Kirk Acevedo to Appear on Season Two of Taylor Sheridan‘s “Lioness”

Kirk Acevedo is entering the Lion’s den…

The 52-year-old Puerto Rican actor has landed a recurring role for Season 2 cast of Taylor Sheridan‘s Lioness.

Kirk AcevedoAcevedo is among a roster of new cast additions that includes Max Martini and Patricia De Leon on the series, which stars Zoe Saldaña,

Other cast members Laysla De Oliveira, Genesis Rodriguez and Michael Kelly, with Morgan Freeman, and Nicole Kidman, who executive produces.

Inspired by an actual U.S. Military program, Lioness follows the life of Joe (Saldaña) while she attempts to balance her personal and professional life as the tip of the CIA’s spear in the war on terror.

In Season 2, as the CIA’s fight against terror moves closer to home, Joe (Saldaña), Kaitlyn (Kidman) and Byron (Kelly) enlist a new Lioness operative to infiltrate a previously unknown threat. With pressure mounting from all sides, Joe is forced to confront the profound personal sacrifices she has made as the leader of the Lioness program.

Martini will play Tracer, a “man hunter” with the Special Forces team. Acevedo will portray Gutierrez, a toughened FBI agent, and De Leon is Maria, a wealthy, Dallas resident.

Cast also includes Dave Annable, Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, James Jordan, Austin Hébert, Jonah WhartonThad Luckinbill and Hannah Love Lanier.

Season 1 of Lioness set a record as the streamer’s most-watched worldwide series premiere on launch day, with nearly 6 million total viewers in its first week across Paramount+ globally and on a linear preview on the Paramount Network.

The espionage thriller is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios exclusively for Paramount+. The series is executive produced by Sheridan, David C. Glasser, Saldaña, Kidman, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin, Jill Wagner, David Lemanowicz, Geyer Kosinski, Michael Friedman and Keith Cox and is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Avevedo is known for his role as Joseph D. Toye in the television miniseries Band of Brothers and as José Ramse in 12 Monkeys.

His other television credits include a series regular role in Oz, as well key roles in Fringe, Prime Suspect and Arrow.

His film work includes Terrance Malick’s Thin Red Line, James Wan’s Insidious: The Last KeyMatt ReevesDawn of the Planet of the Apes and Disney’s Invincible, among others.

de Leon most recently heavily recurred on FX’s Mayans M.C. She previously recurred on ABC’s Station 19 and Max’s Genera+ion. On the big screen, she shot a supporting role opposite Abigail Spencer and Matthew Lillard in Mark Robert Ellis’ One Heart.

She also supported opposite Amber Midthunder and Billy Zane in Dana Gonzales’ Centurion: The Dancing Stallion.

Elizabeth Rodriguez to Star Opposite Jimmy Smits in CBS’ Police Drama Pilot “East New York”

Elizabeth Rodriguez is hittin’ the beat…

The 41-year-old Puerto Rican actress and former Orange is the New Black star will star opposite Jimmy Smits and Amanda Warren in the CBS police drama pilot East New York.

Elizabeth RodriguezCo-written by William Finkelstein and Mike Flynn and directed by Mike Robin, the project centers on Regina Haywood (Warren), the newly promoted deputy inspector of East New York, an impoverished, working-class neighborhood at the eastern edge of Brooklyn. She leads a diverse group of officers and detectives, some of whom are reluctant to deploy her creative methods of serving and protecting during the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds of gentrification.

Rodriguez will portray Crystal Morales, an intuitive detective who is not easily intimidated. She closely guards her private life, making her an object of endless speculation.

In addition to Warren and Smits, they join previously announced series regulars Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Richard Kind, Lavel Schley and Olivia Luccardi.

Warner Bros. Television is the studio.

Rodriguez played Aleida Diaz on Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, for which she received three consecutive SAG Awards. She was a series regular on AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead, NBC’s Prime Suspect and Cinemax’s Blanco.

Rodriguez most recently completed a starring role in the feature film Allswell, which she also co-wrote and co-produced.

Kirk Acevedo Upped to Series Regular on The CW’s “Arrow”

There’s more Arrow in Kirk Acevedo’s future…

The 46-year-old Puerto Rican, who recurred last season as the drug kingpin and crime lord Ricardo Diaz (aka as Dragon), has been promoted to series regular for Season 7, which premieres on October 15 on the CW.

Kirk Acevedo

A thorn in the side of Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) in season six, Diaz saw Team Arrow launch an attack on him during the season finale in May, only to escape. FBI agent Samandra Watson vows to haul him in, however.

The character has a publishing history with roots that date back more than 40 years. In 1975, DC Comics started publishing a series called Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter, which featured a martial arts master who grew up as a thief but changed his ways. The series lasted a mere 18 issues. Jump forward to 2013, and a new fighter calling himself Dragon was introduced; he eventually was revealed to be  a younger man named Ricardo Diaz, a traitorous protege to the original Dragon who stole his heroic master’s name when he murdered him. The television version has hewed more to that recent mythology.

Based on the DC characters, the series is executive produced by Greg Berlanti, Beth Schwartz and Sarah Schechter. 

Arrow is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros Television.

It moves to a new night this season after airing on Thursdays in 2017-18.

Acevedo’s previous television credits include 12 Monkeys, Prime Suspect and Kingdom.

Rodriguez to Star in New Regency’s Heist Thriller “Widows”

Michelle Rodriguez is turning to a life of crime…

The 38-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican-American actress has joined the cast of New Regency’s heist thriller Widows from British helmer Steve McQueen.

Michelle Rodriguez

Rodriguez will join Oscar-nominated actress Viola Davis, as well as Cynthia Erivo.

Gone Girl scribe Gillian Flynn co-wrote the script with McQueen, based on the 1983 British miniseries penned by Lynda LaPlante (Prime Suspect).

The story begins when four armed robbers are killed during a failed heist and their surviving widows join forces and resolve to pull off the next raid themselves.

Widows marks McQueen’s first feature since winning the Best Picture Oscar for 12 Years a Slave in 2014.

Rodriguez, who made a name for herself with roles in Universal Pictures’ hit Fast and Furious franchise, has starred in Avatar, Resident Evil and Resident Evil: Retribution. Her other credits include Girlfight, S.W.A.T. and Battle: Los Angeles.

Acevedo Lands Undisclosed Role in “Insidious: Chapter 4”

Kirk Acevedo has an Insidious future…

The 44-year-old Puerto Rican actor, who currently stars in Syfy’s time-travel thriller series 12 Monkeys, has joined the cast of Insidious: Chapter 4which is filming and scheduled to open on October 20, 2017.

Kirk Acevedo

Acevedo’s character is being kept under wraps.

Universal Pictures/Blumhouse Productions’ latest installment to the $370M microbudget franchise is being helmed by series newcomer Adam Robitel.

Acevedo joins Lin Shaye as parapsychologist Elise Rainier, as well as franchise co-creator Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson, who respectively play Specs and Tucker.

Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions is financing Insidious: Chapter 4 and handling international distribution. Whannell wrote all four Insidious movies and directed Chapter 3.

Acevedo plays Ramse in Syfy’s 12 Monkeys and previously starred in Dawn of the Planet of the ApesHis other credits include Prime Suspect, The Walking Dead, Band of Brothers, Thin Red Line and Oz.

Chavarria to Star in 20th Century Fox’s “War of the Planet of the Apes”

Gabriel Chavarria has plenty of reason to go bananas…

The Honduran American actor, who recently signed with Paradigm Talent Agency, is finalizing a deal to be one of two human leads in 20th Century Fox’s War of the Planet of the Apes, the latest installment of the franchise.

 Gabriel Chavarria

Matt Reeves returns to direct, shooting expected to begin in October in Vancouver, Canada.

The film’s sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apesgrossed $708 million worldwide last year with Reeves at the helm, nearly double the business of the franchise reboot — a major score for Fox and producer Chernin Entertainment.

Chavarria, the young star of Universal Pictures’ upcoming film Low Riders, is the male lead on Hulu’s drama series East Los High.

In Low Riders, from Imagine Entertainment and Blumhouse Productions, he plays an East LA teen immersed in the world of lowrider cars and street tagging while caught between his traditional father (Demian Bichir) and his estranged gangbanger brother, who both are competing in the annual lowrider “Supershow.”

His other recent credits include Aquarius, Prime Suspect, Southland and the feature Teacher of The Year.

Chavarria Signs with Paradigm Talent Agency

It’s a paradigm shift for Gabriel Chavarria

The Honduran American actor has signed with the Paradigm Talent Agency.

Gabriel Chavarria

Chavarria stars in the upcoming Universal Pictures film Low Riders, and he’s the male lead on Hulu’s drama series East Los High.

In the feature from Imagine and Blumhouse, Chavarria plays an East LA teen immersed in the world of lowrider cars and street tagging while caught between his traditional father (Demian Bichir) and his estranged gangbanger brother, who both are competing in the annual lowrider “Supershow.”

Chavarria’s other recent credits also include Aquarius, Prime Suspect, Southland and the feature Teacher of the Year.

Bautista to Star in Netflix’s Sci-Fi Drama “Sense8”

Ness Bautista is preparing for a sense8-ational role.

The Latino actor has landed a recurring role on Sense8, Netflix‘s 10-episode sci-fi drama series from Lana and Andy Wachowski and J. Michael Straczynski, which has been called as “a gripping global tale of minds linked and souls hunted” that incorporates the Wachowskis’ storytelling style.

Ness BautistaNess Bautista

“The series follows eight characters around the world who, in the aftermath of a tragic death, find themselves linked to each other mentally and emotionally,” Straczynski told Deadline.com last month. “They can not only see and talk to each other as though they were in the same place, they have access to each other’s deepest secrets. Not only must they figure out what happened and why and what it means for the future of humanity, they must do so while being hunted by an organization out to capture, kill or vivisect them.”

There’s no word on Bautista’s character in the series, which also stars Alfonso Herrera, Tuppence Middleton, Aml Ameen, Freema Agyeman, Tena Desae, Doona Bae, Max Riemelt,  Erendira Ibarra, Jamie Clayton and Miguel Silvestre.

He currently recurs on TNT’s The Last Ship and previously starred on The Shield, Beauty and the Beast and Prime Suspect.