cast in Martin Scorsese’s untitled rock ‘n’ roll HBO pilot.

 

Bichir to Star in FX’s Drama Pilot “The Bridge”

Demián Bichir could be returning to American television in the near future…

The 49-year-old Mexican actor, who had a recurring role on Showtime’s Weeds, will star as the male lead opposite Diane Kruger in FX’s drama pilot The Bridge, which is being helmed by noted Mexican director Gerardo Naranjo.

Demian Bichir

The project, an adaptation of the Scandinavian series Bron, centers on two detectives from the United States and Mexico – El Paso Police Homicide Detective Sonya North (Kruger) and Marco Ruiz (Bichir) — who must work together to hunt down a serial killer operating on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Bichir’s character is described as a family man and one of the last good men in a corrupt and apathetic police force that is outgunned by the powerful drug cartels.

It’s the latest project for Bichir, who was nominated for an Oscar this year for his lead role in A Better Life.

He most recently signed on to appear in Dom Hemingway with Jude Law, as well as The Heat with Sandra Bullock.

He most recently appeared in Oliver Stone’s Savages opposite Benicio del Toro and Salma Hayek, and will next appear in Robert Rodriguez’s Machete Kills.

The Bridge is set to begin production this fall in El Paso and Los Angeles.

Bichir to Star in “Dom Hemingway”

He may be known for his dramatic work… But Demian Bichir will soon be showing off his comedic chops on the big screen…

The 49-year-old Mexican actor, who received an Oscar nod this year for his work in A Better Life, will play a crime boss in the black comedy Dom Hemingway from The Matador writer-director Richard Shepard.

Demian Bichir

Jude Law and Richard E. Grant were already signed on to star in the revenge story. Law plays an eponymous larger-than-life safecracker who’s back on the streets of London after 12 years in prison and anxious to get some money in exchange for keeping his mouth shut. But things take a turn for the worse when he sets off to visit Bichir’s capo in the south of France.

Shooting is expected to start on October 15 in the south of France.

Bichir recently appeared in Oliver Stone’s Savages with Benicio del Toro and Salma Hayek, and he’’ll next be seen in Robert RodriguezMachete Kills with Sofia Vergara and Danny Trejo, as well as Paul Feig’s The Heat with Sandra Bullock.

Meirelles Reuniting with Rachel Weisz on Latest Film

Noted filmmaker Fernando Meirelles is reuniting with actress Rachel Weisz on what could be his next award-winning film.

Fernando Meirelles

The 56-year-old noted Brazilian filmmaker and Weisz, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in Meirelles’ The Constant Gardener, are back together on 360.

The dramatic thriller, which will be distributed by Magnolia Pictures, follows the stories of several people from contrasting social backgrounds through their intersecting relationships.

360

Along with Weisz, the film stars Anthony Hopkins, Jude Law, Ben Foster, Jamel Debbouze and Moritz Bleibtreu.

Magnolia Pictures is planning a video on demand premiere for 360 on June 29, ahead of the film’s August 3 theatrical release.

Meirelles rose to acclaim for helming the critically acclaimed Brazilian film City of God, which garnered him an Academy Award nomination for Best Director in 2004. He was also nomnated for a Golden Globe for Best Director for The Constant Gardener.

Rapace Taps Into Her Latin Roots for Sherlock Role…

She’s the original Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, but Noomi Rapace could also be called “the girl of Latin-descent.”

The 31-year-old Swedish-born actress is the daughter of Rogelio Durán, a flamenco singer/dancer from Badajoz, Spain.

Noomi Rapace

Rapace was able to tap into her Spanish roots to prepare for her role in the highly anticipated film, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

“My father was a flamenco dancer in Spain,” explains Rapace, who will star as a Gypsy fortune teller in the sequel to the 2009 blockbuster hit Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law. “So I think my doing this was meant to be.”

In the latest installment of Sherlock Holmes, Rapace—in her first English-speaking role—even shares a sexy dancing scene with Law. And, should could prove to be a serious love interest for Holmes.

Noomi Rapace in Millenium Series Films

Rapace rose to fame by starring as Lisbeth Salander in the Swedish/Danish big screen adaptations of late author Stieg Larsson’s “Millennium series” books, which resulted in numerous best actress award nominations for the actress.

Even though she won’t be starring in the American versions of the “Millennium series” movies, Sherlock marks just the beginning of her Hollywood career. She’s currently filming the thriller, Prometheus.

Meanwhile, Sherlock Homes: A Game of Shadows opens nationwide this Friday, December 16.