Tag Archives: Kristen Anderson-Lopez

Andréa Burns to Star in the Hulu Comedy Series “Up Here”

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Andréa Burns is movin’ on Up (Here)…

The 51-year-old half-Venezuelan actress and singer has been cast in the Hulu comedy Up Here, starring Mae Whitman and Carlos Valdes.

Andréa BurnsThe musical romantic comedy from 20th Television and Old 320 Sycamore Prods. is set in New York City in 1999.

It follows an ordinary couple (Whitman as Lindsay and Valdes as Miguel) as they fall in love while discovering the single greatest obstacle to finding happiness together might just be themselves.

Original songs for the series are from Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.

Burns, best known for her portrayal of the hairdresser Daniela in Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights, will portray Rosie, Miguel’s mother.

Other series regulars include Katie Finneran, John Hodgman, Sophia Hammons and newcomer Emilia Suárez as Renee, the queen bee of Miguel’s high school.

Recurring characters are Ned (George Hampe), Fiona (Julia McDermott), Orson (Scott Porter, Marta (Ayumi Patterson), and Ted aka Mr. McGooch (Brian Stokes Mitchell).

Production on the show, which has an eight-episode straight-to-series order, begins this summer in New York. Writers/executive producers are Steven Levenson (showrunner), Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez.

Carlos Valdes to Star in Hulu’s Musical Romantic Comedy Series “Up Here”

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Carlos Valdes is movin’ on up (here)…

The 33-year-old Colombian-American actor and singer will star in Hulu’s musical romantic comedy series Up Here alongside Mae Whitman.

Carlos ValdesValdes will portray Miguel, who is described as sensitive and thoughtful, with an artistic sensibility and a romantic streak. Miguel has always struggled with the feeling that he doesn’t quite belong. But after a cataclysmic breakup, Miguel has decided to reinvent himself, burying his feelings and ditching a promising career as a video game concept artist for the lucrative world of investment banking, determined never to get hurt again.

Written by Steven Levenson, Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez and directed by Thomas Kail, Up Here is set in New York City in the waning days of 1999. It follows the extraordinary story of one ordinary couple, Lindsay (Whitman) and Miguel, as they fall in love and discover that the single greatest obstacle to finding happiness together might just be themselves – and the treacherous world of memories, obsessions, fears, and fantasies that lives inside their heads.

Anderson-Lopez and Lopez will pen original songs for the series.

Production on the show, which has an eight-episode straight-to-series order, is set to begin this summer in New York. 20th Television is the studio, producing with Kail’s Old 320 Sycamore Productions.

Valdes most recently appeared in the Starz Watergate drama Gaslit as FBI agent Paul Magallanes. Before that, he had a seven-season run as Cisco Ramon on The Flash and numerous other Arrowverse shows including Arrow, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl.

He made his Broadway debut in 2013 in the Tony Award-winning musical Once.

Hulu Gives Series Order to Danielle Sanchez-Witzel’s Musical Romantic Comedy Series “Up Here”

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Things are looking good for Danielle Sanchez-Witzel up here…

Hulu has given an eight-episode series order to Up Here, a musical romantic comedy from the Mexican American comedy writer/producer, Steven Levenson, director Thomas Kail, and the Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.

Danielle Sanchez-Witzel20th Century Television and Kail’s Old 320 Sycamore Productions co-produce the series, which is casting with production set to begin this summer in New York.

Kail will direct Up Here, written by Levenson, Sanchez-Witzel, Anderson-Lopez and Lopez. Anderson-Lopez and Lopez will also pen original songs for the series. The quintet executive produces with Jennifer Todd.

Up Here is a musical romantic comedy set in New York City in the waning days of 1999, following the extraordinary story of one ordinary couple as they fall in love and discover that the single greatest obstacle to finding happiness together might just be themselves – and the treacherous world of memories, obsessions, fears, and fantasies that lives inside their heads.

The project falls under the overall deal Kail and Todd signed with 20th TV in 2020 to develop for all platforms under Kail’s Old 320 Sycamore Pictures banner.

For Sanchez-Witzel, currently under a deal with Netflix, Up Here stems from the overall deal she had at 20th Century Television where she served as showrunner on the praised comedy The Carmichael Show. 

Lin-Manuel Miranda Among Artists Offering Civic Lessons in Netflix’s Animated Series “We the People”

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Lin-Manuel Miranda is giving a civics lesson…

The 41-year-old Puerto Rican actor, singer, songwriter, rapper, producer and playwright, the mastermind behind the Tony Award-winning musical Hamilton, lends his voice to the new animated Netflix series We the People.

Lin-Manuel Miranda 

Created by Chris Nee and produced by Barack and Michelle Obama, the 10-part series provides a range of civics lessons through three-minute music videos on topics that include the Bill of Rights, immigration and the courts.

In addition to Miranda, the series also features award-winning artists H.E.R., Brandi Carlisle, Bebe Rexha and others.

Miranda took on the topic of “The Three Branches of Government” episode, writing and performing the song “Checks and Balances,” alongside Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Daveed Diggs, Brittany Howard and Robert Lopez.

With its light hip-hop bear, the catchy number explains the checks and balances of the United States government.

Meanwhile, Jorge R. Gutierrez directs the immigration-themed episode, which features the track “American Citizen,” performed by Bebe Rexha.

The 46-year-old Mexican animator, painter, writer, voice actor, and production designer helms Rexha’s pop message that lets everyone know from the second they are born, they are an “American Citizen.”

The episode is full of visual treats showing how the country is one built from a nation of immigrants, as animated versions of Sofia Vergara, Steven Chen, Anousheh Ansari and Padma Lakshmi are all featured to illustrate the point.

We the People premiered on Sunday, July 4 on Netflix.

Gael García Bernal to Perform at This Year’s Oscars

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Gael García Bernal has a date with Oscar…

The 39-year-old Mexican actor/filmmaker will perform at this year’s Academy Awards, according to the show’s producers.

Gael García Bernal

Garcia Bernal will be among the artists tackling this year’s Oscar nominated songs.

Garcia Bernal will be joined by Natalia LaFourcade and Miguel to sing “Remember Me” from Disney/Pixar’s Coco; with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.

Garcia Bernal voiced the character of deceased songwriter Héctor Rivera in the animated film, and his character wrote the song.

Other performers include Mary J. Blige, Andra Day, Keala Settle, Sufjan Stevens and Common.

Blige will perform “Mighty River.” Blige performed the song for Mudbound, and she’s nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category. Blige wrote the Oscar-nominated song with Raphael Saadiq and Taura Stinson.

Common and Andra Day will perform his Oscar-nominated song “Stand Up For Something” from Marshall, his collaboration with Diane Warren.

Settle will perform the Oscar-nominated song “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman.

Stevens will perform his Oscar-nominated song “Mystery of Love,” written for Call Me by Your Name.

“We’re excited to have these talented artists showcase the powerful contribution music makes to film making,” said De Luca and Todd. “It’s a privilege to welcome them to the 90th Oscars stage.”

The Jimmy Kimmel-hosted show is set for Sunday, March 4.

Isaac Earns First-Ever Golden Globe Award Nomination

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Oscar Isaac may be seeing gold in the near future…

The 33-year-old Guatemalan and Cuban American actor has earned the first Golden Globe award nomination of his career from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association during Thursday’s early morning nomination announcement.

Oscar Isaac

Isaac is up for Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy for his critically acclaimed role in Inside Llewyn Davis.

In the film, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, Isaac stars as the film’s title character, Llewyn Davis, a singer-songwriter who navigates New York’s folk music scene in the 1960s.

It’s the latest nod this awards season for Isaac…

He previously earned a Spirit Award nomination for his performance in Inside Llewyn Davis, as well as a Gotham Independent Film Awards nod.

But Isaac isn’t the only Latino earning the first nomination of his career.

Rush star Daniel Brühl, who earned his first SAG Award earlier this week, is nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his portrayal of racing legend Niki Lauda in Ron Howard‘s Formula One drama Rush.

Helena Bonham Carter has earned her sixth Golden Globe nomination. The 46-year-old part-Spanish actress is up for Best Actress in a Mini-Series or TV Movie for her role in the BBC biopic Burton and Taylor.

Alfonso Cuarón, one of Entertainment Weekly’s Entertainers of the Year, received a nomination for Best Director for helming the blockbuster hit film Gravity.

In the music category, Robert Lopez and his wife and writing partner Kristen Anderson Lopez have been nominated for Best Original Song – Motion Picture to penning “Let It Go,” the power ballad from Disney’s latest animated film Frozen. The song is performed by Idina Menzel during the film
and Demi Lovato in the closing credits.

Last but certainly not least, Sofia Vergara has earned her fourth consecutive Golden Globe nomination for her laughtastic role on ABC’s Modern Family.

The Golden Globes awards show will be held on January 12 in Beverly Hills. NBC will air the Golden Globes Awards live with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler returning for the second year in a row as hosts.

Here’s a look at the Golden Globe categories featuring Latino nominees:

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Christian Bale, American Hustle
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis
Joaquin Phoenix, Her

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Daniel Bruhl, Rush
Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years A Slave
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE

Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips
Steve McQueen, 12 Years A Slave
Alexander Payne, Nebraska
David O. Russell, American Hustle

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
“Atlas”, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Music by: Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion
Lyrics by: Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion
“Let It Go”, Frozen
Music by: Kristen Anderson Lopez, Robert Lopez
Lyrics by: Kristen Anderson Lopez, Robert Lopez
“Ordinary Love”, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom
Music by: Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen, Jr., Brian Burton
Lyrics by: Bono
“Please Mr Kennedy”, Inside Llewyn Davis
Music by: Ed Rush, George Cromarty, T Bone Burnett, Justin Timberlake, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Lyrics by: Ed Rush, George Cromarty, T Bone Burnett, Justin Timberlake, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
“Sweeter Than Fiction”, One Chance
Music by: Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff
Lyrics by: Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Helena Bonham Carter, Burton & Taylor
Rebecca Ferguson, The White Queen,
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Coven
Helen Mirren, Phil Spector
Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Jacqueline Bisset, Dancing On The Edge
Janet McTeer, White Queen
Hayden Panettiere, Nashville
Monica Potter, Parenthood
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

Lopez to Provide Original Songs for Disney’s “Frozen”

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Robert Lopez is preparing to experience the wonderful world of Disney…

The 37-year-old composer and lyricist—who has won three Tony Awards for his first two Broadway musicals, Avenue Q and The Book of Mormon—and his wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez will be bringing their musical talents to Walt Disney Animation’s upcoming animated film Frozen.

Robert Lopez

The film, loosely based on 1845′s The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, will feature original songs by the musically inclined couple, which worked on Disney’s 2011 Winnie the Pooh.

Idina Menzel, who won a Tony award for originating the role of misunderstood Elphaba in Broadway’s Wicked, will play the Snow Queen in Frozen, while Kristen Bell will co-star as Anna, a young girl who ventures to find Menzel’s character and end the perpetual winter that has befallen their mythical kingdom, according to the studio.

The Snow Queen

Still uncast in the movie is the role of the leading man, Kristoff, a mountain climber who leads Anna on her quest through snowy peaks and dangerous cliffs to find the legendary Snow Queen.

The digitally animated feature will open in November 2013.