Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterByron Allen’s free streaming service HBCU Go has struck a nationwide licensing agreement with CBS stations that will run through the 2022-2023 college football season.Under the distribution pact between the Allen Media Group-owned digital platform, which focuses on coverage of the U.S.’s 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), HBCU Go’s sports programming will be carried on CBS owned-and-operated duopoly stations in these key TV markets: New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Dallas, Atlanta, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Tampa, Detroit, Miami and Pittsburgh.As a result of the new CBS stations deal, HBCU Go — which recently got the rights to air premier NCAA Division 2 HBCU conference sporting events in a pact with Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAA) — will be available in 60% of U.S. television households and 70% African-American households.
James Franco to Play Fidel Castro in 'Alina of Cuba' Movie
05.08.2022 - 04:41 / justjared.com
James Franco has booked his next movie role.
The 44-year-old actor will be playing the role of Cuban leader Fidel Castro in the upcoming film Alina of Cuba.
The movie will star Broadway actress Ana Villafane as Castro’s daughter Alina Fernandez and Mia Maestro as Natalia “Naty” Revuelta, the woman who he had an affair with.
Deadline reports that the movie “follows the true-life story of Cuban exile turned social advocate, Fernandez, whose birth was the result of the tryst between Revuelta and Castro. Revuelta sacrificed her and her physician husband’s personal belongings and finances to help fund the start of the communist revolution. Fernandez learned that she was Fidel Castro’s daughter at the age of 10 when after years of secret visits to her home, her mother finally revealed that ‘El Comandante’ was her biological father. Alina grew to become one of Castro’s most outspoken critics, arrested on more than one occasion for trying to leave, and was classified as a dissident forbidden to travel outside of Cuba. Ultimately, she defected to Spain in 1993, an event that drew headlines from every major news network around the world, before she made Miami her permanent home.”
The movie is being shot on location in Colombia and production begins August 15.
James also had an acting role announced last month, four years after sexual misconduct allegations.
Jimmie Allen Shares the Deeply Personal Meaning Behind His Annual Bettie James Fest (Exclusive)
Jimmie Allen's Bettie James Fest is more than just a music festival. ET spoke to Allen backstage at this year's festival in the country singer's hometown of Milton, Delaware, where he shared the deeply personal meaning behind the second-annual celebration — named in honor of his grandmother and his father.«My grandma and my dad made me who I am, and for me, their names Bettie and James are more important than the name Jimmy Allen, at least to me it is because it's one of those things where this place made me who I am,» Allen explained.
Bill Maher Rips Criticism of James Franco Casting as Fidel Castro: Acting *Is* Appropriation (Video)
is. That’s why acting jobs are called roles.”Maher pointed out that Leguizamo has played a Columbia American, a Venetian, a French little person and an Italian plumber when he is none of those things.
‘The Pope’s Exorcist’ Finds Its Pope In ‘Django’s Franco Nero; Laurel Marsden, Cornell S. John & Peter DeSouza-Feighoney Also Set For Screen Gems Thriller
EXCLUSIVE: Legendary Italian actor Franco Nero (Django) has been tapped to play the Pope in Screen Gems’ supernatural thriller The Pope’s Exorcist, with Laurel Marsden (Ms. Marvel), Cornell S. John (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald) and newcomer Peter DeSouza-Feighoney also now set for the film from director Julius Avery. They join an ensemble led by Academy Award winner Russell Crowe, which also includes Alex Essoe and Daniel Zovatto, as previously announced.
Fidel Castro’s Daughter Shares Approval For James Franco Playing Her Dad In New Movie
Fidel Castro’s daughter is responding to controversy surrounding James Franco being cast to play the Cuban revolutionary in an upcoming movie.
How ‘Batgirl’ Axing and James Franco’s Castro Casting Highlight Hollywood’s Persistent Erasure of Latinos
Clayton Davis It wasn’t a great week for Latinos in Hollywood, but I’m sure many of you knew that already.Between Warner Bros. axing the release of “Batgirl” starring Leslie Grace, HBO Max canceling the coming-of-age comedy TV series “The Gordita Chronicles” and James Franco being cast as Cuban dictator Fidel Castro in an upcoming feature, Latinos are being mercilessly discarded and overlooked in the entertainment business. Worse yet, not many seem to care.Warner Bros.
Fidel Castro’s Daughter Expresses Support For James Franco As Cuban Leader In ‘Alina Of Cuba’
EXCLUSIVE: Fidel Castro’s daughter, Alina Fernández, has emphasized to Deadline her endorsement of James Franco playing her Cuban leader revolutionary father in the upcoming independent feature, Alina of Cuba.
John Leguizamo Has “No Problems With James Franco” But “Appropriating Our Stories — No More Of That”; ‘Alina Of Cuba’ Producer Defends Casting
After expressing his outrage over James Franco being cast as Fidel Castro in the independent feature drama Alina of Cuba, Primetime Emmy winner John Leguizamo has expounded on his stance regarding Hollywood casting non-Latinos in Latino roles. Specifically, in an Instagram post earlier today, he says “Alright, look, I got no problems with James Franco, yo, OK?” while explaining, “I grew up in a era where Latin people couldn’t play Latin people on film.”
Producer of James Franco's New Movie Responds to Criticism of Fidel Castro Casting
James Franco will be playing former Cuban leader Fidel Castro in an upcoming movie and his casting has drawn criticism from the Latinx community, including from actor John Leguizamo.
Producer Fires Back After John Leguizamo Calls Out Casting Of James Franco As Fidel Castro: ‘I Don’t Got A Prob With Franco But He Ain’t Latino!’
John Leguizamo is taking Hollywood to task for its latest casting choice.
John Leguizamo Blasts James Franco's Return To Hollywood In RIDICULOUS Casting As Fidel Castro!
John Leguizamo is tired of the way his community is treated in Hollywood — and he’s speaking out about this ridiculous casting!
John Leguizamo Outraged On James Franco Casting As Fidel Castro: “He Ain’t Latino!”
John Leguizamo thinks the casting of James Franco as Cuban revolution leader Fidel Castro is no bueno.
John Leguizamo Slams James Franco's New Role as Fidel Castro
James Franco has been cast as Fidel Castro in an upcoming movie and his casting is being slammed by John Leguizamo.
James Franco to play Fidel Castro in ‘Alina Of Cuba’
James Franco has been cast as former Cuban leader Fidel Castro in upcoming film Alina Of Cuba.Directed by Miguel Bardem, Alina Of Cuba is centred around the story of Alina Fernandez (played by Ana Villafañe), the daughter of Castro and Natalia ‘Naty’ Revuelta (Mia Maestro) after they had an affair.Fernandez discovered Castro was her biological father aged 10. She went onto become one of Castro’s most outspoken critics and was arrested multiple times for trying to leave Cuba.
John Leguizamo Speaks Out Against James Franco's Reported Casting as Fidel Castro: 'He Ain't Latino!'
John Leguizamo is calling for the boycott of the upcoming film, after James Franco was reportedly cast as Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro.The star took to Instagram on Friday and blasted reports that the embattled actor landed the role even though «he ain't Latino!» The 62-year-old actor and comedian wondered how the Latinx community continues to be invisible when Hollywood has supposedly made so much progress since he first broke into the business.«How is this still going on?» he asked. «How is Hollywood excluding us but stealing our narratives as well? No more appropriation Hollywood and streamers! Boycott! This F’d up! Plus seriously difficult story to tell without aggrandizement which would b wrong! I don’t got a prob with Franco but he ain’t Latino!» tells the story of Alina Fernandez, Castro's illegitimate daughter who was critical of Castro's reign in Cuba.
James Franco slammed by John Leguizamo for being cast as Fidel Castro: 'This F'd up'
James Franco is stirring up controversy yet again, with news that he has been cast to play former Cuban leader Fidel Castro in a new film, "Alina of Cuba," according to Deadline.This will be one of Franco's first acting roles since he was sued for sexual misconduct in 2019. But the sexual scandal is not the only reason people are upset with the casting news.
John Leguizamo Calls Out Casting Of James Franco As Fidel Castro: ‘I Don’t Got A Prob With Franco But He Ain’t Latino!’
John Leguizamo is taking Hollywood to task for its latest casting choice.
John Leguizamo, Ana Navarro Call for Boycott of James Franco as Fidel Castro: ‘He Ain’t Latino!’
confirmed Thursday by TheWrap, the actor will portray the Cuban revolutionary in the upcoming indie film about his daughter Alina Fernandez.Actor John Leguizamo, a vocal advocate for greater Latino representation in Hollywood, led the charge on Instagram.“How is this still going on?” he wrote in a Friday post. “How is Hollywood excluding us but stealing our narratives as well? No more appropriation Hollywood and streamers! Boycott! This F’d up!”Adding that it would be “seriously difficult” to represent Castro “without aggrandizement,” the “Encanto” star said: “I don’t got a prob with Franco but he ain’t Latino!”Franco was born in Palo Alto, California, and is of Jewish, Portuguese and Swedish ancestry.