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.
Benny “The Jet” Urquidez’s life story is getting the Hollywood treatment.
Keanu Reeves is partnering with Academy Award winner Fisher Stevens to co-produce a documentary on the life story of the 71-year-old half Spanish/Mexican American former professional kickboxer, martial arts choreographer and actor, an iconic athlete who introduced mixed martial arts to the world.
Titled The Jet, the film is currently in production under the direction of Emmy-nominated sports documentary editor turned filmmaker Jennifer Tiexiera.
The film’s financiers are Chris Quintos Cathcart and Tyler Boehm of the newly formed Unapologetic Projects, a company dedicated to working with underrepresented creators.
Maura Anderson and Zak Kilberg of Stevens’ recently launched production company Highly Flammable will also serve as producers along with John Scalise and his FAYA Project.
Nancy Weisler, Brian Maya and Chris Quintos Cathcart & Tyler Boehm of Unapologetic serve as executive producers on the project slated for release in 2025.
Nicknamed for his explosive spinning back kick, Sensei Benny “The Jet” Urquidez had a profound impact on martial arts in mainstream culture, as an actor, fight coordinator, and trainer to the stars.
Known for his exceptional skills in kickboxing and karate, he held six world titles in five weight divisions and remained undefeated over the course of his 20+ year kickboxing career.
In addition to his competitive achievements, Urquidez is renowned for his contributions to martial arts cinema, having appeared in numerous action films during the 1980s and 1990s.
Notable film credits include The Octagon, Road House and Grosse Pointe Blank. Over the years, he also trained and worked with the likes of Jackie Chan, Muhammed Ali, Elvis Presley, Mark Wahlberg, Nicole Kidman, Kurt Russell, Patrick Swayze, Nicolas Cage, Michelle Pfeiffer, Duff McKagan and many others.
“Benny’s fighting career was born out of his struggles with identity, poverty, and race, but he didn’t let those things define him,” Tiexiera said. “The result is a story about how struggle and sacrifice evolved into one about love, spirituality and deeper meaning.”
Stated Reeves, “Benny is a true mentor, and has had such a profound yet underappreciated impact on both cinema and martial arts. I’m very excited to help share his story with the world.”
The 38-year-old half-Peruvian American actress will star as the female lead in Play Dirty, Shane Black’s crime thriller for Amazon MGM Studios.
Salazar will star opposite Mark Wahlberg and LaKeith Stanfield in the project.
Details about her role are being kept under wraps.
In Play Dirty, Wahlberg plays professional thief Parker, who after being double-crossed and left for dead, sees his hunt for revenge bring with it a shot at the biggest heist of his career. But even with the help of his partner, actor-slash-con artist Grofield (Stanfield), he’ll still need to outsmart a South American dictator, the New York mob and the world’s richest man if he hopes to stay alive.
Based on Donald E. Westlake’s Parker crime fiction novels, written under the pseudonym Richard Stark, the film is the first project in a forthcoming Amazon MGM slate based on Westlake’s work, following a pact between the studio and Team Downey in 2022, which will also see titles adapted for television.
Black is directing from his script written with Charles Mondry and Anthony Bagarozzi.
Best known for starring in Robert Rodriguez’s Alita: Battle Angel, as well as Undone, an acclaimed rotoscoped series from Amazon, which she also produced, Salazar will next be seen in Captain America: Brave New World, which is due for release in theaters on February 14, 2025.
Previously, she has also been seen in Amazon MGM’s true-life astronaut drama A Million Miles Away, Netflix’s The Kindergarten Teacher, 20th’s Maze Runnerfranchise, and A24’s Oscar-nominated animated feature Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.
The actress co-produced and starred in Brand New Cherry Flavor for Netflix and will additionally be seen coming up in horror comedy Vampires of the Velvet Lounge.
United Talent Agency (UTA) has signed the 40-year-old Mexican actor and producer, one of Mexico’s biggest stars, for representation in all areas.
Méndez is an actor, writer and producer best known for exec producing and starring in Netflix’s first Spanish-language original comedy series, Club de Cuervos.
He most recently appeared in the third season of Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico, as well as inLos Enviados for Paramount+, where he’s currently under a first-look producing deal for Spanish-language projects.
Méndez will next be seen in a starring role in the Netflix limited series, Belascoaran, and in Netflix’s Me Time, with Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg, which is slated to premiere later this year.
He will soon begin filming the Peacock limited series,The Resort, which was written and will be directed by Andy Siara.
The actor made his entrance into the U.S. feature marketplace opposite Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston in the Netflix original film Murder Mystery, which was the streamer’s most-watched original feature at the time of its release.
He was also previously seen in Sony’s Charlie’s Angelsopposite Kristen Stewart, and executive produced and starred inHalf Brothers for Universal and Focus Features, with that project marking his first English-speaking starring role.
In Mexico, he has starred in several successful features, including Cantinflas and Nosotros Los Nobles, the latter of which is the second most successful film of all time at the Mexican box office.
In addition to his television and feature roles, the actor has also appeared in the Mexico City stage play Privacidad, which he produced alongside Diego Luna, and starred in several international campaigns for global companies such as Verizon, Pepsi and Toyota.
The 42-year-old half-Peruvian American comedian, actor and podcaster has signed with WME (William Morris Endeavor) for representation in all areas.
Segura is best known for his Netflix specials Ball Hog, Disgraceful, Mostly Storiesand Completely Normal.
While he’d planned to unveil an additional Spanish-language special on Netflix last fall, its release has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Segura previously released the hour-long stand-up albums White Girls With Cornrowsand Thrilledin 2012 and 2010, respectively.
He’ll kick off his latest world tour, I’m Coming Everywhere on December 31, with two shows at the Hawaii Theater Center in Honolulu, and will continue touring throughout 2022.
Segura’s film credits include Paramount Pictures’ comedy Instant Family, in which he starred opposite Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne, comedian Steve Byrne’s The Opening Act, Justin Dec’s horror-thriller Countdownand Cameron Van Hoy’s crime drama Flinch.
He’s appeared on the television side in The Cabin with Bert Kreischer, Workaholics, Happy Endingsand more.
Segura also has his own podcast network, Your Mom’s House Studios, which he runs with his wife, comedian Christina Pazsitzky. It’s home to the hit podcasts Your Mom’s House, which he co-hosts with Pazsitzky, and 2 Bears 1 Cave, which he co-hosts with Bert Kreischer, among others. Notably, YMH Studios was one of the first networks to create successful livestream podcast events as a creative outlet amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted the stand-up scene to varying degrees over the last 20 or so months.
Luis Gerardo Méndez is ready for a little me time…
The 39-year-old Mexican actor and producer has joined the cast of the Netflix comedy Me Time starring Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg.
Jimmy O. Yang and Regina Hall are also on board.
John Hamburg will write and direct the film, with Hamburg also producing through his Particular Pictures along with Hart and Bryan Smiley for HartBeat Productions. Hart first announced the casting on his social media.
The film follows a stay-at-home dad (Hart) who finds himself with some “me time” for the first time in years while his wife and kids are away. He reconnects with his former best friend (Wahlberg) for a wild weekend that nearly upends his life.
Méndez recently executive produced and starred in the comedy Half Brothers, which was released theatrically on December 4, 2020. He will be seen next in season 3 of Netflix’s Narcos: Mexicoand in Los Enviados, the first series to be co-produced with Academy Award-winning director and screenwriter, Juan José Campanella, and his production company 100 Bares.
The Afro-Latino actor has signed with Untitled Entertainment for management.
Antonio is currently filming the first season of BET+’s upcoming series Sacrifice, adapted from the 2019 BET+ film in which he starred. Antonio reprises his role of Dom Mayfield, opposite Paula Patton, in the series.
On the film side, Antonio most recently appeared in Good Joe Bell, starring Mark Wahlberg and Connie Britton. He also recently recurred as Marcus on Freeform’sGood Troubleand played Phillip on the third season of Fox’sEmpire.
In addition to the film and TV projects he has in the works, Antonio’s upcoming focus will be in the production arena. His Umbrella Z production company is currently creating and pitching content, as well as continuing to curate original music for special projects, including for the BET+ series Sacrifice.
The 19-year-old Peruvian American actress/singer, who starred in Dora and the Lost City of Gold, will star opposite Andy Garcia and Gloria Estefan in Warner Bros.‘ remake ofFather of the Bride.
Gaz Alazraki, who helmed Club de Cuervos, is directing the feature, which goes before cameras in May.
Like previous iterations of Bride, which includes a Spencer Tracy-fronted 1950 movie and the Steve Martin-starring 1991 feature, the latest remake will center on the father of a soon-to-be bride coming to terms with his daughter’s nuptials.
The latest take, however, will be told through the relationships in a big, sprawling Cuban American family.
Merced will play the sister of the bride, who is being played by Adria Arjona. Garcia is the father.
Matt Lopez wrote the script for the update.
In addition to starring in Dora, in which she toplined as the globe-trotting adventuress, Merced co-starred with Mark Wahlberg in Instant Family, was part of the ensemble for Netflix’s Let It Snow, and appeared with Benicio Del Toro in Sicario: Day of the Soldado.
She next voice-stars in DreamWorks Animation’s Spirit Untamedand will be protected by Jason Momoa in action-thriller Sweet Girl. Both are due to be released this summer.
Randy Arozarena’s life story is headed to the big screen…
The 25-year-old Cuban professional baseball outfielder and Tampa Bay Rays rookie, who broke the MLB record for most home runs and hits in a single postseason, will be the focus of a biopic from Wonderfilm Media.
Arozarena, the Rays’ breakout star, came from Cuba and fueled his team’s run to the World Series, which eventually went to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.
Brad Gann, the screenwriter of the Mark Wahlberg-led Invincibleand a co-writer of pro surfer Bethany Hamilton biopic Soul Surfer, will write the screenplay.
Arozarena’s story is inspiring. He escaped Cuba on a makeshift boat, landed in Mexico, and started a new life there before making his way to the U.S. and eventually, his Major League Baseball debut in 2017.
Arozarena currently holds the MLB record for most home runs in a single postseason with 10. In his rookie postseason, Arozarena broke Barry Bonds’ record for most home runs as well as Derek Jeter’s record for most hits by a rookie. He was also named MVP of the ALCS.
Nicolás Pereda is bringing the faunato this year’s reimagined Toronto Film Festival.
The 38-year-old Mexican filmmaker’s latest film Fauna will be among the film’s screened at the festival, which is North America’s largest festival.
The film is an exploration of the impact of “narco” culture on Mexican society.
It’ll be Fauna’s official global premiere. An excerpt from the film was screened as part of the “Works in Progress” section of the Los Cabos International Film Festival in 2019,and won the Cinecolor Mexico Award.
This year’s edition will run from September 10–19. As expected, the festival will look different due to the coronavirus.
Organizers say the 45th TIFF will be “tailored to fit the moment,” with a combination of physical screenings and drive-ins, digital screenings, virtual red carpets, press conferences and industry talks.
There’ll be considerably fewer movies — a selection comprising 50 new features — and the festival isn’t expecting large numbers of international press or industry to attend in person.
In addition to Pereda’s Fauna, this year’s strong crop of early movies confirmed to screen at the festival are the Kate Winslet-starrer Ammonite, Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round, Concrete Cowboy with Idris Elba, Good Joe Bell starring Mark Wahlberg, Suzanne Lindon’s Spring Blossom, True Mothers by Naomi Kawase and Halle Berry’s directorial debut Bruised. More titles will be announced over the summer.
The movies will play over the event’s first five days as physical, socially distanced screenings. There will also be five programs of short films, interactive talks, film cast reunions, and Q&As with cast and filmmakers.
However, the festival has acknowledged that its plans for an in-person festival will be contingent on the local government’s “reopening framework to ensure that festival venues and workplaces practice, meet and exceed public health guidelines.” Large gatherings still aren’t permitted in Toronto.
TIFF temporarily closed its year-round offices and cinemas at TIFF Bell Lightbox in March due to the pandemic. The organization is now taking steps to prepare for reopening and working with medical advisors and public health officials to ensure safe conditions.
Meanwhile, TIFF is launching a bespoke digital platform for the festival. The organization has partnered with Shift72 on the platform, which will host digital screenings, talks and special events.
The Industry Conference will be online-only this year, with screenings for press and industry taking place on the digital platform only. The fest says there will be “advanced security and anti-piracy measures, access to buyers, and opportunities for networking.”
For 2020, TIFF says it will welcome 50 filmmakers and actors as TIFF Ambassadors to help the festival deliver its program. They will include Ava DuVernay, Taika Waititi, Anurag Kashyap, Nicole Kidman, Martin Scorsese, Nadine Labaki, Alfonso Cuarón, Tantoo Cardinal, Riz Ahmed, Isabelle Huppert, Claire Denis, Atom Egoyan, Priyanka Chopra, Viggo Mortensen, Zhang Ziyi, David Oyelowo, Lulu Wang, Rosamund Pike, Sarah Gadon and Denis Villeneuve.
TIFF will also present its annual TIFF Tribute Awards, acknowledging and celebrating outstanding contributors to the film industry.
Now in its third year, TIFF’s Media Inclusion Initiative will continue to accredit eligible black, indigenous, people of color, LGBTQ+ and female emerging film critics. New this year, TIFF is also offering companies and individuals the opportunity to gift industry access to 250 underrepresented emerging filmmakers from around the world.
He joins previously announced cast members Mark Wahlberg, Paul Walter Hauser, Molly Shannon and Eva De Dominici.
