This Thursday night, tonight, September 26 are the returns of three television shows with Filipino actors in lead casts. Yet, two of them will be their Series Final runs.

There was a time last season on a Thursday night where four TV shows played almost back-to-back of each other, if memory serves me right. But, it may have been an interchange between two NBC shows because of the premiere of a mid-season replacement.

8:00pm (NBC): "Superstore" starring Nico Santos
8:30pm (NBC): "A.P. Bio" starring Sari Arambulo
9:00pm (NBC): "The Good Place" starring Manny Jacinto
10:00pm (ABC): "How To Get Away With Murder" starring Conrad Ricamora

Let's see where these shows are now on this 2019-2020 primetime season.

RETURNING SHOWS

"Superstore" with Nico Santos.
(Season 5)
Thursday, September 26 at 8/7c on NBC
Former executive story editor & writer of "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," Rene Gube joined the show.

"A.P. Bio" with Sari Arambulo.
(Season 3)
January, 2020 on NBC's streaming network, Peacock.
(Below is a clip from Season 2)

"The Good Place" with Manny Jacinto.
(Season 4 and Final Season)
Thursday, September 26 at 9/8c on NBC

"How To Get Away With Murder" with Conrad Ricamora.
(Season 6 and Final Season)
Thursday, September 26 at 10/9c on ABC

Check your local listings.

When it was announced last season that the fourth season of "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" starring Vincent Rodriguez III was going to be its final season, the horns were heard that Filipino representation in U.S. commercial broadcast primetime television was going to experience a loss. Wondering, but not expecting that this announcement was not going to be the last.

Just this past summer, five TV shows made major surprising moves. The upcoming seventh season of the CW's "The 100" starring Bob Morley, the upcoming sixth season of ABC's "How To Get Away With Murder" starring Conrad Ricamora and the upcoming fourth seasons of both NBC's "The Good Place" starring Manny Jacinto and Amazon Prime's "The Man In The High Castle" starring Joel de la Fuente will all be their final seasons. Netflix abruptly cancelled its two seasoned critically-raved drama, "The OA" starring Brandon Perea. And, while NBC cancelled their two seasoned comedy, "A.P. Bio" starring Sari Arambulo, the show is currently in production for its binge-watching third season to premiere on NBC's new streamer, the Peacock, in January, 2020.

However, on the horizon of the new 2019-2020 TV season starting this Monday night this week, September 23rd are both returning shows and new series premieres! Check your local listings.

NEW SERIES PREMIERES:

"Prodigal Son" starring Lou Diamond Phillips
(Season 1)
Monday, September 23 at 9/8c on FOX

"All Rise" with Reggie Lee.
(Season 1)
Monday, September 23 at 9/8c on CBS

RETURNING SHOW:

"The Good Doctor" with Tamlyn Tomita.
(Season 3)
Monday, September 23 at 10/9c on ABC

It was the 50th Anniversary of the San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) five day event from July 18 - 22, 2019 where fans, collectors, binge watchers, smarks, Bible thumpers, consumers and Hollywood professionals convene every year for the sights and sounds of nerdtastic nerdom. 

With the announcement of Marvel's Shang-Chi set to make his live-action debut in the upcoming film "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the news has been celebrated in many nerdoms everywhere -- especially Asian Americans who has read his journey since 1973 as well to new fans when he appeared in Greg Pak's "War Of The Realms" comic book event. Shortly after that, he joined the New Agents of Atlas in 2019. The  team made up of Asian and Asian American superheroes including Marvel's first Filipina superhero, Wave.

More on her later.

Southeast Asians including Filipino Americans have announced feature film projects before and during SDCC.   

Filipinos are going where no Filipino as gone before. On Saturday, July 20 inside the always packed Hall H, the Star Trek Panel covered both CBS' "Star Trek: Discovery" (2017-present) where CHARLES COLLYER is the Lead VFX Artist. He is nominated for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in the Season 2 Finale episode, 'Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2'.

And of, course the already announced Sir Patrick Stewart's return as Jean-Luc Picard in "Star Trek: Picard" (2020) with ISA BRIONES (last seen in FX's "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story") in a recurring role as Dahj.

Joining her on the panel were the rest of the cast of "Star Trek: Picard" including Brent Spiner who starred as Lt. Cmdr. Data on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987-1994) and its subsequent motion pictures, Jonathan Del Arco who guest starred as Hugh, formerly Third of Five, a former Borg drone who was rescued by Picard and rejoined the Borg Collective to influence them a sense of individuality and self in an episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," and Jeri Ryan who starred as Seven of Nine, also a former Borg drone who joined the crew of the Federation vessel, USS Voyager lost in the Gamma Quadrant in "Star Trek: Voyager" (1995-2001) to regain her human existence.  Watch the new trailer below.

​Also announced during their Comic Con panel, CBS All Access revealed the "Star Trek: Lower Decks" cast and first look images from the animated sci-fi series. EUGENE CORDERO ("Tacoma FD," "Kong: Skull Island") will be voicing 'Ensign Rutherford.' It takes place after "Star Trek: Nemesis" (2002), the feature film that starred the bridge crew of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" with Patrick Stewart. It was the tenth film in the Star Trek motion picture series, as well as the fourth and final film to star the cast of TNG. "Star Trek: Lower Decks" will begin streaming at CBS All Access in 2020.

The recently retired WWE professional wrestler DAVE BAUTISTA is best known as Drax in Marvel's two "Guardians Of The Galaxy" (2014 and 2017) movies as well as appearing in "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018) and "Avengers: Endgame" (2019). He was not at SDCC this year as he was on-location acting in Zack Snyder's "Army Of The Dead" for Netflix. The zombie action picture is set amid an outbreak in Las Vegas where a man assembles a group of mercenaries to gamble their lives and pull off the greatest heist ever.

Meanwhile, director James Gunn announced there will be a "Guardians Of The Galaxy, Volume 3," but he is currently finishing up the DC Comics property, "The Suicide Squad" for a 2021 theatrical release. That is the sequel to 2016's "Suicide Squad" that starred Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, and she will be returning in the sequel along with part-time WWE professional wrestler John Cena.

ELLA JAY BASCO is currently filming as Cassandra Cain (a.k.a. the fourth Batgirl) in the upcoming "Birds Of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn)" directed by Cathy Yan and starring Margot Robbie reprising her role as Harley Quinn from 2016's "Suicide Squad." Set to be released by Warner Brothers Studios on February 7, 2020, the film also stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress, Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary and Ewan McGregor as Black Mask.  A far cry from the first Batgirl who is Barbara Gordon, daughter of Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon on the 1966 television movie and its episodic TV series "Batman" (1966-1968) played by the late Yvonne Craig and, in the Joel Schumaker film, "Batman & Robin" (1997) played by Alicia Silverstone. In DC Comics lore, Basco's Batgirl is Cassandra Cain, the daughter of assassins David Cain and Sandra Wu-Cain (best known as Lady Shiva).

Deprived of speech and human contact during her childhood as conditioning, Cassandra Cain becomes the world's greatest assassin and later as bodyguard for Ra's Al Ghul. After saving Commissioner Gordon's life, she is given the Batgirl costume with the approval from both Batman and Barbara Gordon, now Oracle who becomes her ward.  Academy Award nominated cinematographer MATTHEW LIBATIQUE, ASC ("Venom," "A Star Is Born") along with stunt and fight coordinators JONATHAN EUSEBIO and JON VALERA ("Black Panther," "John Wick") are the other Filipinos working on the film.

Lastly, California's award-winning science fiction, fantasy, horror author and writer ALYSSA WONG (whose mother is Filipina) will co-write along with Greg Pak, the origin story of Marvel Comics' first Filipina superhero of Cebu, Philippines named Wave (aka Pearl Pangan). The news was announced at Racebending's Super Asian America Panel on the last day (Sunday, July 21) of SDCC. Her stories have won the Nebula Award, the World Fantasy Award, and the Locus Award. And, she was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. Her fiction has been shortlisted for the Hugo, Bram Stoker, and Shirley Jackson Awards. Wave made her debut in the comic book, "War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas #1" and subsequent issues afterwards.

If Shang-Chi is Marvel Studios' first Asian American comic book superhero to be seen in a live Phase 4 action movie for generations to come, then it should be a no brainer for a live action movie of the New Agents of Atlas with Wave.

The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations were announced early Tuesday morning, July 16th.  A handful of Filipino American creative artists will be representing us on one of television's biggest nights!

This coming 2019-2020 new television season will present the fourth and final season of NBC's "The Good Place" starring Manny Jacinto.  The TV series is one of the Emmy nominees for Outstanding Comedy Series.

Another show nominated in the same category is HBO's "Barry" where Rodney To guest starred on a few episodes last season. Both actors were previous special guest panelists for Edwin A. Santos' annual Filipino Hollywood Actors Panel.

Charles Collyer is the Lead VFX Artist for CBS' franchise science fiction series, "Star Trek Discovery."  It was nominated for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in the Season 2 Finale episode, 'Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2.'

Based on the Pulitzer and Tony Award winning original On Broadway musical play by Jonathan Larson, the televised event, "RENT: Live!" starring Vanessa Hudgens received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Variety Special.  "RENT" is about Bohemians in the East Village of New York City struggling with life, love and AIDS, and the impacts they have on America.

Nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Short Form Animated Program is the episode, "Reunited" from the Cartoon Network animated series, "Steven Universe" with lead characters voiced by Deedee Magno, Jennifer Paz, Shelby Rabara and Charlyne Yi.

Choreographer Melvin 'TimTim' Rogador received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming for FOX's "World Of Dance."

And, the fourth and final season of "Crazy Ex-Girfriend" received two Emmy nominations including Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for "I Have To Get To Out / Antidepressants Are So Not A Big Deal" written by Rachel Bloom, Adam Schlesinger and Jack Dolgen.

Tess Paras who recurred as 'Jayma Chan' on the show is featured in the video with Bloom while Vincent Rodriguez III who starred as Bloom's on again/off again boyfriend, 'Josh Chan' on the show is featured in the live stage version, of which, you can watch both below.

Both Tess Paras and Vincent Rodriguez III were previous special guest panelists for Edwin A. Santos' annual Filipino Hollywood Actors Panel.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) revealed their 2019 Class of 842 new members from different countries,  And, eight of them are of Filipino descent.

AMPAS announced that half of the members invited to join the Academy are women. AMPAS also disclosed that twenty-nine percent of the new invitees are people of color. If they accept their invites, AMPAS will have double the percentage of non-white people in their ranks in four years.  

In 2015, people of color accounted for only eight percent of the total body of the organization. In 2019, it stands at sixteen percent. 

The eight invitees include...

LISA VALENCIA-SVENSSON -
Producer of the documentary, CALL HER GANDA (2018).

RUTH VILLARAMA
Screenwriter, Filmmaker & Producer of the documentary, SUNDAY BEAUTY QUEEN (2016).

BOBBY PONTILLAS
Screenwriter & Filmmaker of the 2018 short film, ONE SMALL STEP, and Animator for the feature films ZOOTOPIA (2016), BIG HERO 6 (2014) and RIO (2011).

DITSI CAROLINO
Filmmaker & Producer of BUNSO: THE YOUNGEST (2005), MULA PABRIKA HANGGANG FUKUOKA (1999) and MINSAN LANG SILA BATA (1996)

PJ RAVAL
Filmmaker of the documentary, CALL HER GANDA (2018).

TREVOR JIMENEZ
Screenwriter, Filmmaker & Animator of the short film, WEEKENDS (2018), and Animator for COCO (2017), FINDING DORY (2016) and RIO (2011).

JOSIE TRINIDAD
Animator, Screenwriter & Actress for the feature films RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET (2018), ZOOTOPIA (2016), BIG HERO 6 (2014) and WRECK IT RALPH (2012).

TAMLYN TOMITA
Actress, THE GOOD DOCTOR (2017-present), THE JOY LUCK CLUB (1993) and THE KARATE KID, PART II (1986).

After all the invitations are accepted, AMPAS will host a mixer later this year.

The Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Hollywood (FACCHO) is a Community Partner again this year for films from the Philippines and the U.S. for the 35th Annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) from May 2-10, 2019.  

And, we are co-presenting three films/programs this year: EERIE, I GOTCHU FAM, ALWAYS (SHORTS PROGRAM) and JOURNEY TO IFUGAO.

*** Sign up for our monthly Arts-Business-Entertainment (ABE) E-Magazine and we will send you our promotional discount code before you purchase your tickets for these films/programs at - facchollywood@gmail.com ***

Here are the following films/programs we are co-presenting:

FACCHO Co-Presenters: Edwin A. Santos and Craig Obligacion Wilson:
EERIE – North American Premiere; Friday, May 3rd at 9:30pm at Downtown Independent
Following-up on his critically acclaimed, social realist noir drama NEOMANILA, director Mikhail Red returns with his distinctly Filipino spin on the Catholic horror and nunsploitation genre set in an all-girls boarding school. In the contemporary spirit of LET THE RIGHT ONE IN and HEREDITARY, EERIE represents a solid contribution to a global horror canon.  Filmmaker In Attendance.

CREDITS ​
Director: Mikhail Red
Writer: Mariah Reodica, Mikhail Red, Rae Red
Cast: Bea Alonzo, Charo Santos, Jake Cuenca

Screening Location:
DOWNTOWN INDEPENDENT
251 S Main Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

TICKET LINK:  https://laapff2019.eventive.org/schedule/eerie-5ca076743b07ca002f7ca125

​FACCHO Co-Presenters:  Edwin A. Santos and Craig Obligacion Wilson:
I GOTCHU FAM, ALWAYS Shorts; Sunday, May 5th at 7pm at Downtown Independent​
With Filmmakers In Attendance, there will be seven shorts including one Filipino American live-action film and one Filipino Canadian Oscar nominated animated film.

- Dive Bar: Dorothy Xiao
- For Your Consideration: Patrick Green
- Ganja Mama: Mukesh Vidyasagar
- Lumpia Campesina: Robert Karimi
- Mama Pingpong Social Club: Shiang An Chuang
- Shell Yeah: Ridge Hirano
- The Patients: Tess Paras
- Weekends: Trevor Jimenez

Screening Location:
DOWNTOWN INDEPENDENT
251 S Main Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

THE PATIENTS
After a “bad fight” with her boyfriend, Filipina-American party girl Regina Ramos ends up in the ER where her Dad works. When her family rushes to her aid, they stumble to connect as a trending topic becomes a real-life issue that affects them all.

CREDITS :
Director, Writer: Tess Paras
Director of Photography: Ludovica Isidori
Line Producer: Teresa Lee
Editor: Lakan De Leon
Cast: Tess Paras, Jon Jon Briones, Eugene Cordero, Melody Butiu, Josephine De Jesus, Lilan Bowden, Haneefah Wood

TICKET LINK:
https://laapff2019.eventive.org/schedule/i-gotchu-fam-always-shorts-program-5ca3f99da758630023831841

WEEKENDS
A young boy shuffles between the homes of his recently divorced parents. Surreal, dream-like moments mix with the domestic realities of a broken up family in this hand-animated film set in 1980’s Toronto.  An Academy Award nominated short film this year.
​
CREDITS :
Director: Trevor Jimenez
Producer: Jeremy Slome
Associate Producer: Mattie Brehm
Production Designer: Chris Sasaki
Sound Designer: Kenny Pickett

TICKET LINK:
https://laapff2019.eventive.org/schedule/i-gotchu-fam-always-shorts-program-5ca3f99da758630023831841  

​FACCHO Co-Presenters:  Annie Nepomuceno and Edwin A. Santos:
JOURNEY TO IFUGAO – World Premiere; Wednesday, May 8th at 6:45pm at Regal L.A. Live
Director Nicanor Evangelista Jr.’s poetic and performance-based documentary feature traces the journey and coming together of five LA-based Filipino artists and healers, a subset of the diaspora, on their spiritual quest in search of identities and indigenous roots during a trip back to the Philippines.  Filmmakers In Attendance.

CREDITS ​
Director: Nicanor Evangelista Jr.
Cast: Nicanor Evangelista Jr., Mamerto Tindongan, Chona Bernardo, Gary Jornacion, Diane Valencia, Veronica Mercado

Screening Location:
REGAL L.A. LIVE, THEATER #13
1000 W Olympic Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA. 90015

TICKET LINK:  
https://laapff2019.eventive.org/schedule/journey-to-ifugao-5ca076743b07ca002f7ca119

​Get your tickets now and don't forget to use our promotional discount code by signing up for our monthly E-Magazine by emailing us at - facchollywood@gmail.com   

Presented by Visual Communications, the 35th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival will be May 2 - May 10, 2019. LAAPFF is the premiere showcase for the best and brightest of Asian Pacific American and international cinema. The largest festival of its kind in Southern California, LAAPFF is also a proud Academy Award®-qualifying film festival for the Short Film Awards.

We are a Community Sponsor for NBC's and Crazy Woke Asians' Opening Night - Crazy Woke Asians Solo Performance Festival, Thursday, March 14 at 8pm at the Santa Monica Playhouse in Santa Monica, CA.

Use our Discount Promo Code "FACCHO" and you get $5 off for all tickets of all shows during the festival including our sponsored Opening Night on Thursday, March 14! - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/crazy-woke-asians-solo-performance-festival-tickets-54956362961

​​NBC has partnered up with Crazy Woke Asians to present their Audience Award for the Best Solo Performance. So, both your attendance and your votes count, too! Roll in!  

Don’t miss the hilarious Ai Yoshihara's MY OWN PRIVATE RIVER PHOENIX and Erick Esteban's FIGHT CLUB FOR ONE with Special Guest Hank Chen!

Full lineup and tickets:
https://www.santamonicaplayhouse.com/cwasolofest.html

AMERICA ADJACENT: THEY COME FOR A FUTURE

Laughter and heartbreak come hand in hand in this World Premiere play by Boni B. Alvarez and directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera.

STORY: In pursuit of the American Dream, six pregnant Filipina women risk everything. Confined to a one-bedroom, on-bath unit in East Hollywood the women do their best to overcome fears of jail and deportation so that their children can have a better life. Playwright Boni B. Alvarez examines the promise of U.S. Citizenship and ask, “How far would you go to give your child a future?”

CAST: Evie Abat, Angel T. Baesa, Toni Katano, Hazel Lozano, Samantha Valdellon, Sandy Velasco and Arianne Villareal.

Producers: Gary Grossman, Tony Abatemarco
Associate Producer: Giselle Töngi Walters

PERFORMANCES:
Opening Night: February 16
Fridays & Satirdays: 8:30pm
Sundays: 3:00pm
Plus Monday, March 4, 11, 18 - 8:00pm

TICKETS: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/852572361757706/
Premium: $41; Standard: $35
Available discounts: Student, Under 30, Senior 65+
Ticket Policies: http://skylighttheatre.org/tickets-ticketing-policies/

Age advisement: 14+

NO LATE SEATING
Wheelchair and Handicapped accessible seats are available exclusively to people with disabilities and their companions. Accessible seating tickets must be purchased in advance by calling our local Box Office.

SKYLIGHT THEATRE
1816 1/2 N. Vermont
Los Angeles, CA 90027
*ENTRANCE NEXT TO Skylight Books. -- GO PAST THE RESTAURANT TABLES to the top of the Patio. 
(Located in East Hollywood in Los Feliz Village not far from the Greek Theatre)

PARKING at Skylight:
There are four pay lots within two blocks of the theatre (avg cost: $5-$6), enter from the adjacent side streets. Evening Valet parking is available at Palermos Restaurant (private price); Tell them you are going to Skylight Theatre; access from Russell Ave half block north of the theatre.

If you prefer free or metered street parking, please allow ample time to secure a spot before the show begins. Street parking is difficult to find in this area due to the popularity of the many restaurants.

The 91st Academy Awards were announced this morning and, among the Filipino American talent in front of, and behind-the-scenes in cinema, the nominees are...

Congratulations to MATTHEW LIBATIQUE for earning an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography for Warner Brothers' "A Star Is Born." This is his second Academy Awards nomination since 2010's "Black Swan."​

ANTHONY FRANCISCO is a visual designer who worked on the 'Dora Milaje' costumes in "Black Panther" for Ruth E. Carter, who got nominated for Best Costume Design.
​
Senior concept illustrator RODNEY FUENTEBELLA worked on the concept art for Killmonger, King T’Chaka, and Ulysses Klaue.

HONORABLE MENTION: "Black Panther" is the first superhero movie to be nominated for Best Picture for an Academy Award.

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film --

Sony Pictures' "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" with the voice of 'Gwen Stacy' by HAILEE STEINFELD and with animators LOUIE DEL CARMEN, JOHN BUTIU and RYAN RUBI.

And, Walt Disney Studios' "Ralph Breaks The Internet," story by JOSIE TRINIDAD and with the voice of 'Mo's Mom' by NICOLE SCHERZINGER.

The 91st Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), will honor the best films of 2018 and will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday, February 24, 2019 at 5pm Pacific on ABC.