Danny Trejo to Star in the ABC Comedy Project “Food & Familia,” Inspired By His Life

Danny Trejo is bringing his life to the small screen, so to speak…

The 74-year-old Mexican American actor is  attached to star in an ABC comedy project that boasts Will Smith among its executive producers.

Danny Trejo

Trejo will star in and executive produce Food & Familia, which is currently in development at the network. The multi-camera comedy, is inspired by Trejo’s life. When the matriarch of the family passes away, she leaves her restaurant to her son, Danny (Trejo) – who’s about to get out of prison — and her granddaughter, Michelle, who hates her father for abandoning her. This gift from beyond the grave might heal the father and daughter and get them back together but, it’s gonna be rocky as the two of them work their differences out while trying to operate a restaurant, live together, and become a real family again.

Peter Murrietta will write and executive produce the project. Trejo and Smith will executive produce along with Caleeb Pinkett and James Lassiter of Smith’s Overbrook EntertainmentABC Studios will produce.

Should the project move forward, it would only be Trejo’s second series regular role, with the other being the short-lived George Lopez FX sitcom Saint George. Trejo is also known for his role in the Machete films as well as several other Robert Rodriguez films. His other TV roles include appearances on Sons of Anarchy, Rick & Morty, The Adventures of Puss in Boots, and From Dusk til Dawn: The Series. Trejo also opened his first restaurant, Trejo’s Tacos, in 2016 with multiple locations now open throughout Los Angeles. He also operates Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts and Trejo’s Cantina.

Murrietta most recently worked on the CBS comedy Superior Donuts. His other recent credits include One Day at a TimeLopez, and Cristela. Murrietta also won two Emmy awards for his time on the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place.

New Line Cinema Acquires Rights to Gomez-Rejon’s Will Smith-Starrer “Collateral Beauty”

Life’s a beauty for Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

New Line Cinema has acquired worldwide rights on the Latino filmmaker’s upcoming project Collateral Beauty.

Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

In the Gomez-Rejon’s film, Will Smith stars as a New York advertising executive who experiences a personal tragedy and the subsequent unconventional plan from his colleagues to break him out of his depression.

Overbrook Entertainment is coming aboard to co-produce the project alongside Anonymous Content, PalmStar Media and Likely Story.

Written by Allan Loeb, the project will be directed by Gomez-Rejon (Me And Earl And The Dying Girl). 

PalmStar and Likely Story paid $2.25 million for the script.

Principal photography is expected to begin in October.

Gomez-Rejon’s previously directed the film The Town That Dreaded Sundown, as well as episodes for Red Band Society, The Carrie Diaries, American Horror Story and Glee.

Cannavale to Star Opposite Cameron Diaz in “Annie”

It’s the hard-knock life for Bobby Cannavale

The 43-year-old half-Cuban American has signed on to star in Sony Pictures and Overbrook Entertainment’s in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Annie.

Bobby Cannavale

Cannavale, currently nominated for two Emmy Awards, joins Quvenzhane Wallis, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz and Rose Byrne in the Will Gluck-directed film.

Cannavale, who most recently appeared in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine, will play a bulldog political adviser to Foxx’s character as he makes a mayoral run in New York.

The film is set for release on Christmas Day 2014.

Gluck is currently revising the film’s screenplay, which was written by Emma Thompson and rewritten by Aline Brosh McKenna. It’s based on the comic strip and the musical stage play Annie, with book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin.

Cannavale will next appear in the Jon Favreau-directed Chef opposite Favreau and Scarlett Johansson, and the Dan Fogelman-directed Imagine with Al Pacino, Jennifer Garner and Annette Bening.

Levy to Star Opposite Jada Pinkett-Smith in “Salsa”

Sure, he competed on Dancing with the Stars… But this time William Levy will be dancing with a star.

The 32-year-old Cuban American actor and telenovela star has signed on to co-star opposite Jada Pinkett-Smith in Salsa, which the actress will also produce.

William Levy

Levy, the star of the popular telenovela Triunfo del Amor, will portray Pinkett-Smith’s salsa teacher in the film that tells the story of a woman at a turning point in her life. Through the dance of salsa she begins to get her life back on track.

Pinkett-Smith and Miguel Melendez will produce for Overbrook Entertainment, with production set to begin in the first quarter of 2014.

Levy recently wrapped two Lionsgate films: Addicted and Tyler Perry’s Single Moms Club. He’s currently shooting the remake of La Tormenta–called La Tempestad–for Univision.