Justina Machado & Her “One Day at a Time” Cast Mates Reuniting for Special Charity Table Read

Posted on September 5, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Justina Machado is taking it one (more) day at a time…

The 52-year-old Puerto Rican actress and her One Day at a Time cast mates are reuniting to support democracy and honor the legacy of Norman Lear.

The cast and executive producers of the Lear-created series will reunite for a special charity table read of never-before-seen episodes from Season 4 of the Netflix series.

All proceeds will go to People For The American Way Foundation, an organization co-founded by Lear that is committed to defending our freedoms.

The comedy series’ former producer, Sandi Hochman, and executive producers, Gloria Calderón Kellett, Mike Royce and Brent Miller are producing the event, which will be held on Saturday, October 5 at 2:00 pm at the Saban Media Center in North Hollywood.

The entire cast will participate, including Machado as “Penelope,” Rita Moreno as “Lydia,” Stephen Tobolowsky as “Dr. Berkowitz,” Todd Grinnell as “Schneider,” Isabella Gomez as “Elena,” Marcel Ruiz as “Alex,” India de Beaufort as “Avery,” Sheridan Pierce as “Syd” and Ed Quinn as “Max.”

Stage direction will be read by co-showrunner and executive producer, Calderón Kellett.

The cast will be reading season four episodes titled, “Church and Statement,” written by Sebastian Jones, “Best Birthday,” written by Vincent Brown & Dan Signer and the series finale “Dreams,” written by Sebastian Jones & Brigitte Muñoz-Liebowitz.

“Reuniting our One Day at a Time cast to bring these unaired, unshot episodes to life – including what would have been our series finale – is a powerful reminder of the magic of Norman Lear and his work,” said co-showrunners and executive producers Gloria Calderón Kellett and Mike Royce. “It was an honor to bring this Latine family to the screen, and this reading is not just a celebration, but a chance to connect with our incredible fans once more and support a cause close to our hearts, People For The American Way Foundation, another of Norman’s brainchildren. Together, we honor Norman’s legacy, our beloved show and a community that has always supported us.”

One Day at A Time, is a critically acclaimed comedy-drama inspired by Lear’s 1975 series of the same name.

Produced by Sony Pictures Television, seasons 1-3 launched on Netflix and are currently streaming. In 2019 the series found a new home for its fourth season at Pop TV amid fans rallying behind the show.

“Norman Lear was brilliant at portraying loving families of all kinds, and he was adamant that all kinds of families, all kinds of Americans, deserve to be treated with respect and dignity and share in the blessings of liberty,” said People For the American Way Foundation President Svante Myrick. “We are grateful to the producers and cast of One Day at a Time for helping People For the American Way Foundation carry on Norman’s work of defending our democracy and ensuring that ‘We, the People’ includes all the people.”

Tickets for the event are on sale here.

Néstor Carbonell to Star in Netflix’s First Original Medical Procedural “Pulse”

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Néstor Carbonell is scrubbing in…

The 56-year-old Cuban American actor will star in Netflix’s first original medical procedural Pulse.

Carbonell is among a roster of new cast additions that includes Santiago Segura, Ash Santos, Jessica Rothe and Arturo Del Puerto.

The drama series hails from first-time creator Zoe Robyn and veteran Carlton Cuse.

Pulse follows the staff of Miami’s busiest Level 1 Trauma Center as they navigate medical emergencies centering on young ER doc Danny Simms (Willa Fitzgerald) who is unexpectedly promoted to Chief Resident amidst the fallout of her own provocative romantic relationship.

In addition to Fitzgerald, Justina Machado, Colin Woodell, Jack Bannon, Jessie T. Usher, Chelsea Muirhead, Daniela Nieves and Jessy Yates also star.

Carbonell will play Dr. Ruben Soriano, a respected and sometimes feared senior surgeon. His commitment and passion have led him to prioritize his job above all else and he’s as demanding of his residents as he is of himself.

Segura will play Gabriel Moreno, an ER nurse who is a highly competent team player — but not always easy to impress.

Santos will play Nia Washington, a confident and scrappy Miami-Dade County EMT from a large, close-knit family.

Rothe will play Cass Himmelstein, a charismatic and charming senior ER nurse who knows what she wants for her life, and has a plan to get it.

Del Puerto will play Luis Dominguez, the ER’s Charge Nurse. He is unflappable amidst the ER chaos without sacrificing his signature wit and is beloved among his staff. All are recurring roles.

Robyn and Cuse serve as showrunners and executive producers. Bradley Garner, Emma Forman and Michael Klick also executive produce. Kate Dennis will serve as director and executive producer on Episodes 1 and 2.

The project reunites Carbonell and Cuse who worked together on the hit ABC series Lost. Carbonell is currently a series regular on Apple’s The Morning Show, and is recurring on the FX series Shogun. He can also be seen in feature films Bandit and Clawfoot. Prior, he starred as ‘Sheriff Alex Romero’ opposite Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore in the hit A&E series, Bates Motel. He is most often recognized for his portrayal of ‘Richard Alpert’ in Lost.

Segura can most recently be seen recurring on CW’s Walker: Independence. He is best known for his series regular role in Scream, as well as a recurring arc on Grey’s Anatomy and the thriller 47 Meters Down opposite Mandy Moore.

Santos’ breakthrough role was on the eighth season of FX’s American Horror Story. Additional credits include Netflix’s True Story, alongside Kevin Hart and Wesley Snipes, as well as Hulu’s biopic series, Mike, playing Mike Tyson’s wife, Kiki Spicer. She’s currently set to reprise her role of Coco in Season 3 of Mayor of Kingstown, as well as the upcoming romantic comedy for Netflix, Our Little Secret. Her latest film, Half Baked 2, premiered on April 20.

Del Puerto is currently recurring on the Apple+ series For All Mankind as well as Killing It for Peacock. Previously, he starred in the HBO series Camping alongside Jennifer Garner, Juliette Lewis and David Tennant. On the film front, he played opposite Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman in Twentieth Century Fox’s Independence Day: Resurgence and the Universal Pictures feature Ride Along 2.

Justina Machado to Star in Netflix’s First Original Medical Procedural “Pulse”

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Justina Machado’s pulse is on the rise…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican actress has been cast as the first series regular on Pulse, Netflix’s first medical procedural original.

Hailing from first-time creator Zoe Robyn, who serves as showrunner and executive producer alongside veteran.

The show’s first two episodes will be directed and executive produced by Kate Dennis.

Pulse will feature a mix of medical cases and office romances. In it, while the staff of Miami’s busiest Level 1 Trauma Center navigate medical emergencies, young ER doc Dani Simms is unexpectedly promoted to Chief Resident amidst the fallout of her own provocative romantic relationship.

Machado plays Natalie Cruz, a brilliant and politically-savvy doctor, who oversees both administration and medicine in her role as the Chair of Surgery and Emergency Medicine.

Bradley Gardner, Emma Forman and Michael Klick also executive produce the series, which is slated to begin production in March in Albuquerque.

The greenlight for Pulse comes after Robyn and Cuse worked with a writers room last year to craft scripts.

Machado recently starred in the Amazon/Blumhouse series The Horror Of Dolores Roach based on the popular Spotify podcast of the same name.

She previously headlined Netflix/Pop’s acclaimed One Day At a Time reboot and recently guest starred on NBC’s Lopez vs. Lopez.

Machado will next star in the independent feature The Throwback from director Mario Garcia.

Freddy Rodriguez Starring in the Shudder Horror Film “V/H/S/85”

Posted on August 22, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Freddy Rodriguez is going on the hunt…

The 48-year-old Latino actor and Emmy-nominee leads the cast of the Shudder horror film V/H/S/85, which is set to premiere at Fantastic Fest next month.

He portrays Detective Wayne Johnson, a seasoned detective investigating a variety of gruesome murders while on the trail of an elusive serial killer.

The cast is rounded out by Jordan Belfi, James Ransone, Dani Deetté, Rolando Davila-Beltran, Justen Jones, Marcio Moreno, Ari Gallegos, Forrest Hartl, Duffy McManus, Eric Pierson, Felipe de Lara, Tom Reed and Vivian Morse.

V/H/S/85 takes viewers on a journey into the grim underbelly of the forgotten 1980s. Unveiled through a made-for-TV documentary, five chilling tales emerge: scientists observe an unusual boy fixated on his TV, kids embark on a lake skiing adventure, a TV crew fights to survive a natural disaster, the early days of VR awaken something terrifying, and a deadly dream is captured on tape. Sinister secrets of the 1980s come to life in a way you’ve never seen before.

The project is written by Zoe Cooper, Evan Dickson, Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill, Mike P. Nelson, Gigi Saul Guerrero.

Directors include David Bruckner, Derrickson, Nelson, Guerrero and Natasha Kermani.

Rodriguez most recently portrayed Detective Greco in the Hulu series Wu-Tang: An American Saga for the show’s final season on the small screen, and Cal in the as-yet-unreleased indie film Days When The Rains Came opposite True Blood‘s Sam Trammell and Beau Bridges.

He is best known for his portrayal of Federico Diaz on the hit HBO series Six Feet Under, which earned him an Emmy nomination in 2002 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Rodriguez was part of the main ensemble cast alongside Michael C. Hall, Peter Krause, Frances Conroy and Lauren Ambrose across the show’s 5 seasons.

Justina Machado played his wife Vanessa Diaz. Together, Rodriguez and Machado broke ground for Latinos by playing non-stereotypical characters in the early 2000s when such roles were basically non-existent.

Across his nearly three decades in the industry, his big screen credits also include roles in A Walk In The Clouds (1995), M. Night Shyamalan’s Lady in the Water (2006), Grindhouse (2007) for Robert Rodriguez and David Ayers’ directorial debut, Harsh Times (2005). On the small screen, Ugly Betty, ER, The Night Shift, Bull, Scrubs and Party of Five.

Amazon Prime Releases Trailer for Justina Machado’s New Series “The Horror of Dolores Roach”

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Justina Machado is bringing the Horror…

Amazon Prime has released the official trailer for its new series The Horror of Dolores Roach, starring the 50-year-old Puerto Rican actress, premiering on July 7.

The trailer for the eight-episode series previews the capabilities of Dolores Roach’s “magic hands.”

The Amazon Original based on the Spotify podcast of the same name and created by Aaron Mark’s one-woman play Empanada Loca, is a contemporary Sweeney Todd-inspired story.

Machado plays Dolores Roach, a woman just released after an unjust 16-year prison sentence, and she returns to a gentrified Washington Heights.

Dolores reunites with an old stoner friend, Luis (Alejandro Hernández), who lets her live and work as a masseuse in the basement under his empanada shop. When the promise of her newfound stability is quickly threatened, “Magic Hands” Dolores is driven to shocking extremes to survive.

Mark created, wrote and directed the original podcast and penned the series’ pilot script.

The new series comes from Mark, who also serves as co-showrunner and executive producer with Dara Resnik, alongside executive producers Daphne Rubin-Vega; Jason Blum, Chris McCumber, Jeremy Gold, and Chris Dickie for Blumhouse Television; Dawn Ostroff, Mimi O’Donnell, and Justin McGoldrick for Spotify; Gloria Calderón Kellett for GloNation Studios; and Roxann Dawson, who directed the pilot.

The Horror of Dolores Roach also stars Kita Updike, K. Todd Freeman, Jean Yoon, Marc Maron, Judy Reyes and Jeffery Self.

Maron is set to play “Gideon Pearlman”, Luis and Dolores’ Long Island-based landlord who is the new owner of the building where they reside and is the home of Empanada Loca. Yoon will play “Joy,” who has owns the laundromat next door, while Reyes will play “Marcie,” who runs the neighborhood weed business and becomes Dolores’ nemesis.

Blumhouse to Premiere Justina Machado’s “The Horror of Dolores Roach” in July Via Prime Video

Posted on April 21, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Justina Machado is bringing the horror…

Blumhouse will premiere its new series The Horror of Dolores Roach, starring the 50-year-old Puerto Rican actress, on July 7 via Prime Video.

The 8-episode series—based on the hit Gimlet podcast series of the same name—tells the story of Dolores Roach (Machado), a recently released prisoner who after 16 years returns to find a severely-gentrified Washington Heights with $200 and the clothes on her back. Her boyfriend missing, her family long gone, Dolores reunites with an old stoner buddy, Luis (Alejandro Hernandez), who gives her room and board and lets her give massages for cash in the basement under his dilapidated storefront Empanada Loca, the only remnant of her former life.

When the promise of her newfound stability is quickly threatened, “Magic Hands Dolores” is driven to shocking extremes to survive, and in the face of unexpected professional success, Dolores and Luis become dangerously symbiotic, and Luis must unleash his own peculiar predilections.

Kita Updike, K. Todd Freeman, Jean Yoon, Judy Reyes and Jeffery Self also star.

Written and directed by podcast creator Aaron Mark, The Horror of Dolores Roach originally was developed by Mark as a one-woman play starring Daphne Rubin-Vega. It is a grotesque Sweeney Todd-inspired tale of eat or be eaten — a macabre urban legend of love, betrayal, weed, gentrification, cannibalism, and survival of the fittest.

Mark and Dara Resnik will serve as co-showrunners and executive produce. EPs also include Rubin-Vega; Jason Blum, Chris McCumber, and Jeremy Gold for Blumhouse Television; Dawn Ostroff, Mimi O’Donnell, and Justin McGoldrick for Spotify Studios, alongside Gloria Calderón Kellett for GloNation Studios and Roxann Dawson who directs the pilot.

Judy Reyes Joins Cast of Amazon’s Series “The Horror of Dolores Roach”

Posted on July 4, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Judy Reyes is embracing the horror…

The 54-year-old Dominican American actress has joined the cast of Amazon’s The Horror of Dolores Roach in a recurring role.

Reyes is part of a roster of new cast additions that includes Marc Maron, Jean Yoon and Jeffery Self.

They join series lead Justina Machado, who plays the titular masseuse Dolores Roach, as well as previously announced Alejandro Hernandez, Kita Updike and K. Todd Freeman.

Reyes will play Marcie, who runs the neighborhood weed business. At first she offers Dolores an opportunity to work for her, but when Dolores declines she quickly becomes her nemesis.

The 8-episode series—based on the hit Gimlet podcast series of the same name— tells the story of Dolores Roach, a recently released prisoner who after 16 years returns to find a severely-gentrified Washington Heights with $200 and the clothes on her back. Her boyfriend missing, her family long gone, Dolores reunites with an old stoner buddy, Luis, who gives her room and board and lets her give massages for cash in the basement under his dilapidated storefront Empanada Loca, the only remnant of her former life.

Mark and Dara Resnik will serve as co-showrunners and executive produce. Executive producers also include Rubin-Vega; Jason Blum, Chris McCumber, and Jeremy Gold for Blumhouse Television; Dawn Ostroff, Mimi O’Donnell, and Justin McGoldrick for Spotify, alongside Gloria Calderón Kellett for GloNation Studios and Roxann Dawson who directs the pilot.

Justina Machado to Star in Mario Garcia’s Indie Comedy “The Throwback”

Posted on April 25, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s throwback time for Justina Machado.

The 49-year-old Puerto Rican actress will star opposite Will Sasso in The Throwback, an indie comedy marking the feature directorial debut of Mario Garcia.

The project will be heading into production in Tampa next month.

The film follows a married couple (Machado and Sasso) in full-blown midlife crisis who are thrown into further turmoil when the wife (Machado), an underappreciated and stressed ‘supermom,’ suffers a post-traumatic breakdown during the holiday season, causing her to regress to her 19-year-old college party-girl self.

Garcia wrote the script and will produce via his company Garcia Interactive, alongside Michael A. Alfieri of Miantri Films and Doug Fox. Machado and Sasso’s longtime manager, Danielle Del, will executive produce alongside Machado and Sterling Macer Jr.

Machado recently starred as Penelope on Sony Picture Television’s revival of One Day at a Time. She will next be seen in the Blumhouse-produced Amazon series, The Horror of Dolores Roach.

The actress has also been seen on series like Queen of the South, Jane the Virgin and Six Feet Under, among many others.

Her additional film credits include All Together Now, The Purge: Anarchy, The Call and The Accidental Husband.

Michael Cimino Wins First-Ever Imagen Awards Prize for “Love, Victor”

Posted on October 11, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cimino is celebrating a special first…

The 2021 Imagen Awards have been announced, with the 21-year-old half-Puerto Rican actor earning the first of his career.

The Imagen Awards recognize Latinas and Latinos in the entertainment industry who work both in front of and behind the camera.

Cimino was named Best Actor – Television (Comedy) for his performance on Hulu’s Love, Victor, which was named Best Primetime Program – Comedy.

Mj Rodriguez took home the Best Actress – Television (Drama) award.

The 30-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/singer won for her performance on FX’s Pose, which was named Best Primetime Program – Drama.

The Best Young Actor – Television award went to Madison Reyes for her work on Netflix’s Julie and the Phantoms, which was named Best Young Adult Programming.

Justina Machado was named Best Voice-Over Actor – Television for PopTV’s One Day at a Time – Animated Special, which was named Best Primetime Program – Special or Movie.

Tanya Saracho took home the Best Director – Television prize for her work on Vida; she also was presented with the The Norman Lear Writer’s Award.

Other winners in the television categories include JD Pardo (Best Actor – Television (Drama)) for his work on Mayans M.C.; Barbie Ferreira (Best Actress – Television (Comedy) for her work on Unpregnant; Colman Domingo (Best Supporting Actor – Television (Drama)) for his work on Euphoria Special: Part 1 Rue; Morena Baccarin (Best Supporting Actress – Television (Drama)) for her work on The Twilight Zone; Harvey Guillén (Best Supporting Actor – Television (Comedy)) for his work on What We Do In The Shadows; and Diana Maria Riva Best Supporting Actress – Television (Comedy)) for her performance on Dead to Me.

Netflix’s Ya No Estoy Aquí was named Best Feature Film, with the film’s helmer Fernando Frías De La Parra taking home the Best Director – Feature Film prize.

Hosted by Aida Rodriguez, Chuey Martinez, Isabella Gomez and Karrie Martin Lachney, the Imagen Awards were announced last night during a live-streamed ceremony.

The 36th annual awards winners were determined by an independent panel of entertainment industry executives and Latina and Latino community leaders.

The theme of this year’s Imagen Awards was “A Celebration of Our Community: Diverse, Talented, and United.” Each year the Awards recognize an array of Latino talent by honoring and celebrating ground-breaking performances, storytelling, and powerful diverse programs.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

FEATURE FILM

Best Feature Film: Ya No Estoy Aquí / I’m No Longer Here (Netflix; Panorama Global for Netflix)

Best Director – Feature Film: Fernando Frías De La Parra, Ya No Estoy Aquí / I’m No Longer Here (Netflix; Panorama Global for Netflix)

Best Actor – Feature Film: Demián Bichir, Land (Focus Features / a Big Beach Production / Flashlight Films)

Best Actress – Feature Film: Aubrey Plaza, Black Bear (Momentum Pictures, an Entertainment One Company; Tandem Pictures, Oakhurst Entertainment & Blue Creek Pictures, in association with Productivity Media and Radiant Films International)

TELEVISION

Best Primetime Program – Drama: Pose (FX; 20th Television)

Best Primetime Program – Comedy: Love, Victor (Hulu; Hulu, 20th Television, Temple Hill)

Best Primetime Program – Special or Movie: One Day at a Time – Animated Special (PopTV; Sony Pictures Television, Act III, Snowpants Productions, GloNation)

Best Director – Television: Tanya Saracho, Vida (STARZ; Big Beach and Chingona Productions in association with Starz Originals)

Best Actor – Television (Drama): JD Pardo, Mayans M.C. (FX Networks; 20th Television and FX Productions)

Best Actress – Television (Drama): Mj Rodriguez, Pose (FX; 20th Television)

Best Actor – Television (Comedy): Michael Cimino, Love, Victor (Hulu; Hulu, 20th Television, Temple Hill)

Best Actress – Television (Comedy): Barbie Ferreira, Unpregnant (HBO Max; HBO Max presents a WarnerMax / PictureStart / Berlanti / Schechter Films production)

Best Supporting Actor – Television (Drama): Colman Domingo, Euphoria Special: Part 1 Rue: “Trouble Don’t Last Always” (HBO; HBO in association with Reasonable Bunch, A24, Little Lamb, Dreamcrew, ADD Content Agency | HOT | Tedy Productions)

Best Supporting Actress – Television (Drama): Morena Baccarin, The Twilight Zone (Paramount+; CBS Studios in association with Monkeypaw Productions and Genre Films)

Best Supporting Actor – Television (Comedy): Harvey Guillén, What We Do In The Shadows (FX; FX Productions)

Best Supporting Actress – Television (Comedy): Diana Maria Riva, Dead to Me (Netflix; CBS Television Studios for Netflix)

Best Young Actor – Television: Madison Reyes, Julie and the Phantoms (Netflix)

Best Voice-Over Actor – Television: Justina Machado, One Day at a Time – Animated Special (PopTV; Sony Pictures Television, Act III, Snowpants Productions, GloNation)

Best Variety or Reality Show: TIE

A Tribute to Linda Ronstadt at The Soraya (PBS; KCET and The Soraya)

Shine True (Fuse; Vice Studios, OUTtv Canada, Fuse Media)

Best Young Adult Programming: Julie and the Phantoms (Netflix)

Best Youth Programming: The Casagrandes (Nickelodeon)

Best Music Composition for Film or Television: Cristobal Tapia de Veer, The Third Day (HBO; HBO in association with Sky Studios, Plan B, and Punchdrunk)

Best Music Supervision for Film or Television: Joe Rodríguez & Javier Nuño, Ya No Estoy Aquí / I’m No Longer Here (Netflix; Panorama Global for Netflix)

Best Documentary: TIE

Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado (Netflix; A Netflix Original Documentary / A Muck Media Production in Association with Key Rat, Inc. & Topic Studios)

POV: The Infiltrators (PBS; American Documentary | POV, Pueblo Sight & Sound, Chicago Media Project, Naked Edge Film, 3DMC, Baked Studios, The National Day Laborer Organizing Network)

Best Informational Program: Street Food: Latin America (Netflix; Boardwalk Pictures for Netflix)

Best Short Film: UNLADYLIKE2020: Jovita Idar (PBS American Masters; Unladylike Productions LLC in association with The WNET Group’s American Masters.)

Best Commercial Advertisement or Social Awareness Campaign: Latinos Are Essential (Latino Public Broadcasting; PBS)

The Norman Lear Writer’s Award was presented to playwright and television writer Tanya Saracho. Saracho is the creator, showrunner, and executive producer of the critically acclaimed series on Starz, Vida.

Justina Machado to Appear in First-Ever The Muppets Halloween Television Special

Posted on September 25, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

It’ll be a Haunted Halloween for Justina Machado.

The 49-year-old Puerto Rican actress will appear in the first Halloween television special featuring The Muppets.

Muppets Haunted Mansion will premiere on Friday, October 8, exclusively on Disney+.

Starring in the special alongside the Muppets are Will Arnett (as The Ghost Host), Yvette Nicole Brown (The Hearse Driver), Darren Criss (The Caretaker) and Taraji P. Henson (The Bride).

In Muppets Haunted Mansion, the Great Gonzo – world-famous daredevil artiste, has done it all, seen it all and survived it all. But on Halloween night, the fearless Gonzo takes on the greatest challenge of his life by spending one very daring night in the most grim grinning place on Earth: the Haunted Mansion.

In addition to Machado, Muppets Haunted Mansion will also feature appearances from Chrissy Metz, Alfonso Ribeiro, Edward Asner, Jeannie Mai, Danny Trejo, Sasheer Zamata, Craig Robinson, Skai Jackson, Pat Sajak, Geoff Keighley, Kim Irvine and John Stamos as himself.

The Muppets Haunted Mansion EP will be released on October 8 from Walt Disney Records, and will include three new original songs: “Rest in Peace,” “Life Hereafter,” and “Tie the Knot Tango,” plus a cover of the 1970s classic, “Dancing in the Moonlight.”

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