Camila Mendes to Star in Gulfstream Pictures’ Romantic Comedy “Upgraded”

Posted on August 18, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Camila Mendes is preparing for an upgrade.

The 28-year-old Brazilian American actress and Riverdale star will star opposite Archie Renaux in Gulfstream Pictures’ romantic comedy Upgraded, from actor-director Carlson Young, which has entered production in the UK.

In the film written by Christine Lenig, Justin Matthews & Luke Roberts, aspiring art intern Ana (Mendes) is invited on a last-minute work trip to London by her brilliant but intimidating super boss, meeting the handsome and wealthy William (Renaux) on the plane. Set in both London and New York City, the rom-com chronicles the trials and tribulations of balancing work, romance and following your dreams.

Developed in part by Mendes and Rachel Matthews, Upgraded is the third film financed by Gulfstream Pictures this year, following the Josephine Langford-led rom-com The Other Zoey and the motorcycle racing pic One Fast Move, starring KJ Apa, both of which are currently in post-production.

“We are thrilled to be working with the enormously talented Camila Mendes, Carlson Young and Archie Renaux, as they pull back the curtain on the art world in this fun and engaging romantic comedy,” said Gulfstream’s leaders.

Mendes is best known for her role as Veronica Lodge on The CW’s popular teen drama series Riverdale, based on characters from the Archie Comics, which returns for its seventh and final season next year.

Additional credits include Max Barbakow’s acclaimed sci-fi rom-com Palm Springs for Neon and Hulu, the rom-com The New Romantic with Jessica Barden, and the Netflix thriller Dangerous Lies.

The actress will next be seen starring alongside Maya Hawke and Sophie Turner in the Netflix comedy Do Revenge, slated for release on September 16, and has also been tapped to star opposite Rudy Mancuso in his rom-com Música for Amazon Studios and Wonderland Sound and Vision.

Sofia Carson’s “Songbird” Will Be Available on Premium VOD in December

Posted on November 17, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Sofia Carson’s latest project will be right at your fingertips soon…

The 27-year-old Colombian American actress/singer’s Songbird, which was acquired by STX earlier this year, will be skipping theaters in exchange for a premium VOD release starting on Friday, December 11.

STX picked up the KJ Apa-Carson pandemic thriller produced by Invisible Narratives back in August. The movie was one of the first to shoot in Los Angeles during the pandemic under COVID-19 safety guidelines.

The film now will be available for $19.99 for a 48-hour rental on all transactional platforms. Following Songbird‘s nesting on PVOD, it will premiere on a major streaming service in 2021.

From producer Michael Bay and director Adam Mason, Songbird follows Riverdale‘s Apa as Nico, a bicycle messenger in a post-apocalyptic near future where COVID-19 has mutated to COVID-23. He’s smitten with his girlfriend Sara (Carson), who he hasn’t been able to see during the pandemic. Complicating life greatly is that the government is snatching up people who have the virus and tossing them into camps. Demi Moore, Craig Robinson, Bradley Whitford, Peter Stormare, Alexandra Daddario and Paul Walter Hauser also star.

Mason co-wrote the script with Simon Boyes.

“The pandemic has affected every aspect of our business, from production to release, but Songbird demonstrates that a nimble studio like STX can find effective and profitable ways to make their movies work,” says STXfilms Motion Picture Group chairman Adam Fogelson. “The show must go on. Songbird is a thrilling movie that will speak to audiences in this moment as it keeps them on the edge of their seats.”

Sofia Carson to Star in the YA Romance “Purple Hearts”

Posted on November 11, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Sofia Carson is in a purple haze…

The 27-year-old Colombian American actress & singer will star opposite Charles Melton in director Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum’s YA romance Purple Hearts about two star-crossed lovers.

Adapted from Tess Wakefield’s novel by Tony Award-nominee Kyle Jarrow and Liz Garcia, Rosenbaum will direct the story of aspiring singer-songwriter Cassie and military man Luke, who in spite of their apparent differences, fall hopelessly in love.

“Purple Hearts provides hope that two people with such differing world views, stuck in the same place, forced to fight the same fight, might be able to learn a little about each other’s beliefs, get over their own bullshit, start to understand each other and just maybe fall in love. It’s a very timely, emotional story – truly a romance for the ages,” says Rosenbaum.

Carson will also write and perform the film’s original soundtrack.

The film is produced by YA-book-to-screen specialists Alloy Entertainment, known for content including Everything, Everything, Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars and The Vampire Diaries.

Principal photography is due to start in May 2021 in Austin, Texas.

Best known for her role as Evie in Disney’s Descendants franchise and Freeform series Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, Carson recently made her feature debut in Netflix movie Feel The Beat. Next up she will star alongside KJ Apa in pandemic thriller Songbird, produced by Michael Bay.

STX & Invisible Narratives Release Trailer for Sofia Carson’s Pandemic Thriller “Songbird”

Posted on October 30, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a (song)bird’s eye view of Sofia Carson’s latest project…

STX and Invisible Narratives have released the trailer for their upcoming pandemic thriller Songbird, starring the 27-year-old Colombian America actress/singer.

“Sometimes we have to do things we don’t want, to survive,” says Demi Moore’s enigmatic baddie in trailer for the film.

Riverdale‘s KJ Apa stars as Nico, a bicycle messenger in a near post apocalyptic future where COVID-19 has mutated to COVID-23. He’s smitten with his girlfriend Sara (Carson), and it looks like these two haven’t been able to see each other for a while. Complicating life greatly is the fact that the government is snatching up people who have the virus and tossing them into camps. Take a look.

There’s an all-star cast here with Moore, Bradley Whitford, Alexandra Daddario, Paul Walter Hauser, Craig Robinson and more in this feature directed and co-written by Adam Mason, with Simon Boyes co-writing.

STX captured Songbird‘s UK and North American rights at the end of August. No release date has been announced yet.

The film was one of the first features to be shot this past summer in Los Angeles during quarantine, paving the way for production safety protocols.

Sofia Carson to Star Opposite KJ Apa in the Pandemic Thriller “Songbird”

Posted on July 15, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Sofia Carson is flying high…

The 27-year-old Colombian American actress/singer will star opposite KJ Apa as star-crossed lovers in the pandemic thriller Songbird, which began filming last week in Los Angeles.

Told from street level through the eyes of the characters, Songbirdtakes place two years into the future, as a lockdown has been re-implemented after a more serious virus continues to mutate. In a feeble attempt to keep the sickness contained, the city has been split into haves and have nots.

Songbird follows an essential worker (Apa) who has a rare immunity, a delivery man who delivers goods and hope throughout the city. Like the vast majority of the population, his girlfriend (Carson) is locked within her home, and the couple have no ability to physically be together.

To be with the one he loves, he must overcome martial law, murderous vigilantes and a powerful, well connected family, helmed by a matriarch (Demi Moore) who will stop at nothing to protect her family and maintain her way of life.

Carson and Apa join the previously announced cast of Moore, Bradley Whitford, Craig Robinson, Jenna Ortega, Paul Walter Hauser, and Peter Stormare.

Adam Mason is directing off a screenplay he co-wrote with Simon Boyes. The film hails from Adam Goodman and Michael Bay.

Carson has more than 18 million followers on social media, over 1.5 billion streams of her music and over 2M subscribers to her YouTube channel.

She currently stars in the Netflix feature film Feel the Beat. She previously starred as “Evie” in Disney’s Descendantsfranchjse and appeared on the Freeform series Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists.

Carson is signed to Hollywood Records/Republic Records and recently released her latest single “Miss U More Than U Know”, which has clocked more than 4.5 million streams to date. Carson is a Global Ambassador for Revlon, and recently unveiled the Revlon x Sofia Carson Collection, an exclusive collection of her favorite Revlon lip products and nail polish.

Nikki & Brie Bella Among Presenters at This Weekend’s iHeartRadio Music Festival

Posted on September 19, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Nikki and Brie Bella are headed to the iHeartRadio Music Festival.

The 34-year-old half-Mexican American professional wrestling twins, The Bella Twins, have been added to the list of presenters at iHeartMedia’s iHeartRadio Music Festival this weekend.

Other celebrity presenters for the festival — which takes over Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on Friday and Saturday night — are Paula Abdul, Taran Killam, Ireland Baldwin, Erin Foster,Sara Foster, Ken Jeong, Sarah Hyland, Lais Ribeiro, Shanina Shaik, Jeff Gordon, Kristin Cavallari, KJ Apa, Skeet Ulrich, Luke Perry,Sharna Burgess, Candice Patton and Nicole Maines.

Notable attendees scheduled to hit the desert are *NSYNC‘s Lance Bass, Disney Channel star Sofia Carson and country singer Jana Kramer.

Performances kick off Friday with Fleetwood Mac, Jack White, Mariah Carey, Jason Aldean, Sam Smith, Panic! At The Disco, Kygo, Rae Sremmurd and Childish Gambino and then continue Saturday night with Justin Timberlake, Carrie Underwood, Imagine Dragons, Luke Bryan, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kelly Clarkson, Shawn Mendes and Logic. The Daytime Stage on Saturday afternoon will feature Logic, Dua Lipa, 5 Seconds of Summer, Lil Uzi Vert, Dustin Lynch, MAX and Bazzi.

An exclusive live stream will air both nights of the festival and the Daytime Stage via CWTV.com and The CW app, as well as be broadcast across iHeartRadio stations.

The CW will then broadcast a two-night television special of the event on October 7 and 8 from 8:00 to 10:00 pm ET.

Mendes to Appear at “Riverdale” Presentation at This Year’s WonderCon

Posted on March 18, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Life’s a wonder(con) for Camila Mendes…

The 22-year-old Brazilian American actress will attend this year’s WonderCon to take part in a special video presentation and Q&A with her Riverdale castmates.

Hosted by Warner Bros. Television, the presentation on Friday, March 31 will help “unlock the mystery of Riverdale,” according to organizers.

Along with Mendes, who portrays Veronica Lodge on the CW series based on characters from Archie Comics, KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Cole Sprouse, Ashleigh Murray, Luke Perry, Mädchen Amick and Mendes’ TV mom Marisol Nichols will also participate in the event.

Additionally, an exclusive screening of a brand new episode of Riverdale will take place on

This year’s WonderCon will take place from March 31-April 2.

But Mendes and Nichols aren’t the only Latinas set to take WonderCon by storm…

Genesis Rodriguez will take part in her own special video presentation and Q&A for her drama series Time After Time on Friday March 31.

The 29-year-old Cuban and Venezuelan American actress will be joined by fellow cast members Josh Bowman and Nicole Ari Parker to give fans the scoop on the suspenseful new drama and a sneak peek at what lies ahead in the first season.

Check out the schedule below, with more guests set to be announced in the coming weeks.

Friday, March 31

2:45–3:45 p.m. Riverdale Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Unlock the mystery of Riverdale and leave your innocence behind. Join stars KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, Ashleigh Murray, Luke Perry, Mädchen Amick and Marisol Nichols, along with executive producers Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Sarah Schechter and Jon Goldwater as they dive into the secrets that continue to loom over what may look like a quiet, sleepy town. While new details of Jason Blossom’s death emerge, tension grows between the Riverdale High students, as Jughead’s connection to the Southside Serpents is revealed. Based on the characters from Archie Comics and produced by Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, this one-hour drama is a bold, subversive take on the surreality of small-town life. Arena

3:30-4:30 p.m. Time After Time Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Time After Time makes its WonderCon debut to give fans the scoop on the suspenseful new drama and a sneak peek at what lies ahead in the first season. Who will gain control of the Time Machine? Will H.G.’s and John’s goals become aligned? What is Project Utopia? Will Vanessa discover Griffin’s betrayal? Join us for a special video presentation followed by a Q&A with executive producer Marcos Siega and series stars Josh Bowman, Genesis Rodriguez and Nicole Ari Parker. The series is based on the novel written by Karl Alexander and produced by Outerbanks Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Saturday, April 1

3:15-4:15 p.m. Riverdale Exclusive Screening of Brand New Episode — A WonderCon exclusive! Don’t miss a special advance screening of a brand new episode of Riverdale, airing Thursday, April on CW. Entitled “La Grande Illusion,” the episode will feature a special appearance by Shannon Purser (“Barb” from Stranger Things) as Ethel Muggs, and we uncover more secrets about the long-standing family feud between the Blossoms and the Coopers. Plus, Betty’s relationship with Polly faces additional challenges and Archie finds himself oddly entangled with Cheryl Blossom. Arena

Sunday, April 2

12-1 p.m. Teen Titans Go! All-New Episode and Q&A — WonderCon attendees GO! to this panel and be ready for a fun afternoon with your favorite teen DC Super Heroes. Producers Michael Jelenic, Aaron Horvath and Peter Michail will join voice actor Greg Cipes to screen an all-new episode and answer your questions about all things Titans. Room 300AB

1-2 p.m. Justice League Action All-New Episode and Q&A — Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman lead the DC Comics Super Heroes against their most infamous foes in adventures packed with relentless thrills, fun and action. No need to wait for the good stuff to start, as each 11-minute episode has lightning-fast action and heroics. Whether defending the Earth, facing invaders from space or battling the bizarre forces of magic, the always-rotating team of Justice League heroes is up to any challenge. Voice cast members P.J. Byrne, Rachel Kimsey and Jason J. Lewis, along with producers Jim Krieg and Butch Lukic, will be on hand to screen an all-new episode as well as participate in a Q&A. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Room 300AB

12:30-1:30 p.m. Lucifer Special Video Presentation and Q&A — If you thought all hell broke loose when Lucifer arrived in the City of Angels, just imagine how things will heat up in his absence. Indulge your deepest desires and be among the first to see what’s in store for Chloe Decker and the Devil himself after his mysterious departure in the midseason finale. Join us for a sizzling sneak peek at the second half of season two, followed by a Q&A with stars Tom Ellis, Lauren German, DB Woodside and executive producers Joe Henderson (White Collar) and Ildy Modrovich (CSI: Miami). From Jerry Bruckheimer Television in association with Warner Bros. Television and based upon characters created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenberg for Vertigo from DC Entertainment. Arena

1:45-2:45 p.m. Gotham Special Video Presentation and Q&A — As Gotham City descends into anarchy, join the hit show as it returns to WonderCon to give fans the scoop on all the shocking moments in store for the remainder of season three. With Penguin out of the picture, and a power grab taking place, who will become the new leader of the Gotham underworld? How will Nygma’s embrace of his Riddler persona alter the balance of power, and will any of it matter when the Court of Owls reveals its plans for the city? All will be judged! Join us for a special video presentation followed by a Q&A with series stars and executive producers. The series hails from Warner Bros. Television.

Nichols to Star in CW’s Archie Comics-Based Pilot “Riverdale”

Posted on March 5, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Marisol Nichols is reporting for mom duty…

The 42-year-old part-Spanish/part-Mexican actress has been cast as Hermione Lodge in Riverdale, the CW pilot based on the Archie Comics characters from producer Greg Berlanti.

Set in present time, Riverdale is a subversive take on Archie (KJ Apa), Betty (Lili Reinhart), Veronica (Camila Mendes) and their friends, exploring the surrealism of small-town life — the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s wholesome façade.

Nichols will play Hermione Lodge, Veronica’s upscale mother. Hermione has now returned to Riverdale, eager to start fresh with her daughter following the scandalous incarceration of her husband.

In the pilot, from Warner Bros. Television, Nichols also joins Ashleigh Murray (Josie), Cole Sprouse (Jughead Jones), Madelaine Petsch (Cheryl Blossom) and Luke Perry (Archie’s dad Fred Andrews).

Nichols recurs as Desert Wolf on Teen Wolf, recurred on Criminal Minds and NCIS, and starred on ABC’s Good Christian Belles.

Ortiz Lands Roles in “Going In Style” and “A Dog’s Purpose”

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

John Ortiz is ending the year with a bang, landing back-to-back film roles…

The 47-year-old Puerto Rican actor, director and producer will first star in New Line Cinema’s upcoming comedy Going In Style, directed by Zach Braff from a script by Theodore Melfi.

Ortiz will portray “Jesus,” a Mensa smart criminal who is socially responsible and deplores society’s treatment of the elderly.

He joins Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin, along with Ann-Margret, Peter Serafinowicz, Joey King and Christopher Lloyd, in the remake of the 1979 classic.

Ortiz will then follow up that film with the live action DreamWorks feature A Dog’s Purpose, based on the novel by W. Bruce Cameron.

The film is a series of vignettes directed by Lasse Hallstrom and starring Bradley Cooper (as the voice of the dog), along with Dennis Quaid, Britt Robertson, KJ Apa, Juliet Rylance and Peggy Lipton.

Ortiz stars in his segment as “Carlos”, a stern, all business cop who trains his dog to assist him in solving crime.

Ortiz can next be seen in Disney’s The Finest Hours, starring Chris Pine and Casey Affleck, and directed by Craig Gillespie, as well as Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs.

He recently wrapped the indie A Woman, A Part starring opposite Maggie Siff and directed by Elisabeth Subrin.

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