Santiago-Hudson to Star in BET’s Pilot “The Yard”

Posted on April 19, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Ruben Santiago-Hudson is ready for a little Yard work…

The 59-year-old half-Puerto Rican actor has been cast in BET’s two-hour scripted pilot The Yard.

The project centers on Eva, the newly elected President of the fictional college Georgia A&M. Upon her arrival, Eva finds a bold, brazen and diverse freshman class that promises to keep her hands full.

In addition to Santiago-Hudson and Rose, the cast includes Sean Blakemore and Jasmine Guy.

Rob Hardy will direct the pilot.

Santiago-Hudson, who has won national awards for his work as an actor, playwright and director, starred in the film Selma, as well as the television programs Public Morals and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Del Rio Joins the Cast of Fox’s Upcoming Musical “Grease: Live”

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Grease is the word for David Del Rio…

The 28-year-old Latino actor has joined the cast of Fox’s upcoming musical Grease: Live.

Del Rio, who starred in the Broadway musical In the Heights, will portray T-Birds’ Putzie in the live event.

Del Rio joins the ensemble cast that includes Julianne Hough (Sandy), Aaron Tveit (Danny), Vanessa Hudgens (Rizzo), Carlos PenaVega (Kenickie), Keke Palmer (Marty), Carly Rae Jepsen (Frenchy) and Kether Donohue (Jan).

Meanwhile singer, Jessie J, will open the live event with a new version of “Grease (Is the Word).” The Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb wrote the song, which originally was performed by Frankie Valli in the animated opening title sequence of the movie and went on top the pop charts.

Also joining the creative team is Glee and Annie choreographer Zach Woodlee. His credits also include the 100th episode of How I Met Your Mother and 2008’s MTV Movie Awards, as well as the films Eat Pray Love, Hairspray, 27 Dresses and 17 Again.

Thomas Kail and Alex Rudzinski are directing the production, which Fox airs on Sunday, January 31 — live in the East and delayed in the West.

Del Rio’s other credits include Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Troop, Pitch Perfect and Spare Parts.

de la Garza to Star in CBS’ “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders”

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Alana de la Garza is going beyond borders…

The 39-year-old half-Mexican American actress has booked a series regular role opposite Gary Sinise on CBS’ Criminal Minds planted offshoot Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.

Like Criminal Minds, which centers on the FBI’s Analysis Unit, Beyond Borders focuses on a division of the FBI. It follows agents helping American citizens who find themselves in trouble abroad.

de la Garza, who recently landed a recurring role on CBS’ Scorpion, will play Clara, a smart, well-traveled cultural anthropologist on the International Response Team.

de la Garza played the female lead on ABC’s Forever. Her previous television credits include Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Los Angeles, as well as the short-lived series Do No Harm.

Like the original series, Beyond Borders hails from ABC Studios, CBS Television Studios and the Mark Gordon Co.

de la Garza Lands Recurring Role on CBS’ Drama Series “Scorpion”

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Alana de la Garza is about to feel the sting…

The 39-year-old half-Mexican American actress has been cast in a recurring role on the second season of CBS’ drama series Scorpion.

de la Garza, who recently played the female lead on the ABC drama Forever, will portray the smart, tough and driven new Head of Homeland Security who needs the Scorpion team to be successful. But is it because it’s best for the team or because it’s best for her?

de la Garza’s character will succeed Homeland Security Director Merrick (David Fabrizio) who in the Season 1 finale relegated Cabe (Robert Patrick) to a desk job at the Pomona airport, prompting Cabe to quit.

The Season 2 opener, slated for September 21, will find Cabe taking a job as a Hollywood tech advisor until he is summoned back by the new head of Homeland Security to reassume his old position as a liaison for the Scorpion team.

Scorpion is executive produced by Roberto Orci and more for CBS Television Studios.

de la Garza’s previous television credits include Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Los Angeles, as well as the short-lived series Do No Harm.

Campanella to Direct the USA Network’s Drama Pilot “Colony”

Posted on September 27, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Juan José Campanella is joining a colony…

The 55-year-old Argentine filmmaker, who won the foreign language Oscar winner for The Secret In Their Eyes, is set to direct the USA Network’s drama pilot Colony.

Starring former Lost co-star Josh Holloway, the family drama/thriller centers on life in Los Angeles after a mysterious “foreign” occupation. Holloway will play the main character, Will Bowman, a former FBI agent who — to protect his family — is forced to collaborate with the occupational government to bring down the growing resistance movement inside the Los Angeles colony.

Colony, written and executive produced by Lost executive producer/showrunner Carlton Cuse and Ryan Condal, is a co-production between Legendary Television and Universal Cable Productions.

Campanella’s other credits include directing episodes of Halt and Catch Fire, House MD, 30 Rock and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Aspillaga to Appear in Recurring Role on Starz’s Drama “Flesh and Bone”

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Vanessa Aspillaga is seeing Starz…

The 41-year-old Latina actress has landed a guest recurring role on Starz‘s ballet drama Flesh and Bone.

The series follows Claire (portrayed by Sarah Hay), a young dancer with a distinctly troubled past, as she joins a prestigious ballet company in New York.

Aspillaga will portray Monica, the company’s assistant manager, who is stable, extremely good at her job and at managing her boss.

Aspillaga’s previous credits include television appearances on Law & Order, Elementary, The Good Wife and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Her film credits include Gun Hill Road, Morning Glory and Love & Other Drugs.

Navedo to Star in the CW’s Pilot “Jane the Virgin”

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Andrea Navedo has landed the mother of a role…

The Latina actress, who rose to acclaim on the soap operas One Life to Live and Guiding Light, has joined the cast of the CW’s pilot Jane the Virgin, starring Gina Rodriguez and Jaime Camil.

Based on the successful Venezuelan telenovela Juana la Virgen, the project centers on Jane (Rodriguez), a hardworking religious girl who, due to a series of outrageous events, is accidentally artificially inseminated.

Navedo will portray Xiomara, Jane’s mother, who is fiercely devoted to her daughter.

Navedo’s previous television credits include Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Golden Boy, White Collar and How to Make It in America.

She most recently appeared in indie film Last I Heard and will next appear in the feature Superfast.

Nolasco to Star in ABC’s Drama Project “American Crime”

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Crime is about to pay for Elvis Nolasco

The Dominican actor has been cast alongside Caitlin Gerard in the ABC drama American Crime, which hails from 12 Years of Slave writer John Ridley.

The project centers on a racially charged murder and the subsequent trial, which are examined through the personal lives of the players involved.

Nolasco and Gerard will portray an interracial couple, both drug addicts.

Nolasco’s credits include guest appearances on Third Watch, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and the television mini-series Miracle’s Boys.

He most recently worked on Spike Lee’s film Oldboy, portraying the character of Cortez.

AMC Orders the Campanella-Directed “Halt & Catch Fire” Pilot to Series

Posted on July 28, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Juan José Campanella’s latest project catches fire at AMC…

AMC has picked up the scripted series Halt & Catch Fire. Set in the early 1980s, the series dramatizes the personal computing boom through the eyes of a visionary, an engineer and a prodigy whose innovations directly confront the corporate giants of the time. Their personal and professional partnership will be challenged by greed and ego while charting the changing culture in Texas’ Silicon Prairie. It stars Lee Pace, Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis.

The pilot was helmed by the 54-year-old Argentine film and television director. His directing credits include House MD, 30 Rock and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Halt & Catch Fire stars Lee Pace, Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis.

In 2009, Campanella won a Goya Award and an Academy Award for directing the Spanish-Language film El secreto de sus ojos.

Esparza Promoted to Series Regular on NBC’s “Law & Order: SVU”

Posted on July 13, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Raúl Esparza will have a buildup of cases in the near future…

The 42-year-old Cuban American actor and Broadway star has been promoted to series regular on NBC’s long-running crime drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

“Making him a series regular is a small way of acknowledging his enormous contribution to our show,” said the show’s executive producer Warren Leight about Esparza’s promotion.

Esparza portrays by-the-book headstrong prosecutor Assistant DA Rafael Barba on the police procedural, which returns for its 15th season beginning on September 25.

Esparza’s television credits include a recurring role on Pushing Daisies, as well as a role on Hannibal.

His Broadway credits include Tony-nominated performances in the Boy George musical Taboo and the musical comedy Company.

Law & Order: SVU, which also stars Danny Pino, begins shooting next week in New York.

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