Tag Archives: The Wire

Tristan Mack Wilds to Star in Universal’s Music-Competition Feature Comedy “Praise This”

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Tristan Mack Wilds is ready for a little praise (this).

The 32-year-old half–Afro-Dominican American actor has been cast in Universal Pictures’ film Praise This, starring Chloe Bailey.

Tristan Mack WildsAlso signing on for roles include Anjelika Washington, Quavo, Druski, Koryn Hawthorne and Jekalyn Carr.

Other new cast members include newcomers Kiara Iman Heffner and Ilario Grant, Birgundi Baker, Loren Lott, Crystal Renee Hayslett, Cocoa Brown, Vanessa Fraction and Kountry Wayne.

Praise This is a music-competition feature comedy set in the world of youth choirs, announced earlier this year as one of three Universal films coming to Peacock in 2023.

Tina Gordon is directing, having penned the latest draft of the script, which was based off an original idea by The Story Company.

Earlier drafts were written by Camilla Blackett and Brandon Broussard, Hudson Obayuwana and Jana Savage—the trio otherwise known as Murder Ink.

The film falls under Will Packer Productions’ first-look deal with Universal.

Production kicked off in Atlanta in June.

Wilds currently stars in the Apple TV+ series Swagger. Past credits include the Spike Lee miniseries Miracle’s Boys, the critically-acclaimed HBO series The Wire, the award-winning feature Half Nelson, The Secret Life of Bees and George Lucas’ Red Tails.

HBO Releases Trailer for Isaac’s Miniseries “Show Me a Hero”

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Oscar Isaac is ready for his Hero’s welcome…

HBO has released the official trailer for its period drama Show Me a Hero, starring the 36-year-old Guatemalan/Cuban American actor.

Oscar Isaac in Show Me a Hero

The story takes place in the 1980s and ’90s and centers on Isaac’s character Nick Wasicsko, a young Yonkers mayor who finds himself at the crossroads of race and politics when he is instructed to build low-income housing units in his largely Caucasian community. He hopes to be on the right side of history, but at what cost?

Show Me a Hero, which draws a lot of parallels to the current civil-rights battle in our country, also stars Catherine Keener, Jim Belushi, Winona Ryder, Alfred Molina and Jon Bernthal.

Set to be shown in six hour-long installments, the series is an adaptation of Lisa Belkin’s 1999 book and is penned by The Wire‘s David Simon and William F. Zorzi and directed by Paul Haggis.

Show Me a Hero premieres at 8:00 pm on August 16 on HBO.

Royo Lands Recurring Role on Showtime’s Comedy Pilot “Happyish”

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Andre Royo has reason to be happyish…

The 46-year-old Afro-Cuban American actor has landed a recurring role on Showtime’s comedy pilot Happyish as a recurring.

Andre Royo

Described as a comedic, soul-searching examination of our pursuit of happiness, Happyish centers on Thom Payne (portrayed by Steve Coogan) – a 44-year-old man whose world is thrown into disarray when his 25-year-old “wunderkind” boss arrives. Kathryn Hahn and Bradley Whitford co-star, with Carrie Preston and Molly Price on board in recurring roles.

Royo, best known for his role as Reginald “Bubbles” Cousins on HBO’s The Wire, will portray Barry, a former corporate lawyer who followed his heart to the Family Court, only to find it even more depressing than Corporate Law was.

His other television credits include appearances on Fringe, Party Down and How to Make It in America.

Isaac to Star in HBO’s Miniseries “Show Me a Hero”

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Oscar Isaac is a hero in the making…

HBO has officially green-lit for production Show Me a Hero, a six-hour miniseries starring the 35-year-old Guatemalan and Cuban actor, from The Wire co-creator David Simon and Baltimore Sun journalist/The Wire writer William F. Zorzi.

Oscar Isaac

Directed by Paul Haggis and co-starring Catherine Keener, Show Me A Hero is based on the nonfiction book by Lisa Belkin. It centers on Nick Wasicsko (portrayed by Isaac), the youngest big-city mayor in the nation who finds himself thrust into the center of a racial controversy when a federal court orders him to build a small number of low-income housing units in the white neighborhoods of his town, Yonkers, New York. His attempt to do so tears the city apart, paralyzes the municipal government and, ultimately, destroys his political future.

Keener will portray Mary Dorman, an East Yonkers homeowner who comes to a remarkable realization during the battle over where to build low-income housing.

This is Simon’s third miniseries for HBO following 2000′s The Corner, which won an Emmy for Best Miniseries, and Generation Kill, which was nominated in the category. He also co-created HBO’s New Orleans drama Treme, whose five-episode final season is up for a Best Miniseries Emmy this year.

Isaac is currently filming Star Wars: Episode VII.