Berto Colon Upped to Series Regular on Starz’s “Power Book II: Ghost”

Posted on June 21, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

There’s more power in Berto Colon’s future…

The 48-year-old Puerto Rican actor has been upped as a series regular for the sophomore season of Starz’s flagship drama series Power Book II: Ghost.

He will continue on the show as Lorenzo Tejada.

Colon’s Lorenzo Tejada — The patriarch of the Tejada organization, Lorenzo has been calling the shots for the drug organization — even from inside. But as Monet continues to flex her independence — and a desire to protect her kids from the game– Lorenzo’s need to control brings them into conflict. Lorenzo becomes intrigued by some secrets Monet has been keeping from him– and a conflict grows that threatens to split the Tejada family in two.

Power Book II: Ghost’s first season picks up shortly after the events of Power as Tariq St. Patrick grapples with a new world order: his father dead and his mother, Tasha, facing charges for the murder her son committed. With no better options, Tariq turns to the familiar drug game, entangling himself with a cutthroat family headed by Monet Stewart Tejada, that’s been at it far longer than him. As Tariq tries to balance his drug operation with his grades, love life, and family, he figures out that the only way to avoid the same fate his father met is to become him — only better.

The Power Universe series are executive produced by Power creator and showrunner Courtney A. Kemp through her production company End of Episode and through her overall deal with Lionsgate Television, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson through G-Unit Film and Television, and Mark Canton through Atmosphere Entertainment MM.

Lionsgate Television produces the series for Starz.

Camila Perez to Star Opposite Eugenio Derbez in Apple TV+’s Bilingual Comedy Series “Acapulco”

Posted on March 31, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Camila Perez is headed south of the border…

The Colombian actress will star opposite Eugenio Derbez in Acapulco, Apple TV+’s bilingual comedy series inspired by 3Pas Studios and Pantelion Films’ 2017 Derbez starrer How to Be a Latin Lover.

Perez joins a list of cast newcomers that includes Enrique Arrizon, Damian Alcázar and Raphael Alejandro.

Richard Shepard will direct the pilot episode for Lionsgate Television.

Created by Austin Winsberg, Eduardo Cisneros and Jason Shuman, Acapulco is a half-hour Spanish- and English-language comedy that centers on Maximo (Arrizon), a young Mexican man whose dream comes true when he gets the job of a lifetime at the hottest resort in Acapulco. But soon he realizes that the gig is far more complicated than he ever imagined as all of his beliefs and morals start to be questioned.

The series takes place in 1984, with Derbez narrating and playing the present-day version of the main character.

Also reprising his role from the movie is Alejandro, who plays Hugo, Older Maximo’s nephew.

Alcázar joins the cast as Don Pablo, the head of operations at the Acapulco resort. Perez will play Julia, the resort’s front desk receptionist.

Perez’s credits include Gotham and A Teacher.

Arrizon’s credits also include An Unknown Enemy.

Alcázar has been seen in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and The Perfect Dictatorship.

Alejandro starred on Once Upon A Time.

Enrique Murciano to Star in Starz’s Reimagined “Step Up” Series

Posted on February 23, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Enrique Murciano is steppin’ up…

The 47-year-old Cuban American actor has been cast in the new installment of Starz’s re-imagined Step Up series.

Murciano will serve as a series regular on the series, joining Christina Milian and Ne-Yo.

The series hails from creator and executive producer Holly Sorensen, Starz and Lionsgate Television. Starz will air the first two seasons of the series beginning on Friday, March 5 across all platforms.

Inspired by the Step Up Lionsgate film franchise that grossed over $600 million at the worldwide box office, the original series centers on Sage Odom (Ne-Yo) as the legendary founder of Atlanta’s famed High Water Performing Art School. Collette (Milian is the Queen of High Water and Sage Odom’s partner in art, business, and love. Collette built and nurtured Sage’s visionary academy from the ground up. Grinding her way to the top with grit and resourcefulness, Collette earned a new role, manager of Sage Odom and his tour, all this while hiding a dark secret. As this secret comes crashing down on Sage, High Water, and the tour, Collette is tempted by an opportunity to step out of her role as the woman behind the man, to become the powerful woman in front of the man.

Murciano plays “Cruz,” a man hoping to carve his face into the Mount Rushmore of high profile, celebrity lawyers and who will do whatever it takes to claw his way to the primetime status of Cochran, Dershowitz, and Geragos, finally joining the pantheon of litigation gods. The case that will get him there, Sage Odom’s murder accusation. As Cruz fights through the intrigue and conspiracy to save Sage’s life and career, he can’t help but think to the future, imagining himself sauntering down a red carpet like an urban cowboy in his sharply tailored Dries Van Noten.

Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan, who both co-starred in the original Step Up film, will executive produce through Free Association production company and Everheart Productions, Inc., respectively..

The series is inspired by the Lionsgate franchise spanning five films: Step Up, Step Up 2: The Streets, Step Up: 3D, Step Up: Revolution and Step Up: All In. The film series also inspired the live music and dance show Step Up Dubai, All In! at Motiongate Dubai theme park.

The new Step Up series will air on Starz in the U.S. and Canada and on its international streaming platform Starzplay across Europe, Latin America and Japan.

Murciano’s previous credits include Tell Me Your Secrets, Bloodline and Without a Trace.

Taylor Zakhar Perez Signs with WME & Anonymous Content

Posted on February 10, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Taylor Zakhar Perez is ready to take his career to the next level…

The young Latino actor has signed with WME and Anonymous Content.

Perez is coming off of a breakout role on the Vince Marcello-helmed hit Netflix franchise The Kissing Booth.

Based on the YA novel by Beth Reekles, the teen rom-com follows the romantic adventures of Elle, played by Joey King, her bad-boy boyfriend Noah (Jacob Elordi), and her best friend Lee (Joel Courtney). Perez first appeared in last year’s Kissing Booth 2, in the role of Marco, a handsome, charismatic new classmate who complicates Elle’s love journey.

Netflix reported that The Kissing Booth 2 was viewed by more than 65 million people in the first four weeks on the platform.

Perez is set to return for the third installment, which will debut this summer. It picks up where the second one left off. It’s the summer before Elle heads to college, and she has a secret decision to make. She has been accepted into Harvard, where boyfriend Noah is matriculating, and also Berkeley, where her BFF Lee (Noah’s brother) is headed. Which path should she choose?

Perez was also recently cast in the HBO Max comedy pilot Minx from Ellen Rapoport, Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment, and Lionsgate Television.

Christina Milian to Star in New Installment of Starz’s Drama Series “Step Up” in Role Originated by Naya Rivera

Posted on February 8, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Christina Milian is stepping in and stepping up…

The 39-year-old Cuban American Grammy-nominated singer and actress has been cast in the lead role originated by the late Naya Rivera in the new installment of Starz’s Step Up drama series.

Milian will portray Collette in the series, which hails from creator and executive producer Holly Sorensen, Starz and Lionsgate Television.

The series began filming in Atlanta this month. Starz will air the first two seasons of the series, which originally aired on YouTube with Rivera as Collette, beginning on Friday, March 5 across all platforms.

In addition to Milian, Ne-Yo returns in his co-starring role as Sage Odom, along with returning series regulars Faizon Love (Uncle Al), Jade Chynoweth (Odalie), Carlito Olivero (Davis), Terrence Green (Rigo), Eric Graise (King), and Kendra Oyesanya (Poppy) and previously announced Tricia Helfer (Erin) who joins the cast in a series regular role.

“I am so excited to join the Step Up family,” said Milian. “I know I have massive shoes to fill. Naya was incredible. I hope to honor Naya, her family, friends and fans with a great performance.”

Starz had announced a new season of Step Up a little over a month after Rivera lost her life in Lake Piru. She had gone missing on July 8, 2020, while swimming with her son at the Ventura County, CA lake. Her body was discovered five days later. She was 33.

The decision was made to recast her role along with the support of the cast, producers and Naya’s family, after careful consideration of several factors, including the highly serialized nature of the show and the fact that Naya’s character is so central to the storytelling, according to Starz.

“Naya’s death was a terrible loss to our world that we will, frankly, never stop mourning,” added creator and executive producer Sorensen. “It was almost impossible to consider there could be someone so graceful and loving who could both help us honor our loss, while also bringing a deep reservoir of talent to our show, in so many areas. Christina is an exceptional human and a dazzling performer and we are so happy she has joined our family.”

Inspired by the Step Up Lionsgate film franchise that grossed over $600 million at the worldwide box office, the original series centers on Sage Odom (Ne-Yo) as the legendary founder of Atlanta’s famed High Water Performing Art School. Collette is the Queen of High Water and Sage Odom’s partner in art, business, and love. Collette built and nurtured Sage’s visionary academy from the ground up. Grinding her way to the top with grit and resourcefulness, Collette earned a new role, manager of Sage Odom and his tour, all this while hiding a dark secret. As this secret comes crashing down on Sage, High Water, and the tour, Collette is tempted by an opportunity to step out of her role as the woman behind the man, to become the powerful woman in front of the man.

“There is no replacing Naya. Let’s get that straight. Her spirit lives on in our memories and every part of what this show is and will be,” said Ne-Yo. “Christina has big shoes to fill and she knows it, which speaks to her poise and respect as a person and an artist. I’m more than certain of her ability to bring an energy and light to this character that Naya’s fans as well as the rest of the world will love. We’ve welcomed Christina with absolute open arms and have rallied around her with love and support. I’m excited and can’t wait for the world to see this!”

The series is inspired by the Lionsgate franchise spanning five films: Step Up, Step Up 2: The Streets, Step Up: 3D, Step Up: Revolution and Step Up: All In. The film series also inspired the live music and dance show Step Up Dubai, All In! at Motiongate Dubai theme park.

The new Step Up series will air on Starz in the U.S. and Canada and on its international streaming platform Starzplay across Europe, Latin America and Japan.

Carlos Gomez to Appear on Season Two of Starz’s “Hightown”

Posted on December 19, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Gomez is coming to (high)town…

The 58-year-old Latino American actor has landed a recurring role on the second season of Starz’s crime drama series Hightown, starring Monica Raymund, from Jerry Bruckheimer and Lionsgate Television.

The second season picks up about six weeks after the events in the Season 1 finale, around Halloween, in Cape Cod’s desolate, cold but still achingly beautiful off-season. The tourists are gone, and all of our characters are in a different place compared to where they were at the beginning of season one. The weak are now powerful, and the powerful are now weak. But beyond that, there is darkness beneath the surface of all of our main characters, particularly Jackie and Ray. Both have shadow sides of their personality — holes in their souls that they try to fill with drugs, alcohol, women, ambition and work. There’s a new terror on The Cape, and it may be its greatest White Whale yet.

Gomez will play Rafael. Father of Jackie (Raymund), past his glory days but always looking for a good time. Charismatic and charming with a dark side, Rafael is a fisherman in New Bedford, MA. He has a strained and complicated relationship with his daughter.

Rebecca Cutter created the series and serves as executive producer with Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman and KristieAnne Reed.

Gomez’s previous television credits include The Baker and the Beauty, Chicago Med, Elementary and Madam Secretary.

Oscar Montoya to Star in HBO Max’s Comedy Pilot “Minx”

Posted on December 11, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Oscar Montoya is a real minx…

The Colombian actor has been cast as a series regular opposite Ophelia Lovibond in HBO Max’s comedy pilot Minx.

The pilot hails from writer Ellen Rapoport, Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment and Lionsgate Television.

Written by Rapoport and directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg, the half-hour Minx is set in 1970s Los Angeles and centers on Joyce (Lovibond), an earnest young feminist who dreams of producing a magazine by, for and about women and joins forces with a low-rent publisher to create the first erotic magazine for women.

Montoya will portray Richie, the magazine’s recently out-of-the-closet photographer.

Montoya’s previous credits include Bless the Harts, Tales from the Closet and CollegeHumor Originals.

Rafael Casal to Reprise His Role in Starz’s TV Adaptation of His Acclaimed Film “Blindspotting”

Posted on December 4, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Rafael Casal is ready for a repeat performance…

The 35-year-old part Spanish and Cuban American writer, performer and producer will reprise his role in Starz’s television adaptation of Blindspotting, the 2018 feature film from Casal and Daveed Diggs.

The series, a spinoff of the film written and produced by Casal and Diggs, is being turned into a half-hour dramedy. Jasmine Cephas Jones, who starred in the Lionsgate film, will reprise her role and also will serve as a producer. Casal serves as showrunner.

The series centers on Ashley (Cephas Jones), who was nipping at the heels of a middle-class life in Oakland until Miles (Casal), her partner of 12 years and father of their son, suddenly is incarcerated, leaving her to navigate a chaotic and humorous existential crisis when she’s forced to move in with Miles’ mother and half-sister.

Benjamin Earl Turner, Atticus Woodward, Jaylen Barron and Candace Nicholas-Lippman will also join the cast of the eight-part series. Casal will appear on a recurring basis, while Justin Chu Cary, who starred in the film, will play Rob.

Produced by Lionsgate Television, the series will start production in Oakland and Los Angeles.

“Diggs and I are thrilled to continue our partnership with Lionsgate by expanding the Blindspotting world as a series on Starz,” Casal said. “This story, the incredible cast and the production are a dream. We are making the kind of show we have long hoped to see on television, centered around just some of the amazing kinds of characters the Bay Area has to offer.”

Added Diggs: “Figuring out a way to bring The Bay to life in a half-hour comedy space has been so rewarding. Ultimately, this is a story about how a broken prison system affects all of us and, like the film, we’re using comedy to talk about very real systemic effects in the country with the largest prison population in the world.”

AppleTV+ GIves Series Order to Eugenio Derbez-Starrer “Acapulco,” Inspired By His “How to Be A Latin Lover” Film

Posted on December 1, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Eugenio Derbez has found the Apple(TV) of his eye…

AppleTV+ has given a series order to Acapulco, a Spanish and English-language half-hour comedy executive produced and starring the 59-year-old Mexican actor, comedian and filmmaker.

The project is inspired by Derbez’s hit 2017 feature comedy How to Be A Latin Lover.

Acapulco hails from Lionsgate Television, studio-based The Tannenbaum Company, as well as Derbez and Benjamin Odell’s 3Pas Studios.

Created by Austin Winsberg, Eduardo Cisneros and Jason Shuman, Acapulcocenters on a young Mexican man, who’s dream comes true when he gets the job of a lifetime at the hottest resort in Acapulco. But he soon realizes the job is far more complicated than he ever imagined as all of his beliefs and morals start to be questioned. The show takes place in 1984 with Derbez narrating and playing the present-day version of the main character.

InHow to Be a Latin Lover,produced by 3Pas Studios and distributed by Pantelion Films, Lionsgate’s venture with Televisa, an out-of-shape former gigolo (Derbez) is left to fend for himself after the rich older woman he’d married 25 years ago dumps him for a younger man.

Gaz Alazraki will direct and executive produce the pilot.

Derbez’s feature film Instructions Not Included, which he directed, co-wrote and starred in, became the most successful Spanish language film in the U.S. and worldwide, grossing more than $100 million worldwide. Cisneros served as an associate producer on the movie.

Luis Guzmán to Appear on Season 2 of Starz’s Crime Drama Series “Hightown”

Posted on November 21, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Guzmán is coming to (High)town…

The 64-year-old Puerto Rican actor has been cast for a season-long arc on the second season of Starz’s crime drama series Hightown, starring Monica Raymund, from Jerry Bruckheimer and Lionsgate Television.

Production is currently underway on the 10-episode second season of the series created by Rebecca Cutter, who will make her television directorial debut this season. Oscar–nominated filmmaker Rachel Morrison will return to direct two episodes. Raymund, Dawn Wilkinson, Radium Cheung and Eagle Egilsson are also tapped to direct this season.

Guzmán will play Jorge Cuevas, Frankie’s (Amaury Nolasco) cousin. A charming and hilarious yet dangerous sociopath. Also joining the recurring cast are Jona Xiao as Daisy, a stripper at Xavier’s. Bubbly and working class with a hard edge. She’s got swag and can handle herself. Charline St. Charles as Henriette, first generation Haitian-American, wife of Sgt. Saintille (Dohn Norwood) and Dominic L. Santana as Chuleta, Jorge (Guzman) & Frankie’s (Nolasco) muscle.

They join returning cast members Raymund, James Badge Dale, Riley Voelkel, Nolasco, Atkins Estimond and Dohn Norwood. Tonya Glanz also returns in a heavily recurring role as Leslie Babcock, Jackie’s (Raymund) partner in the Narcotics Unit.

“I’m so in love with this cast and the way they brought my vision to life in Season One,” said Cutter, who recently entered an overall deal with Lionsgate Television. “Now I feel inspired to create in a whole new way, through directing. I will be learning from some of the best in the business – Rachel Morrison and Monica Raymund — and I can’t wait to showcase Cape Cod in a new light as we focus on the off-season. We are thrilled to be back in production and bringing you the next chapter in this story.”

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