Warner Bros. Acquires Global Rights to Jenna Ortega’s “The Fallout”

Jenna Ortega’s fallout will be felt globally…

Warner Bros. has picked up global rights to Megan Park’s SXSW multi-award-winning feature The Fallout, starring the 18-year-old Puerto Rican and Mexican American actress.

Jenna Ortega, The Fallout

The film will be released exclusively on HBO Max where the service is available globally, and be distributed by Warner Bros. in the balance of international markets.

The Fallout follows high schooler Vada (Ortega) as she navigates the emotional fallout she experiences in the wake of a school tragedy. Relationships with her family and friends, as well as her view of the world, are forever altered.

The cast also includes Maddie Ziegler, Niles Fitch, Will Ropp, Lumi Pollack, John Ortiz, Julie Bowen and Shailene Woodley.

Park, an actress who starred in ABC Family’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager and made the music video “Watch” for Billie Eilish, made her feature directorial debut with Fallout, which won the Grand Jury and Audience Awards for Narrative Feature at SXSW, as well as the Brightcove Illumination Award (which lauds a filmmaker on the rise at the Austin, TX festival). Park also wrote the movie.

“Making The Fallout was a journey I never expected to take and one that has changed me forever,” stated Park. “If by seeing this film just one teen feels less alone, less afraid, or somehow understood, that will make the journey worth every step.”

“What Megan Park has created with The Fallout is a sensitive and moving story, marking a stunning debut behind the camera, with an exceptional young cast led by a revelatory and powerful performance by Jenna Ortega and an emotionally impactful turn from Maddie Ziegler,” said Carolyn Blackwood, Chief Operating Officer, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.

Trailer Released for Jenna Ortega’s SXSW-Bound High School Drama “The Fallout”

Jenna Ortega is experiencing a fallout

The first trailer has been release for writer-director Megan Park’s SXSW drama The Fallout, which stars the 18-year-old Puerto Rican and Mexican American actress as a student seeking out emotional healing following a school tragedy.

Jenna Ortega, The Fallout

The Fallout is a film about the unseen faces of a tragedy, those who can’t turn their pain into effecting positive change in the world because they are too afraid to leave their bedrooms. Three teenagers form a unique and dynamic bond as they navigate the never linear, often confusing journey to heal in a world that feels forever changed.

In the film Ortega, Maddie Ziegler and Niles Fitch forge a close friendship that helps them cope with tragedy. From romantic moments to wine-downs in a hot tub, the teenagers find comfort and strength to face the world in each other.

The Fallout, which is in the SXSW Narrative Competition, also features Shailene Woodley, Julie Bowen, Will Ropp, Lumi Pollack and John Ortiz. Billie Eilish collaborator Finneas composed the music.

The 28th edition of the SXSW Film Festival will take place online March 16-20. Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil will kick off the annual fest and Charli XCX’s quarantine documentary Alone Together will serve as the film fest closer.

Check out the full lineup here.

John Ortiz to Star in the High School Drama “The Fallout”

There’s some Fallout for John Ortiz

The 52-year-old Puerto Rican actor has joined the cast of Jenna OrtegaMaddie Ziegler and Niles Fitch’s high school drama The Fallout, which wraps its four-week LA shoot this week.

John Ortiz

Ortiz joins a roster of new cast additions that includes Shailene WoodleyJulie Bowen and Will Ropp

Actress Megan Park has written and is directing the feature about high school student Vada (Ortega) who navigates the emotional fallout she experiences in the wake of a school tragedy. Relationships with her family, friends and view on the world are forever altered.

David Brown will produce for U.S. outfit Clear Horizon alongside Rebecca Miller and Cara Shine.

Ortiz most recently starred on television on Netflix’s Messiah. His other credits include The Handmaid’s Tale, Mayans M.C., and Luck.

His film credits include Ad Astra, Peppermint and Silver Linings Playbook.

Oscar Nuñez to Star in Netflix’s Quarantine Anthology Series “Social Distance”

Oscar Nuñez is keeping his distance…

The 61-year-old Cuban actor and comedian has been cast in Netflix’s upcoming quarantine anthology series Social Distance.

Oscar Nuñez

Hailing from Orange is the New Black creator Jenji Kohan, the series will also star Scandal’s Guillermo Diaz, Love Victor’s Isabella Ferreira, Katy Keene & In The Heights star Daphne Rubin-Vega, Danielle Brooks, Mike Colter Asante Blackk, Peter Scanavino, Lachlan Watson, Max Jenkins and Marsha Stephanie Blake.

Set in the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Social Distance is an eight-part anthology series that showcases the power of the human spirit in the face of uncertainty and isolation. Each standalone episode is told through a virtual lens and captures the unique emotional experience of being forced apart by circumstance and having no choice but to communicate remotely and rely on technology to maintain any sense of connection. Through these varied and deeply human stories, Social Distance aims to provide some much-needed catharsis during a tumultuous time while also capturing a snapshot of this singular moment in history.

The project was conceived, cast and executed entirely remotely during quarantine. The writers never met during the writing process, Diego Velasco directs talent remotely, Hilary Weisman Graham runs production from her living room and the cast acts and films themselves from home. Some of the actors’ real-life relatives also guest star in the series.

“Many of these stories required casting actors who were quarantined with other actors. That hurdle seriously hindered our options and so casting non-actors was sometimes essential,” said Weisman Graham on the decision to cast actors’ family members. “It was definitely a roll of the dice, but thankfully, we were thrilled to discover that talent really does breed talent. These family members may not have had aspirations to be in front of the camera when we first started, but they should all quit their day jobs immediately.”

Weisman Graham, who also serves as showrunner, executive produces with Tara Herrmann, Blake McCormick and Kohan. Velasco, who directed an episode of Orange Is the New Black and is working with Kohan on her upcoming series Teenage Bounty Hunters is directing and will co-executive produce.

Social Distance cast members include (in no particular episodic order):

Danielle Brooks with real-life mother LaRita Brooks and brother DJ Brooks; Marsha Stephanie Blake with real-life daughter Rocco Luna; Misha Brooks; Isabella Ferreira; Oscar Nunez; Daphne Rubin-Vega with real-life husband Tom Costanzo and son Luca Costanzo; Guillermo Diaz; Miguel Sandoval; Camila Perez; Olli Haaskivi; Giana Aragon; Mike Colter; Okieriete Onaodowan; real-life spouses Heather Burns and Ajay; Shakira Barrera; Steven Weber with real-life son Jack Hohnen-Weber; Helena Howard; Asante Blackk with real-life father Ayize Ma’at; Lovie Simone;

Max Jenkins; Brian Jordan Alvarez; Peter Vack; Rana Roy; Peter Scanavino with real-life son Leo Bai-Scanavino; Ali Ahn; Tami Sagher; Barbara Rosenblat; Michael Mulheren; real-life spouses Becky Ann Baker and Dylan Baker; Sunita Mani; real-life spouses Raymond Anthony Thomas and Marcia Debonis; Kylie Liya Page; Lachlan Watson; David Iacono; Will Meyers; Niles Fitch; and Ava Demary.

Nuñez is best known for starring on NBC’s The Office.

Meagan Good to Direct & Star in the Indie Film “If Not Now”

Meagan Good is ready to pull double duty…

The 36-year-old part Puerto Rican actress will star in and direct the indie film If Not Now.

Meagan Good

The film will serve as the directorial debut for Goodand Tamara Bass.

In addition to Good and Bass, the film will also star Mekia Cox and Meagan Holder.

Written by Bass, the plot, described as a story of sisterhood and camaraderie, centers around four friends — Good, Cox, Holder, and Bass — who met while in high school and are bonded by an event that happens. Fifteen years later, they are suddenly forced to all come back together when one of them faces a crisis.

Valarie Pettiford, Edwin Hodge, Kyle Schmid, McKinley Freeman, Niles Fitch, Todd Williams and newcomer Lexi Underwood co-star in the pic which is slated to begin filming this month in LA.

Good, who recently starred in the Sundance Film Festival pic, A Boy. A Girl. A Dream, is producing the film with Bass under their Krazy Actress Productions banner.