TNT Expanding the Premiere Episode of Alonso’s “Animal Kingdom”

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Daniella Alonso’s kingdom is launching larger than originally planned…

TNT is expanding the premiere episode of its new drama series Animal Kingdom, starring the 37-year-old Puerto Rican and Peruvian-American actress, to two hours and moving the launch to June 14 at 9:00 pm ET. It was previously set for June 7.

Animal Kingdom centers on 17-year-old Joshua “J” Cody, who moves in with his freewheeling relatives in their Southern California beach town after his mother dies of a heroin overdose. Headed by boot-tough matriarch Janine “Smurf” Cody and her right-hand Baz , who runs the business and calls the shots, the clan also consists of Pope, the oldest and most dangerous of the Cody boys; Craig, the tough and fearless middle son; and Deran, the troubled, suspicious “baby” of the family.

In addition to Alonso, the series stars Ellen Barkin, Scott Speedman, Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole and Molly Gordon.

Guerra Lands Role on TNT’s Drama Series “Animal Kingdom”

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

The Kingdom (has) come for Carolina Guerra…

The 29-year-old Colombian model, actress and television presenter has booked a recurring role on TNT’s upcoming drama series Animal Kingdom.

The series centers on 17-year-old Joshua “J” Cody (Finn Cole), who moves in with his wild, freewheeling grandmother (Ellen Barkin) and his uncles in their Southern California beach town after his mother overdoses. He is pulled into their life of indulgence and excess and soon discovers that it’s all being funded by the bank robberies they commit.

Guerra will play Lucy, an earthy, sexy woman, who is Baz’s sometime lover. She lives with her son in Mexico, and is the sister of Marco, a mid-level drug trafficker who has a history with the Codys.

Guerra recently starred in indie feature Oro y Polvo and had a co-starring role on the Starz series Da Vinci’s Demons.

Varela to Star in the Ice Age Epic “The Solutrean”

Posted on April 6, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It’s back to the “ice age, baby” for Leonor Varela…

The 43-year-old Chilean actress has landed a supporting role in Studio 8’s ice age epic The Solutrean from director Albert Hughes.

Inspired by the controversial “solutrean hypothesis,” which advances the idea that Stone Age Europeans might have been among the earliest settlers of the Americas, the coming-of-age tale of survival is set 20,000 years ago.

It follows a young boy injured during a hunting expedition and left for dead who must use his skills, intuition and force of will to make it back home. Along the way, he befriends a wolf, who becomes his close companion.

Varela is playing the shaman of the boy’s tribe; described as wise, powerful and compelling, she performs religious rituals of protection, healing and thanksgiving.

Varela most recently appeared in Paramount Pictures’ Captive, opposite Kate Mara, David Oyelowo and Michael Kenneth Williams.

Her other credits include Ride opposite Helen Hunt and Luke Wilson, a seven-episode arc on TNT’s Dallas, and Odd Thomas with Anton Yelchin and Willem Dafoe. She also appeared in Blade II and The Tailor of Panama.

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

Ochoa Lands Recurring Role on TNT’s “Animal Kingdom”

Posted on April 2, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Christina Ochoa is moving to a new kingdom…

The 31-year-old Spanish actress has landed a recurring role on TNT’s upcoming drama series Animal Kingdom.

Hailing from John Wells Prods. in association with Warner Horizon Television, the pilot centers on 17-year-old Joshua “J” Cody (Finn Cole), who moves in with his wild, freewheeling grandmother (Ellen Barkin) and uncles in their Southern California beach town after his mother ODs. He is pulled into their life of indulgence and excess and soon discovers that it’s all being funded by the bank robberies they commit.

Ochoa will portray Renn Randall, a sexy, irreverent surfer who is Craig’s (Ben Robson) lover and drug connection.

Ochoa recurred on El Rey Network’s Matador. Her other credits include guest spots on The Neighbors, Modern Family and I Hate My Teenage Daughter.

Cruz’s “Major Crimes” to Return to TNT in Mid-June

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Raymond Cruz is returning to the force this summer…

TNT will premiere Season 5 of Major Crimes, starring the 54-year-old Mexican American actor, on June 13.

Major Crimes, which was renewed in December, centers on a special unit of Los Angeles Police Department detectives responsible for investigating high-profile crimes. It’s the spin-off of TNT’s hit series The Closer.

Cruz stars as Detective Julio Sanchez on Major Crimes, a role he originated on The Closer.

The ensemble cast includes Mary McDonnell, G.W. Bailey, Tony Denison, Michael Paul Chan, Phillip P. Keene, Kearran Giovanni, Jonathan Del Arco, Robert Gossett and Graham Patrick Martin.

Season 5 will consist of 13-episodes.

di Pace Lands Recurring Role on Netflix’s “Fuller House”

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Juan Pablo di Pace is expecting a full(er) house…

The 36-year-old Argentine actor, singer and director has booked a recurring role on Netflix’s Fuller House, the sequel to the popular television sitcom Full House.

The reboot will follow D.J. Tanner (Candace Cameron-Bure), a recent widow who is raising her children with the help of sister Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) and best friend and fellow mother Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber).

Di Pace, who starred as Jesus Christ in NBC‘s miniseries A.D. The Bible Continues, will play Fernando, Kimmy’s (Barber) passionate ex-husband.

John Stamos, the erstwhile Uncle Jesse, is producing Fuller House, which will star Full House regulars Cameron-Bure, Lori Loughlin, Sweetin and Barber, with Stamos and Dave Coulier appearing in guest spots.

Di Pace previously appeared on another series reboot, TNT’s Dallas.

His other credits include appearances on the NBC series Camp and the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Mamma Mia!

Fuller House is scheduled to premiere on Netflix in 2016.

Martinez to Star in TNT’s Drama Pilot “Home”

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Benito Martinez is coming home…

The 44-year-old Latino actor has been cast in TNT’s drama pilot Home from writer Aron Eli Coleite and Jerry Bruckheimer Television.

Martinez joins a cast that includes Bethany Joy Lenz, Andrew Buchan, Bruce Greenwood, Nicole Muñoz and Roberta Colindrez. He joins previously announced cast members JoBeth Williams, Harris Dickinson and Sawyer Barth.

Home delves into the secrets lingering behind the façade of a seemingly idyllic suburban family. Rose Bell (Lenz) couldn’t be happier: An accomplished designer with a successful business, the newly pregnant Rose is thriving in a wonderful life with her husband, Joe (Buchan), a highly regarded prison psychologist, and enjoying being a stepmother to his two sons PK (Dickinson) and Nate (Barth). But her image of her perfect family is shattered when she discovers long-buried secrets that threaten to destroy the very foundation of her life.

Martinez is prison Warden Peter Ochoa, a former uniformed cop who doesn’t believe in rehabilitation and parole, which puts him in direct opposition to prison psychologist Joe, who is determined to prove that even the most sociopathic criminals are capable of redemption.

Muñoz plays Danica, a latch-key girl next door who instigates a love triangle when she falls for both her new neighbors, PK and Nate Bell.

Colindrez is Cassie, Rose’s best friend and business partner, a contractor who brings Rose’s design to life.

Home is being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer Television in association with Warner Horizon Television, with Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman serving as executive producers.

Botto to Star Opposite Michelle Dockery in TNT’s Drama Pilot “Good Behavior”

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Juan Diego Botto is getting (air) time for good behavior…

The 40-year-old Argentine-Spanish actor has been cast as the male lead opposite Michelle Dockery in TNT’s drama pilot Good Behavior.

Based on the Letty Dobesh books by Wayward Pines author Blake Crouch, Good Behavior is written by Crouch and Chad Hodge and tells the story of Letty (Dockery), a thief and a con artist whose life is always one wrong turn, one bad decision from implosion — which is exactly how she likes it.

In his first role on American television, Botto will play Javier, the magnetic contract killer who crosses paths with Letty when she overhears his plans to kill a client’s wife. Like Letty, Javier lives a dangerous life outside the system, and their attraction is immediate and complicated. When he discovers her intentions to undermine the murder plot, he’s impressed but undeterred. Javier seeks Letty out to kill her, but ends up pulling her into a dangerous, seductive working arrangement.

Botto recently received his fifth Goya Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in the 2013 feature Ismael.

Shooting begins at the end of the month.

Alonso to Star in TNT’s Drama Pilot “Animal Kingdom”

Posted on August 24, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Daniella Alonso is expanding her kingdom…

The 36-year-old Puerto Rican and Peruvian-American actress has landed a series regular role opposite Scott Speedman in TNT’s drama pilot Animal Kingdom.

The pilot centers on 17-year-old Joshua “J” Cody (Finn Cole), who moves in with his wild, freewheeling grandmother (Ellen Barkin) and uncles in their Southern California beach town after his mother overdoses.

He is pulled into their life of indulgence and excess and soon discovers that it’s all being funded by the bank robberies they commit.

Alonso, who starred on NBC’s sci-fi series Revolution, will portray Catherine, Baz’s (Speedman) de facto wife, and the mother of their 3-year- old daughter, Lena.

She most recently starred on the big screen opposite Kevin James in Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2.

The As the World Turns alum’s television credits include The Night Shift, Covert Affairs and Private Practice.

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