Auli’i Cravalho to Star in ABC’s Live “The Little Mermaid” Special

Posted on August 6, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Auli’i Cravalho is heading under the sea…

The 18-year-old part-Puerto Rican actress/singer is set to star as Ariel in ABC’s The Little Mermaid live special.

In addition to Cravalho, who rose to acclaim as the voice of the title character in Disney’s Moana, the special will also star Queen Latifah as Ursula and Shaggy as Sebastian.

The Wonderful World of Disney Presents The Little Mermaid Live!, featuring a mix of live action, animation and puppetry, will air on November 5 to mark the classic Disney animated feature’s 30th anniversary.

ABC originally announced in May 2017that it would stage a live production of the beloved underwater tale under the long-dormant Wonderful World of Disneybanner, which was slated for October 3, 2017. In August of that year, the network announced that the live event had been put on hold.

Since joining ABC last December as President of Entertainment, Karey Burke has expressed strong support for live specials. Her commitment was likely reaffirmed in May after the success of Jimmy Kimmel’s live staging of two classic Norman Lear sitcoms on the network, which spawned two more installments.

Burke today said that if The Little Mermaid is a success, it too can lead to do more live musicals based on Disneyfilm titles on ABC. “If it works, I expect we will do more of them and we will work closely with the feature department about timing,” she said.

Billed as a tribute to the original animated classic and its music, The Wonderful World of Disney Presents The Little Mermaid Live! will feature live musical performances by its star-studded cast interwoven into the broadcast of the original feature film.

The hybrid format will combine intricate sets and costumes created for the special with music from the original animated film and the Tony Award-winningBroadway stage version, composed by eight-time Oscar-winner Alan Menken.

Howard Ashman’s film lyrics will also be showcased, with Glenn Slater, lyricist for the Broadway adaptation, as a contributor.

Cravalho is already in the extended Disney Princessesfamily having voiced Moana in the hit animated movie.

Following her breakout role in Moana, Cravalho performed the film’s anthem, How Far I’ll Go, at the Oscarsand starred in the NBCmusical drama series Rise. It was just announced that she is the lead of the Brett Haley Netflixfilm Sorta Like a Rock Star.

The announcement of The Wonderful World of Disney Presents The Little Mermaid Live! going forward comes as Disney is gearing up for production of a live-action feature adaptation of The Little Mermaid for director Rob Marshall, Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda and Menken. Halle Bailey has been set as Ariel in the movie, Awkwafina as Ariel’s seagull friend Scuttle, and Jacob Tremblay as Ariel’s friendly fish pal Flounder, while Melissa McCarthy has been rumored for the role of UIrsula and Harry Stylesfor Prince Eric.

Burke is not worried about ABC’s live Little Mermaid special and the upcoming movie cannibalizing each other. “Ours is distinctly different from the feature film,” she said.

Benjamin Bratt’s Cancelled Fox Series “Star” May Return with a TV Movie

Posted on July 8, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Benjamin Bratt’s star could shine again soon…

The 55-year-old half-Peruvian American actor’s cancelled Fox musical drama Star could return as a televised movie, according to show’s co-creator Lee Daniels.

“The bad news is that Star is not getting picked up for series,” said Daniels in a video post on Instagram, calling the explanation “too long of a story to cry about.”

“The good news is: we’re doing a movie of the week to wrap things up for you all,” he said, adding, “We’re going to make something real special for you to scream about, with all of our cast members – even the dead ones.”

Star, a drama series about three girls’ rise to fame, was cancelled in May after three seasons on the air. Co-created by Daniels and Tom Donaghy, the show was produced by 20th Century Fox Television and Lee Daniels Entertainment. Jude Demorest.

Bratt starred alongside Ryan Destiny, Brittany O’Grady, Queen Latifah, Quincy Brownand Amiyah Scottin the series.

William Levy Lands Series Regular Role on Fox’s Music Drama Series “Star”

Posted on August 18, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

William Levy’s star is on the rise…

The 37-year-old Cuban actor is joining the cast of Fox’s music drama series Star as a new series regular for the upcoming third season.

Levy will play Mateo Ferrera, a driven media mogul who can charm the devil into church. He is rich, successful, smooth as silk and married to his equal, Nina Ferrera, played by Camila Banus. Mateo makes and breaks his own rules as he sprints toward success. The first generation son of immigrant parents, he is determined to make his mark and build his legacy by any means necessary.

Co-created by Lee Daniels and Tom Donaghy, Star follows three talented singers – running from their pasts and desperate for a new start – with ambitions of stardom, as they navigate the cutthroat music business.

The large ensemble cast includes Queen Latifah, Benjamin Bratt, Jude Demorest, Ryan Destiny, Brittany O’Grady, Amiyah Scott, Quincy Brown, Miss Lawrence, Michael Michele, Stephen Dorff and Luke James.

Telenovela star Levy’s Spanish-language Triunfo Del Amor was the most watched scripted series on American television. On the film side, Levy appeared in Lionsgate’s Addicted, Universal’s Term Life alongside Vince Vaughn, and most recently, Universal’s blockbuster Girls Trip.

Fox Renews Bratt’s Drama Series “Star” for a Second Season

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Benjamin Bratt’s star is still shining bright…

Fox has renewed its freshman drama series Star, starring the 53-year-old half-Peruvian American, for a second season.

The music-centric series was co-created by Lee Daniels, the co-creator of Fox’s hit series Empire, as well as Tom Donaghy.

It follows three talented singers – running from their pasts and desperate for a new start – with ambitions of stardom, as they navigate the cutthroat music business. The Season 1 finale airs March 15 before Empire returns to the Wednesday 9 PM time period. Guest stars set to appear on Star over the next four weeks include Naomi Campbell, Big Boi, Rickey Smiley, Missy Elliott and Paris Jackson.

“Lee Daniels is a true visionary, and he and Tom Donaghy have delivered a series with a unique and meaningful point of view,” Fox Entertainment president David Madden said.

Launching behind the fall finale of Empire, Star hasn’t been a breakout hit like the soapy hip-hop family drama. But it has had a stable audience, averaging a Live+Same Day rating between 1.2 and 1.3 in adults 18-49 for the past five weeks, rising to about 1.9 in Live+7. Its L7 average of 2.1 demo rating is below Lethal Weapon (2.5) and above Lucifer (1.9), both of which were recently renewed, along with Fox flagship Empire.

Star, whose cast includes Bratt, who plays talent manager Jahil Rivera, Queen Latifah, Jude Demorest, Brittany O’Grady, Ryan Destiny, Amiyah Scott and Quincy Brown, averages 7.5 million multi-platform audience, according to Fox.

Star is a production of 20th Century Fox Television in association with Lee Daniels Entertainment.

Lopez to Star in NBC’s Live Television Adaptation of the Hit Broadway Musical “Bye Bye Birdie”

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Everything’s coming up Rosie for Jennifer Lopez…

NBC has slated Bye Bye Birdie as its next live musical, with the 46-year-old Puerto Rican actress/singer set as the star.

Lopez will executive produce with Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Benny Medina, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, and her company Nuyorican Productions will produce with Universal Television.

Harvey Fierstein will write the television adaptation, with the special set to air in 2017.

The original Broadway production of Bye Bye Birdie won the Tony Award in 1961 for best musical. It starred Dick Van Dyke, who also won a Tony for best actor in a musical, as Albert Peterson, the manager of rock star Conrad Birdie, and Chita Rivera as Rosie Alvarez, Albert’s girlfriend and secretary. When Birdie is drafted into the Army, Albert and Rosie concoct a plan to have Birdie give “one last kiss” to a small-town high school girl live on The Ed Sullivan Show before heading off for induction.

The show was adapted into a 1963 feature film starring Van Dyke and Janet Leigh. A short-lived 2010 Broadway revival starred John Stamos and Gina Gershon.

Lopez, who stars in NBC’s Shades of Blue, will play the part of Rosie in the NBC version. No other casting has yet been announced.

Under Greenblatt, NBC has made a tradition of airing live musicals in December, where the network believes the holiday time is a fertile ground for family-friendly co-viewing. The first, Sound of Music Live! starring Carrie Underwood, aired in 2013 and was watched by 18.6 million viewers. That effort was followed by Peter Pan Live! starring Allison Williams and Christopher Walken, and The Wiz Live! starring Queen Latifah and Shanice Williams.

Zadan and Meron have served as exec producers on all four NBC live musicals, and Fierstein previously wrote the television adaptation for The Wiz Live! and wrote the adaptation for NBC’s upcoming Hairspray Live!, which will air on December 7.

Taule to star in Lee Daniel’s New Fox Series “Star”

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Sharlene Taule’s star in on the rise…

The 27-year-old Dominican actress/singer has landed a recurring role opposite Queen Latifah in the new Fox series Star, created/executive produced by Lee Daniels and Tom Donaghy.

Set in Atlanta, Star revolves around three talented young singers (Jude Demorest, Ryan Destiny and Brittany O’Grady) who navigate the cutthroat music business on their road to success.\

Taule will play Eva, a beautiful young Dominican girl whom Jahil saves from trouble. Once Eva emerges from her shell, she befriends Star and the other girls. When secrets from her past begin to rise up, Jahil finds he has more on his hands than he’d originally thought.

Taule, a rising music star in Latin America, was also a series regular on the Nickelodeon Latin America series Grachi.

Anthony’s “The Love Playbook” Getting Film Adaptation

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

La La Anthony is bringing her Playbook to the big screen…

Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit Entertainment and Codeblack Films are partnering to co-produce and co-finance an adaptation of the 37-year-old Puerto Rican actress and reality television star’s book The Love Playbook: Rules for Love, Sex, and Happiness.

Published in 2014, Anthony’s book became a New York Times bestseller.

The former star of VH1‘s La La’s Full Court Life channeled her life and love lessons into a personal playbook, offering no-nonsense advice on dating, love and marriage — advising women on how to take control of their relationships, rise above adversity and live their lives by their rules.

Anthony will also executive produce for the project through her LaLa Land company.

Smart Starring in ABC’s “Dirty Dancing Remake

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Beau “Casper” Smart is dancing his way onto the small screen…

The 28-year-old Latino actor-dancer-choreographer has been cast as Billy Kotsecki in Dirty Dancing, ABC’s three-hour remake of the hit Patrick Swayze–Jennifer Grey film.

The role was played by Neal Jones in the original film.

Like the 1987 feature, ABC’s Dirty Dancing movie centers on Baby (Abigail Breslin), an innocent young woman in the early 1960s who vacations with her affluent parents and siblings in the Catskills and falls for Johnny (Cole Prattes), the resort’s charismatic, skilled dance instructor and leader of the working-class entertainment staff.

Smart’s Billy is Johnny’s close friend from the old neighborhood. They grew up together and Johnny got him his job at Kellerman’s, for which he is grateful. Billy mostly works as a bellhop and does maintenance jobs for the staff. He likes to let loose and dance with Johnny and Penny after hours in the Staff Quarters – a world he inadvertently introduces Baby to, setting her on a journey of self-discovery.

Sarah Hyland, Nicole Scherzinger and Debra Messing also star.

Smart co-stars in Perfect Match from Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit Production.

Gonzalez to Star in Fox’s Untitled Music-Themed Pilot from “Empire” Co-Creator Lee Daniels

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Nicholas Gonzalez us ready to make a little music…

The 39-year-old Mexican American actor has been cast opposite Queen Latifah and Benjamin Bratt in Fox’s untitled pilot from Empire co-creator Lee Daniels (aka Star).

Co-written by Daniels and Tom Donaghy and directed by Daniels, the pilot follows three young women (Jude Demorest, Ryan Destiny, Brittany O’Grady) who form a girl group with the hope of making waves in the music industry, and the choices they face along the way.

Gonzalez will play the abusive foster father of Simone (O’Grady), the younger sister of Star (Demorest).

Gonzalez recently wrapped work on the indie film Praying For Rain and had recurring roles on The CW’s Jane The Virgin and Amazon’s Bosch.

Leguizamo’s Latest Ice Age Film, “Ice Age: Collision Course,” to be Released in July 2016

Posted on August 9, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

John Leguizamo is on a new collision course…

20th Century Fox has officially titled the 51-year-old Colombian actor’s latest installment of the Ice Age animated franchise Ice Age: Collision Course.

The studio has also pushed back the release of the newly christened fifth chapter of its Blue Sky animated franchise , from July 15 to July 22, 2016.

This will shift Sid, Manny, Ellie and company off their previous collision course with Sony Pictures’ Ghostbusters and two other films, the musical La La Land from Lionsgate and The Lake from EuropaCorp.

For the time being, Ice Age: Collision Course is sharing its new date with one other title, Warner Bros’ King Arthur.

Leguizamo, who voices the clumsy character Sid The Sloth, Denis Leary, Ray Romano, Queen Latifah and the rest of the gang are back for this go-round.

Collision Course is directed by Mike Thurmeier and Galen T. Chu.

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