Rosario Dawson to Star in Hulu’s Limited Series “Dopesick”

Posted on October 21, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a dope time for Rosario Dawson…

The 41-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American actress and activist has been cast as a series regular on Dopesick, Hulu’s eight-episode limited series based on Beth Macy’s best-selling book.

Written by Danny Strong and directed by Barry Levinson, Dopesick is described as an ambitious, harrowing and compelling look into the epicenter of America’s struggle with opioid addiction. It takes viewers from a distressed Virginia mining community to the hallways of the DEA and the opulence of “one percenter” Big Pharma Manhattan. The unsparing yet deeply human portraits of the various affected families and their intersecting stories hold up a mirror to where America is right now, while shining a hopeful light on the heroes battling the worst drug epidemic in American history.

Dawson will play Bridget Meyer, a tough DEA agent who fights to curtail the use of OxyContin.

She joins previously announced Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Kaitlyn Dever, Will Poulter, John Hoogenakker, Philippa Soo and Jake McDorman.

The project hails from The Handmaid’s Tale executive producer Warren Littlefield and Touchstone Television.

Dawson most recently fronted the drama series Briarpatch, which aired for one season on USA Network. She also stars in the HBO Max/DC Comics pilot DMZ, which is being directed and EP’ed by Ava DuVernay and showrunner/writer Roberto Patino.

And she’ll soon appear on season two of Disney+’s The Mandalorian.

Gina Torres to Star on Season Two of Fox’s Drama Series “9-1-1: Lone Star”

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Gina Torres is Texas bound…

The 51-year-old Cuban American actress has been cast as a series regular for the second season of Fox’s 9-11 spinoff series 9-1-1: Lone Star.

Torres, best known for her role as Jessica Pearson on USA Network’s Suitsand Pearson, will star opposite Liv Tyler and Rob Lowe on the series.

9-1-1: Lone Star hails from 9-1-1 creators/executive producers Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear.

Set in Austin, it follows Owen (Lowe), a sophisticated New York firefighter who, along with his son, relocates to the Texas capital and must try to balance saving those who are at their most vulnerable with solving the problems in his own life.

Torres will play Paramedic Captain Tommy Vega, who was at the top of her game when she hung up her uniform to raise her twin daughters. For eight years life was great, until COVID-19 changed her life. With her husband’s restaurant going under, Tommy has no choice but to re-enter the workforce to support her family. Though it breaks her heart to be apart from her little girls, Tommy will show the world that no matter how much time has passed, when she puts on that uniform, she’s still a boss.

The role reunites Torres and Minear, who worked together on Fox’s sci-fi drama series Firefly.

“We are so excited to be expanding our 9-1-1-verse with the addition of Gina Torres,” said Minear. “I’ve been dying to write for her again ever since Firefly. Gina brings warmth, intelligence and command to everything she does. 2020 is finally looking up.”

9-1-1: Lone Star is produced by 20th Century Television in association with Ryan Murphy Television and Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision.

Season 2 is scheduled to begin production in Los Angeles later this fall for a premiere in early 2021 as part of the network’s midseason schedule.

Torres earned an ALMA Award, an Imagen Award and the National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Award for Outstanding Performance in a Television Series for her role as Jessica Pearson.

She most recently was cast as the lead of the Dracula reimagining drama pilot The Bridesat ABC. The Alias and Angel alumna also did an arc on HBO’s Westworld.

James Roday Rodriguez Developing “Good Serial” Series at 20th Century Fox Television

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

James Roday Rodriguez is feelin’ Good…

The 44-year-old Mexican American actor and Psych star, who recently changed his stage name, has teamed up with frequent collaborator Todd Harthan on Good Serial, a darkly twisted, genre mashing comedy project.

It has been set up at 20th Century Fox Television, where The Resident showrunner Harthan is under an overall deal.

Written by Roday Rodriguez and Harthan, Good Serial is centered on a trio of roommates, bonded by tragedy, who become vigilantes serving cold dishes of revenge in the spirit of Dexter and Three’s Company.

As a writing team, Roday Rodriguez and Harthan, previously collaborated on the feature films Gravy(2015), directed by Roday Rodriguez, and Skinwalkers (2006) as well as the Treehouse episode of Hulu’s Into the Dark anthology (also directed by Roday Rodriguez).

Additionally, Roday Rodriguez and Harthan worked together on the long-running USA Network dramedy series Psych, starring and produced by Roday Rodriguez, where the duo wrote multiple horror-themed episodes over the four seasons Hartahan worked on the show as consulting producer and co-executive producer.

“Todd and I have been horror hounds since we were kids. The genre feels more fluid than ever and this was an opportunity to take another unorthodox swing,” Roday Rodriguez said.

Roday Rodriguez stars in the ABC drama A Million Little Thingsfor 20th Century Television sibling ABC Studios and in Peacock’s Psych 2: Lassie Come Home, which he also co-wrote and executive-produced. He also has directed multiple episodes of The Resident.

Gina Torres to Star in ABC’s Supernatural Drama Pilot “The Brides”

Posted on March 3, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Gina Torres is vampin’ things up…

The 50-year-old Cuban American actress will lead the cast of The Brides, ABC’s supernatural drama pilot from Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina developer/executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television.

Written by Aguirre-Sacasa and directed by Maggie Kiley, The Brides, a sexy contemporary reimagining of Dracula, is a family drama with a trio of powerful female leads at its heart. With strong horror elements, The Brides is a vampire soap about empowered, immortal women and the things they do to maintain wealth, prestige, legacy — and their nontraditional family.

Torres plays Cleo Phillips. One of the three Brides of Draculaand the leader of this vampire trio, Cleo is an imperious woman with a queenly manner —understandably, as she was a queen in her former life who was turned by Dracula after the death of her husband. Now a maven of New York City real estate, Cleo is challenged professionally by a mysterious newcomer — even as her ties to her sisters are dangerously fraying.

While the focus will be on the women, the character of Dracula is featured in the show.

Torres recently played Jessica Pearson, first on USA Network’s popular original series Suits and then in the network’s Chicago-set spinoff series Pearson, which Torres headlined and executive produced. The role has earned Torres an ALMA Award, an Imagen Awardand the National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Award for Outstanding Performance in a Television Series.

At ABC, Torres co-starred on the Shondalanddrama series The Catch, recurred on Revenge and toplined the 2016 pilot The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez. Angel and Firefly alumna Torres also did an arc on HBO’s Westwood.

USA Network to Premiere Rosario Dawson’s “Briarpatch” Series in February

Posted on December 13, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Rosario Dawsonis heading to the small screen this February…

USA Network has set the mid-winter premiere date for Sam Esmail’s new anthology drama Briarpatch, led by 40-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American actress on Thursday, February 6.

Briarpatchfollows Allegra Dill (Dawson), a no-nonsense professional who returns to her quirky hometown to solve her sister’s murder.

The inaugural season celebrates the genres represented by Ross Thomas’ book — a stylish blend of crime and pulp fiction — while updating his sense of fun, danger and place for a new generation.

Jay R. Ferguson, Edi Gathegi, Brian Geraghty and Kim Dickens also star.

The 10-episode Briarpatchwas written for television by Greenwald, who executive produces alongside Esmail through his production company Esmail Corp and Anonymous Content’s Chad Hamilton.

Dawson also is a producer on the series from UCP and Paramount Television.

James Roday’s “Psych: The Movie” Sequel Has a New Name & Estimated Premiere Date

Posted on September 19, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

James Roday is ready for aPsych-edelic 2020…

The 43-year-old half-Mexican American actor and former Psych star will star in Psych: The Movie 2, which will premiere sometime in spring 2020 or later.

It wasoriginally slated to premiere this year, but the film will debut next year because the movie is moving from the USA Network, home of the original Psych series and Psych: The Movie, to Peacock, NBCUniversal’s upcoming streaming service, which launches in April.

The sequel to the first post-series film, formally known as Psych: The Movie 2, has been given a cheeky new title, Psych 2: Lassie Come Home,named after one of the show’s main characters, Santa Barbara Police Chief Carlton Lassiter, played by Tim Omundson.

Written, directed and executive produced by Psych creator Steve Franks, Psych 2: Lassie Come Home focuses on Lassiter, who is ambushed on the job and left for dead. In a vintage Psych-style Hitchcockian nod, he begins to see impossible happenings around his recovery clinic. Shawn (Roday) and Gus (Dulé Hill) return to Lassie’s side in Santa Barbara and are forced to navigate the personal, the professional and possibly the supernatural. Separated from their new lives in San Francisco, Shawn and Gus find themselves unwelcome in their old stomping grounds as they secretly untangle a twisted case without the benefit of the police, their loved ones or the quality sourdough bakeries of the Bay Area. What they uncover will change the course of their relationships forever.

Also returning for the second movie are original Psych cast members Maggie Lawson, Kirsten Nelson and Corbin Bernsen.

Roday also co-wrote the movie and executive produces, Hill executive produces, Andy Bermanco-wrote, Chris Henzieexecutive produces.

USA Network Renews Alice Braga’s “Queen of the South” for Fifth Season

Posted on August 30, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Alice Braga’s reign continues…

USA Network has picked up a fifth season of its hit drama series Queen of the South, starring the 36-year-old Brazilian actress. The announcement comes on the heels of the show’s Season 4 finale.

Now that Suits is coming to an end, Queen of the South will take the mantle of USA’s longest-running scripted series on the air.

Despite running largely under the radar with no major awards recognition or big name film stars, Queen of the South has been one of USA’s most reliable ratings performers. A co-production between Fox 21 Television Studiosand UCP, Queen of the South is Thursday’s #1 cable drama in P18-49, P18-34, P25-54, and P2+ year to date.

Starring Braga, Queen of the South is based on the bestselling book La Reina del Surby Arturo Pérez-Reverte. It tells the powerful story of Teresa Mendoza (Braga), a woman who’s forced to run from the Mexican cartel and seek refuge in America. In Season 3, Teresa struck out on her own, determined to build a new empire for herself. But as enemies old and new closed in, she realized that being queen would require more work — and more sacrifice — than she ever imagined.

Queen of the Southmarked Braga’s first big U.S. television role.

Eddie Martinez to Star in Season Three of USA Network’s Anthology Crime Thriller Series “The Sinner”

Posted on August 18, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Eddie Martinez has landed a new project…

The 38-year-old Colombian actor has been cast as one of the leads on the upcoming third season of USA Network’s anthology crime thriller series The Sinner.

Martinez will star opposite Jessica Hecht, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Bill Pullman, Matt Bomerand Chris Messina.

Season 3 follows Detective Harry Ambrose (Pullman) as he begins a routine investigation of a tragic car accident on the outskirts of Dorchester, in upstate New York. He uncovers a hidden crime that pulls him into the most dangerous and disturbing case of his career.

Martinez will play Vic Soto, a hardworking former Marine and rising star detective at the Dorchester Police Department who works with Ambrose.

Adam Bernsteinis set to direct the first two episodes and also will executive produce.

Martinez had recent guest appearances on Orange Is the New Black, Narcos: Mexico and Hawaii Five-O. He’ll next be seen on the big screen in the upcoming Kill Chainand the 2019 Sundance Film Festival award-winning film The Infiltrators, which was also the opening-night film at the 2019 Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival.

Trailer Released for Season 2 of Paola Nuñez’s Series “The Purge”

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Paola Nuñezis feeling the urge to Purge…

USA Network has released the trailer for The Purge Season 2, starring the 41-year-old Mexican actress.

“Commencing at the siren, all crime will be legal for 12 continuous hours.” So begins the first trailer for the second season of The Purge, which is based on the hit movie franchise.

The Purge revolves around a 12-hour period when all crime, including murder, is legal.

Season 2 explores how a single Purge night affects the lives of four interconnected characters over the course of the ensuing year, all inevitably leading up to the next Purge.

The second season of the anthology series opens on Purge night but dives deeper than ever before in to what the Purge world looks like the other 364 days of the year.

In addition to Nuñez, previously announced cast include Derek Luke, Max Martiniand Joel Allen.

The Purge has generated solid ratings for USA. Its first season was the #1 scripted series in P18-49, P25-54 and P18-34 in 2018.

From Blumhouse Televisionand UCP, season 2 premieres this fall on USA.

Nuñez’s previous credits include appearances on television in La reina del sur and The Son, and on film in Bad Boys for Life,

Sofia Lama to Recur on Season 4 of USA Network’s “Queen of the South”

Posted on May 6, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Sofia Lama is South-bound…

The 31-year-old Mexican actress has landed a recurring role on the upcoming fourth season of USA Network’s Queen of the South, from Fox 21 Television Studios and UCP.

Starring Alice Braga, Queen of the South is based on the bestselling book La Reina del Sur by Arturo Pérez-Reverte. It tells the powerful story of Teresa Mendoza (Braga), a woman who is forced to run from the Mexican cartel and seek refuge in America.

In Season 3, Teresa struck out on her own, determined to build a new empire for herself. But as enemies old and new closed in, she realized that being queen would require more work — and more sacrifice — than she ever imagined.

Lama will portray Emilia, Boaz Jimenez’s (Joseph T. Campos) nervous & frightened former fiancee with a secret that could cause things to turn ugly fast.

Dailyn Rodriguez and Ben Lobato will serve as co-showrunners for Season 4 and will executive produce alongside David T. Friendly.

Lama’s recent credits include guest-starring roles on NCIS: Los Angeles, Chicago P.D.and Designated Survivor.

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