Tag Archives: Regina King

Gerard Celasco to Star in ABC’s Drama Pilot “The Finest” 

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Gerard Celasco has landed his Finest role yet…

The 35-year-old Salvadoran-American actor has been cast in the ABC drama pilot The Finest (aka Untitled Holmes Sisters), from former CSI: NY showrunner Pam Veasey, Robin Roberts, Regina King, and ABC Studios.

Gerard Celasco

Celasco will star opposite Eric Balfour, Dorian Missick, Zoe Robins, Frances Turner, Amirah Vanh and Tisha Campbell-Martin.

Written by Veasey and directed by King, the drama explores the lives of five African-American sisters, all officers in the NYPD, as they face the challenges of their high-risk jobs while juggling the responsibilities of marriage, motherhood and family.

Celasco will play Lucas, Nicole’s ex-boyfriend.

Celasco most recently recurred opposite Adam Brody and Ron Perlman on the Crackle series StartUp. 

Emily Rios to Star in Barry Jenkins’ “If Beale Street Could Talk”

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Emily Rios is hittin’ the Street…

The 28-year-old Latina actress has landed the key role of Victoria in director Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight followup, If Beale Street Could Talk, which is currently in production.

Emiily Rios

Starring KiKi Layne, the drama is based on James Baldwin’s novel about Tish, a newly engaged Harlem woman who races against the clock to prove her lover’s innocence while carrying their first child to term.

Rios joins an impressive cast roaster that includes Stephan James, Colman Domingo, Brian Tyree Henry, Dave Franco, Ed Skrein, and Regina King.

Jenkins penned the script and is producing under his Pastel label with Annapurna Pictures and Plan B.

Rios, best known for her role in AMC’s Breaking Bad, has starred in John Singleton’s FX series, Snowfall.

Pedro Pascal to Star in Barry Jenkins’ New Film “If Beale Street Could Talk”

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Pedro Pascal is hitting the street…

The 42-year-old Chilean actor has been cast in If Beale Street Could Talk, director Barry Jenkins’ follow-up to his Oscar Best Picture winner Moonlight.

Pedro Pascal

KiKi Layne stars in the film, which is based on the James Baldwin novel along with Stephan James, Colman Domingo, Brian Tyree Henry and Regina King.

Layne plays Tish, a newly engaged Harlem woman who races against the clock to prove her lover’s innocence while carrying their first child to term.

Jenkins adapted the book and is producing via his Pastel label with Annapurna Pictures and Plan B.

Pascal, who starred as Oberyn Martell on HBO’s Game of Thrones, was most recently on the big screen in Kingsman: The Golden Circle.

He’ll next appear in Sony Pictures’ The Equalizer 2.

Martinez to Return for Season 3 of ABC’s Anthology Series “American Crime”

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Benito Martinez is back to a life of Crime…

The 45-year-old Latino actor is set to return for another installment of ABC’s anthology series American Crime.

Benito Martinez

Martinez, who co-starred in the first season of the series from John Ridley and guest starred in Season 2, will return for season 3.

He joins fellow retuning players Timothy Hutton, Felicity Huffman, Regina King, Lili Taylor, Richard Cabral and Connor Jessup in the acclaimed series, executive produced by Ridley and Michael McDonald.

His character provides a further glimpse into Season 3, which explores labor issues, economic divides and individual rights in North Carolina.

“Ever since Benito brought the role of Alonzo Gutierrez to life in season one, John and I have been looking for a character that would be as memorable and worthy of Benito’s talent. He will be tackling the role of a man searching for his missing son,” said McDonald.

Martinez, an alum of The Shield, recently worked opposite Tom Cruise on the crime thriller American Made. He had recurring roles on How To Get Away with Murder and The Blacklist.

Cabral Returning for Season 3 of ABC’s “American Crime”

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Richard Cabral isn’t leaving his Crime family…

The Mexican American actor has joined Felicity Huffman and Regina King as the third cast member to sign on for the upcoming third installment of John Ridley’s acclaimed ABC anthology series American Crime.

Richard Cabral

In Season 3, the series will be set in North Carolina and will deal with labor issues, economic divides and individual rights.

American Crime earned 10 Emmy nominations for its first season, winning for King. Cabral received a supporting actor Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Hector Tontz. The series, executive produced by Ridley and Michael McDonald, is coming off a well-received second season.

Cabral’s feature work includes Ridley Scott’s The Counselor, Chris Weitz’s A Better Life and End of Watch opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, and he also had guest-starring turns on ABC’s Body of Proof and HBO’s Luck.

He’ll next be seen in Blood Father, a Taken-style action thriller directed by Jean-Francois Richet (Mesrine) and starring Mel Gibson.

Nolasco’s “American Crime” to Premiere on January 6 on ABC

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Elvis Nolasco is ringing in the New Year with a little Crime…

ABC has slated John Ridley’s American Crime, starring the Dominican actor, to premiere on January 6.

Elvis Nolasco

The second season of the critically acclaimed series will return for a second season on a new night, Wednesday, where it will air in Nashville’s 10:00 pm time slot while the country music drama is on winter hiatus. 

American Crime‘s second season is set in the U.S. Midwest at two high schools, one public and one private.

The first season of the show, which followed a racially charged murder and the subsequent trial, aired in the Thursday 10 PM slot, succeeding How To Get Away With Murder, which has shorter (18-episode) seasons per star Viola Davis’ contract.

This season, the plan is to keep the Shondaland branding on the night intact with the latest Shonda Rhimes-produced drama, The Catch, following HTGAWM in the 10:00 pm hour.

In Season 2, issues of sexual orientation and socioeconomic disparity come to a boil when lurid photos of a high school boy are posted on social media following a school party. Circumstances become more complicated when the boy accuses two players on an elite private high school’s championship basketball team of drugging, assaulting and then posting the pictures of him online.

Many of the Season 1 cast members are back, including stars Felicity Huffman and Timothy Hutton, as well as co-stars Regina King — who won an Emmy for her role — Lili Taylor and Nolasco, who are joined by Trevor Jackson, Connor Jessup, Joey Pollari and Angelique Rivera.

Nolasco Returning for Season Two of ABC’s Drama “American Crime”

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There’s more crime in Elvis Nolasco’s future…

The Dominican actor is returning for the second season of ABC’s drama American Crime.

Elvis Nolasco

Nolasco, who portrayed addict Carter Nix on the show’s first season, and fellow standout Richard Cabral join returning cast members Timothy Hutton, Regina King and Felicity Huffman. Those actors returning for Season 2 of American Crime will play new characters in a new setting. 

“After playing individuals on the fringes of the law, Season 2 will offer complete role reversals for both Elvis and Richard,” American Crime executive producer John Ridley told Deadline. “Elvis playing a fundamentally good man scapegoated by the system in which he works. Richard as someone who takes it upon himself to stand for the rights of others, even if it means he stands alone. Elvis and Richard both gave revelatory performances last year, and we are so happy to have them rejoining Felicity, Tim and Regina.”

While the first season followed the aftermath of a murder in Modesto, CA, Season 2 will film in Austin, with production likely to begin in July.

In terms of season 2’s exact locale, Ridley says the story takes place “in the Midwest, which is where I grew up…it’s a place that when you hear it, there’s no preconceived notions.”

Ridley told Deadline previously that King’s character in Season 2 “is going to be at the center of a story that deals with physicality, sexuality and societal boundaries with the same urgency as our first season dealt with race and faith.”

Further expounding on season 2’s themes, Ridley added during the American Crime Q&A that season 2 will also deal with “sexual orientation and boundaries as it relates to young people and the system that we hope has the best interests of our families and hearts.”