Golden Globe and Academy Award-nominated actress Adriana Barraza, recently celebrated an acting career that spans more than 50 years and is getting ready for the premiere of several highly anticipated films coming out in the coming months. 

Adriana will be starring in the feature film Monica Nationwide in the US, premiering Friday, May 12th directed by award-winning Italian writer/director Andrea Pallaoro.

The film made its world premiere with rave reviews at the 79th Venice International Film Festival in 2022 receiving an 11-minute standing ovation. It also stars Trace Lysette (Transparent), and Oscar nominee Patricia Clarkson (Sharp Objects).

“More than just exploring the complexities of what it is to be a transgender woman, the film leads us to delve into the possibility that we are all capable of forgiving, being forgiven, and forgiving ourselves. It was a true honor and privilege to have been invited to play Leticia and have the extraordinary experience of being directed by my dear Andrea Pallaoro,” Barraza commented.

Later this fall on August 18th Barraza will portray the “Nana” (grandmother) to the lead character in the much anticipated DC/Warner film from the popular DC Comics franchise, Blue Beetle. The unlikely story of a Mexican teenager, played by Xolo Mariduena (Cobra Kai/Netflix) who finds an alien beetle that gives him a superpowered armor. The new superhero film will make history for DC Comics as the first film from the franchise to have a stand-alone Latino superhero. The cast is literally a who-is-who of the Latino heavy-weight cast including George Lopez, Elpidia Carrillo, Bruna Marquezine, Harvey Guillen, Belissa Escobedo, and Damián Alcázar. The film also stars Oscar winner Susan Sarandon.

In between these two projects, on May 26th Barraza stars in the Mexican feature film, El Último Vagón’ alongside Guillermo Villegas, and an incredible new young cast and is directed by award-winning Mexican director Ernesto Contreras (Cosas Imposibles, Párpados Azules) for Netflix. Barazza masterfully plays Georgina, a proud and loving teacher at a small rural school, dedicated to her students, doing the best she can with the little resources available. “El Último Vagón” Official Trailer

Additionally, Adriana can be seen in the new anticipated Mexican/American short film “El Tesoro” opposite Roberto Sosa (Miss Bala, Cesar Chavez) and Monica Huarte (40 y 20, Daddy Daughter Trip), directed by David Rodriguez Estrada and produced by Edward Enriquez-Cohen and award-winning Mexican director/producer Patricia Riggen. El Tesoro shines a much-needed light on the pain and suffering that all families in Mexico have endured with the disappearance of loved ones. The short film will make its World Premiere at the 22nd Annual Los Angeles Latino Film Festival (LALIFF) on June 3rd and its International Premiere at the 38th Annual Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG) with 3 screenings, on June 6th, 7th and 8th.

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Oscar nominated (Stand and Deliver), Tony nominated (Zoot Suit) and Emmy winning actor (Miami Vice) Edward James Olmos is involved in several projects that have afforded the multi-talented 71-year-old prolific performer the opportunity to exercise his unique and extraordinary artistry.

Olmos currently co-stars with Ashley Judd in the box-office hit film A Dog’s Way Home ( #3 film in its debut weekend nationally at 11 million). In this family friendly live action canine adventure Olmos plays Axel, a homeless veteran who encounters a dog that is on a 400-mile journey back home after having been separated from his owners.

The actor received critical acclaim for his role as Felipe Reyes, father of bad boy Angel Reyes (Clayton Cardenas) and former golden boy turned ex-con EZ Rey (J.D. Pardo) and who joins the biker “club” on FX’s Mayans M.C, a spinoff from the Sons of Anarchy series.  Mayan’s M.C. is FX’s most-watched new program and has been renewed for a second season. In addition to Olmos starring in the series, he is set to direct an episode in the upcoming season.

Referring to his roles and involvement in such films as Selena, American Me, My Family, and The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez to name a few, Olmos is quoted as saying in a recent New York Times excerpts article by Simon Abrams (9/4/2018). “The stories that I have picked have given us an opportunity to look into the culture that was represented, and for that I am very proud,” he added, “Stereotypes are rooted in truth. The problem comes when that’s all you ever see.”

Most recently Olmos directed a new film, The Devil Has A Name, in which he also stars with Alfred Molina, Martin Sheen, Kate Bosworth, Sal Lopez, Pablo Schreiber and Haley Joel Osment.  The dramatic motion picture is the story of an oil matriarch who attempts to outfight a strong willed farmer whose water has been poisoned by oil drilling.

Olmos will also soon be seen in Michael D. Olmos’ (his son) directed film Windows On The World  in the role of Balthazar, an undocumented worker who disappeared from New York’s World Trade Center’s Windows on the World Restaurant during the the 9/11 attack.  Ryan Guzman stars as the son who leaves his Mexican home in search for his father. Also starring are  Luna Lauren Velez and Julie Carmen (The Beanfield Wars, Gloria).

The busy actor also completed roles in the independent movies Walking with Herb an unlikely buddy comedy in which he is teamed with George Lopez, Chasing Satellites and Paz Vega.  In 2017 Olmos reprised his iconic role as Gaff from Bladerunner in its sequel Bladerunner 2049 opposite Harrison Ford that same year he lent his voice to the film Coco in the role of Chicharro.

Olmos will be producing an upcoming psychological thriller/love story, In a Little Spanish town which he will co-direct alongside friend and frequent collaborator Robert M. Young about diverse characters thrown into a tangled web of deceit with musical undertones.

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