Jessica Pimentel to Star in Hulu’s Drama Pilot “Olga Dies Dreaming”

Jessica Pimentel is livin’ the dream(ing)

The 38-year-old Dominican American actress will star opposite Aubrey Plaza, Ramón Rodríguez and Wanda De Jesús in Olga Dies DreamingHulu’s one-hour drama pilot based on the novel by Xochitl Gonzalez.

Jessica Pimentel

The pilot for Olga Dies Dreaming, written by Gonzalez and to be directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, tells the story of a Nuyorican brother (Rodríguez) and sister (Plaza) from a gentrifying Sunset Park in Brooklyn who are reckoning with their absent, politically radical mother (De Jesús) and their glittering careers among New York City’s elite in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

Pimentel will play Mabel Ortiz, who is as street smart as she is book smart. She loves a good time; the first on a dance floor and the last off. She has opinions and isn’t afraid to express them, and she refuses to take the time to wrap them in a nice bow. Her big personality masks a more sensitive interior. She worships her cousin Prieto (Rodríguez) but, despite having been raised like sisters, her relationship with Olga (Plaza) is now more fraught.

Jesse Williams also stars.

Gomez-Rejon, who partnered with Gonzalez after reading her novel in manuscript form, executive produces the pilot; Plaza and Rodríguez are producing. 20th Television is the studio.

Pimentel is best known for her role as Maria Ruiz on all seven seasons of Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black.

Her other previous television credits include recurring roles on Law & Order: SVU and Person of Interest.

She can currently be seen in Theodore Schaefer’s feature Giving Birth to a Butterfly

Florencia Lozano to Appear in Netflix’s Drama Series “Breathe”

Florencia Lozano is breathe-ing easy…

The 51-year-old Latina actress, best known for portraying Téa Delgado on ABC’s daytime series One Life to Live, has landed a recurring role in Breathe, Netflix’s one-hour drama series from Blindspot creator Martin Gero and writer-executive producer Brendan Gall, and Warner Bros. Television.

Florencia Lozano

Lozano will recur alongside 40-year-old Colombian actor Juan Pablo Espinosa on the series, which stars Melissa Barrera.

In Breathe, written by Gero and Gall, when a small plane crashes in the middle of the Canadian wilderness, a lone woman (Barrera) must battle the elements and odds to survive. Barrera’s Liv is a razor-sharp Manhattan attorney who finds herself profoundly out of her comfort zone when her plane crashes and she must battle for survival.

Lozano and Espinosa will play Liv’s mother and father, respectively.

Lozano co-wrote and stars in Life After You, which was awarded Best Feature and Best Actress at the Nice International Film Festival. She will next be seen in the feature Here AfterHer previous television credits include the starring role of Claudia Messina on Netflix’s Narcos, as well as Madam Secretary, The Blacklist, Blue Bloods, Law & Order: SVU, among others.

Espinosa most recently starred in Focus Features’ comedy Half Brothers. His other recent credits include Apple TV’s Acapulco, Cocaine Godmother opposite Catherine Zeta Jones, and a recurring role as Luis Carlos Galán on Netflix’s Narcos. In Latin America, he’s known for his work on El Secretario, A Corazon Abierto and La Fan with NBC/Telemundo, among others.

Alexia Garcia to Star in USA Network’s Upcoming “Nash Bridges” Revival Movie

Alexia Garcia is crossing the Bridges

The 24-year-old Mexican actress will appear in USA Network’s upcoming Nash Bridges revival.

Alexia Garcia

Returning as a two-hour television movie with stars Don Johnson, Cheech Marin and Jeff Perry reprising their roles, the project will also star Diarra KilpatrickBonnie SomervilleJoe DinicolAngela Ko and Paul James. A premiere date hasn’ been announced yet.

The movie brings Johnson and Marin back together as elite investigators for the San Francisco Police Department Special Investigations Unit.

The revival, which has been in development at USA since 2019 as a two-hour movie, comes from Johnson, Bill Chais and Marc Rosen. Village Roadshow Television, which also controls rights to the property, is producing.

Garcia portrays Chloe Zane, a fearless and tech savvy member of the SIU Unit.

The original Nash Bridges series ran on CBS from 1996 to 2001.

Garcia played Aphrodite on Ryan Murphy’s Pose and most recently guest-starred on Law & Order: SVU.

Desmin Borges to Appear in HBO’s Drama Series “The Time Traveler’s Wife”

Desmin Borges is about to do a time warp

The half-Puerto Rican actor will appear opposite Natasha Lopez in supporting roles opposite Rose Leslie and Theo James in The Time Traveler’s Wife, HBO’s drama series based on the novel by Audrey Niffenegger.

Desmin BorgesAdapted by former Dr. Who head writer and Sherlock co-creator Steven MoffatThe Time Traveler’s Wife tells the intricate love story of Clare (Leslie) and Henry (James), and a marriage with a problem… time travel.

Borges will play Gomez, who is one of Clare’s best friends – and secretly in love with her. Gomez being Gomez, it’s a secret he’s managed to keep from absolutely no one. Truculent, clever, with an often blundering sense of humor, he is also fiercely honorable. Over the years, despite everything, he becomes Henry’s best friend, and his savior many times.

Lopez is Charisse, no nonsense, no filter, and a little neurotic, she is Clare’s closest confidante and her roommate – and also Gomez’s long-suffering girlfriend. When the mysterious Henry arrives on the scene, Charisse is determined to get to the bottom of who he really is. And when Charisse wants to know something, the questions don’t stop.

Hartswood Films produces in association with Warner Bros. Television, which has rights to the title. Warner Bros.’ New Line division was behind the 2009 feature adaptation of the book that starred Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana. The series is currently in pre-production.

Borges portrayed Edgar Quintero on five seasons of the FX comedy-drama You’re The Worst. He most recently starred on Amazon’s Utopia and recurred on Netflix’s Living With Yourself. He’ll next be seen in the upcoming Jennifer Lopez movie Shotgun Wedding.

Lopez appeared in the 2013 film Runner Runner and recently guest-starred on Law & Order: SVU.

Guillermo Diaz to Star in ABC’s Drama Pilot “National Parks”

Guillermo Diaz is heading to the park(s)…

The 45-year-old Cuban-American actor has landed a series regular role on ABC’s National Parks, the network’s drama pilot co-written and executive produced by Kevin Costner. The project hails from Costner’s Territory Pictures Entertainment, 20th Century Fox Television and A+E Studios.

Guillermo Diaz

Diaz joins previously announced series regulars Billy Campbell, Angel Parker, Gerardo Celasco, Ashleigh Sharpe Chestnut, Blu Hunt and Tiffany Dupont.

Co-written by Costner, Aaron Helbing and Jon Baird and to be directed by Anthony HemingwayNational Parks follows a small group of elite national parks service agents as they solve crimes while protecting the parks — which, while being known for their sweeping, beautiful landscapes, also attract a vast array of criminal activity.

Diaz will play Vic, a Special Agent and ISB’s unflappable helicopter pilot and botanist who uses these unique skills to investigate and solve crime inside the national parks.

Diaz starred for seven seasons as Huck on ABC’s hit series Scandal and also starred on the ABC comedy United We Fall. He also guest-starred or recurred on I Know This Much Is True, Law & Order: SVU, High Maintenance and Broad Cityamong others.

Eva Noblezada Among Broadway Stars to Guest Star on NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” While Curtains Remain Closed

There’s some law and order in Eva Noblezada’s future…

The half-Mexican American actress and Broadway star will appear on next week’s episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

The Tony Award-nominated Hadestown actor is among several Broadway stars who will appear on the long-running series.

“We are trying to hire every Broadway actor we can while we and they wait for the curtains to rise again,” says showrunner Warren Leight to Deadline.com.

“We know how hard the community has been hit here. The goal is to get as many jobs to as many theater actors as we possibly can.”

The National Endowment for the Arts recently released figures indicating that while the overall unemployment rate has averaged 8.5 percent, the average among actors was 52 percent. (The figures do not distinguish between Broadway, film and TV performers.)

The NBC New York-based Law & Order franchise has long been known as a steady source of employment for the city’s theater performers – rare is the stage actor whose Playbill credits don’t include at least one of the L&O series – but the coronavirus pandemic has pushed Leight’s team to ramp up even those efforts for the current Season 22.

Stage actors already cast in parts for this season include the Tony-winning Adriane Lenox, Elizabeth Marvel, Jane Bruce, Jelani Alladin, Michael Mastro and Betsy Aidem.

Even Raúl Esparza, a four-time Tony nominee known to the wider television audience for his six-season SVU run as Assistant D.A. Rafael Barba, is making a temporary franchise comeback to reprise the role for this week’s episode “Sightless in a Savage Land.”

Leight says the Broadway-filled roles range in scope from one-day parts to more substantial turns, but have an important practical impact for the actors, adding to the work day minimums required for Actors Equity-Broadway League health insurance.

The casting offers a significant logistical benefit to the show as well: casting New York actors is the more practical and efficient option during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the prospect of long-distance flights from Hollywood and required quarantine protocols can complicate using Los Angeles-based actors.

“In the past we’ve done what you could call Hollywood stunt casting,” Leight says, “but a lot of those players aren’t going to be willing to get on a plane and quarantine right now. We realized early on that we’ll have to cast locally much more.”

The Broadway shutdown also allows the show to get around the planning issues that Broadway’s usual performance schedule demands: Coordinating a shoot around the identical eight-performance weeks of working stage actors is daunting. There’s only so much guest-starring that can be crammed into a dark Broadway Monday.

Marisol Nichols’ Real-Life Work in the Fight Against Sex Trafficking Being Developed Into a TV Series by Sony Pictures Television

Marisol Nichols’ important work off camera has inspired a television series…

The 46-year-old half-Mexican American actress, who has starred on the CW’s drama series Riverdale, has spent the last few years working as an undercover agent in the fight against sex trafficking.  If you’ve never tried a Sex Toys before and aren’t sure what you’d like, start with one of the simplest vibrators. Most likely, you’ll appreciate the experience and then wonder what other pleasures might be obtained with more advanced vibrators and other sex toys.

Marisol Nichols

And now Sony Pictures Television has optioned the rights to her story for a television series.

Nichols revealed her unusual side hustle in a long-form story in May’s Marie Claire.

In the article, written by Erika Hayasaki, she revealed that for the past six years she’s been hunting child sex predators. She has been working undercover with agents from the FBI, Operation Underground Railroad and local law enforcement to serve as the “bait” for sting operations domestically and internationally.

She has played the part of a parent pimping out a child, or, depending on what the situation calls for, the role of a child being pimped out to a guy who thinks he’s about to have sex with a 12-year-old.

Nichols, who will next star in Lionsgate’s Saw reboot Spiral next year, has taken part in numerous child sex stings around the world over the last few years.

Nichols, who has appeared on shows like 24, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, began to work in the world of human trafficking after her career slowed down around 2012.

She subsequently started a nonprofit, Foundation for a Slavery Free World, in 2014, and has regularly spoken publicly about the subject.

Sony Pictures Television is in the early stages of developing the project, which will see Nichols executive produce and likely star in the story.

Cardenas Cast as a Series Regular on FX’s “Snowfall” Pilot from John Singleton

Juan Javier Cardenas is bracing for a White season 

The Latino actor has been cast as a series regular on FX’s Snowfall, the 1980s cocaine-epidemic drama pilot from John Singleton.

Juan Javier Cardenas

Co-created and executive produced by Boyz N The Hood director Singleton and Erick Amadio, and directed by El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the pilot has been undergoing a revamp.

In addition to Cardenas, who has made appearances on The Good Wife, Blue Bloods and Law & Order SVU, new additions to the cast include Carter Hudson, Angela Lewis and Filipe Valle Costa.

Hudson will play Teddy McDonald, a CIA operative banished to the Los Angeles office after a tragic misstep in the past. When he sees an opportunity to reverse his fortunes, Teddy risks everything to get his life back on track. Lewis will portray Louise Saint, Franklin’s (Damson Idris) party girl aunt.

Cardenas will play Alejandro Usteves, a calculating rebel from the Nicaraguan Contras movement who is determined to keep his revolution alive by any means necessary.

Costa will play Pedro, the cocky heir apparent of a Mexican crime family that sells marijuana throughout Los Angeles.

Cardenas’ other TV credits include Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, NCIS: Los Angeles and Scandal.

Costa’s credits include Blue Bloods, Gotham, and the feature film Hamlet.

Carter to Receive Lifetime Achievement Honors at This Year’s Gracie Awards

Lynda Carter has a special reason to be Gracie-ous…

The 64-year-old part-Mexican and part-Spanish American actress, best known for her portrayal of the original Wonder Woman, will be presented with a lifetime achievement award at the 41st annual Gracie Awards Gala.

Lynda Carter

The Gracie Awards recognize programming created by, for and about women in all media.

Carter starred as the titular female superhero in Wonder Woman, an adventure-drama series that aired on ABC and later CBS from 1975-1979.

In the 2000s she guest starred on television shows including Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Smallville and Two and a Half Men.

Carter also appeared in the 2005 movie reboot of Dukes of Hazzard alongside Johnny Knoxville and Jessica Simpson, and she later lent her voice to video games like The Elder Scrolls series and Fallout 4.

Aside from acting, Carter devoted herself to singing, beauty pageants and charity work.

“Lynda is the definition of a trailblazer as she has paved the way for women in media, carrying a national television show as Wonder Woman, and producing and starring in five highly rated network television specials,” Kristen Welch, the senior VP of global content operations at Discovery Communications, said in a statement. “Her success on screen, on the music charts and on stage showcase her talent and drive to break down barriers.”

Carter, along with this year’s other national honorees, will be recognized in a May 24 ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire. Local, public and student Gracie Award winners will be honored at the Gracies Luncheon on June 21 at Cipriani in New York City.

Good to Guest Star on NBC’s “Law & Order: SVU”

Meagan Good is ready for a little law and order

The 33-year-old part-Puerto Rican actress has signed on to guest star on Law & Order: SVU.

Meagan Good

Good and The Walking Dead actor Chad Coleman will appear on NBC‘s long-running police procedural in the November 19 episode, “Spousal Privilege,” playing a couple in an abusive relationship.

Coleman will play a former sports-star-turned-reporter accused of assaulting his girlfriend (Good). Despite photographic evidence of the abuse, the case becomes complicated when the couple tries to keep the charges under the radar.

“Domestic violence, with a push from [star] Mariska Hargitay‘s No More campaign, has recently sparked a long-needed national dialogue,” said executive producer Warren Leight. ” ‘Spousal Privilege’ explores the personal and legal complexities of this intractable problem. We are thrilled that Chad and Meagan are joining us to take on this challenging episode.”

It’s a return to NBC for Good, who starred in the short-lived series Deception.