Fox Eyeing Season 2 Order for Roselyn Sanchez’s Drama Series Reboot of “Fantasy Island”

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Roselyn Sanchez may not be leavin’ the Island anytime soon…

Fox is is considering a second season of its summer drama series Fantasy Island, starring the 48-year-old Puerto Rican actress/singer.

The series is a reboot of the 1977 original.

Fox Entertainment President Michael Thorn has told Deadline that as its “first real, recent attempt at a cost effective” drama series, the network and producers Sony Pictures Television are “really proud of it”.

Thorn said that the series, which premiered to a 0.4 in 18-49 and 1.97 million viewers, “held its own this summer.” “We’re really high on it and it’s been exciting for us to cross pollinate some of the stars that we have in other series and do other exciting turns on Fantasy Island. We definitely see a potential second season and it’s something that we’re talking about now. We’re very pleased with the show and Liz [Craft] and Sarah [Fain] did a very good job,” he said,

Sanchez stars as Elena Roarke, a descendant of the original series’ enigmatic Mr. Roarke, in the series, which premiered on August 10.

Set at a luxury resort, where literally any fantasy requested by guests is fulfilled, although they rarely turn out as expected. The resort is run by Elena Roarke (Sanchez) who set aside her own ambitions, and even the love of her life, to uphold her family’s legacy. Sophisticated, insightful and always charming, Elena’s calm exterior masks the challenges of the responsibilities she has assumed as steward of this mysterious island.

Kiara Barnes plays Ruby Okoro, a young woman with an old soul who arrives on Fantasy Island with a terminal illness, and is given a new lease on life there, while heavily recurring John Gabriel Rodriquez plays pilot Javier, who also is the head of island transportation and a jack of all trades.

The reboot keeps the semi-anthological format of the original Fantasy Island with three main characters played by Sanchez, Barnes and Rodriquez, who live/work on the island with new guests arriving in every episode.

From writer-producers Craft and Fain, it’s produced by Sony Pictures Television and its Gemstone Studios label, which co-produce with Fox Entertainment.

The original 1977 series, created by Gene Levitt and executive produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg, starred Ricardo Montalbán as Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant Tattoo as they grant guests so-called “fantasies” on the island for a price.

Miguel Pinzon to Appear on Second Season of Hulu’s Comedy Series “Woke”

Posted on July 8, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Miguel Pinzon is officially woke…

The Latino actor has landed a recurring role on the second season of Hulu’s comedy series Woke.

Co-created by Keith Knight and Marshall Todd, Woke centers on Keef Knight (Lamorne Morris), an African-American cartoonist who finds himself on the verge of mainstream success when an unexpected incident changes his life. With a newfound consciousness, Keef must navigate the new voices and ideas challenging him, all without setting fire to everything he’s already built.

Pinzon will play Tommy, a blunt and inscrutable un-housed artist with a sharp wit who challenges Keef and his view of activism.

Knight and Todd executive produce Woke, alongside Anthony King, Maurice “Mo” Marable, Richie Schwartz, John Will, Will Gluck and Eric Christian Olsen. Woke is a co-production between Sony Pictures Television and ABC Signature.

Pinzon’s recent credits include guest starring on 9-1-1: Lone Star, recurring on YouTube Red’s Swipe Right, Freeform’s Mystery Girls, and the Melissa McCarthy/Ben Falcone pilot Amy’s Brother.

Alberto Belli to Direct the Latinx Dance Film “The Way You Move”

Posted on July 2, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Alberto Belli is makin’ a major Move…

The 36-year-old Mexican film director will direct the Latinx dance film The Way You Move.

The film follows an inner-city teenager who gets in trouble at school and is forced to serve detention in the ballroom dance club. To his surprise he discovers that he loves to dance, but he must overcome a family tragedy and the ridicule of his friends before he can bring the rhythms of the street into the ballroom and express his own unique style.

Belli, a commercials and music video director, recently directed multiple episodes of Netflix’s Spanish-language series The House of Flowers.

His debut feature, Gatlopp, is currently in post-production for Tea Shop Productions and Signature, and he’s currently co-creating drama series Loteria, which is in development with Sony Pictures Television for IMDB TV

Broken English Productions is producing with Grandave Capital financing. Filming is scheduled for fall 2021.

The original screenplay comes from Lynn Esta Goldman.

“Alberto Belli is a monumental talent, and Broken English is excited to collaborate with him. Alberto has been on the forefront of innovative storytelling through his many television shows, commercials, music videos and online platforms,” said Christopher Acebo, CEO of Broken English Productions. “We are thrilled at the prospect of him directing this uplifting, powerful and inspiring movie!”

Fox Releases Trailer for “Fantasy Island” Reboot Starring Roselyn Sanchez

Posted on June 29, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Roselyn Sanchez is livin’ a fantasy…

Fox has released the official trailer for its upcoming Fantasy Island reboot, starring the 48-year-old Puerto Rican actress and singer-songwriter.

The teaser gives fans of the original and new viewers a glimpse at what Fantasy Island has to offer: beautiful scenery, crystal-clear waters and life-changing magical powers.

Fantasy Island is set at a luxury resort, where literally any fantasy requested by guests is fulfilled, though they rarely turn out as expected. The resort is run by Elena Roarke (Sanchez), who set aside her own ambitions — and even the love of her life — to uphold her family’s legacy. Sophisticated, insightful and always charming, Elena’s calm exterior masks the challenges of the responsibilities she has assumed as steward of this mysterious island.

The original 1977-84 series, created by Gene Levitt and executive produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg, starred Ricardo Montalbán as Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant Tattoo as they grant guests’ so-called “fantasies” on the island for a price.

The latest reboot comes from writer-producers Liz Craft and Sarah Fain as well as Sony Pictures Television and its Gemstone Studios label, which co-produce with Fox Entertainment. Kiara Barnes and John Gabriel Rodriquez are among the cast for the Fox reboot.

Fantasy Island, from Sony Pictures Television, Gemstone Studios and Fox Entertainment, will debut at 9:00 pm Tuesday, August 10, on Fox.

Filming is underway on location in Puerto Rico.

Krysta Rodriguez to Star in TBS’ Rom-Com Pilot “Space”

Posted on June 1, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Krysta Rodriguez is getting some much-needed space…

The 36-year-old Latina actress and Broadway star will star in TBS’ scripted romantic-comedy pilot, Space, written and executive produced by Hilary Winston and executive produced by Nick Stoller of Stoller Global Solutions.

Rodriguez, currently earning raves for her role as Liza Minelli on Netflix’s Halston, will star opposite Jake Lacy in the pilot.

Ally Maki, Caleb Hearon and Rachel Pegram have also been cast as series regulars in the pilot, which Andrew Mogel and Jarrad Paul have been tapped to direct and executive produce.

Produced by Sony Pictures Television for TBS, Space begins shooting in Portland in June.

Space, described as a hilarious, romantic Quantum Leap, follows Rob (Lacy) and Marin (Rodriguez), a long-term couple on the verge of a break-up who are granted the ultimate space to figure out their future when they suddenly begin jumping into the bodies of other couples.

Lacy’s Rob is a nice guy everyone loves to get a beer with but who has no idea what he wants. Rodriguez is Marin, his lovably eager girlfriend who hasn’t yet accepted she’s an adult. Their relationship’s reckoning happens during their friend Priscilla’s (Maki) wedding, after Priscilla fights off intense cold feet to dive into commitment, causing their other friends Jesse (Hearon) and Hannah (Pegram) to question Rob and Marin’s chronic avoidance of marriage.

Rodriguez’s previous credits include NBC’s Smash, ABC’s Quantico and Netflix’s Daybreak.

HBO Max Orders Family Comedy Pilot “Gordita Chronicles,” Starring Olivia Goncalves, to Series

Posted on May 13, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Olivia Goncalves is preparing to Chronicle(s) her latest endeavor…

HBO Max has picked up to series the family comedy pilot Gordita Chronicles, starring the Latina actress and Hollywood newcomer.

The project hails from Claudia Forestieri, Josh Berman’s Osprey Productions, Zoe Saldana’s Cinestar Pictures and Sony Pictures Television

Goncalves leads the comedy, written and executive produced by Forestieri and directed by Eva Longoria. Diana Maria Riva and Juan Javier Cardenas also star.

Gordita Chronicles, inspired by Forestieri’s life, centers on Carlota “Cucu” Castelli (Goncalves), a willful 12-year-old Dominican immigrant with a heart of gold. Cucu leaves her home and her parochial school in Santo Domingo to live in Miami and pursue the American Dream during the hedonistic 1980s after her father, a marketing executive with a large airline, gets transferred there. Cucu meets head-on the challenges of being an immigrant in a strange new world with humor, bravado and some really bad choices.

“We are thrilled to partner with Zoe, Eva, Josh and Sony Pictures Television to bring to life this beautiful coming-of-age story inspired by Claudia’s personal journey,” said Jennifer O’Connell, Executive Vice President, Non-Fiction and Live-Action Family Programming, HBO Max.

“HBO Max is proud to work with the powerhouse Latinx talent in front of and behind the camera for this series, which we believe will resonate with all families,” added Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content, HBO Max.

Cast also includes Savannah Nicole Ruiz, Noah Rico and Cosette Hauer.

“From the minute we heard Claudia’s childhood story, we knew it was not only incredibly funny, but emotionally poignant and an important story to tell,” said Jason Clodfelter, Co-President, Sony Pictures Television Studios. “Cucu and the Castellis remind us of the iconic sitcom families we grew up watching, but none of those ever captured a Dominican family’s experience of coming to America. This show changes all of that, and we are thrilled and grateful to dive back in and make a wonderful series for our friends at HBO Max.”

Brigitte Munoz Liebowitz serves as executive producer and showrunner. Berman, Chris King and Jennifer Robinson executive produce for Osprey Productions. Longoria executive produces via her UnbeliEVAble Entertainment. Saldana, Mariel Saldana and Cisely Saldana executive produce for Cinestar Pictures. Sony Pictures TV is the studio.

Roselyn Sanchez to Star in Fox’s “Fantasy Island” Reboot

Posted on April 27, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Roselyn Sanchez is livin’ her fantasy…

The 48-year-old Puerto Rican actress/singer will star in Fantasy Island, Fox’s contemporary reboot of the classic drama series.

Sanchez will portay Elena Roarke, a descendant of the original series’ enigmatic Mr. Roarke, in the project, which received a straight-to-series order and will debut on August 10.

The project hails from writer-producers Liz Craft and Sarah Fain as well as Sony Pictures Television and its Gemstone Studios label, which co-produce with Fox Entertainment.

Fantasy Island is set at a luxury resort, where literally any fantasy requested by guests is fulfilled, although they rarely turn out as expected.

The resort is run by Elena Roarke (Sanchez) who set aside her own ambitions, and even the love of her life, to uphold her family’s legacy. Sophisticated, insightful and always charming, Elena’s calm exterior masks the challenges of the responsibilities she has assumed as steward of this mysterious island.

Sanchez joins previously cast series regular Kiara Barnes and heavily recurring John Gabriel Rodriquez. The reboot is keeping the semi-anthological format of the original Fantasy Island with three main characters played by Sanchez, Barnes and Rodriquez, who live/work on the island and new guests arriving in every episode.

The original Fantasy Island series and the 1998 reboot starring Malcolm McDowell as Mr. Roarke, will begin streaming on Fox Entertainment’s free-streaming platform, Tubi, on May 1.

On the new series, alongside Sanchez’s Elena Roarke, Barnes plays Ruby Okoro, a young woman with an old soul who arrives on Fantasy Island with a terminal illness, and is given a new lease on life there; Rodriquez plays pilot Javier, who also is the head of island transportation and a jack of all trades. There is no direct version of the Tattoo character in the reboot.

The Fantasy Island reimagining, written and executive produced by Craft and Fain, delves into the “what if” questions that keep us awake at night. Each episode will tell emotional, provocative stories about people who walk in with a desire but end up reborn to themselves through the magical realism of Fantasy Island.

Sanchez, whose major English-language television credits include lead roles in Without a Trace, Devious Maids and Grand Hotel, has been nominated for an ALMA Award six times, winning in 2008 for Without a Trace.

John Gabriel Rodriquez to Appear in Fox’s “Fantasy Island” Series Reboot

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

John Gabriel Rodriquez is livin’ a sweet, sweet fantasy…

The Latino actor has been cast in a recurring role on Fantasy Island, Fox’s contemporary version of the classic drama series that has a straight-to-series order to air this summer.

The project hails from writer-producers Liz Craft and Sarah Fain, as well as Sony Pictures Television and its Gemstone Studios label, which co-produce with Fox Entertainment.

The reboot is keeping the semi-anthological format of the original Fantasy Island with three main characters, one played by Rodriquez, who live/work on the island and new guests arriving in every episode.

The original series, created by Gene Levitt and executive produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg, starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant Tattoo as they grant guests so-called “fantasies” on the island for a price.

The new Fantasy Island will be run by Elena Roarke, a direct descendant of Mr. Roarke.

Rodriquez will play the rugged, handsome and charismatic Javier, Fantasy Island’s head of transport — a pilot, mechanic and jack of all trades. While the island provides Javier refuge, as with everything else it offers, it may come at the price of a reckoning.

There is no direct version of the Tattoo character in the reboot.

Rodriquez, who has done guest starring/recurring stints on NCIS, Young and Hungry, The Fosters and Rosewood, was a series regular in the NBC pilot Miranda’s Rights.

Diana Maria Riva to Star in HBO Max’s Family Comedy Pilot “The Gordita Chronicles”

Posted on March 26, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Diana Maria Riva is beginning to chronicle…

The 51-year-old Dominican American actress has joined the cast of HBO Max’s upcoming family comedy pilot The Gordita Chronicles, from Josh Berman’s Osprey Productions, Zoe Saldana’s Cinestar Pictures and Sony Pictures Television.

Riva, who recently started in NBC’s short-lived comedy Sunnyside, joins a roster of new cast additions that includes Juan Javier Cardenas, Savannah Nicole Ruiz, Noah Rico and Cosette Hauer.

They join newcomer Olivia Goncalves, who will lead the comedy written by Claudia Forestieri and directed by Eva Longoria.

The Gordita Chronicles centers on Carlota “Cucu” Castelli (Goncalves), a willful 12-year-old Dominican immigrant with a heart of gold. Cucu leaves her home and her parochial school in Santo Domingo to live in Miami and pursue the American Dream during the hedonistic 1980s after her father, a marketing executive with a large airline, gets transferred there. Cucu meets head-on the challenges of being an immigrant in a strange new world with humor, bravado and some really bad choices.

Riva will appear as Adela, Cucu’s mom. The actress appeared as Detective Ana Perez in Netflix’s Dead to Me. Her additional roles include Man with a Plan, Kajillionaire, and McFarland, USA.

Cardenas takes on Victor Castelli, Cucu’s dad. He played Dante in The Walking Dead and Ben in S.W.A.T. His credits also include Snowfall, Damnation, Scandal and Lusa.

Ruiz will appear as Emilia, Cucu’s older sister. High School Musical: The Musical actor Noah Rico joins the cast as Yosmel “Yoshy” Hernandez, a Cuban refugee and Cucu’s ﬁrst friend in Miami.

Lastly, Hauer joins as Ashley, a needy go-getter desperate to ﬁt in, but nevertheless always sticks out.

Brigitte Munoz Liebowitz serves as executive producer and showrunner. Berman, Chris King and Jennifer Robinson executive produce for Osprey Productions. Longoria executive produces via her UnbeliEVAble Entertainment. Saldana, Mariel Saldana and Cisely Saldana executive produce for Cinestar Pictures. Forestieri is co-executive producer. Sony Pictures Television is the studio.

Chrissie Fit to Appear on Amazon’s “I Know What You Did Last Summer” Series

Posted on March 22, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Chrissie Fit has big summer plans…

The 36-year-old Cuban American actress/singer and former Pitch Perfect star has landed a recurring role on Amazon’s I Know What You Did Last Summer series.

A modern take on the 1997 horror film, the project comes from Sony Pictures Television and Amazon Studios Original Film.

Written by Sara Goodman based on the 1973 novel by Lois Duncan, the I Know What You Did Last Summer series has the same premise as the movie adaptation – in a town full of secrets, a group of teenagers are stalked by a mysterious killer a year after a fatal accident on their graduation night.

Details about Fit’s character have yet to be revealed.

The previously announced cast includes Madison Iseman, Brianne Tju, Ezekiel Goodman, Ashley Moore, Sebastian Amoruso, Fiona Rene, Cassie Beck, Brooke Bloom, Bill Heck and Sonya Balmores.

I Know What You Did Last Summer is produced by Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television. Goodman will write and executive produce. Craig Macneill will serve as director and executive producer for the first episode.

Fit appeared in the Pitch Perfect and Teen Beach Movie franchises. She also acted opposite Jessica Rothe and Harry Shum Jr. in All My Life.

Her additional credits include Lissette Feliciano’s SXSW film Women Is Losers and Comedy Central’s Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens.

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