The first Latinx-led superhero film from a major studio, “Blue Beetle” follows Jamie Reyes, a teenager who is gifted superhuman strength, speed, and armor when an alien scarab beetle attaches itself to him.
The film is directed by Angel Manuel Soto, written by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer. “Cobra Kai” star Xolo Maridueña is set to play the titular superhero, while Susan Sarandon (“Feud”) is cast as the film’s main villain, Victoria Kord. Joining the cast are “Hocus Pocus 2” star Belissa Escodobo as Jamie’s sister Miagros Reyes, Brazilian star Bruna Marquezine as Jamie’s love interest Penny, George Lopez as Jamie’s uncle Rudy and Raoul Max Trujillo (Mayans M.C.) as Carapax the Indestructible Man.
Join the conversation online and use the hashtag #BlueBeetle
A hero to some, an outlaw to others…everyone agrees that this swashbuckling cat has style to spare. Known for his iconic (and beautifully cobbled) boots, Puss is a skilled swordsman, charming, fearless, determined and a crazy-good dancer.
Puss is a legend who has lived all these lives. He goes from town to town and party to party. He’s the life and soul of everywhere he goes. But just like the rock star who plays the concert every night and is in top form, he goes back to his hotel by himself every night—lies in bed and doesn’t have anyone around. That’s the story of Puss. He’s never let anyone in. Along the journey, he’s starting to question that choice.
The long-awaited follow-up to the 2011 Academy Award®-nominated blockbuster, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish stars Academy Award® nominee Antonio Banderas who returns as the voice of the notorious PiB as he embarks on an epic journey into the Black Forest to find the mythical Wishing Star and restore his lost lives. The last time we saw Puss in Boots, in his 2011 solo outing as a movie star, he was purring about his cunning ability to save the world and be adulated for it. Now with only one life left, the devil-may-care feline is wondering if he’s forever lost his mojo…and with it, the very essence of what makes him Puss in Boots.
“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” features an all-star voice cast that includes Oscar® nominee Salma Hayek Pinault as Kitty Softpaws, Harvey Guillen as Perrito the mutt, Oscar® nominee Florence Pugh as Goldi, Oscar® winner Olivia Colman as Momma Bear, Ray Winstone as Papa Bear, Samson Kayo as Baby Bear, Emmy winner John Mulaney as Jack Horner and Wagner Moura as Wolf.
The character of Puss in Boots first appeared in 2004’s Oscar®-nominated Shrek 2 and instantly became a global, scene-stealing sensation. Puss then co-starred in two other Shrek sequels and his solo film, as well as in multiple DreamWorks Animation videos and a TV series. The Shrek and Puss in Boots films have collectively earned more than $3.5 billion worldwide.
Antonio Banderas has lived with (and brought life to) Puss in Boots for almost two decades, and he has seen the impact of the character first-hand in every area of the globe. “I have had interviewers from all around the world and thought, ‘Wow. When that person saw Shrek 2, they were seven, eight years old,’” Banderas says. “Now, they are interviewing me about this character they saw years ago, and now they are 28 or 29. It’s beautiful that younger people have grown up with this character that produced such a strong impact in their lives. It seems like the time to pick up Puss and throw him back to the biggest screen, the place where he belongs.”
“Coming back to voice this memorable hero has been a remarkable experience,” Banderas says. “I felt like I was visiting a very dear, clever friend that I hadn’t heard from for a few years. We both have greyer whiskers and are no longer the brash, young players we used to be. What I love most about playing Puss is that deep down inside, he has a strong sense of honor and loyalty—as well as a mischievous and funny side, which endears him to audiences of all ages,” concludes Banderas.
A DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures feature, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” breaks into local cinemas starting December 7.
HBO has finally dropped the full trailer for their upcoming live-action TV adaptation of the hit video game, The Last of Us.
Combining the talents of the Emmy Award-winning creator of Chernobyl, Craig Mazin, and the creator of the acclaimed video game Neil Druckman, The Last of Us stars the Game of Thrones alums Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as the iconic characters of Joel and Ellie respectively.
Watch the trailer for The Last of Us below:
Alongside Pascal and Ramsey, the series also stars Gabriel Luna, Merle Dandridge, and Anna Torv. It is set for release on HBO and HBO GO this January 15, 2023.
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Answering the need for quick, yet hearty and tasty fare of nutritious meals, SaladStop! continues to stay rooted to its commitment of Eating Wide Awake by finding the best possible ingredients to feed the mind and the body and empowering customers to eat better.
8 Years Strong
The Singapore-based healthy food chain first opened its doors in 2009, eventually expanding throughout the globe with branches in Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Spain, Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Spain. In 2014, SaladStop! opened its first Philippine store in Central Square in Bonifacio Global City and is currently operating over 10 stores in Metro Manila. On its eighth year, SaladStop! carries on with its pursuit to make a positive change in the eating habits of the Filipinos as it expands to more branches outside of the Metro and introduces new holiday products before the year ends.
New Store Openings
SaladStop! sets foot in Sta. Rosa, Laguna with a newly opened branch in Solenad 3 Nuvali. A natural habitat for nature lovers, wellness enthusiasts and adventure seekers, SaladStop! adds a new healthy dimension to dining amidst the lush greeneries and open spaces of Nuvali. From down south, SaladStop! makes it way to a new location in SM Grand Central, Caloocan by December. Located in one of the newest SM Malls, the new branch will be a breath of fresh air (and greens!) in this highly urbanized city in the northern district of Metro Manila.
General Manager for Specialty Food Retailers, Inc., Joan Aquino expounds, “A market that has become increasingly conscious of their wellness, both in mind and body, SaladStop! paved the way for Filipinos to have easier access to their greens, as well as providing hearty and tasty menu offerings. We couldn’t be any more excited to bring this lifestyle to the greater part in and outside of Manila and continue to deliver healthier options that inspire people to eat well and to Eat Wide Awake.”
A Seasonal Favorite’s Comeback and New Holiday Treats
Making the anniversary celebration more exciting is the seasonal White Christmas, which makes a comeback for the customers to enjoy the festive flavors of romaine, kale, walnut snow, chicken ham, grapes, green apples, croutons, and Quezo de Bola dressing. Available both as a salad and wrap, it can also be ordered as a party tray and shared amongst family and friends for upcoming Christmas gatherings. Reunite with this seasonal favorite by visiting your favorite SaladStop! stores or enjoy it at home via Grab, Foodpanda, or through a 3-day or 5-day plan from Daily Bowls by SaladStop! at saladstop.pickup.ph
Adding a sweet ending to the beloved holiday menu are new pastries for both adults and kids alike: available for a limited time only are holiday cookies featuring the White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie and the first vegan cookie to be introduced in the menu, the Dark Chocolate Almond Cookie. Get them by the piece or in assorted boxes of 6, fitting for individual consumption or gifting, in select SaladStop! stores.
More healthy fun awaits! Excited? Follow @saladstopph on Instagram and Facebook for more drops in celebration of SaladStop!’s 8th anniversary. Visit www.saladstop.ph for more information.
For fuss-free daily deliveries of your favorite SaladStop! signatures and exclusive bowls & wraps, subscribe to Daily Bowls by SaladStop! Visit saladstop.pickup.ph for a 3-day or 5-day plan.
While the last few years may have been a little less jolly, GCash, the country’s leading e-wallet app, is bringing back the magic to the holidays with a little help from Philippine entertainment’s new leading man.
Joshua Garcia has been heating up televisions across the country with his starring role as Brian Robles in “Mars Ravelo’s Darna” and an upcoming landmark deal for Dreamscape production’s “Unbreak My Heart”. Adding to his already impressive list of milestones is his new role as the face of GCash to celebrate a Merry G Christmas and uphold what truly warms his heart – traditions with his family and friends.
“The family tradition I look forward to every Christmas is our family reunion wherein my family spends Christmas together,” he said. “We take advantage of the time we can have our bonding during this season when we are not too busy with work with some games and a simple feast for the whole family.”
Christmas Magic Lives On
Just like many Filipinos, Christmas for Joshua becomes truly magical when spent with the right people.
“My most magical Christmas experience was when I was living in the province and I went caroling in our neighborhood with my friends. Afterwards, we attended the Simbang Gabi with our family. I’m really glad that I got to experience Christmas that way,” he said.
Of course, part of any Christmas celebration is hunting for the perfect gifts for your loved ones. But despite his high-profile stature, Joshua stays humble and opts for meaningful gifts and thoughtful spending.
“To find the most meaningful Christmas gifts for my loved ones, I always think about what they really need at that time so the gifts are useful and that, through those gifts, they will also remember me somehow,” Joshua said. “I don’t really give very expensive gifts. As long as they make them happy, then I am, too.”
Gift-giving, the Joshua way
With the long list of celebrations lined up for Joshua this Christmas, looking for these useful items will be a big task. His secret? He does his shopping with GCash.
According to the actor: “One of my favorite GCash services is GLife because there are lots of merchants to choose from. It is a one-stop shop for a quick purchase of my favorite products and services. It is very timely since Christmas season is almost here, I can definitely use it for my Christmas shopping to buy gifts for my loved ones.”
Thanks to GCash, Christmas shopping can be a magical experience in itself, especially when you get cashbacks and discounts from the GCash Online Bazaar from Nov. 28 to January 5, 2023. You can conveniently pay through your GCash wallet, pay later through GCredit, or pay in installment with GGives.
Though many Filipinos will celebrate with their families this year, there are still some who wouldn’t be able to enjoy family reunions like Joshua and might spend time apart during the holidays. Despite the distance, GCash makes sure that everyone can send Christmas cheer wherever your loved ones may be.
You can send pamasko to anyone anywhere through Send Money for other GCash users, Bank Transfer or GCash Padala for non-GCash users, or Send with a Clip to attach a special message to your Aguinaldo. If actual presents are your thing, you can also shop online with GLife and pay for your gifts on GCash.
And because GCash wants everyone’s Christmas to be truly magical, every gift given through GCash becomes a gift for yourself, too.
For every PHP 100 spent using GCash services or when using GLoan, GGives, and GCredit, users can earn parols and enter the Merry GCash raffle. Raffle draws will be done on December 5 and December 19 where GCash will be giving away five iPhone 14 phones, five Macbook Air M1 laptops and five Sony PS5 Playstations. Sixty-five lucky winners will also take home P10,000 worth of e-fuel cards from Petron, P10,000 worth of Mercury Drugstore gift certificates, P20,000 worth of IKEA gift cards and P30,000 worth of SM Appliances gift cards.
With so many ways to hunt and shop for gifts, Joshua leaves his fans with just one piece of advice: “To be honest, I think for me what’s more important is that every time I give my loved ones gifts, they are pleased with what they received, whether they may be simple or otherwise.”
Whether you opt for grand gifts or small tokens, make every spend count when you use your GCash for every transaction. No GCash yet? Download the GCash App on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Huawei App Gallery! Register and get verified today, and discover how you can have a Merry GCash celebration!
You deserve a reward to boost your mood and get more motivated as you accomplish your goals. One delightful and satisfying treat you can get for yourself is Cream-O Premium. It’s the well-loved Cream-O Vanilla cookie sandwich that is made extra premium and indulgent with a rich chocolate coating. It comes in a single pack that you can enjoy for yourself, or a box of 12 that’s perfect for sharing (and even for gifting this Christmas season). It’s a great everyday reward to munch on after every completed task, such as:
Cream-O Premium is a satisfying treat that you and your loved ones can enjoy this holiday season.
Finishing all the house chores
Cleaning every corner of your home is no easy feat, so kudos to you (and your housemate/s) if you manage to finish all your chores.
Submitting a report you worked hard on
If you’re one of those students who spent days or weeks working on a research paper, you definitely deserve to celebrate your hard work. After doing your group assignment, you and your schoolmates can relax and share a few packs of Cream-O Premium.
Hanging Christmas Home Decorations
The holiday season is fast approaching. It’s time to bring out the Christmas decorations from the storage, and start setting up the Christmas tree. Dedicate an entire weekend and prep your home for the holidays and don’t forget to reward yourself after.
Give yourself a reward that you truly deserve with the indulgent Cream-O Premium
Completing your Christmas shopping list
Holiday sales are popping up. Writing down a list can help move along things faster, and will keep the shopping spree organized. Pick a weekend and get a head start with your Christmas gift list. Once you’ve completed your shopping list, make sure to indulge in a pack or two of Cream-O Premium.
Opening a business with your loved one
Homegrown businesses can help you and your loved ones with everyday expenses. Whatever business you choose to pursue, it’s important to reward yourselves after reaching a sales target or simply getting through a busy day.
Finding time for rest
Yes, finding me-time can be considered an accomplishment, especially after a hectic work week. Just sit back and relax, watch a movie, and pamper yourself while snacking on Cream-O Premium.
No matter how big or small, a win deserves to be rewarded and shared with those important to us. With Cream-O Premium, you can experience the Happiness of a Cream-Oholic with its irresistible and indulgent chocolate flavor.
And with Christmas just around the corner, you can even add Cream-O Premium in your gift baskets and self-care packages for your friends.
Get this everyday reward as a treat for yourself or as a gift to loved ones on Lazada, and at your nearest supermarket and convenience stores. Cream-O is available in single packs and a box of 12.
Children as they say are the future of the country, but what would the future look like if even the most basic rights and needs of children necessary for their development are often overlooked?
Built upon the shared vision of creating better lives for children, Save the Children Philippines and Erceflora Kiddie teamed up to create a meaningful movement that not only aims to better the lives of children now, but to secure their futures as well.
The Start of Batang Matatag
Diarrhea continues to be one of the leading causes of death among children under five years old both worldwide and in the Philippines with an estimate of 525,000 casualties a year. In the country, BARMM ranks second among the regions with the highest number of diarrhea cases among children under 5, with over 14,000 recorded cases in 2020.
The rising numbers and repeated episodes of diarrhea among children is also the result of the persistent case of undernutrition and stunting in the country where children continue to be robbed of their proper health and nutrition.
“About 30% of our children below the age of 5 are stunted, and stunting is the most accurate way to look at the nutritional status of children. If they’re stunted, it means to say they’re undernourished, therefore compromises the optimum development of the brain. That is tantamount to saying that the overall growth and development of the child are affected,” said Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Specialist, Dr. Joselyn Eusebio.
This is the key challenge that the Batang Matatag movement strives to address.
Every journey starts with a desire and an ambition. For Erceflora Kiddie and Batang Matatag Ambassador Carol Ann Stewart, her drive to champion Batang Matatag came from her experience in Latin America and how similar the situation is with the Philippines, where children continue to die from a preventable disease such as diarrhea.
“I think for you and me, we’ve all had diarrhea and you think that goes away, right? But, in young kids, particularly those under 5, if they don’t get the right rehydration, I believe it can link to heart failure and ultimately death. So, even though to you and me it is something quite trivial, but if they’re in a condition where their body can’t handle it, it could kill them and that shouldn’t happen,” said Stewart.
With this ambitious goal, Erceflora Kiddie sought to partner with Save the Children Philippines, an organization that shares their passion for protecting children’s health and nutrition and has in-depth knowledge on communities to help them actualize Batang Matatag.
In its inaugrual year, the movement sets its focus on initially helping 500 kids and their families in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), particularly the Bajau community in Iligan City, and a community affected by conflict in Marantao, Lanao del Sur.
“BARMM is one of the most underserved regions in the country. They are the region with the highest poverty incidence, and due to the ongoing conflict and lack of assistance they fail to meet the necessary developmental milestones,” according to Save the Children Philippines CEO, Atty. Alberto Muyot.
In working with the communities in BARMM, Batang Matatag hopes to start improving the health and nutrition status of children living in the chosen communities before the year ends.
In working with the communities in BARMM, Batang Matatag hopes to start improving the health and nutrition status of children living in the chosen communities before the year ends.
It Takes a Village to Raise a Child
Eradicating childhood death from diarrhea needs a lot of helping hands; and according to Atty. Muyot, an integrated approach to make the movement more sustainable.
“Often times we say it’s the responsibility of the parents, but in the most disadvantaged areas, parents would need a lot of help from community organizations, from local governments, and from other partners,” Atty. Muyot remarked.
Batang Matatag is a movement intended not just for the people, but it is also by the people. Save the Children Philippines and Erceflora Kiddie emphasizes this in their goal of empowering and engaging with the communities to take charge of their children’s health and nutrition.
“We need their collaboration with us to figure out what would be the best way to build the facilities so they would use it and own it and love it and make it part of their community,” Stewart underscored.
Batang Matatag: Moving Forward
With Batang Matatag already in motion, both organizations hope that the movement would be an example that others would follow and join in. They especially expect local community leaders and local governments to take an active role in initiating programs that are similar to what Batang Matatag is doing.
“We hope that local governments could get inspiration from this project to show that indeed even with minimal funding, through education of communities and parents, the health and nutrition status of children can be improved,” Atty. Muyot concluded.
The movement is also anticipated to be a multi-year endeavor, initially starting with BARMM, but will eventually widen their scope and adopt other communities who are in need as well.
To help advance the movement, a portion of the sale of every Erceflora Kiddie purchase will support Batang Matatag.
Spotify today unveils its 2022 Wrapped campaign — announcing the top artists, albums, songs, playlists and podcasts that showcase the vibrant kaleidoscope of more than 456 million listeners around the world. Spotify users can also find their personalized Wrapped experience, with the latest features that celebrate how they soundtracked their year.
Globally, Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift and Drake topped the Wrapped lists across most-streamed album, track and artist. For the third year in a row, Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny took the number one spot for most-streamed artist globally, with more than 18.5 billion streams this year.
Closer to home, FIlipinos are taking their Wrapped results local.
Jaeson, Mark, Roman, Sam and Richmond of NOBITA thank their ‘Nobibis’ who helped put them on top, “We are truly honored to be part of Spotify’s Wrapped Top Lists this year and be recognized alongside other great Pinoy artists. Undeniably, our fans had been a huge part of this but we’re also grateful for Spotify’s untiring support to our music and its clear vision for their artists. Like most artists, we’re also eager to see our band’s Wrapped and see what we have done throughout 2022 as musicians.”
Clinching five out of the top ten spots in this year’s Top Artists are Pinoys, and breaking through the list is Zack Tabudlo, who secured the #3 spot and emerged as this year’s Top Local Artist. Pulling listeners into his own cinematic universe, Tabudlo’s cathartic “Episode” album is also the second most streamed album in the country. Ben&Ben proved themselves to be a mainstay among the local favorites as they maintained their fourth place from 2021 and kept a spot in the top list for the fourth consecutive year.
“We are thrilled to see that Filipino artists have continued to shine on the local stage, as seen on 2022’s Spotify Wrapped results. This shows that the Philippines are increasingly listening to and supporting their homegrown talent, and we have seen an almost 50% increase in streams of local music the past year” said Kossy Ng, Head of Music, Spotify Asia. “We’re excited to continue working closely with local musicians and pave the way for more aspiring artists to flourish on the platform.”
Spotify’s RADAR program, an initiative to support emerging artists, has enabled new local artists and tracks to be added to the daily soundtrack of Filipinos’ lives. Other emerging artists like P-Pop groups, BGYO and BINI, are amongst the TopRADAR Philippines Artists, alongside Adie.
“Our Spotify Exclusive skypodcast is our first collaboration together as a couple, and it had been truly amazing to receive overwhelming support from our #skyfam. Podcasting has enabled us to talk in-depth about intimate topics. It’s even been a real help for our relationship as we’re able to spend time together and discuss things we normally wouldn’t. Being part of Spotify’s Wrapped Top Lists inspires us to keep growing as individuals so we can keep sharing new ideas to our listeners.” shares Kryz Uy of skypodcast.
Starting today, eligible users can also access their personalized 2022 Wrapped experience exclusively in their updated Spotify mobile app (iOS and Android). All about self-expression and play, here’s what to look out for:
New Data Stories to Express Your Year in Audio: In addition to your top artists, genres, songs, podcasts and minutes listened, Your Listening Personality is a new feature that not only tells you about the music you listen to but what that says about your music taste. We’ll tell you which of 16 different Spotify-created Listening Personality types you are, based on your 2022 listening trends. Additionally, Audio Day is an interactive story that gives you a peek into how your music taste evolves throughout the day.
Share More: Fans can now share their Wrapped cards on Instagram and Facebook, along with custom Wrapped-themed GIFs.
Spotify is bringing Wrapped Playground to the Philippines: Between 10-11 December, Filipinos are invited to come to play at SM Mall of Asia (MoA). Experience different exciting activities and catch none other than BINI and BGYO!
Your Artist Messages: This year, we’ve expanded to include messages from more than 40,000 artists like Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, J Balvin, Måneskin and more. With Your Artist Messages, eligible fans will get a personalized video feed with thank you messages from some of their top artists in 2022, with each video followed up by your most listened song from that artist this year.
Spotify Camp Nou Takeover: As a part of the first-of-its-kind partnership between Spotify and FC Barcelona, fans can also find 2022 Wrapped videos on social from some of their favorite players, including Robert Lewandowski, Alexia Putellas, Pedri, and Ansu Fati.
Taking Wrapped into Roblox: To celebrate Wrapped and the artists that soundtracked the year, we’ll be taking over the Spotify Island mainland with Wrapped-inspired quests, games, virtual merch, and photo booth opportunities with 12 different artists including: Bizarrap, Black Sherif, CRO, Doechii, Eslabon Armado, Miranda Lambert, NIKI, Stray Kids, SUNMI and Tove Lo.
A snapshot of the “Wrapped” 2022 Top Philippines and Global results can be found below. For more information, visit For The Record. Wrapped Assets are available for download HERE.
Spotify transformed music listening forever when we launched in 2008. Our mission is to unlock the potential of human creativity by giving a million creative artists the opportunity to live off their art and billions of fans the opportunity to enjoy and be inspired by these creators. Everything we do is driven by our love for music.
Discover, manage, and share over 80 million tracks and 4.7 million podcast titles, for free, or upgrade to Spotify Premium to access exclusive features including improved sound quality and an on-demand, offline, and ad-free music listening experience.
Today, we are the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service with a community of more than 456 million users, including 195 million Spotify Premium subscribers, across 183 markets. We are also the largest driver of revenue to the music business today.
Over the years, PATRÓN tequila, the world’s number one Super premium tequila, remains steadfast in its commitment to support bartenders from around the world through its PATRÓN Perfectionists program. The PATRÓN Perfectionists program has undoubtedly contributed to the global bar culture as it continues to spearhead its advocacy of discovering and developing bartenders who create and share outstanding PATRÓN cocktails taking inspiration from their hometowns and culture.
The Philippines is one such country that has produced talented bartenders over the years. There is no shortage of talent from the country when it comes to bartenders, as many have received opportunities to work all over the world, whether in bars or cruise liners. The PATRÓN Perfectionists program gives Filipino bartenders a platform through which they could further showcase their talents and the Philippines’ culture to the world through their creatively crafted cocktails.
Going through the PATRÓN Perfectionists program was a rigorous one, going through several rounds until preliminary contestants were narrowed to 10 finalists. The 10 finalists further trimmed to 5 and the top 5 competed for the much coveted National Championships in an all-day competition held at Hola Bar last November 21, 2022.
And after a thorough deliberation and after each of the finalists showcased different aspects of the country’s culture and their hometowns through their skills and recipes, it was Kristina Tubig who bested the rest this year and will represent the Philippines at the world stage through the PATRÓN Perfectionists program. Kristina currently works at Southbank Cafe + Lounge and was able to win the national competition through her signature cocktail called Breaking Norms. Kristina, with her tenacity and perseverance joined again this year and finally won this year’s much coveted National Championships after failing to qualify last year when she initially joined.
When asked about how she feels to have won and her inspiration for her creation Kristina says, she still can’t believe it as the competition was tight and so many talented mixologists joined this year. As per her cocktail, she likes breaking the normal and showcasing something different, something out of the ordinary. Kristina wanted to showcase not just flavors but techniques not usually seen here in the Philippines.
Her winning cocktail was made using a Mix of classic techniques and Molecular Gastronomy techniques using science to create different ways to enjoy cocktails.
The opportunity for Kristina Tubig will surely be an unforgettable one. She is the first ever Female bartender from the Philippines, to win the Patron Perfectionists National Finals. Kristina says that she’s so happy because she’s always wanted to show what women can do because the competition and industry is dominated by men contenders so it’s a great opportunity to represent women. Lawrence Gabriel, who was last year’s national champion and is now working as The Trade Ambassador for Bacardi Philippines. Asked how his experience from last year he said “he learned more about PATRÓN tequila and the Mexican culture deeply intertwined with it.
And when asked if he has any advice for Kristina who will represent the country at the PATRÓN Perfectionists program, he says that it is important to “research on the brand, study your ingredients, make sure to stick with the inspiration/concept of your drink, and lastly don’t forget to enjoy the journey!”
Kristina Tubig will be flying and competing in The PATRÓN hacienda in Jalisco Mexico, this February for the PATRÓN perfectionists Global Finals.
“Since its premiere, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been bringing audiences together to experience the magic and wonder of J.R.R. Tolkien’s magnificent Middle-earth. To date, season one is the top Original series for Prime Video in every region and has been viewed by over 100 million people worldwide, a truly global hit that speaks to the universal nature of powerful storytelling. We welcome these wonderful actors to our ‘fellowship’ and look forward to telling more incredible Second Age stories in season two,” said Vernon Sanders, Head of Global Television, Amazon Studios.
The new cast members are: Gabriel Akuwudike, Yasen ‘Zates’ Atour, Ben Daniels, Amelia Kenworthy, Nia Towle, and Nicholas Woodeson. The role of Orc leader “Adar” has been recast for Season Two, and will be played by Sam Hazeldine.
Biographies and headshots for the newly announced cast are featured below. For additional series information, please go to The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power press site.
Gabriel Akuwudike is a British-Nigerian actor who has appeared in the acclaimed series Hanna (Prime Video). Other TV credits include Ridley Road (BBC) and War of the Worlds (FX/Disney+). He has appeared in films including Sam Mendes’ 1917, and HBO’s Brexit directed by Toby Haynes.
Yasen ‘Zates’ Atour is most known for his role as “Coen” in Season Two of The Witcher (Netflix). He was also a series regular in Young Wallander (Netflix), playing the role of “Reza Al-Rahman.” He directed the film Good Intentions and was an executive producer and star of the film When the Screaming Starts.
Ben Daniels has had recurring roles in television including Jupiter’s Legacy (Netflix) as “Walter Sampson,” The Crown (Netflix) as “Lord Snowdon,” The Exorcist (Hulu) as Father Marcus Keane,” House of Cards (Netflix) as “Adam Galloway,” and Law & Order: UK (ITV) as “James Steel.” Film credits include roles in Benediction, Captive State, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and The Exception. Ben is an award-winning stage actor who has appeared in numerous productions including The Normal Heart (National Theatre – Olivier Award Nomination – Best Actor, Critics’ Circle Theatre Award – Best Actor), All My Sons (National Theatre – Olivier Award – Best Supporting Actor), and Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Broadway – Tony and Drama Desk Nominations – Best Actor). Ben trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts.
Sam Hazeldine’s credits include Peaky Blinders (BBC), Slow Horses (Apple TV+), The Huntsman: Winter’s War, Mechanic: Resurrection, and Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel. He currently appears in The Sandman (Netflix) and The Playlist (Netflix), and will next be seen in the upcoming Band of Brothers sequel Masters of The Air (AppleTV+) opposite Austin Butler and Callum Turner, and starring alongside Jonah Hauer-King and Dar Zuzovsky in the Casanova drama feature, A Beautiful Imperfection.
Amelia Kenworthy is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. While at RADA, she performed in numerous stage productions including Spring Awakening as “Anna,” A Midsummer Night’s Dream as “Puck,” Two Gentlemen of Verona as “Julia,” Pomona as “Ollie” and Against as “Shiela.” She has also appeared in short films IRL and Messenger. She will make her television debut in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Nia Towle was most recently seen in the Netflix film Persuasion. On stage, Nia debuted Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane at both the National Theatre and Duke of York Theatre. During her studies at Guildhall School of Drama, from which she graduated in 2021, Nia played leading roles in plays including Yerma, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Medea.
Nicholas Woodeson is a veteran English performer of television, film, and theatre. In television, his credits include Silent Witness (BBC), Baptiste (BBC), The Honourable Woman (BBC), Poirot (ITV), and Rome (HBO / BBC). He can also be seen in films including The Hustle, Paddington 2, The Danish Girl, Skyfall, and Conspiracy. His most recent theatre performances include The Two Popes, “The Duke of Norfolk” in The Mirror and The Light, “The Mayor” in The Visit, “Pope Francis” in The Pope, “Mr. Kidd” in The Room, and “Willy” in Death of a Salesman. Nicholas is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.
All eight first season episodes are now available to stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories in multiple languages.
The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared reemergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the farthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
The first season of The Rings of Power has been an unprecedented success, viewed by more than 100 million people worldwide, with more than 24 billion minutes streamed. The highly anticipated series attracted more than 25 million global viewers on its first day, marking the biggest premiere in the history of Prime Video, and also debuted as the No. 1 show on Nielsen’s overall streaming chart in its opening weekend. The show has also broken all previous Prime Video records for the most viewers, and has driven more Prime sign-ups worldwide during its launch window than any other previous content. Additionally, The Rings of Power is the top Original series in every region—North America, Europe, APAC, LATAM, and the rest of the world. The season finale also created a global cultural moment, with multiple series-themed hashtags, including #TheRingsofPower and others, trending in 27 countries across Twitter for over 426 cumulative hours throughout the weekend.
Season Two of the series is produced by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay. They are joined by executive producers Lindsey Weber, Callum Greene, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, and Gennifer Hutchison, along with co-executive producer Charlotte Brandstrom, producers Kate Hazell and Helen Shang, and co-producers Andrew Lee, Matthew Penry-Davey, and Clare Buxton.
