THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA (2019) Director & Cast
Michael Chaves, Linda Cardellini, Patricia Velasquez, Raymond Cruz
MICHAEL CHAVES (Director), LINDA CARDELLINI (Anna Tate-Garcia), PATRICIA Velasquez (Patricia Alvarez), RAYMOND CRUZ (Rafael Olvera)
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ABOUT THE DIRECTOR & CAST
MICHAEL CHAVES (Director) is next set to direct "The Conjuring 3," the third film in the hugely successful horror franchise, which is currently in pre-production.
He previously wrote and directed the short film "The Maiden," which caught the eye of producer James Wan and led to Chaves making his feature film directorial debut on "The Curse of La Llorona."
Chaves began his career directing commercials for such clients as Google, Microsoft, Ford, Facebook, Oculus, and EA Games. He most recently directed the Billie Eilish music video "Bury A Friend."
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LINDA CARDELLINI (Anna Tate-Garcia), one of today's most versatile actresses, has earned Emmy, Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and Independent Spirit Award nominations over the course of her prestigious career in both film and television.
Cardellini recently completed production on the new Netflix dark comedy series "Dead to Me," in which she stars alongside Christina Applegate. The series launches this summer. Upcoming, she also stars with Matt Dillon, Kyle MacLachlan and Tom Hardy in the film "Fonzo," writer/director Joseph Tank's Al Capone biopic, playing Capone's long-suffering wife, Mae.
Last year, Cardellini played the female lead in Peter Farrelly's Oscar-winning Best Picture "Green Book," with Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali. Among the film's many other accolades, it won the Golden Globe for Best Picture - Musical or Comedy, was named Best Picture by the National Board of Review, won the award for Best Ensemble at the Hollywood Film Awards, and the Vanguard Award at the Palm Springs Film Festival. Also in 2018, she appeared in Paul Feig's "A Simple Favor," opposite Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively.
In 2015, Cardellini starred opposite Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg in the smash hit comedy, "Daddy's Home," directed by Sean Anders. Two years later, she reunited with Anders, Ferrell and Wahlberg for the successful sequel, "Daddy's Home 2," with John Cena, Mel Gibson and John Lithgow joining the cast.
In summer 2015, Cardellini played Laura Barton, the wife of Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton/Hawkeye, in the massive blockbuster "Avengers: Age of Ultron." That same year, she co-starred in the film "Welcome to Me," alongside Kristen Wiig, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack, James Marsden and Wes Bentley. Directed by Shira Piven, the film was named one of the Top 10 Independent Films of the year by the National Board Review.
Cardellini previously starred in the independent film "Return," opposite Michael Shannon and John Slattery, for which she was honored with an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Female Lead. The film was featured in the Director's Fortnight section at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and was an official entry at the 2011 Deauville, London and Palm Springs International Film Festivals.
Cardellini earlier shared in a SAG Award nomination as a member of the cast of the groundbreaking 2005 drama "Brokeback Mountain," in which she co-starred with Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway. Her additional film credits include her portrayal of Velma in the pair of popular "Scooby-Doo" films; John Lee Hancock's "The Founder," opposite Michael Keaton; and Donovan Marsh's thriller "Hunter Killer," with Gerard Butler, Billy Bob Thornton and Gary Oldman.
On the small screen, Cardellini earned an Emmy Award nomination, for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, for her provocative portrayal of Sylvia Rosen, the married mistress of Jon Hamm's Don Draper, in the sixth season of the widely acclaimed AMC series "Mad Men." Cardellini first came to prominence on television, starring as academic decathlete Lindsay Weir on the celebrated NBC series "Freaks and Geeks." She is also well-known for her portrayal of Nurse Samantha Taggart on NBC's award-winning hit series "ER."
Additionally, Cardellini lends her voice to a diverse group of animated series, including Megan in Nickelodeon's "Sanjay & Craig," Starla in IFC's "Out There," and Wendy in Disney's "Gravity Falls."
She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre from Loyola Marymount University and completed a summer study program at the National Theatre in London.
PATRICIA Velasquez (Patricia Alvarez) is an actress, producer, author, and an award-winning activist. She is best known for her role as Anck-Su-Namun in "The Mummy" and "The Mummy Returns." Additionally, she has been seen in foreign films, including "Le Jaguar," and "Zapata."
Velasquez earned critical acclaim for her 2006 stage debut in the lead role of "School of the Americas" at the Public Theater in New York City. The play was produced by Philip Seymour Hoffman and written by Jose Rivera.
She has also appeared on many popular television shows, including "Hawaii Five-0," "American Family," "CSI: Miami," and "Arrested Development."
Her first experience in film production was as executive producer of "Cenizas Eternas," an independent film in which she also played the lead role. More recently, Velasquez was the associate producer and lead actor in "Liz in September," a film directed by acclaimed filmmaker Fina Torres. Velasquez received the 2015 North Carolina Film Festival award for Best Actress, in the Women's Feature category, for her performance in the film.
Velasquez is also a published author. In her intimate and inspiring autobiography, Straight Walk: A Supermodel's Journey to Finding her Truth, published in 2015, she recalls her triumphant journey from poverty to international acclaim.
As an Artist for Peace, Velasquez is a celebrity advocate for UNESCO. She received the Women Together Award at the United Nations in 2009 and the Solidarity Award in November 2010. The La Femme Festival, a premier festival that focuses on platforming women filmmakers, honored Velasquez with their 2015 Humanitarian Award.
In 2011, Velasquez successfully helped launch Taya Beauty, an organic line of beauty products, on the Home Shopping Network. Created from the super-botanicals of the rainforest, Taya Beauty skincare and hair care products are grown in environmentally sustainable programs in South American indigenous communities. Taya Beauty is now sold all over the world through various shopping channels.
Concerned about the living conditions of Latin American indigenous groups like the Wayuu group in Venezuela, Velasquez founded Wayuu Taya Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public and funding ways to improve conditions of Latin American indigenous groups, respecting their culture and belief. She competed on the television show "Celebrity Apprentice" on behalf of her foundation in 2012. As a result of her high-profile life as a celebrity activist, Velasquez was also a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show and a frequent judge at Ford Models' Supermodel of the World contest.
RAYMOND CRUZ (Rafael Olvera) is perhaps best known for his indelible portrayal of the unpredictably lethal gangster Tuco Salamanca in AMC's hit series "Breaking Bad." He later reprised the character in the three episodes of the prequel series "Better Call Saul."
Cruz more recently starred for six seasons on TNT's "Major Crimes," playing LAPD Detective Julio Sanchez. He had originated the role on the series "The Closer," which ran for seven seasons on TNT. For his work on the latter, Cruz won two Imagen Foundation Awards, for Best Supporting Actor, and shared in four Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
His other television credits include the telefilm "Cleveland Abduction," a regular role on the series "Los Americans," and guest roles on such series as "CSI: Miami," "Lauren" and "White Collar."
In addition, Cruz has been seen in a number of feature films, including "Collateral Damage," "Training Day," "Alien: Resurrection," "Clear and Present Danger" and "Under Siege."
