Tag Archive: Esai Morales

Director Paul Kampf Talked to Us About His Film Imprisoned

Paul Kampf
©2019 Angela María Ortíz S.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with writer/director Paul Kampf to talk about the making of his film, Imprisoned. We had a lively exchange and you can watch it now.

The film stars Laurence Fishburne, Juan Pablo Raba, Juana Acosta, John Heard, Esai Morales, Jon Huertas, Edward James Olmos, and Ana Isabelle.

Synopsis: In the thriller, Imprisoned, Dylan Burke (Raba), attempts to move on from his former life as a criminal, with his true love, Maria (Acosta). He soon realizes that his past will continue to haunt him, when he learns the new local prison warden, Daniel Calvin (Fishburne), has not forgiven him for an old crime.

Calvin does everything in his power to make sure that Burke pays for his past mistakes, even going as far as to frame him for a murder he didn’t commit, landing him back in jail. When the prison erupts into a riot, Burke and Calvin are each forced to make a choice between righteousness and revenge.

In theaters September 20.

Voices for Puerto Rico

More artists and influencers continue to join VOICES FOR PUERTO RICO, a nationwide, grassroots, humanitarian initiative to support for Puerto Rico. Artists Jimmy Smits, Esai Morales, Adam Rodriguez and Marcel Ruiz join their voices alongside Roselyn Sanchez, Luis Guzman, Justina Machado, Lisa Vidal, Ana Ortiz, and Judy Reyes as part of a new PSA campaign for Voices For Puerto Rico. The video campaign aims to create awareness about the economic and humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico, in part as a result of hurricane Maria.

Antonio Jaramillo on Literature, Theater and Acting

Antonio Jaramillo, Shades of Blue, Dallas, Angela Ortíz, ©2016 Angela María Ortíz S.

Antonio Jaramillo
©2016 Angela María Ortíz S.

We met with successful film and television actor Antonio Jaramillo at Paty’s in Toluca Lake–and great old-style coffee shop that has some sentimental memories for me. Because it has been five years since I’d been there. I shared my story with him and our candid conversation started. Jaramillo talked about his passion for his work and life’s outlook. He’s funny, and you can see the intensity in him. We had a good laugh about us trying to get together for about three years to do this talk.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with this talented guy, here’s a little background; in his mid-20’s, he fell in love with the writings of Anton Chekhov and later Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams. That’s very impressive for someone who spent time in an orphanage.

Antonio Jaramillo, Jennifer Lopez, Shades of Blue, Dallas, Angela Ortíz

Jaramillo and Jennifer Lopez
Shades of Blue

His love for theater brought him to San Diego in 2004, while working on stage, he received an offer from the prestigious Geffen Playhouse to work in several understudy roles. This prompted him to move to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career.

In 2005, he began to show up on the small screen in shows like Veronica Mars and Charmed. In 2006, he landed a series regular role in the primetime telenovela, Fashion House. This led to several important series regular roles in Days of Our Lives, Meet the Browns, Gang Related, TNT’s 2014 drama Dallas, Devious Maids, and NBC’s hit Shades of Blue with Jennifer Lopez. And many guest roles on hit television shows like Rosewood, Arrested Development, The Mentalist, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and Burn Notice.

Antonio Jaramillo, Shades of Blue, Dallas, Angela Ortíz

Antonio Jaramillo

Jaramillo’s first movie credit was La Linea (The Line 2009), working with Esai Morales, Danny Trejo, Andy Garcia, and Ray Liotta. His film breakout performance came in 2012 when he co-starred in Oliver Stone’s violent crime thriller, Savages, alongside Benicio Del Toro, Salma Hayek, and Demián Bichir.

Now you can sit back and listen in on our conversation.

Antonio Jaramillo, Shades of Blue, Dallas, Angela Ortíz, ©2016 Angela María Ortíz S., Esther Urquiza

Se Fija!’s Angela Ortíz and Antonio Jaramillo
©2016 Esther Urquiza

From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series Season 2 is BACK!

L-r: Jesse Garcia, Eiza González, Zane Holtz and D.J. Cotrona ©2015 Angela María Ortíz S.

L-r: Jesse Garcia, Eiza González, Zane Holtz and D.J. Cotrona
©2015 Angela María Ortíz S.

El Rey Network’s From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series season 2 is back on August 25.

The first season filled us in on all the back-stories of the main characters, the Gecko Brothers, the Fullers and the mysterious culebra underworld. At the end of the season we see the brothers take different paths into the future. And Season two begins right where it was left off, with our characters in their separate worlds and in this world they are joined by new characters in the form of Esai Morales as Lord Amancio Malvado, Danny Trejo as The Regulator, Jeff Fahey (Uncle Eddie Cruickshank) and Briana Evigan (Sonja Lam).

Danny Trejo as The Regulator

Danny Trejo as The Regulator

The returning casts include D.J. Cotrona (Seth Gecko), Zane Holtz (Richie Gecko), Jesse Garcia (Freddie Gonzalez), Eiza González (Santánico Pandemonium), Wilmer Valderrama (Carlos Madrigal), Robert Patrick (Jacob Fuller), Brandon Soo Hoo (Scott Fuller), Madison Davenport (Kate Fuller), and Jake Busey (Sex Machine).

Esai Morales as Lord Amancio Malvado

Esai Morales as Lord Amancio Malvado

We caught up with Robert Rodriguez, creator/executive producer, Carlos Coto, showrunner and cast at the summer TCA (Television Critics Association), during the panel session we got a description from Trejo of who “The Regulator” is, “He’s a mixture of Machete and Marcia Brady,” he said. And we found out that Demi Lovato will be guest starring close to the end of the season. After we talked a bit with a few of them about what we should expect in the new season. Now sit back and listen in on my conversation with the Gecko’s (Cotrona and Holtz), Garcia and González.Audio-Button-200

Now check out the series which “Explores a new chapter in this supernatural crime saga that expands the universe of our story across Mexico to the edgy, tricked-out Texas of Robert Rodriguez.”

Two for the Family in Theaters Now

SPARE PARTS

L-r: David Del Rio, George Lopez, Oscar Javier Gutierrez II and Carlos PenaVega

L-r: David Del Rio, George Lopez, Oscar Javier Gutierrez II and Carlos PenaVega

In Spare Parts, four Latino students from a very impoverished neighborhood form a robotics club at their high school. Although they have no experience, the youths set their sights on a national robotics contest. With the help of their high school’s newest teacher (George Lopez) and with $800 and parts scavenged from all over the place, they build a robot and compete against reigning champion MIT.

The film is much more than that, because along the way, the students not only learn how to build a robot they learn how to forge bonds that will last a lifetime.

A very inspirational film starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Carlos PenaVega, José Julián, Alexa PenaVega, Marisa Tomei, Esai Morales, David Del Rio, J.R. Villarreal, Romi Dias, Oscar Javier Gutierrez II, Alessandra Rosaldo, and Gerardo Ortiz. Directed by Sean McNamara.

Paddingtonpaddington-bearPaddington the film is based on “Paddington Bear” by Michael Bond. After a deadly earthquake destroys his home in the Peruvian rainforest, a young bear makes his way to England in search of a new home. The bear, dubbed “Paddington” for the London train station, finds shelter with the family of Henry and Mary Brown. Paddington’s amazement at urban living soon endears him to the Browns, but someone else has her eye on him, Taxidermist Millicent Clyde (Nicole Kidman) has designs on the rare bear and his hide.

The film stars Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi and Ben Whishaw as the voice of Paddington.

Elizabeth Peña as Died

L-r: Lou Diamond Phillips, Rosanna DeSoto, Esai Morales and Elizabeth Peña at the tenth anniversary of La Bamba. ©1997 Angela María Ortíz S.

L-r: Lou Diamond Phillips, Rosanna DeSoto, Esai Morales and Elizabeth Peña
at the tenth anniversary of La Bamba.
©1997 Angela María Ortíz S.

We won’t see the strong, smart, warm, wry presence of Elizabeth Peña again. From La Bamba to Down and Out in Beverly Hills to more TV than we can remember, in comedy or drama, she was always worth watching. We will miss her deeply.

The news hit all the trades this morning: Elizabeth Peña passed away in Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles at the age of 55. You can read the details and a moving personal tribute to her from Mario-Francisco Robles in Latino Review, right here. No cause of death has been reported quite yet.

Music and Mayhem for Latinos on TV this Wednesday

  • L-r: Ryan Seacrest, Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez
    and Harry Connick Jr.

    Jennifer Lopez judges and enjoys on American Idol, 8P on FOX

  • Mat Vairo on Revolution, 8P on NBC
  • Congratulations to Kevin Alejandro now (secretly Latino!) Mayor of Starling City on Arrow, 8P on The CW

    Lindsey Morgan The 100

  • Lindsey Morgan is challenging on The 100, 9P on The CW
  • Sofía Vergara and Rico Rodriguez on Modern Family, 9P on ABC
  • Danny Pino and Raúl Esparza are the best thing about a strong show: Law & Order: SVU, at 9P on NBC
  • Our friend Romi R Dias is guest starring along with Esai Morales on a new episode of Criminal Minds, at 9A on CBS
  • America Olivo and other Latino guests join Jon Seda on Chicago PD, 10P on NBC

Wednesday, November 20

Rico Rodriguez and unknown newcomer Sofía Vergara are back for another Modern Family, 9P on ABC, opposite Danny Pino and Raúl Esparza are great as always, on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit at 9P on NBC. And guest stars are on the other channels: Esai Morales continues his arc on Criminal Minds, 9P on CBS, followed by Arturo del Puerto of The Bridge, guest-starring on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation at 10P on CBS.

“Revolution,” “Family,” “Criminal Minds” and “L&O: SVU” New on Wednesday

On NBC we have J.D. Pardo on Revolution at 8P. Then Sofía Vergara and Rico Rodriguez continue to headline in Modern Family, 9P on ABC, opposite Esai Morales as the new BAU section chief, Matt Cruz on Criminal Minds at 9P on CBS, and Danny Pino and Raúl Esparza fights the good fight on the incredibly intense Law & Order: SVU at 10P on NBC.

Photo: Esai Morales

“Magic City” Series Finale on Friday

Say goodbye to Miami before Castro–and to Yul Vázquez, Dominik Garcia-Lorido, and Esai Morales, among many others–as Magic City makes it to its season–and series–finale, at 9P on Starz.

Older posts «