Tori Kelly to Appear on CBS’ Christmas Special, “Josh Groban & Friends Go Home for the Holidays”

Posted on November 14, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Tori Kelly will be helping get Americans into the holiday spirit…

The 31-year-old part-Puerto Rican will join Josh Groban for the festive-season special for CBS, Josh Groban & Friends Go Home for the Holidays, which is scheduled to air on December 20.

Musical performances include holiday classics, new releases and duets with Groban and his guests, including Tori, James Bay, Jennifer Hudson and The War And Treaty.

Hosted and executive produced by Groban, the special is said to feature a new format combining compelling stories, music, comedy and a live adoption on stage, celebrating the creation of a new family.

“I am honored and excited to host a show with friends old and new to celebrate the unity and togetherness of the holidays,” Groban said in a statement. “It’s especially important because it will spread the importance of adoption and will feature the most incredible kids. I can’t wait for everyone to watch with their families, sing along and hopefully make room in their hearts and homes for a child who needs one.”

For the last 25 years, Home for the Holidays has shined a light on the thousands of American children in foster care, and has inspired tens of thousands of adoptions.

Josh Groban & Friends Go Home for the Holidays continues its legacy of showcasing the transformative power of adoption and the true meaning of family.

Josh Groban & Friends Go Home for the Holidays is produced by Triage Entertainment and Goldsmith Entertainment.

Michael Simon is director.

The special was filmed in the Bram Goldsmith Theater at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Groban’s previous specials include Josh Groban in Concert (2002) and Josh Groban’s Great Big Radio City Show (2022), both for PBS.

Josh Groban & Friends Go Home for the Holidays is set to air on December 20 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs).

Esai Morales to Star in “So Much For Love”

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Esai Morales is lovin’ his new role…

The 61-year-old Puerto Rican actor will star opposite Finn Wittrock and Sylvia Hoels in So Much For Love, which is currently shooting in Louisville, Kentucky.

A re-teaming filmmaker Lina Roessler with Best Sellers scribe Anthony Grieco, the film follows Sam Davies (Wittrock), a trust fund supported bon vivant and bachelor, who is living his best life – right up until the day he turns 35. Much to his horror, that’s when he learns his deceased parents have a provision in the trust that will terminate his installments and force him to earn his keep. Cast out of his posh Hollywood Hills digs and landing in La Grange, Kentucky, Sam has a calendar year to learn the value of hard work, the meaning of purpose, and the true price of love – or lose it all.

The story is originally by Paul Robarts and Gigi Gaston. The film is being produced by Cassian Elwes’ Elevated Films along with Paul Robarts, Arielle Elwes and Veronica Radaelli).

“I knew this film would be something special when I started collaborating again with Anthony on the script,” says Roessler. “Being back on set and getting to work with Finn, Sylvia and Esai has been absolutely wonderful. It has also been a magical experience working again with Cassian and Arielle along with our amazing crew in Louisville.”

Morales had notable roles in the films Bad Boys with Sean Penn and La Bamba with Lou Diamond Phillips. His television roles include the PBS 2002 drama series American Family, the Showtime series Resurrection Blvd. (2000–2002), portraying Lt. Tony Rodriguez on NYPD Blue (2001–2003), Joseph Adama in the science fiction series Caprica (2009–2010), Camino del Rio in the Netflix original series Ozark (2017), and the DC Comics supervillain Slade Wilson / Deathstroke in the superhero series Titans (2019).

Erislandy Lara to Defend WBA Middleweight Title Against Danny Garcia

Posted on July 25, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Erislandy Lara is going on the defensive…

The 41-year-old Cuban professional boxer will defend his WBA middleweight title against Danny Garcia on September 14 in Las Vegas, PBC has announced.

The fight will serve as the pay-per-view co-feature on the Canelo Alvarez–Edgar Berlanga card.

Lara-Garcia was originally slated for August 2023 and then was scheduled for the fall.

However, the bout never materialized as PBC network partner Showtime ceased sports programming at the end of the year.

When the fight was planned last year, it was set to take place at a 155-pound catchweight.

Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs) is coming off a second-round TKO victory over Michael Zerafa in March.

A former 154-pound champion, Lara’s résumé includes a controversial decision loss to Paul Williams, a split-decision defeat to Alvarez and a victory over Austin Trout.

Lara is ESPN’s No. 6 middleweight. His split-decision defeat by Jarrett Hurd in a 154-pound title unification was ESPN’s 2018 Fight of the Year. Lara’s draw with Brian Castano the following year was one of the best fights of 2019.

Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is a former unified 140-pound champion and 147-pound titleholder. He rose to prominence with an upset fourth-round TKO victory over Amir Khan in 2012 and followed with a dominant victory over Lucas Matthysse the following year.

His lengthy résumé includes wins over Erik Morales, Zab Judah and Lamont Peterson, along with tight decision defeats to Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter.

The 36-year-old Philadelphian made his 154-pound debut in July 2022 with a majority decision win over Jose Benavidez Jr. He hasn’t competed since.

That was Garcia’s first fight since a December 2020 decision loss to Errol Spence Jr.

Julia Mayorga to Star in the Indie Drama “People Not Places”

Posted on July 18, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Julia Mayorga has found her people…

The Latina actress has landed in the indie drama People Not Places, hailing from director Brad Furman.

Mayorga is joined by Allegra Leguizamo as new cast additions to the film that will star Shirley MacLaine and Stephen Dorff.

Written by Ellen Brown Furman, the filmmaker’s mother, the film centers on Clare (MacLaine), an elderly widow living in Atlantic City who meets an erratic homeless man (Dorff) who sleeps in cars. Their shared loneliness causes them to bond, as they find the courage to face his regrettable past and her shortened future.

Mayorga plays Sarah, Clare’s stunning daughter-in-law with an artistic flair, who creates jewelry. Her husband Cole is torn between his need to support Sarah’s ambition and his mother’s need for more time with her son.

Leguizamo plays Allison, a young woman who asked for a gardener but got much more.

Furman and Jess Fuerst are producing the film under their Road Less Traveled Productions banner.

Currently, Mayorga can be seen opposite Jeff Daniels, Bill Camp and Maura Tierney on Showtime’s American Rust, which moved to Prime Video for its second season earlier this year.

She can also be seen leading the drama Rare Objects, marking the latest directorial outing of Katie Holmes.

Seen on series like The Equalizer and New Amsterdam, Leguizamo will next appear in Furman’s action thriller Tin Soldier, starring Jamie Foxx, Robert De Niro and Scott Eastwood, as well as Rachel Israel’s comedy The Floaters starring Jackie Tohn, Aya Cash, Jake Ryan and Seth Green.

Recently, she wrapped production on Flash Warning, a short film she stars in, which she also wrote and directed.

Kevin Alves to Appear on Netflix‘s Comedy Series “No Good Deed” in Recurring Role

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Kevin Alves is preparing for a good role…

The 32-year-old Canadian-Brazilian actor and former figure skater has landed a recurring role on Netflix‘s eight-episode comedy series No Good Deed from creator Liz Feldman.

Alves, who appears on Yellowjackets, plays Nate, the strait-laced, hard-edged son of Mikey (Denis Leary), with whom he has a strained relationship.

Ray Romano and Lisa Kudrow lead the cast, which also includes Linda Cardellini, Luke Wilson, Abbi Jacobson, Poppy Liu, Leary and O-T Fagbenle.

No Good Deed is a half-hour, dark comedy that follows three very different families vying to buy the very same 1920s Spanish-style villa that they think will solve all their problems. But as the sellers have already discovered, sometimes the home of your dreams can be a total nightmare.

Feldman serves as showrunner and executive produces alongside Will Ferrell and Jessica Elbaum for Gloria Sanchez Productions, Christie Smith, and Silver Tree, who will direct the pilot and additional episodes.

Sherry Thomas and Russell Scott are overseeing casting.

Best known for his role as a teenaged Travis on Showtime’s hit series Yellowjackets, which is heading into its third season after landing 10 Emmy nominations in its first two go-rounds, the Canadian-born Alves previously recurred on Netflix’s Locke & Key and Freeform’s Shadowhunters.

His additional TV credits include Two Sentence Horror Stories, The Expanse, Degrassi: The Next Generation and Warehouse 13.

Next, Alves will be seen starring in the comedy Lucky Weekend, which he directed from his own script, in his feature debut.

Shakira Barrera Signs with Innovative Artists for Representation

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Shakira Barrera is ready to innovate…

The 34-year-old Nicaraguan American actress has signed with Innovative Artists for representation.

The actress, dancer, producer and humanitarian is best known for her breakout role in Netflix’s G.L.O.W. as Yolanda Rivas, a lady wrestler.

Most recently, she starred as First Officer Jensen Corbyt in Star Wars: Ahsoka opposite Rosario Dawson and in the series regular role of Gloria, a college-educated scam artist who discovered her love for conning people at a young age, in Greg Garcia’s Sprung from Prime Video alongside Garret Dillahunt and Martha Plimpton.

Her upcoming projects include a guest-starring role on HBO’s Hacks and a series regular role on Marvel’s Ironheart starring Dominique Thorne and Anthony Ramos.

Her additional TV credits include Showtime’s Shameless, TNT’s Animal Kingdom, Netflix’s It’s Bruno! and OWN’s All Rise for Season 3.

Most recently, Barrera has been producing and creating projects of her own.

In addition to acting and producing, she is a global ambassador for the Nicaraguan Human Rights Alliance, helping immigrants coming from Central America and is also an ambassador for the non-profit, “Project SchoolHouse,” building permanent water structures in Nicaragua.

John Leguizamo to Star in Apple‘s Upcoming Drama Series “Firebug”

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

John Leguizamo is buggin’…

The 63-year-old Colombian Emmy– & Tony Award-winning actor will star alongside Taron Egerton in Apple‘s upcoming drama series Firebug.

Hailing from Apple Studios and creator Dennis Lehane, the series will be directed and executive-produced by Kari Skogland.

Written by Lehane and loosely inspired by true events, Firebug will follow a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator (Egerton) as they pursue the trails of two serial arsonists.

Leguizamo with play Esposito, a former policeman with a lot of bad habits and a lot of good instincts.

Jurnee Smollett will also star in the series.

In addition to starring, Egerton will serve as executive producer alongside Richard Plepler through Eden Productions, Dan Friedkin and Bradley Thomas through Imperative Entertainment and Kary Antholis.

Leguizamo is host and executive producer of MSNBC’s hit travel show, Leguizamo Does America, which is currently in production on its second season.

He recently starred in Amazon series The Power, alongside Toni Collette, in Showtime’s five-part drama series Waco: The Aftermath, and in Mark Mylod’s horror comedy The Menu.

Leguizamo stars in the independent film Bob Trevino Likes It, which recently premiered at SXSW, winning the SXSW Grand Jury Award and the Audience Award in the Narrative Feature category.

He also stars as federal agent Gordon Rogers in The Green Veil drama series, which he produced alongside director Aram Rappaport.

Upcoming, he hosts the PBS documentary series American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos, a project he co-created with director Ben De Jesus. He’ll also be seen in the upcoming thriller feature Tin Soldier, opposite Robert Di Niro, Jamie Foxx and Rita Ora.

Tommy Martinez to Star in Peacock’s New Comedy Series “Laid”

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Tommy Martinez is laying down a new path…

The 31-year-old Venezuelan actor will star in Peacock’s upcoming comedy series Laid as a series regular.

Martinez will star opposite Zosia Mamet and Michael Angarano in the series.

Martinez will play Isaac, Mamet will play AJ and Angarano will play Richie.

They join previously announced lead Stephanie Hsu in the series written and executive produced by Nahnatchka Khan and Sally Bradford McKenna.

Laid is based on the Australian series created by Marieke Hardy and Kirsty Fisher, and produced by Liz Watts.

It follows a woman who finds out her former lovers are dying in unusual ways and must go back through her sex timeline to confront her past to move forward. It’s described as a f*cked-up rom-com where the answer to “Why can’t I find love, is there something wrong with me?” is a resounding: “Yes, there is. The problem is definitely you.”

The series comes from Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Martinez was most recently a series regular on Freeform’s Good Trouble, which wrapped up its run after 5 seasons earlier this month. He played Gael Martinez since the show’s inception.

His additional television credits include Netflix’s Not Dead Yet, Prime Video’s Hunters, Mosquito Coast for Apple+, Showtime’s Shameless and the CW’s Riverdale.

Hemky Madera Signs with Stewart Talent

Posted on March 6, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Hemky Madera has new representation…

The 47-year-old Dominican American actor has signed with Stewart Talent for representation.

Madera is best known for his work as a series regular in USA Network’s Queen of the South across the drama’s five seasons. Madera worked closely alongside Alice Braga starring as her character Teresa Mendoza’s loyal right-hand man and ride-or-die, Pote Gálvez. The series is an adaptation of Telemundo’s hit telenovela La Reina del Sur starring Kate del Castillo as Teresa.

Most recently, Madera reunited with Queen of the South co-showrunner Dailyn Rodriguez on Season 2 of the hit Netflix series The Lincoln Lawyer, which Rodriguez co-showruns and executive produces alongside Ted Humphries. Madera played Agent Felix Vasquez.

His additional television credits include HBO’s Perry Mason, The Mandalorian for Disney+, Netflix’s Kaleidoscope, ABC’s The Good Doctor, IFC’s Brockmire, Showtime’s Weeds and Acapulco for Apple TV+, among others.

On the film side, he played Mr. Delmar in Spider-Man: Homecoming. His other big-screen credits include Muzzle (2023) alongside Aaron Eckhart; Bad Hombres (2023) co-starring Thomas Jane and Luke Hemsworth; Satanic Hispanics (2022) as Vampiro; The Happy Time Murders (2018); and Rango (2011).

The New York-born actor began his career in the theater in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and continued on the stages of The Big Apple.

His credits include Inverse Theater’s production of Icarus and Aria and the New York Spanish Repertoire’s production of Feast of the Goat.

He continues to be represented by Luber Roklin for management and attorney Peter Sample.

Noomi Rapace Starring in Psychological Horror Thriller “Palette”

Posted on February 7, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Noomi Rapace is expanding her artistic palette…

The 44-year-old half-Spanish-Swedish actress will star opposite Hunter Schafer in the upcoming psychological horror thriller Palette.

The production marks the feature directorial debut of writer-director Zach Strauss, who also wrote its 2023 Black List screenplay, with other recent screenwriting credits including Spike Lee’s upcoming film Da Understudy and episodes of Frankie Shaw’s Showtime series SMILF.

In Palette, Schafer stars as Dolly, a woman suffering from extreme synesthesia, a rare condition through which she is able to hear colors.

She is recruited into a secretive, cult-like industry of color design, where she discovers the dark reality of what it takes to make the world’s greatest hues.

Rapace will play the company’s enigmatic executive Latrice and Shaw has joined the cast as Sidney, Hunter’s cutthroat rival.

“I feel beyond lucky to be making this dark and twisted movie with a truly exceptional cast and with such incredible partners in Anton, I know we’re going to create something really special,” said Strauss.

Producer John Zois praised Strauss’s “compelling and completely distinctive” screenplay.

“We are putting together a team that will bring the stunning visuals of the story to the screen. Hunter and Noomi are truly perfect for our two leads and I cannot wait to see them bring these rich and unique characters to life. We could not be more excited about this film.”

Sebastien Raybaud and Zois will produce for Anton, alongside Shaw & Strauss for Uncle Pete Productions, and Ryan Christians. Executive producers are Schafer, Brandt Wrightsman for Anton and Ross Dinerstein for Campfire Studios.

Rapace’s previous credits include the Swedish film adaptations of the Millennium series: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest. Her other credits include Prometheus, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and Child 44.

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