Benjamin Bratt Starring in Amazon MGM Studios’ Action Comedy “Balls Up”

Posted on July 18, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Benjamin Bratt is having a ball…

The 60-year-old half-Peruvian American Emmy-nominated actor has joined the cast of Balls Up, Amazon MGM Studios’ upcoming action comedy from director Peter Farrelly and Skydance.

He joins previously announced cast members Mark Wahlberg, Paul Walter Hauser, Molly Shannon and Eva De Dominici.

Balls Up follows two American marketing executives who are fired for blowing a client sponsorship opportunity and decide to use their free tickets to a major soccer match. Their drunken debauchery leads them to be hunted by every person across the country.

Details surrounding Bratt’s role are under wraps.

Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese wrote the script.

Previously seen in films like Piñero, Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic, Miss Congeniality and Curtis Hanson’s The River Wild opposite Meryl Streep, Bratt has most recently appeared in Netflix’s Mother of the Bride, as well as the hit Peacock series Poker Face and Apple TV+’s Loot on and respectively.

He’ll next appear alongside Julianna Margulies, Minnie Driver, Brian d’Arcy James and Patrick Wilson in Edward Burns’ film Millers in Marriage.

Apple TV+ Renews Michaela Jaé Rodriguez’s “Loot” for Third Season

Posted on July 16, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez has more loot in her future…

Apple has renewed Loot, starring the 33-year-old half-Puerto Rican Golden Globe-winning actress and lead/executive producer Maya Rudolph, for a third season.

The cast was reportedly informed about the renewal about a month ago.

Season 3 will pick up after the Season 2 finale that saw Molly Wells (Rudolph) and her trusted and unhinged assistant Nicholas (Joel Kim Booster) board Molly’s private jet following her awkward exchange with her will-they, won’t-they colleague Arthur (Nat Faxon). Where will the PJ land? Season 3 will continue to follow the antics of the beloved group of misfits at The Wells Foundation.

In addition to Rudolph, Rordriguez, Booster and Faxon, the ensemble cast also includes

“We are thrilled to come back for a third season! We’re extremely fortunate to spend more time with our talented cast and crew,” said Rudolph and executive producer Danielle Renfrew Behrens of Banana Split. “Making this show with Apple TV+ has been a joy, and we can’t wait to reunite with our Loot family.”

Season 2 kicked off a year after Molly Wells (Rudolph) settles her very public divorce from tech billionaire John Novak (Adam Scott), and we find her thriving in her role as the head of her philanthropic organization, the Wells Foundation. Focused mainly on her charity work, Molly has sworn off any new relationships with men and embarks on a wellness journey. Fabulously single but not particularly independent, Molly keeps her trusty assistant Nicholas (Booster) by her side. He diligently caters to her every whim … and occasionally feeds her a kale smoothie spiked with gin.

Sofia Salinas (Rodriguez), the no-nonsense executive director of the Wells Foundation, continues to run things with compassionate efficiency, but her all-business ethos is thrown for a loop when she meets Molly’s charismatic architect friend Isaac (O-T Fagbenle). The bromance between Howard (Funches) and Nicholas also continues to flourish as they support each other in their endeavors both inside and outside the workplace. Meanwhile, Arthur (Faxon) has moved past his feelings for Molly and has adopted a new devil-may-care attitude on life, a change encapsulated by a very lame leather bracelet. The Wells Foundation team, including Rhonda (Meagen Fay) and Ainsley (Stephanie Styles), must pull together as co-workers and friends as Molly strives to publicly live up to her promise of giving away all of her vast fortune. Guest stars included Benjamin Bratt and Ana Gasteyer, among others.

“With each season, Loot continues to deliver joy, laughs and endearing characters for audiences around the world,” said Matt Cherniss, head of programming for Apple TV+. “We are excited to partner with Maya Rudolph, and the entire cast and creative team behind Loot, to create even more heartfelt moments with an ensemble of fan favorite characters in season three.”

Loot is created, written and executive produced by Yang and Hubbard. Rudolph serves as executive producer for Banana Split, along with her producing partner Renfrew Behrens, Dave Becky of 3 Arts and Natasha Lyonne.

Loot is produced for Apple by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Luis Gerardo Méndez to Star in the Hollywood-Set Vanity Thriller “Skincare”

Posted on June 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Gerardo Méndez is practicing his Skincare lines…

The 41-year-old Mexican actor and producer will star in Skincare, a vanity thriller set in Hollywood.

Mendez joins a cast that includes Elizabeth Banks, Lewis Pullman, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez and Nathan Fillion.

The new film haild from Andrea Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment and producers Jonathan Schwartz and Logan Lerman.

Directed by Austin Peters, specifics as to its plot of Skincare are being kept under wraps.

Peters wrote the script with Deering Regan and Sam Freilich.

“We are delighted to announce another international production involving such world-class actresses and actors,” said ILBE CEO Iervolino. “Skincare is a film with a strong visual impact that, because of the cast and the workers it involves, has enormous potential. It is a film that we at ILBE believe in very much.”

Said Schwartz and Lerman, “We are super excited to see Elizabeth Banks take on this type of role, and ecstatic to be working with Austin Peters. We are grateful to Andrea Iervolino and ILBE for their support.”

Added ILBE’s Head of Production, Richard Salvatore, “It was impossible for this great project not to turn out phenomenally well since we had an awesome creative team and the cast was incredible.”

Known for his work on series like Paramount+’s The Envoys and Peacock’s The Resort, Méndez’s film credits include Me Time, Charlie’s Angels and Murder Mystery, to name just a few.

A Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee best known for her work on the groundbreaking FX series Pose, Rodriguez currently stars opposite Maya Rudolph in the Apple comedy series Loot, which has been renewed for a second season. She voices the robot Nightbird in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and has also featured in films like tick, tick… BOOM! and Saturday Church.

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez to Star in 12th Season of Ryan Murphy’s “American Horror Story”

Posted on April 28, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez has a new story in the works…

The 32-year-old half-Puerto Rican Golden Globe-winning actress will reunite with Pose co-creator Ryan Murphy on the 12th season of FX’s American Horror Story.

Rodriguez joins already cast Kim Kardashian, Emma Roberts and Cara Delevingne in what’s being dubbed thematically as ‘delicate.’

The latest season of Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s American Horror Story is based on the Danielle Valentine thriller novel, Delicate Condition, due out in August.

Season 12 is being adapted and showrun by Halley Feiffer.

It’s the first time that the anthology series drew inspiration from a novel.

The season reportedly follows a woman who becomes convinced that a sinister figure is going to great lengths to make sure her pregnancy never happens. Season 12 is also being billed as a feminist update of Rosemary’s Baby. Rodriguez’s role is being kept under wraps.

Rodriguez played Blanca Rodriguez-Evangelista on Murphy’s award-winning series Pose, and became the first trans actress to be Emmy nominated in a lead acting category, and the very first trans individual to win a Golden Globe (in Best Actress TV Drama). Rodriguez was also nominated in the Lead Actress category at the Primetime Emmys for Pose in 2021

Rodriguez is currently filming the second season of Apple’s Loot, and will next appear in Paramount’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts voicing the character of “Nightbird”, that film is due out on June 9. She is also set to produce and star in the upcoming indie drama Mudfire, being produced by Randy Jackson.

E.L. Losada to Appear on Netflix’s Upcoming Shondaland Mystery Series “The Residence”

Posted on March 11, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

E.L. Losada has found his residence…

The 39-year-old Cuban American actor will appear on Netflix’s upcoming Shondaland mystery series The Residence.

Losada, who has starred in Loot and Los Frikis, will appear in a recurring role.

Losada joins series lead Uzo Aduba in the series along with cast members: Andre Braugher, Edwina Findley, Molly Griggs, Jason Lee, Ken Marino, Al Mitchell, Dan Perrault, Bronson Pinchot, Susan Kelechi Watson, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Mary Wiseman, and Randall Park.

The official logline for the show states, “132 rooms. 157 suspects. One dead body. One wildly eccentric detective (Aduba). One disastrous State Dinner. The Residence is a screwball whodunnit set in the upstairs, downstairs, and backstairs of the White House, among the eclectic staff of the world’s most famous mansion.”

Losada will play energy healer St. Pierre.

Paul William Davies is the showrunner and executive producer on The Residence. Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers executive produce on behalf of Shondaland via the company’s Netflix overall deal.

Liza Johnson will direct the first four episodes.

Sierra Teller Ornelas Developing Comedy Series “Amigos” for NBC with Marcos Luevanos

Posted on December 11, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Sierra Teller Ornelas is in the friend(s) zone…

The part-Mexican American showrunner, screenwriter and filmmaker and Marcos Luevanos are developing the half-hour comedy Amigos for NBC.

Teller Ornelas and Luevanos will draw inspiration from their own lifelong friendship for the Universal Television-produced project.

Amigos is about a group of six Latine friends living in Los Angeles who lean and rag on each other as they find love, grow up and figure out what success means in 2022.

Ornelas and Luevanos will write and executive produce alongside Morgan Sackett.

Most recently, Ornelas was showrunner of the Peacock comedy series Rutherford Falls, which she co-created with Mike Schur and Ed Helms.

Previously, she was a co-executive producer on Loot for Apple TV+ and NBC’s Superstore where she worked for three seasons. She has previously written for Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Splitting Up Together, and Happy Endings.

Luevanos is currently a co-executive producer on the new NBC multicam Lopez vs. Lopez starring George Lopez and his daughter Mayan Lopez.

Previously, Luevanos spent three seasons on the Hulu/Disney+ series Love, Victor produced by Aptaker & Berger and worked on Gloria Calderon Kellett’s With Love, Rutherford Falls, Charmed, and Life In Pieces.

He also currently has a project in the works at 20th Television with Steven Canals executive producing.

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez Joins Cast of Paramount’s “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts”

Posted on December 2, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez is ready for a transformation…

The 31-year-old half-Puerto Rican Golden Globe-winning actress has joined the cast of Paramount’s upcoming Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

Rodriguez, who portrays Nightbird, is among a list of new cast additions that includes Peter Dinklage (as the voice of Scourge), Liza Koshy (as the voice of Arcee), John DiMaggio (as the voice of Stratosphere), David Sobolov (as Rhinox/Battletrap), Cristo Fernández (as Wheeljack) and Tobe Nwigwe (as Reek).

They all join previously announced cast members Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Michelle Yeoh (as Airazor), Pete Davidson (as Mirage), Peter Cullen (as Optimus Prime) and Ron Perlman (Optimus Primal) in the Steven Caple Jr. directed next installment of the franchise.

The film will hit theaters on June 9, 2023.

The screenplay is by Joby Harold, Darnell Metayer & Josh Peters, and Erich Hoeber & Jon Hoeber, with story by Harold.

The new movie will take audiences on a ‘90s globetrotting adventure with the Autobots and introduce a whole new breed of Transformer – the Maximals – to the existing battle on earth between Autobots and Decepticons.

Hasbro is executive producing; Skydance is co-financing and executive producing; New Republic Pictures is also co-financing and executive producing.

Rodriguez has starred on Pose, Loot, Luke Cage, Nurse Jackie and in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s feature tick, tick…Boom!

Fernandez stars as Dani Rojas on Ted Lasso, in the movie Creatures and the $1.9 billion grossing movie, Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Doreen Calderon to Star in Paramount+’s Series “Fatal Attraction”

Posted on August 23, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Doreen Calderon has attracted a new role…

The Latina actress has joined the cast of Fatal Attraction, the upcoming Paramount+ series that reimagines the classic 1980s psychosexual thriller film.

Calderon will portray Maureen Walker, Dan’s (Joshua Jackson) longtime assistant who worked for his father before him. She knows how he thinks and keeps in perfect stride, but also has enough cred to tease her boss once in a while.

Written by Alexandra Cunningham from a story she co-wrote with Kevin J. Hynes, the Paramount Television Studios and Amblin Television series explores the timeless themes of marriage and infidelity through the lens of modern attitudes towards strong women, personality disorders, and coercive control.

Lizzy Caplan, Amanda Peet, Wanda De Jesus, Alyssa Jirrels, Toby Huss, Reno Wilson and Brian Goodman also star.

Calderon’s most recent credits include appearances in Apple’s Loot, Fox’s Call Me Kat, the CW’s Riverdale and NBC’s This Is Us.

Her upcoming new releases include Welcome to Chippendales for 20th Television and HBO Max’s White House Plumbers.

Her film credits include Oscar nominee Please Hold and Art Camacho’s Final Payback. She’ll next be seen in Curse of the Clown Motel with Tobin Bell.

Michaela Jaé (Mj) Rodriguez Signs with United Talent Agency (UTA)

Posted on August 18, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Michaela Jaé (Mj) Rodriguez has new representation…

The 30-year-old half-Afro-Puerto Rican actress has signed with United Talent Agency (UTA).

Rodriguez, who was with Gersh, recently made history as the first transgender actress to be nominated for an Emmy in any lead acting category for her role as house mother Blanca in the FX drama from Steven Canals and Ryan Murphy.

UTA will represent Rodriguez in all areas as she continues to grow her career in film, television, theater and music, among other mediums.

With Pose having wrapped its run earlier this year after three seasons, Rodriguez will next star opposite Maya Rudolph in Apple‘s comedy series Loot.

Her previous television credits include roles in Showtime‘s Nurse Jackie and Marvel‘s Netflix drama Luke Cage.

On the big screen, Rodriguez will next star in Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s feature adaptation of Jonathan Larson‘s Tick, Tick … Boom! She previously earned praise for her role in Saturday Church, which debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival.

UTA will also help support Rodriguez as she expands her burgeoning music career. Rodriguez recently released a music video to accompany her debut single, “Something to Say,” the equality anthem she wrote with Verdine White of Earth, Wind and Fire, Neal Pogue and John Paris.

On stage, Rodriguez made her off-Broadway debut in the New World Stages production of Larson’s beloved Rent, playing the role of Angel. Her stage credits include the Encores! production of Runaways and portraying the lead role of Audrey in the Pasadena Playhouse’s production of Little Shop of Horrors.

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