FKA twigs to Star in Lotfy Nathan’s “The Carpenter’s Son”

FKA twigs has landed a heavenly role…

The 36-year-old part-Spanish British singer, songwriter, actress and dancer will star opposite Nicolas CageNoah Jupe and Souheila Yacoub in Egyptian-American director Lotfy Nathan’s The Carpenter’s Son, which will explore the rarely told story of the childhood of Jesus with a horror take.

FKA TwigsParis-based Cinenovo and L.A.-based Spacemaker are producing the film. Goodfellas is overseeing international sales apart from in North America, which it will co-rep with Anonymous Content and WME.

Nathan has taken inspiration from the apocryphal Infancy Gospel of Thomas for the screenplay. Dating back to the 2nd Century AD, the text recounts the childhood of Jesus.

Per the official synopsis, “The Carpenter’s Son tells the dark story of a family hiding out in Roman Egypt. The son, known only as ‘the Boy’, is driven to doubt by another mysterious child and rebels against his guardian, the Carpenter, revealing inherent powers and a fate beyond his comprehension. As he exercises his own power, the Boy and his family become the target of horrors, natural and divine.”

FKA twigs, a Grammy-nominated artist, will take the role of the Mother.

She previously won praise for her performance alongside Jupe in Alma Har’el’s Honey Boy and will soon be seen as the female lead opposite Bill Skarsgård in Lionsgate’s remake of The Crow.

The Carpenter’s Son is scheduled to shoot this summer.

Julie Viez is producing under the Cinenovo banner with Alex Hughes and Riccardo Maddalosso at Spacemaker and Cage on behalf of Saturn Films.

The film is coproduced by Alain de la Mata and Christopher Granier-Deferre for Bluelight.

Xavi Launching First Trek in the U.S., the 2024 Poco A Poco Tour, in March

Little by little, Xavi is embracing the touring life…

The 19-year-old Mexican American Regional Mexican singer-songwriter and breakout star will hit the road with the 2024 Poco A Poco Tour, his first trek in the U.S.

XaviXavi is set to kick off the 24-date stint on March 28, starting with two stops in Mexico.

On April 2, he begins his American stint in Los Angeles at the Roxy Theatre, making stops in Seattle, Portland, Phoenix and Las Vegas and wrapping up in San Antonio on May 12.

The “La Diabla” singer is also slated to perform at Sueños Music Festival in Chicago on May 25.

The tour announcement comes on the heels of Xavi’s rapid rise in the music industry due to his signature tumbados románticos.

Xavi signed with Interscope Records in 2021, and in 2023, he released a summer EP titled My Mom’s Playlist — a tribute to his mother that features covers of Latin pop and rock en Español classics she loved — reflects his deep-rooted family values.

At the end of December, Xavi debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 with not one, but two entries: “La Diabla” and “La Víctima,” which have since peaked at No. 22 and No. 55, respectively.

His global appeal is further evidenced by his presence on the Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts, with “La Diabla” reaching the top five on both.

He’s also spent eight weeks atop Billboard’s Latin Songwriters due to songs like “La Diabla” and previously released singles including “La Víctima,” “Poco a Poco” with Dareyes De La Sierra and “Modo DND” with Tony Aguirre.

Earlier this year, Xavi signed with WME for global representation in all areas.

Pre-sale tickets go live Wednesday (Feb. 7) via Seated.com. Public on-sale for tickets will be available on Friday, February 9 through Xavi’s official website.

Here are the 24 dates for his first tour:

March 28, Auditorio BlackBerry, Mexico City, Mexico
March 30, Teatro Diana, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
April 2, The Roxy Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
April 5, Showbox SoDo, Seattle, WA
April 6, Roseland Theater, Portland OR
April 7, Knitting Factory, Boise, ID
April 11, Arcata Theatre Lounge, Arcata, CA
April 12, Ruth Finley Theater, Santa Rosa, CA
April 13, The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA
April 14, Freemont Theatre, San Luis Obispo, CA
April 18, Riverside Municipal Auditorium, Riverside CA
April 19, The Observatory, Santa Ana, CA
April 21, The Observatory North Park, San Diego, CA
April 26, Fox Theater, Bakersfield, CA
April 27, House of Blues Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
April 28, The Union Event Center, Salt Lake City, UT
May 1, The Van Buren, Phoenix, AZ
May 2, The Rialto Theatre, Tucson, AZ
May 3, La Hacienda Event Center, Midland, TX
May 5, The Plaza Theatre, El Paso, TX
May 9, Tower Theatre, Oklahoma City, OK
May 10, House of Blues Dallas, Dallas, TX
May 11, House of Blues Houston, Houston, TX
May 12, The Aztec Theatre, San Antonio, TX

Ice Spice Signs with William Morris Endeavor (WME) for International Representation

Ice Spice has new global representation… 

The 23-year-old half-Dominican American Grammy-nominated rapper has signed with William Morris Endeavor (WME) for international representation in all areas.

Ice SpiceA representative for the rapper confirms that veteran hip-hop agent Cara Lewis and C Lewis Group continue to represent her in North America and Canada.

The news of the WME signing was originally reported by Variety.

The Bronx rapper has continued to blow up since her 2022 breakout single, “Munch (Feelin’ U).” At the top of the year, she released her debut EP, Like..?, via 10K Projects and Capitol Records. The EP received a deluxe version in July and eventually peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard 200. The project spawned numerous hits, including “Princess Diana” — which received a remix with Nicki Minaj that reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Ice’s second top 10 hit following “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” with PinkPantheress — and “Deli,” which reached No. 41 on the Hot 100 and became her highest-charting solo hit on the chart.

Ice Spice has a total of four Hot 100 top 10 hits to her name, also including the “Karma” remix with Taylor Swift (which the two performed live for the first time at the East Rutherford, N.J. stop of Swift’s Eras Tour) and “Barbie World” with Minaj and Aqua.

The drill MC recently snagged four nominations ahead of the 2024 Grammy Awards: best new artist, best pop duo/group performance for “Karma,” and best rap song and best song written for visual media for “Barbie World.”

The rapper is currently touring with Doja Cat on the Scarlet Tour, which wraps next Wednesday, Dec. 13 at Chicago’s United Center.

Billboard crowned Ice as R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Year in August.

Mauricio Ochmann Signs with William Morris Endeavor (WME)

Mauricio Ochmann has new representation…

The Mexican actor and Spanish-language star, best known for his roles in telenovelas like Amarte Asi, has signed with William Morris Endeavor (WME) for representation in all areas.

Mauricio OchmannOchmann’s credits include El Señor de los Cielos and its spinoff El Chema (Telemundo Network’s highest-rated show),

Ochmann’s feature Friends Till Death (Amigos Hasta La Muerte), in which he starred and produced, debuted this past August in the top 10 on Amazon in the U.S. and was #1 in 30 countries worldwide.

Earlier this year, his film All the Places (A Todas Partes), produced by Sony for Netflix, was #6 among all movies on Netflix U.S. and debuted at #1 across Latin America.

Ochmann recently wrapped season two of the TV show Las Bravas F.C. for HBO Max.

Feature film credits include Y Como Es El, the top-grossing Mexican film of 2022, and Hazlo Como Hombre and Ya Veremos, which also were hits in Mexico.

As a producer, Ochmann has a first-look deal with streamer VIX+, a joint venture between Mexican media giant Televisa and US-based network Univision.

Next up, Ochmann is attached to star in action-comedy Operation Mother’s Day. Ochmann and Larry Robinson are producing with Argentinian director Ariel Winograd attached.

Noah Centineo Signs with William Morris Endeavor (WME)

Noah Centineo has new representation…

The 27-year-old part-Puerto Rican actor has signed with William Morris Endeavor (WME) for representation.

Noah CentineoMost recently, Centineo starred in and served as Executive Producer of the Netflix series The Recruit, which returns for a second season next year.

Centineo will also be featured in A24’s Dream Scenario, which made its debut to rave reviews at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

This year, Centineo launched production company Arkhum Productions alongside Head of Production Enzo Marc focusing on comedy and drama projects with an emphasis on social commentary. The Greatest Disaster in Cinema History will mark one of their first projects, with Centineo set to star.

In 2022, Centineo played Atom Smasher in Black Adam from the Warner Bros. DC Universe.

Centineo rose to fame in the popular Netflix trilogy To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, for which he won an MTV Movie & TV Award for Best Breakthrough Performance.

 

Pitbull Rejoins William Morris Endeavor (WME) for Representation in All Areas Worldwide

Pitbull is back in familiar territory…

The 42-year-old Cuban American rap superstar, whose real name is Armando Christian Pérez, has rejoined William Morris Endeavor (WME) for representation in all areas worldwide.

PitbullPitbull is a Grammy-award winning independent international superstar, education advocate, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker.

With billions of audio streams and video views plus hundreds of gold and platinum certifications, Pitbull has one of the most impressive careers in music history along with being a force in brand partnerships.

Pitbull returned to the road in 2022 with the sold out North American Can’t Stop Us Now Tour along with his SiriusXM Globalization DJs packing amphitheaters and arenas coast-to-coast.

He has performed for millions worldwide and even joined forces with the No. 1 life and business strategist, Tony Robbins, for numerous speaking engagements around the globe.

This fall, Pitbull will release his next long-awaited Spanglish album titled Trackhouse and will join Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin on The Trilogy Tour.

Pitbull established Sports Leadership Arts and Management (SLAM!), tuition-free public charter schools across the country and is a co-owner of the NASCAR racing team Trackhouse.

Iñaki Godoy Signs with M88 for Representation

Iñaki Godoy has new representation…

The 19-year-old Mexican actor and star of Netflix’s forthcoming series One Piece has signed with M88 for representation.

Iñaki GodoyArriving on the streamer on August 31st, the series created by Matt Owens and Steven Maeda is a live-action adaptation of the same-name 1997 manga series from Eiichiro Oda.

Godoy stars as Monkey D. Luffy, a young pirate captain who sets out with his crew to attain the mythical treasure known as ‘One Piece’ and secure the title of Pirate King.

Godoy was most recently seen in Netflix’s series The Imperfects, centered on imperfect superheroes who must navigate their newfound abilities while dealing with personal struggles and a looming threat to humanity. He is otherwise best known for a turn in the streamer’s Spanish-language drama series Who Killed Sara?, following a man’s relentless pursuit of justice while investigating the mysterious death of his sister and the dark secrets he uncovers.

Additional credits for Godoy include the Mexican films No Abras La PuertaMexZombies and Go Youth, as well as the series Los Elegidos and Sin miedo a la verdad.

He continues to be represented by Viewpoint.

Founded in 2020 by former WME partner Phillip Sun and Macro founder and CEO Charles D. King, M88 reps storytellers, actors, writers and multi-hyphenates.

Manu Rios Signs with William Morris Endeavor (WME)

Manu Rios has new representation…

The 24-year-old Spanish actor and singer, best known for his starring role on Netflix’s popular Spanish YA series Elitehas signed with William Morris Endeavor (WME) for representation.

Manu RiosRios portrays Patrick Blanco on the international hit series, which is heading into its seventh season on the streamer.

Rios will next be seen starring alongside Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal in the upcoming short film Strange Way of Life from Oscar-winning director Pedro Almodóvar. The short is set to premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The story follows the reunion of an outlaw and a sheriff after 25 years apart, and the romance that followed them there.

Rios is also set to star in the upcoming Netflix limited series El Silencio from Aitor Gabilondo.

He was previously seen in the limited series La Edad de la Ira for Atresmedia.

Alejandra Vasquez Signs with William Morris Endeavor (WME)

Alejandra Vasquez has new representation…

The Mexican-American filmmaker and Sam Osborn, the directors behind the Sundance Film Festival-bound feature documentary Going Varsity in Mariachi, have signed with William Morris Endeavor (WME).

Alejandra VasquezMarking Vasquez’s feature directorial debut and Osborn’s sophomore feature, the film makes its world premiere in U.S. Documentary Competition on January 22.

It’s set in the competitive world of high school mariachi, where the musicians from the South Texas borderlands reign supreme. Under the guidance of Coach Abel Acuña, the teenage captains of Edinburg North High School’s acclaimed team must turn a shoestring budget and diverse crew of inexperienced musicians into state champions.

The film is produced by James Lawler and Julia Pontecorvo of Osmosis Films and Luis A. Miranda, Jr. for Embeleco Unlimited. Impact Partners and Embeleco Unlimited co-financed with Fifth Season, which is also handling worldwide sales.

Vasquez is a director and producer raised in rural Texas who, with Osborn, directed the short Folk Frontera, which was awarded the Jury Prize for Texas Short Film at SXSW 2022 and premiered on PBS’ The Latino Experience. She also helmed the short When It’s Good, It’s Good, co-produced with Latino Public Broadcasting.

The up-and-comer cut her teeth on the producing side as part of the teams behind the award-winning features Matangi/Maya/M.IA. (2018) and Us Kids (2020) and is set to co-produce an upcoming feature from Sundance and SXSW prize winner Nanfu Wang.

Ivan Cornejo to Launch First-Ever U.S. Tour in January

Ivan Cornejo is readying for his first-ever U.S. tour…

The 18-year-old Mexican American Regional Mexican singer-songwriter hitting the road in 2023, with a tour scheduled to kick off on January 31 in Santa Cruz, Calif.

Ivan Cornejo, Cornejo, who won best new artist at this year’s Billboard Latin Music Awards, will headline the 11-date stint, titled Dañado Tour. He is slated to perform in Latin markets like Los Angeles, Houston and Phoenix, before wrapping up in Dallas on February 17.

“I am super excited to go on my first tour,” Cornejo tells Billboard. “We made sure to put a lot of thought into all the details. We wanted intimate venues because now more than ever, the connection to the fans is super important.”

Richard Vega, the WME agent who signed Cornejo in all areas, adds, “We feel very proud to represent such a young rising star. His fans have been wanting to see him live for a while and the response from all our partners has been amazing. This will be the first of many.”

Being produced by local promoters was key to making this happen, points out Ximena Acosta, the strategy consultant on the project. “We went with local promoters in each market [because] we wanted to make sure we had the right partners who really understood him and his fan base,” Acosta says.

Cornejo, who broke out in 2021 with his first album, Alma Vacía, has been making a name for himself in the Mexican music space and beyond (he’s collaborated with urban act JhayCo).

He secured his first entrance on any Billboard chart with his debut album, released through Manzana Records, which arrived at No. 2 on the Regional Mexican Albums chart. On Top Latin Albums, the seven-track set, featuring sad sierreño anthems like “Está Dañada,” peaked at No. 7.

Additionally, Cornejo topped Billboard‘s Latin Songwriters chart dated October 30, 2021.

Subsequently, over the summer, the singer-songwriter scored his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums chart as his sophomore album, Dañado, debuted atop the chart dated June 18.

Tickets to Cornejo’s tour go on sale Monday (Nov. 7).

Here’s the complete list of his tour dates:
Jan. 31: Santa Clara, Calif. (The Catalyst)
Feb. 2: Los Angeles (Roxy Theater)
Feb. 3: Riverside, Calif. (Riverside Municipal Auditorium)
Feb. 4: Santa Ana, Calif. (Constellation Room)
Feb. 7: San Diego (VooDoo Room)
Feb. 8: Phoenix (Crescent Ballroom)
Feb. 11: El Paso, Texas (Lowbrow Palace)
Feb. 14: McAllen, Texas (Cine El Rey)
Feb. 15: Austin (Antone’s)
Feb. 16: Houston (HOB Bronze Peacock)
Feb. 17: Dallas (Cambridge Room)