Cannes: Sundance Selects Acquires Dardenne Brothers’ … 
Cannes: Wrekin Hill Acquires U.S. On Gabriele … 
Bill Hader’s ‘SNL’ Stefon Farewell: Video 
Cannes: The Weinstein Co. Books ‘Suite … 
BBC Confirms ‘Doctor Who’ Season 8 
‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ $22M Friday For Lower … 
Finally, Cannes Dealing! Radius-TWC Nabs Director’s … 
Hammond On Cannes: Wet Fest’s Official Competition … 
‘Vampire Academy’ Adds ‘Modern … 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Shark Tank’ Finale Up, … 
Cannes: Worldview Options Andrew Dominik’s Marilyn … 
UPFRONTS 2013: The Overachievers 
‘Mike & Molly’ Creator Mark Roberts To … 
Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts Set For … 
Hammond On Cannes: Weinstein Brings Out Stars For 2013 … 
Cannes: Fake Gunshots Interrupt Canal Plus Live Broadcast … 
‘The Great Gatsby’ Starts With $5.4M … 
Cannes: Music Box Snags Competition’s ‘Michael … 
UPDATE: Amazon Studios Begins Pilot Pickups; … 
Bruce Rosenblum Bids Classy Goodbye 
RATINGS RAT RACE UPDATE: ‘American Idol’ Hits … 
EXCLUSIVE: Tom Berenger has departed Fox’s drama pilot Gang Related. The move comes after the project’s table read last night. Gang Related, from 20th TV and Imagine TV, centers on Ryan Lopez (Ramon Rodriguez), a gang member sent in to infiltrate the San Francisco Police Department. Berenger was to play Sam Chapel, a tough, dynamic police chief who oversees the Gang Task Force. I hear Berenger, who has done mostly features and mini-series/limited series in his career, did not quite mesh with the rest of the cast and his vision of the character was different from that of the show’s producers. Berenger is coming off winning an Emmy for his most recent TV effort, blockbuster History miniseries Hatfields & McCoys.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
Loading ...
The producers and cast had three days with Tom and decided “life’s too short”.
Am I too understand that Tom Berenger is a difficult person to work with? There are those who are a-holes for the art. And there are those who are just straight-up a-holes. I wonder which one he is.
He was a pleasure to the cast and crew during the three times I’ve worked with him.
The one time that I worked with him, he was a pain in the ass. One of those “I-always-remain-in-character” jackasses, who annoyed the hell out of everyone.
Gah, that sucks. He was one of the best things about “Hatfields & McCoys”/stole every scene he was in.
But hey, they still got The RZA, right?!
get gerald mcraney.
good for him – he probably realized it would be worse than his film The Substitute and figured he could do better – now if everyone would drop out and/ or they just cancel the whole thing before it starts filming – that would be progress !
the premised of this show is not only stupid but offensive – and not to mention, similar to previous films/ tv shows (but of course without Latinos) – ie. The Departed … which itself is based off an Asian film
…. if they want to put Latinos in lead roles – how about ANYTHING that does not involved criminals in some way ?? now THAT would be a new idea – such as the George Lopez show which deserves a shot at a renewal – just pick up the story from where they left off when it was unceremoniously cancelled. since going into syndication on Nickelodeon it has found great success – it already / still has a huge fan base & all the cast members would probably LOVE to reprise their roles.
OR how about they just take ANY sitcom which is written to have white actors & they just completely cast it with Latino or other diverse actors – such as … New Girl … but with a Latina lead ?
FYI – there are cute, quirky & “adorkable” Latinas – how about giving those actresses a chance ?
NOTE – to all Studio Executives & Decision makers: Latina/os & ALL COMMUNITIES of color are sick and tired of seeing ourselves portrayed in stereotypical roles – especially as criminals, maids, etc. So PLEASE just stop doing it. If you want a hit show – comedy or drama – just take any pilot you have that’s intended for white actors – change absolutely nothing in the script – but just cast actors of diversity – rinse & repeat a few times & you are GUARANTEED to have one or more hits.
and anyone who responds to this – please stop believing that just because some “stereotypes” may be true (ie. yes there are Latinos in gangs & who work in low-skilled labor positions, etc) – how about a focus on positive “stereotypes” – ie. there are ALSO many Latina/os who are lawyers, doctors, engineers, mayors, professors & other very educated & positive role-models who can create just as much drama or comedy for a tv show as any “white” shows.
how about casting Ramon Rodriguez & Jay Hernandez as best friend’s who graduated college together – and one of them is a lawyer and the other an architect …. oh wait that’s the story of How I Met Your Mother … strange isn’t it that that entire show would be EXACTLY the same if they just cast a bunch of a non-white actors ?
If you want a hit show…just take any pilot you have that’s intended for white actors ….but just cast actors of diversity ….you are GUARANTEED to have one or more hits.”
Yep, and just sit back and wait for the criticism to start rolling in from other minorities about how the cast has abandoned their race and tried to “act white”. Been there. Done that. We’ve seen how that story ends.
Truth is, minorities are vastly over-represented in all forms of entertainment, relative to their numbers, as it stands; having fewer minorities in sports and television would actually bring their numbers realistically in line with their overall representation throughout the United States.
::Yep, and just sit back and wait for the criticism to start rolling in from other minorities about how the cast has abandoned their race and tried to “act white”. Been there. Done that. We’ve seen how that story ends.::
This is just completely nonsensical. Who’s been there? Who’s done that? Just say you don’t want to see more people of color on television. Don’t insult everyone’s intelligence with these bizarre and transparent rationalizations.
guest is absolutely right about casting. It’s so ridiculous: white characters can show up anywhere in any show or movie, but there has to be a “good” reason for characters of color to be in the story, and it will virtually always have to do with crime and poverty.
Hey Gravity’s Silhouette…. the dry cleaner’s just called. Your white hoods are ready for pick up, just in time for the cross burning tonight… Yeeeee haaaw!
1) You’re exaggerating
2) How many dramas starring minority leads have been successes?
1st – please stop using the term minority – it’s inherently a “negative” connotation – and do your homework – Latina/os are not exactly a minority in Los Angeles – so by your logic – any show based in Los Angeles (or other major cities) – should be primarily Latino casts – since they are the “majority” …. right ??
and flip the coin to answer your own question – how many drama, comedies or ANY shows have been FAILURES ?
Answer: a LOT more failures of shows starring white actors – why ? simply – there are have always been more shows starring white actors vs shows starring people of color – if there are simply more shows created and go beyond a pilot starring peole of color – guess what – there will be more success – just like any show – there will always be hits and failures – but if there are so few trials than yes the results will be unbalanced – you can’t critique the number of failures with an equal number of trials ?
especially the odds are ALWAYS stacked in the favor of “white” shows and if networks would simply cast more people of color as leads in ANY SHOWS – without the focus being on their ethnicity – guess what there would be a more hits – not simply because the storytelling would potentially be better – but simply by the facts of the odds –
and when effort if given to story telling to create diversity both on screen & BEHIND the screen – guess what – you get more diversity. But it is a fallacy of LOGIC to say:
well we tried making one or two shows with “these people” – they were failures, well so much for that – now let’s make 20 or 30 more shows with all white leads !!
and just forget that the nation has and continues to change
WRONG – every network should go out of their to find actors of diversity – yes GOOD actors – there are TONS of them out there – and EVERY CASTING choice for a lead should be color blind or even better – specifically say – let’s cast a non-white actor for ALL our pilots – still good actors- but let’s mix things up a little from now own – including still casting white actors or better yet – just mix it –
for example – cast mixed ethnicity couples and “multi-ethnic” children for the “average” sitcoms, etc – follow the path of Modern Family for ALL shows. and not just for ethnicity but of course also for gender & orientation – ie. yes every season there WILL & should be a show with lead characters who are LGBT
and just remember – EVERY show has the chance to be hit or a failure and it’s not just about casting but also the people behind the screen – usually if not majority WHITE – so by your logic – if the majority of shows that have been failures have been written, directed or produced by white people – well I guess those white people who are the ones actually making the decisions – well they should longer get a shot at another show RIGHT ?
cause if you fail once, you should never try something again right ?
good thing Thomas Edison, Ben Franklin and Steven Levitan & Christopher Lloyd didn’t think like that.
FYI – Steven Levitan & Christopher Lloyd co-created Modern Family, but their past FAILURES include: Stacked – starring Pamela Anderson and Back to You – starring Kelsey Grammer, but before that all of them worked on successful shows – ever heard of Fraiser?
if you’ld like a list of more FAILED tv shows with WHITE lead actors – just look at every season of television since the beginning.
like with anything in life – sometimes it takes a few tries before you get something right and put together the right ingredients … or in the case of shows – the right cast, the right plots and most important the right chefs who realize – NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES will never be a good thing. And the best thing is to try to inspire through creative & positive storytelling.
NOT creating a tv show where Latinos are once AGAIN cast as gang-bangers!!
fyi – not all Latinos go around saying “hey ese”
but many more Latinas/os & all people of diversity (LGBT included) say things like:
alright class, open up your books to chapter 2 …. or
when I perform the surgery on you next week, here’s the complications …. or
I’m here asking for you vote …..
THINK DIFFERENT.
I think All Caucasian shows without sex and swearing but good scripts is Gret for young White Americans!
Tom is his own worst enemy!
This show sounds really cool. Ramon is such a huge star, I can’t wait to see this pilot and hopefully on going series. RZA is also a great get.
The producers did not want to meet the right actor for this role. They know who that is.
They were being really stupid
Damn shame. He’s very underrated actor.
He was a total professional on Law & Order.
Toms a great addition…shouldn’t let him go!!
Whatever happened here, I have a hard time believing it has anything to do with Tom Berenger’s behavior. I’ve worked with Tom and he was an absolute gentleman — kind, cooperative in every way and totally responsible. I’d work with him again anytime.
Poor tom. He has so many problems. The show dodged a bullet. He cant hack the series thing. Too much work for that brain anymore
Tom Berenger…problems!!??? So YOU say?? He’s a gem of a man. Recently married, won an Emmy, working regularly and still can own the screen!! he’s 63 and still kickin’! His problems (ex wife) are in the past!! He’s BACK!!
I agree…recently worked w Tom too and he’s all over it. Sharp, on time & well prepared!!