Ortiz Lands Series Regular Role on TBS’ Dark Comedy Pilot “World’s End”

Posted on September 9, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the end of the world for James Ortiz…

The Latino actor has booked a series regular role opposite Hamish Linklater, Wanda Sykes and Maribeth Monroe in TBS’ pilot World’s End.

Written by Jonathan Ames, based on Icelandic dramedy Heimsendir, a Sagafilm format, World’s End is a dark comedy about an asylum that operates like a family, and as in all families, the question of who is sane and who isn’t is open for discussion. It follows Henry Mueller (Linklater), a charismatic high school English teacher who has a breakdown and is committed to a mental institution. There, under the watchful eye of Louise Baldwin (Sykes), he begins to feel “sane.” Henry starts to question the system and the methods used to contain the inmates, ultimately becoming the leader of an inmate revolt.

Ortiz will play Martin, a patient at Kingsley Hospital. He’s Dr. White’s prized patient and mentee at Kingsley Hospital who gives every impression of being on staff. Martin, however, is the deeply troubled subject of Dr. White’s book and is suffering from multiple personality disorder.

TBS Picks Up Gonzaga’s “Wrecked” for a Second Season

Posted on July 7, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Ginger Gonzaga is still wrecked…

TBS has given an early renewal for the network’s rookie comedy series Wrecked, starring the part Latina actress.

Wrecked, which revolves around a diverse group of plane crash survivors on a remote island, was picked up for a 10-episode second season.

Wrecked is reaching a multiplatform audience of 5.2 million viewers across linear, video on demand, digital and mobile. It ranks among cable’s Top 25 scripted series for the year-to-date and is the No. 1 new cable comedy based on Live+7 delivery of adults 18-49, according to TBS and Nielsen.

In addition to Gonzaga, the ensemble cast includes Asif Ali, Zach Cregger, Rhys Darby, Brooke Dillman, Will Greenberg, Jessica Lowe, Ally Maki and Brian Sacca.

Wrecked airs at 10:00 pm ET on Tuesdays.

Perez to Appear on TBS’ Comedy Series “Search Party”

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Rosie Perez is sending out a search party…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican actress has joined the cast of TBS’ comedy series Search Party.

Perez will join Ron Livingston, Parker Posey and Christine Taylor as recurring actors on the show, while Brandon Micheal Hall has signed on as a series regular.

Slated to premiere in late 2016, Search Party is a dark comedy about four self-absorbed 20-somethings who become entangled in an ominous mystery when a former college acquaintance named Chantal suddenly disappears.

Led by Alia Shawkat, the cast features an ensemble of young comic actors, including John Early, John Reynolds and Meredith Hagner.

Hall plays Julian, Dory’s journalist ex-boyfriend who seeks the truth no matter who it hurts. Perez is Lorraine, a realtor whose life may be in peril for knowing too much about the missing girl. Livingston plays Keith, a private detective who takes Shawkat’s Dory under his wing in the hunt for the missing Chantal. Posey is Brick, the head of an artisanal boutique which turns out to be much more sinister than expected. And Taylor plays Gail, Dory’s bored and wealthy employer who revels in getting the scoop on her hunt for Chantal.

TBS Originals is producing Search Party in association with Jax Media.

TBS to Premiere Gonzaga’s “Wrecked” in Mid-June

Posted on April 20, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Ginger Gonzaga has been left stranded…

TBS will premiere its new ensemble comedy Wrecked, starring the part-Latina actress on Tuesday, June 14.

The series centers on a group of strangers stranded on a deserted island following a plane crash.

Wrecked will debut with back-to-back episodes beginning at 10:00 pm ET.

Produced by TBS, the single-camera comedy centers on a diverse group of survivors adjusting to being stranded on an uninhabited island, a dangerous new world where they must face many threats – mostly brought on by themselves. No longer plugged into the rest of the world, the group struggles to navigate their makeshift society while also learning to live without such modern comforts as indoor plumbing, Wi-Fi, social media and Chipotle.

In addition to Gonzaga, the ensemble cast also includes Zach Cregger, Rhys Darby, Jessica Lowe, Asif Ali, Ally Maki, Will Greenberg, Brooke Dillman and Brian Sacca.

Justin Shipley and Jordan Shipley write and executive produce and Jesse Hara produces.

Gomez Earns Triple Threat Trophy at the iHeartRadio Music Awards

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Move over Jennifer Lopez… Selena Gomez is the new Triple Threat…

The 23-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress picked up the award for Biggest Triple Threat at this year’s iHeartRadio Music Awards, which were handed out Sunday night.

Gomez, heralded as a singer, actor and dancer, beat out Lady Gaga, Hailee Steinfeld, Jason Derulo, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Nick Jonas, Troye Sivan, Usher and Zendaya for the prize.

Bruno Mars continues to Funk things up. The 30-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer won the award for Best Collaboration for his smash hit single “Uptown Funk“ with Mark Ronson.

Meanwhile, Ally Brooke Hernadez, Camila Cabello and Lauren Jauregui and their fellow Fifth Harmony members, as well as 22-year-old half-Mexican American singer Jasmine V, picked up the award for Best Cover Song for Mars and Ronson’s “Uptown Funk.” They share the award with Jacob Whitesides and Mahogany Lox.

Other winners include Pitbull for Latin Artist of the Year, and Nicky Jam and Enrique Iglesias’ smash hit single “El Perdón“ for Latin Song of the Year.

The awards show aired live on TBS, TNT and truTV from the Forum in Inglewood, California. Jason Derulo served as the night’s host.

Here’s a look at this year’s Latino winners:

Triple Threat: Selena Gomez – Singer/Actor/Dancer
Best Collaboration: “Uptown Funk” – Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
Best Cover Song: “Uptown Funk” – Fifth Harmony, Jasmine V, Jacob Whitesides and Mahogany Lox covering Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
Latin Artist of the Year: Pitbull
Latin Song of the Year: “El Perdón” – Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias
Regional Mexican Artist of the Year: Banda Los Recoditos
Regional Mexican Song of the Year: “Levantando Polvadera” – Voz de Mando

Lovato Performs “Stone Cold” at the iHeartRadio Music Awards

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Demi Lovato is a stone cold fox…

The 23-year-old part-Mexican American singer/actress hit the stage alongside country music star Brad Paisley at Sunday’s iHeartRadio Music Awards.

The singer was nominated twice, including for Best Cover Song.

Lovato performed her latest single from her new album “Stone Cold,” joined by Paisley on guitar, during the show airing live on TBS, TNT and truTV from the Forum in Inglewood, Calif.

“Stone Cold” is the third single from Lovato’s fifth album, Confident, which was released in October 2015. It follows chart-topping lead single “Cool for the Summer” and the title track “Confident.”

Longoria Developing Drama Project “Casino” NBC with Carlos Portugal

Posted on October 20, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria’s gamble is paying off…

The 40-year-old Mexican American actress, producer and activist’s production company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment has sold another project, the drama Casino, to NBC.

Written by East Los High co-creator Carlos Portugal, the project centers on the aftermath of a mogul’s mysterious death when his ambitious young widow and his illegitimate son have to join forces to save his famed casino, while circumstances surrounding his death come to light and threaten to take them both down.

Portugal executive produces with UnveliEVAble Entertainment’s Longoria and Ben Spector.

Universal Television, where the company is based, is the studio.

Casino stems out of efforts by the former Desperate Housewives star — who holds a master’s degree in Chicano studies — to bring Hispanic voices to television.

Born in Cuba, Portugal began his career at San Francisco PBS station KQED, where he produced the Emmy-winning documentary Frida Kahlo: Portrait of an Artist.

For the past three seasons, he has served as creator, showrunner, head writer and director of Hulu’s original drama series East Los High, directing 42 of the 48 produced episodes to date.

Before East Los High, Portugal worked on Tyler Perry’s Meet The Browns and House of Payne for TBS.

UnbeliEVAble has midseason NBC comedy series Hot & Bothered, starring Longoria, as well as three other broadcast projects in development: genre drama Zone of Silence at NBC with Blumhouse Productions and writer Rashad Raisani, comedy Bonita & Mechelle at NBC with Will Packer Prods and writer Kriss Turner Towner and a comedy at ABC with veteran comedy writer Bobby Bowman.

Nunez to Star in TBS’ Ensemble Alien Abduction Comedy Pilot “The Group”

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Oscar Nunez is a Father figure…

The 56-year-old Cuban actor and former The Office star will star in TBS’ ensemble alien abduction comedy pilot The Group (working title) from The Office creator Greg Daniels.

Former Daily Show correspondent and writer Wyatt Cenac will play Wyatt Jones, a serious journalist in the town of Beacon who is pulled into covering the alien abductions that have been occurring.

Nunez will play hip priest Father Doug, who manages the community room rentals at Our Lady of Sorrows in Beacon.

Former Saturday Night Live alum Ana Gasteyer is playing Gina Morrison, a disgraced, though, competent therapist who runs a support group for alien abductees while working part time at a home furnishing chain store.

Alice Wetterlund will portray Kelly Grady, a goofy attractive girl who works as a temp and perpetually dates jerks.

As Gerry Johnson, Luka Jones is a social dropout and tollbooth worker who knows a lot about aliens.

Tracee Chimo is set to portray Chelsea Healey, a high-strung soul in the body of a housewife who is masking something much darker.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s Yvonne Watson is the best door-to-door cosmetic salesperson on the Eastern seaboard in The Group.

Marylouise Burke portrays Margaret Flood, the sex-crazed retiree in Beacon’s retirement community.

Pineda to Star in the TBS comedy “The Detour”

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Daniella Pineda is taking a detour…

The 28-year-old Mexican American actress has been cast as a series regular in TBS comedy, The Detour.

Created by Jason Jones and Samantha Bee, the series is inspired by Jones and Bee’s own experiences with family getaways.

It follows a couple and their two young kids as they take a road trip to Florida. Jones plays unfiltered dad Nate, who packs his wife, Robin (Natalie Zea), along with their rebellious daughter Delilah (Ashley Gerasimovich) and simpleton son Jared (Liam Carroll), into the family car for what Nate is convinced will be the adventure of a lifetime. Every leg of their trip, however, is fraught with unforeseen disaster as they encounter one hellish turn after another.

Pineda, who starred in The Originals and American Odyssey, will play Vanessa, Robin’s obliviously distasteful sister.

Pineda’s other television credits include Men of a Certain Age and Homeland.

Gonzaga to Star in TBS’ Comedy Pilot “Wrecked”

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Ginger Gonzaga has wrecked her career…

The part-Latina actress has been cast in the TBS pilot Wrecked, a single-camera comedy from up-and-coming writers Justin Shipley and Jordan Shipley and producer Jesse Hara.

Described as Lost meets It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Wrecked follows a group of extremely diverse survivors of a plane crash on a remote island who must adjust to life in a dangerous new world that poses unique threats — mostly brought upon themselves. No longer plugged in, the group must navigate this new society and learn to live without the comforts of 2015, including social media, Wifi, indoor plumbing and Chipotle.

Gonzaga, whose television credits include Anger Management, Mixology and In Gayle We Trust, will portray Emma, who’s on her way to Thailand with her friend, Florence, after having decided to drop out of medical school.

Gonzaga’s costars include Zach Cregger, Jessica Lowe, Asif Ali, Ally Maki, Will Greenberg, Brooke Dillman, James Scott, George Basil and Rhys Darby.

Filming on the pilot has begun in Puerto Rico.

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