Yul Vazquez to Star on Season 3 of MGM+’s “Godfather of Harlem”

Yul Vázquez has landed a (god)father of a role…

The 57-year-old Cuban-American actor and musician is teaming up with Forest Whitaker in the upcoming third season of Godfather of Harlem in a major recurring role.

Yul VazquezGodfather of Harlem tells a story inspired by infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson (Whitaker), who in the early 1960s returned from eleven years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles.

Season Three will find Bumpy Johnson continuing to battle for control of Harlem, with other aspirants to the throne, namely the Cuban Mafia from neighboring Spanish Harlem.

Taking on the Cuban mob will put Bumpy, his loved ones, and his community in the crosshairs of not only the rival Italians, but ruthless Latin assassins and, ultimately, the CIA. Godfather of Harlem is a collision of the criminal underworld and the civil rights movement during one of the most tumultuous times in American history.

Vázquez portrays Jose Miguel Battle, a former Cuban policeman who reestablishes himself as head of the Cuban Mafia in New York City.  Forced into a marriage of convenience with Bumpy Johnson (Whitaker), Battle and Bumpy will engage in a bloody war with the Italians for control of Harlem.

Vázquez is featured in the Season 3 trailer.

The season 3 cast also includes Vincent D’Onofrio, Ilfenesh Hadera, Jason Alan Carvell, Lucy Fry and Antoinette Crowe-Legacy.

The series is produced by ABC Signature, with Swizz Beatz serving as executive music producer.

Godfather of Harlem Season 3 premieres on Sunday, January 15 on MGM+. Godfather of Harlem aired on Epix, which is being rebranded as MGM+ in 2023.

Vázquez was most recently seen in the critically acclaimed Apple TV+ series, Severance, directed by Ben Stiller.

His upcoming roles include the HBO Max limited series The White House Plumbers opposite Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux. Additional credits include ABC’s Promised Land, HBO’s The Outsider, Netflix’s Russian Doll and the TNT miniseries I Am The Night.

America Ferrera to Star in Sony & Black Bear Pictures’ Upcoming Dramedy “Dumb Money”

America Ferrera is makin’ money moves…

The 38-year-old Honduran American award-winning actress has joined the cast of Sony and Black Bear Pictures’ upcoming dramedy Dumb Money.

America FerreraFerrera is now part of an A-list ensemble cast that includes Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Sebastian Stan, Shailene Woodley, Anthony Ramos, Vincent D’Onofrio, Dane DeHaan and Pete Davidson, with Craig Gillespie directing.

The film is based on Ben Mezrich’s book The Antisocial Network. It tells the story of fortunes won and lost overnight in the David-vs.-Goliath GameStop short squeeze that may have ended up changing Wall Street forever. It offers a gripping portrayal of how a loosely affiliated group of private investors and internet trolls on a subreddit called WallStreetBets took down one of the biggest hedge funds on Wall Street, firing the first shot in a revolution that threatened to upend the establishment.

The script was adapted by Rebecca Angelo & Lauren Schuker Blum.

Principal photography is underway.

Ferrera can be seen next year in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie alongside Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Simu Liu and Kate McKinnon. She recently starred on the Apple TV+ series WeCrashed opposite Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway.

She is making her feature directorial debut with an adaptation of Erika Sánchez’s New York Times bestselling novel  I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter for Netflix.

Trailer Released for Jessica Alba’s Dark Comedy “El Camino Christmas”

It’s a special Christmas for Jessica Alba

The 36-year-old half-Mexican American actress is starring the dark comedy El Camino Christmas.

Jessica Alba

Directed by Dave Talbert, the film features an ensemble cast that includes Alba, Luke Grimes, Tim AllenDax Shepard and Vincent D’Onofrio.

It’s also the next film from Hidden Figures filmmaker Ted Melfi. The Netflix film will start streaming on December 8.

The project, 10 years in the making, was produced by Melfi and scripted by him and Chris Wehner.

The story follows a young man (Grimes) who seeks out a father he has never met and, through no fault of his own, ends up barricaded in a liquor store with five other people on Christmas Eve. The story takes place in the fictitious town of El Camino, Nevada.

Alba’s latest project follows her appearances in the films Mechanic: Resurrection and The Veil.

Morrone to Star in Eli Roth’s Action Crime Film “Death Wish”

Camila Morrone has a death wish…

The Argentine model and actress has been cast in Eli Roth’s action crime film Death Wish.

Camila Morrone

Morrone will star opposite Beau Knapp, Bruce WillisVincent D’Onofrio, Elisabeth Shue, Dean Norris, Mike Epps, Kimberly Elise and Ronnie Gene Blevins in MGM’s remake of the 1974 Charles Bronson film.

The film centers on Paul Kersey (Willis), whose life is destroyed by a violent crime against his wife and daughter. Frustrated that the bad guys were not brought to justice for the nefarious act inflicted on his family, he starts hunting for the perpetrators himself.

The screenplay was written by Dean Georgaris and Roth, from an original draft by Joe Carnahan.

Filming is underway in Montreal.

Morrone, who has appeared on the cover of Vogue, made her acting debut in James Franco‘s film Bukowski.

Arjona to Star in the College-Set Comedy “Life of the Party”

Adria Arjona is ready to party

The 24-year-old Guatemalan and Puerto Rican actress has signed on to star in Melissa McCarthy’s upcoming college-set comedy Life of the Party.

Adria Arjona  

Described as in the vein of Rodney Dangerfield’s 1986 comedy Back to School, Life of the Party stars McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Gillian Jacobs, Jacki Weaver, Molly Gordon and Jessie Ennis and hits theaters May 11, 2018.

Arjona is set to play “a sorority sister with issues.”

Ben Falcone directs Life of the Party from a script he co-wrote with McCarthy.

Life of the Party begins filming this week in Atlanta.

Arjona next will be seen starring in NBC’s Emerald City opposite Vincent D’Onofrio and MGM’s The Belko Experiment, written and produced by James Gunn and set to premiere at TIFF next month.

Her credits also include HBO’s True Detective and Netflix’s Narcos.

NBC Releases First Images of Arjona’s “Wizard of Oz”-Themed Series “Emerald City”

Adria Arjona isn’t in Kansas anymore…

Adria Arjona

NBC has released new photos from its upcoming Emerald City, a musical re-take on Dorothy and company starring the 24-year-old Puerto Rican and Guatemalan actress-singer.

In one of the new images, Arjona appears as Dorothy Gale, alongside romantic interest Lucas (Oliver Jackson-Cohen).

Emerald City

In the other photo, Jackson-Cohen and Arjona follow the famed yellow brick-like road.

Emerald City

No premiere date has been set for Emerald City, created by Matthew Arnold and co-starring Vincent D’Onofrio as the Wizard, Joely Richardson as Glinda, among a large cast.

Arjona, the daughter of Ricardo Arjona, recently appeared on the HBO television series True Detective, as well as CBSPerson of Interest and Netflix’s Narcos.

Netflix Releases Full-Trailer for Dawson’s Marvel Series “Daredevil”

Dare to spot Rosario Dawson in Netflix’s trailer for Daredevil

Netflix has released a full-size trailer for its upcoming television series Daredevil, starring the 35-year-old Puerto Rican and Afro-Cuban American actress.

Rosario Dawson

Dawson portrays Claire Jones in the series, which is based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Dawson’s character is a nurse who works at night and helps Daredevil.

Boardwalk Empire’s Charlie Cox portrays Matt Murdock/Daredevil, a lawyer-by-day who fights crime at night. Daredevil was portrayed on the big screen by Ben Affleck. In the series, Vincent D’Onofrio portrays Cox’s nemesis The Kingpin.

It’s the first in a four-series superhero package from Marvel that will lead up to a Defenders crossover miniseries

All episodes are set to premiere on April 10, 2015.

Boneta Lands Recording Contract with Sony Music U.S. Latin

Diego Boneta is ready to make sweet music in America…

The 23-year-old Mexican actor and singer, who has made a name for himself in television and film, has landed a recording deal Sony Music U.S. Latin.

Diego Boneta

Boneta, best known for portraying Rocco on the Mexican telenovela Rebelde, is a rising star in Hollywood who has become a fixture on U.S. television with roles on MTV’s Underemployed, CW‘s 90210 and ABC Family‘s Pretty Little Liars. He’s also starred in several films, most notably the film adaptation of the Broadway hit musical Rock of Ages, where he starred as Drew Boley and performed nine tracks on the film’s acclaimed soundtrack.

Now, Boneta is hoping to advance his musical career further with his newly inked record deal with Sony Music U.S. Latin. The label plans to release material in both English and Spanish, beginning with an EP that could come out in early 2015.

“Diego is a brand and music is an integral part of his artistic identity,” says Sony Music U.S. Latin president Nir Seroussi, who plans to find Boneta opportunities in multiple media, including opportunities for Boneta’s music in the many films he acts in.

His upcoming projects include the horror flick Summer Camp and Pelé, the biopic about the legendary Brazilian soccer player, in which Boneta plays archrival Pedro alongside Vincent D’onofrio and Rodrigo Santoro.

“The idea is not to simply release an album but create a strategy that’s congruent with my career,” Boneta said in an exclusive interview with Billboard. However, Boneta points out, “Diego the actor and Diego the singer are managed completely separate from one another.”

Boneta actually started out as a singer, taking voice lessons when he was only 8 years old and becoming a finalist on music reality show Codigo F.A.M.A. when he was 12. At 15, Boneta landed his star-making role on the popular soap opera Rebelde and went on to release two successful solo albums with EMI.

By 2010, at 20 years old, Boneta was already making a mark in Hollywood with his roles in Pretty Little Liars and 90210, plus a role in Mean Girls 2. He was signed briefly to Adam Levine‘s label but finally went to Sony, where he’ll work in both languages and across many mediums.

Now, Boneta is writing new tracks even as he prepares to begin shooting the miniseries The Dovekeepers, from Roma Downey and Mark Burnett (The Bible).

The trick to the balancing act, he says, is “finding the time. I’d like to be doing what Justin Timberlake does.”

Delayed “Pelé” Biopic Headed to Theaters After the World Cup

He’s considered one of the best soccer players of all time… And, now Pelé’s life story is heading to the big screen.

Pelé, the biopic about the legendary 73-year-old Brazilian soccer star, is scheduled to hit theaters sometime in 2014.

Pelé

But sadly, it doesn’t look like the film will be ready for delivery before this summer’s soccer World Cup, as previously planned, due to a lengthy spell in post-production and reshoots for the project.

Written and directed by Michael Zimbalist and Jeff Zimbalist, the film stars newcomers Leonardo Lima Carvalho and Kevin de Paula, who will both portray the soccer star at different stages in his young life.

Pelé

The film is described as an origins story, chronicling Pele’s rise from the slums of Sao Paulo to become the people’s hero when, as a 17-year-old, he led Brazil to its first World Cup victory, in 1958.

Carvalho will play Pelé between ages 10 through 13 and De Paula will play him between the ages of 13 and 17.

Vincent D’Onofrio, Rodrigo Santoro, Diego Boneta, Colm Meaney and Seu Jorge also star.

Also in the cast are Brazilian actors Marianna Nunes, Milton Goncales, Rafael Henrique, Marcus Vinicius, Julio Levy, Thelmo Fernandes, Felipe Simas, Charles Myara, Jerome Franz and Roger Haag.

Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer and Seine PicturesIvan Orlic are producing Pele with Kim Roth and Colin Wilson executive producing.