Michel Duval to Star in the Syfy Drama Pilot “Deadly Class”

Michel Duval is a class act…

The 23-year-old Mexican actor and singer/songwriter has been cast in Syfy’s drama pilot Deadly Class, based on the graphic novel of the same name by Rick Remender and Wes Craig.

 Michel Duval

Co-created by Remender and Miles Feldsott, the pilot  follows a disillusioned teen recruited into a storied high school for assassins. Maintaining his moral code while surviving a ruthless curriculum, vicious social cliques, and his own adolescent uncertainties may prove fatal. Set against the backdrop of late 80s counter culture, Deadly Class is described as a coming of age journey unlike anything you’ve ever seen.

Duval will play Chico, scary, muscular, son of a cartel drug lord. Everyone knows not to mess with Chico. The only one who can hurt him is his girlfriend.

Meanwhile, Maria Gabriela de Faria will portray Maria. One minute Maria’s an extrovert and an exhibitionist, a tornado of ever changing emotions—fierce, charming, beautiful and oozing femininity — the next she’s murderous, feral, and crippled by rage. At the School for the Deadly Arts her instability is treated like a super power.

Other cast members include Luke Tennie, Liam James, Henry Rollins, Taylor Hickson, Siobhan Williams, Jack Gillett, Sean Depner and Ryan Robbins.

Duval is a series regular in Señora Acero now in its fourth season and guest stars in Queen of the South.

de Faria most recently starred in the Latin American hit series Yo Soy Franky and will soon be seen in the starring role of Zaita in season two of period drama Sitiados.

Deadly Class is produced by Universal Cable Productions and Sony Pictures Television.

XLrator Media Acquires U.S. Rights to Vargas’ “Crossing Point”

Jacob Vargas’ latest project is crossing into the United States…

XLrator Media has acquired the U.S. rights to Crossing Point, the film starring the 44-year-old Mexican actor.

Jacob Vargas

Along with Vargas, the action-thriller stars Rudy Youngblood (Apocalypto), Luke Goss (the Death Race series, Blade II), Tom Sizemore (Saving Private Ryan), Paulina Gaitan (Sin Nombre, Netflix’s Narcos), María Gabriela de Faría (Nickelodeon’s Isa TKM) and newcomer Shawn Lock.

It’s directed by Daniel Zirilli from a script by Paul Dominic and Lock.

Compound B, the genre division of Bleiberg Entertainment, is representing the sales rights to the film and will be introducing Crossing Point to international buyers at the American Film Market 2015.

XLrator Media will release the film in 2016 through its Turbo action label.

de Faría to Make Feature Film Debut in “El Paseo 2”

She’s already experienced international acclaim on television… And now María Gabriela de Faría is setting her sights on the big screen.

The 19-year-old Venezuelan actress/singer will portray John Leguizamo and Karen Martinez’s rebellious daughter in the Spanish-language comedy film El Paseo 2, which just finished filming in Colombia.

María Gabriela de Faría

“I always loved acting,” says de Faría, who became famous as Isabela “Isa” Pasquali on hit Nickelodeon Spanish-language series Isa TKM.  “It’s really interesting work because you have to understand everything about human nature, both in its bright side and its dark side.”

de Faría—who was recently nominated for a Kid’s Choice Awards (Mexico) award for Favorite Villain for playing the evil witch Mia in the popular Nickelodeon teen series Grachi—couldn’t be more excited about her big screen debut.

“I never did movies, and this has been a wonderful chance with two great actors. I’m so excited!” said the Caracas native who began her career at the age of 5 in television commercials and telenovelas like Ser Bonita No Basta and the children’s series Tukiti, Creci de Una.

But de Faría isn’t solely concentrating on acting… She’s hoping to continue recording and performing music, especially with the success of her Isa TKM-related sold-out live tour and two #1 albums.

“Right now I’m working on my album, but I can’t say much about it yet in the way of details. I can only say that my disc will be very youthful and very much like me,” said de Faría, who admits to being a huge Pink and Beyonce fan.

No word yet on when El Paseo 2 will hit theaters.