Rene Rosado Lands Recurring Role on ABC’s “The Conners”

Rene Rosado conner do it!

The Latino actor has landed a recurring role on ABC’s Roseanne spinoff The Conners.

Rene Rosado

In the spinoff, after the loss of the family matriarch, the Conners are forced to face the daily struggles of life in Lanford in a way they never have before, grappling with parenthood, dating, an unexpected pregnancy, financial pressures, aging and in-laws in working-class America.

Rosado will play Emilio, who is described as kind, sweet and cute. He’s a busser at Casita Bonita restaurant. Though he may have some trouble communicating in English, when he speaks his first language, Spanish, he is straightforward, earnest and determined.

Rosado most recently had a recurring role on TNT’s Major Crimes. His other credits include appearances on Code Black, Criminal Minds and Rizzoli & Isles.

Ana Villafañe Lands Lead Role in CBS’ Comedy Project “History of Them”

Ana Villafañe is ready to make history

The 28-year-old Cuban and Salvadoran-American actress/singer, the star of the Gloria Estefan Broadway musical On Your Feet!, will star as the female lead in CBS’ comedy project History of Them.

Ana Villafañe

From One Day at a Time co-creator/executive producer Gloria Calderon Kellett. the semi-autobiographical project is a multi-cultural (Latinx & white) romantic comedy about how two friends, Luna (Villafañe) and Adam, fell in love, narrated by their future daughter, using the couple’s social media from present-day (Instagram/Twitter/Facebook) as a guide.

Villafañe’s smart and spunky Luna runs a successful Latinx food truck business with her parents. Despite this, she struggles with what she wants and doesn’t feel like a fully-fledged grown up yet. She wants to find love and figure out who she is separate from her very tight-knit family, and her journey will be full of bumps and bruises as she navigates the rest of her twenties.

Director Pam Fryman, who helmed several episodes of Netflix’s One Day at a Time reboot, including the key opening one, has come on board as director/executive producer.

History of Them, from Sony Pictures Television Studios and CBS Television Studios, landed at CBS in August in a very competitive situation with a big pilot production commitment. While it hasn’t been formally picked up to pilot yet, attaching Villafañe and Fryman, combined with the size of the commitment, a green light is expected.

Kellett executive produces via her Glo Nation banner alongside Marc Provissiero of Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment and Fryman.

Villafañe made her Broadway debut as Gloria Estefan in the hit musical On Your Feet!, earning the 2016 Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut Performance. On the screen, she played the female lead in Max Steel and starred in the Hulu original series South Beach. Her other credits include Los Americans, Rizzoli & Isles and Mozart in the Jungle.

History Of Them marks Kellett’s return to CBS and to the hybrid comedy format. She began her writing career as a staff writer on the network’s hybrid comedy series How I Met Your Mother, which was executive produced and directed by Fryman.

Rodriguez to Voice Title Character in Netflix’s Animated Series “Carmen Sandiego”

Where in the world is Gina Rodriguez? Well, you’ll soon find out…

Netflix is developing an animated reboot of the once-popular children’s series Carmen Sandiego, with the 32-year-old Puerto Rican actress and Jane the Virgin star voicing the title character.

Gina Rodriguez

Produced by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, the 20-episode Carmen Sandiego will feature a new crop of international capers, as well as a look into Carmen’s past to reveal who she is and why she became a super thief.

Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things) will voice Player, Carmen’s chief accomplice and friend.

The character debuted in a 1980s computer game franchise Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? and probably is best known for the Greg Lee-hosted game show that aired on PBS from 1991-95.

Before her breakout role on Jane the Virgin, Rodriguez, a Golden Globe winner for her performance on the CW series, previously appeared on television in Rizzoli & Isles, Longmire, The Bold and the Beautiful, The Mentalist and Happy Endings.

del Puerto to Star in ABC Family’s Comedy Pilot “Tough Cookie”

Arturo del Puerto is finding himself in a tough situation…

The Latino actor has landed a series regular role in ABC Family’s comedy pilot Tough Cookie.

Arturo del Puerto

From Awkward creator Lauren Iungerich and David Janollari., the project is centered around a young mother who isn’t ready to parent and her daughter who doesn’t want to be parented. It takes a village to raise a child or rather, a child to raise a village.

Del Puerto will portray Mickey, one of Lilla’s roommates, a neurotic hipster and something of a neat freak.

Del Puerto recently recurred on NBC’s Chicago P.D. Lifetime’s The Lottery, TNT’s Rizzoli & Isles and FX’s The Bridge.

He also starred in the film The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernandez and The Devil’s in the Details.

BET to Launch New Scripted Series “The Start Up,” Starring Maldonado

It’s the start of something special at BET for Allen Maldonado…

During its upfront event in New York City this week, the cable network announced plans to launch new scripted series The Start Up, which stars the 30-year-old part-Latino actor.

Allen Maldonado

In the series, hip-hop prince Diggy Simmons makes his scripted series debut as Blake Monroe, the founder of TheJetsetters.com, an entertainment and lifestyle blog.

The Start Up focuses on what it means to be young, gifted and digital, as Blake and his friends strategize for fame and financing while navigating the freedoms and pressures of adulthood.

In addition to Simmons and Maldonado, the series also stars Teyana Taylor, Bria Murphy, Chris Brew and Stephanie Charles.

Maldonado’s previous credits include the short-lived television series Chase, Detroit 1-8-7, Rizzoli & Isles, Lie to Me and The Shield, as well as a recurring role on The Young and the Restless.

Brühl Earns His First SAG Award Nomination

Life’s a SAG for Daniel Brühl

The 35-year-old half-Spanish actor has earned the first SAG Award nomination of his career.

Daniel Brühl in Rush

Brühl earned his nod in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role category for his portrayal of real-life racing legend Niki Lauda in Ron Howard‘s Formula One racing drama Rush, which centers on the rivalry between drivers James Hunt (portrayed by Chris Hemsworth) and Lauda.

But Brühl isn’t the only Latino nominee this year…

Michael Peña and Louis C.K. have earned a nomination in the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture category, along with their co-stars from David O. Russell‘s fictional film based on the 1970s Abscam scandal American Hustle.

Mariah Carey has earned the second Screen Actors Guild Awards nod of her career. The 44-year-old singer/actress and her co-stars from Lee Daniels’ The Butler, including Oprah Winfrey and Forest Whitaker, are nominated in the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture category. Carey had previously been nominated in the same category for being part of the cast of Precious.

Sofia Vergara and Rico Rodriguez will be gunning for their fourth straight Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. The onscreen mother and son and their Modern Family cast mates will face off against the casts of 30 Rock, Arrested Development, The Big Bang Theory and Veep.

Morena Baccarin, meanwhile, is nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series with her Homeland co-stars.

The nominations for the 20th annual SAG Awards were announced this morning at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood by Rizzoli & Isles Sasha Alexander and Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s Clark Gregg.

Winners will be revealed at the SAG Awards ceremony on January 18 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, which will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS.

Here are the nominations featuring Latinos:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Daniel Brühl, Rush
James Gandolfini, Enough Said
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years A Slave
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
12 Years A Slave
American Hustle
August: Osage County
Dallas Buyers Club
Lee Daniels’ The Butler

Television Programs

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
BREAKING BAD (AMC)
DOWNTON ABBEY (PBS)
GAME OF THRONES (HBO)
HOMELAND (Showtime)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
30 ROCK (NBC)
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (Netflix)
THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS)
MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
VEEP (HBO)

Nolasco to Guest-Star on Fox’s “Gang Related”

Amaury Nolasco is joining the gang of Fox’s new midseason drama…

The 42-year-old Puerto Rican actor will guest star in at least one episode of the network’s gritty drama Gang Related, which stars Ramon Rodriguez.

Amaury Nolasco

Gang Related centers on Ryan Lopez (Charlie’s Angels’ Rodriguez), a rising star in an elite Gang Task Force who once belonged to a powerful Latino gang.

Nolasco, who rose to acclaim on Fox’s Prison Break, joins the thriller as Mariano, a quiet, ruthless, terrifying sociopath who heads up a cartel.

Nolasco’s most recent TV credits include ABC’s short-lived Work It and TNT’s Rizzoli & Isles.

Saundra Santiago, Terry O’Quinn (Lost), Jay Hernandez (Nashville), RZA (Californication), Shantel VanSanten (One Tree Hill), Lela Loren, Cliff Curtis (Trauma), Sung Kang (Fast & Furious), Inbar Lavi (Underemployed) and Reynaldo Gallegos (Sons of Anarchy) round out the cast.

Gang Related bows in 2014.

Ramirez Lands Recurring Role on CBS’ “Blue Bloods”

It’s a bloody good time to be Marisa Ramirez

The 35-year-old Latina actress has landed a recurring role on CBSBlue Bloods.

Marisa Ramirez

Ramirez will portray Detective Maria Baez in a five-episode arc on the series. She’ll be partnered with Donnie Wahlberg’s character Detective Danny Reagan.

The recurring role comes with the option for Ramirez to continue as a series regular next season.

Her first episode on Blue Bloods airs this Friday. She’s filling the void left by the departure of series regular Jennifer Esposito, who was put on an indefinite medical leave by CBS Television Studios last fall.

Ramirez, who has had a recurring role on ABC’s Body Of Proof this season, has previously guest-starred on The Mentalist, Bones and Rizzoli & Isles.

Cibrian to Guest Star on “Rizzoli & Isles”

Eddie Cibrian is about to have a dynamite summer…

The 38-year-old Cuban American actor has landed a multi-episode arc on the upcoming season of TNT’s crime drama Rizzoli & Isles, according to TVLine.com.

Eddie Cibrian

Cibrian, who previously starred on Sunset Beach and Third Watch, will play Dennis Rockmond, a motivational speaker who will woo Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander) during the show’s third season.

Rizzoli & Isles will return on Tuesday, June 6 at 9:00 pm ET on TNT.

Del Negro Heading to the CW’s “Ringer”…

Matthew Del Negro is preparing to showcase his investigation skills in one of this season’s hottest shows…

The 39-year-old Latino actor has signed on to appear in the CW’s new drama Ringer, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Matthew Del Negro

Del Negro will play Agent Grady Torrance, a cocky, slick and smooth agent with his own agenda who just happens to be the archenemy of Agent Machado—played by 44-year-old Cuban American actor Nestor Carbonell—at the bureau. So expect the two to cross paths and up the drama quotient!

Del Negro, who most recently appeared on TNT’s Rizzoli & Isles, will make his first appearance on Ringer in the March
6 episode.

He’s best known for starring as Brian Cammarata on The Sopranos and  Bram Howard on The West Wing.