Sharing the Silver Screen with Stars

Last June I was blessed to be cast in 'Learning to Fly' an American Film Institute (AFI) short film for its Directing Workshop for Women program.  In the film, I play a young mother to an imaginative little boy who develops a friendship with his odd neighbor that he believes could be a superhero. 

 
This movie was just a sheer joy and pleasure to be a part of.  From the talented director, Juliana Penaranda-Loftus, whom I instantly bonded with during our first meeting at the callback session, then there was Andrew Tenorio, my son in the film - one look at him and you just want to eat him up and already a pro at such a young age.  My fellow castmates who are ridiculously talented, Michael J. Sielaff and Jayden Maddux. And of course the crew...so professional and kind.    

LtoR: Actor - Kikey Castillo, Director - Juliana Penaranda-Loftus, Actor - Michael J. Sielaff, Actor- Jayden Maddux (front) & Actor - Andrew Tenorio (front)

Finally, after almost a year of waiting to see the film, AFI screened the Directing Workshop for Women showcase 2013 at the Directors Guild of America (DGA).  There were 8 extremely talented women directors and 8 mind blowing short films.  I was super impressed with the caliber of films and actors in all the movies and our film stood its ground solidly amidst the bevy of titanium films.  I'd have to say, the ultimate reward for me was sharing the silver screen with some pretty amazing women actresses in Hollywood.


It started with actress Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect, The Mindy Project) who I really liked in Pitch Perfect...side note, I also ran into her in the ladies room at the HBO Golden Globes After Party looks like we run in the same circles LOL, Rumer Willis, graced us in a provocative yet tender film, Brooke Shields made a cameo, Ashley Williams (How I Met Your Mother, Saving Grace) whom you may not know by name yet but works so much, Mireille Enos (World War Z, The Killing) she looked familiar then a week later I see her in the trailer for the movie 'World War Z' playing Brad Pitt’s wife and I was like hey, there’s the women from the AFI short – pretty cool, Shohreh Aghdashloo (X-Men: The Last Stand, 24) I’m a big fan of hers, she’s a powerful actress with a commanding presence in everything she does.

AFI's Directing Workshop for Women Showcase Trailer

 http://afi.com/showcase/dww/default.aspx

It was a flawless evening where I got to see spectacular films and mingle with my fellow cast and crew of ‘Learning to Fly’.  I am so proud of the film we showcased and grateful to have been part of the process from start to finish, and what a finish it was!  As I walked to my car in the pouring rain (it stormed that night and I do enjoy a good storm) I had a smile across my face, it was a smile mixed with a sense of accomplishment, pride and the feeling of “yes, yes, yes,...I LOVE BEING AN ACTOR!”  


Special Thanks to:

• Producer, Chrissy Kerns - an all around wonderful woman and terrific producer
• Casting Director, Lauren Bass - who remembered me from long ago and called me in for the part
• Writer, Traci Carroll - for your beautiful story
• Hidden Village Films
• Jason Loftus
• All the crew - too many wonderful people to mention individually

I'm a Cindo de Mayo Parade Grand Marshal?

Me along with my three other beautiful Hola LA! co-hosts we were the Grand Marshals for Cyress Park's annual Cinco de Mayo Parade!

What an gift to be included in the Cypress Park Parade which has a 22-year old tradition of having a Latino Celebrity serve as Grand Marshals - and this year Bel Hernandez, Dyana Ortelli, Naibe Reynoso and myself took that coveted honor - wow, even as I write this, I realize how so darn cool that is!  

Personal moments that happened behind the scenes:

As Grand Marshals, our duties included a VIP Meet and Greet breakfast reception where we got to mingle with fellow entertainers and meet great people from the community.  But it's never an Hola LA! outing without some sort of  "excitement"  happening.  As it turns out, poor Dyana was lost and could not find the VIP reception location (so she missed breakfast, coffee and the meet and greet).  Many calls and texts later and still lost, her phone died at the very point the parade was starting and our parade car was taking off...with out Dyana!!   We three took off sad that Dyana got lost and had to miss the parade but, we had to go on and wave and say HOLA to all the beautiful faces of Cypress Park.

A favorite heart fullfilling moment on the parade route for me was when I would lock eyes with a little boy or girl and say "hi mija" or "hi mijo"...their eyes would grow wide as saucers and their smile would grow really big...that made my day each and every time. 

Was the parade route really short?  Or was I having too much fun?  because before I knew it, we were parked at the festivities location - where we were to be introduced on stage and the fun party would continue with food and entertainment.  As we were parked, still sitting in the car chatting and taking pictures, out of nowhere DYANA shows up!  She missed the whole parade but she made it to the festivities.  Apparently she found a cop who kindly drove her to us.  As she sat shotgun (although it would have been hilarious to hear otherwise) she regally waved out of the cop car window - getting in her parade experience...lol.   Reunited, we finished out our Grand Marshal duties strong and had a very fun day!

Excited about our sign!

Ready to take off, missing our colorful Dyana, no really behind the smiles we were sad :( 

Still sad :( we managed to lift our spirits
I'm hoisting our Hola LA Celebrity Grand Marshal trophy!  Cue song... "We are the Champions..." 

Ta-Dah!! Real smiles of JOY as Dyana magically appears
Dyana was born wearing that sombrero LOL

On stage introduction to the crowd and officially presented our wonderful trophy

Special Thanks To:

Rafael Lopez, the parade’s celebrity liaison - you were just wonderful Rafa!

Ed Reyes, L.A. City Councilman has partnered with Cypress Park Neighborhood Council in helping with some of the city logistics and permits to host the parade

Cypress Park, for having us represent your wonderful city

New Episode Airs

Saturday, May 25th at 6:00pm on KCAL9

Sunday, May 26th at 4:30pm on CBS2

Latin Heat Article on the Cinco de Mayo Parade:
http://www.latinheat.com/2013/04/24/hola-la-hosts-grand-marshals-at-cinco-de-mayo-parade

5 Things You Don't Know About the 'Hola LA!' Hosts

Hola LA! returns to CBS/KCAL9
on March 30, 7:00pm

And the hosts are getting personal!

 I've asked my co-hosts to reveal five things about themselves that only their closest friends may know.  Check out what they reveal to only my Livin' la Vida LA! blog readers.

Photo by:

Bel Hernandez

The CEO/Moderator

1. My life's motto is Just Do It!
2. I lived in Mexico City for 2 years working as a Mexican Folk dancer
3. I'm one of the authors and also on the book cover for 8 Ways to Say I love My Life and Mean It
4. I have 3 children, 2 grandchildren and the BEST husband in the world!
5. I recently made the switch from an iPhone to a Galaxy III 

Photo by:

Kikey Castillo

The Actress/'In The City Gal'

1. My last audition was for an NBC TV Pilot
2. I take it as a huge compliment when people say I look like Eva Longoria
3. My favorite place to eat is Gratitude Cafe, and it's great for celeb spotting too!
4. I was very shy as a child
5. I once interviewed Anjelica Huston who's now on one of my favorite TV shows, Smash

Dyana Ortelli

The HAC (Host, Actress, Comedienne) and Fashion Victim!

1. I'm Spanish and Aztec.  Does that make me"Spaz-tec"? 
2. The first time I realized I was funny was when I tried to sing "Killing Me Softly" without being funny
3. I've been featured as "fashion victim" in The National Enquirer, Star, and People en Español (for reals!)
4. I hyper-ventilated in the ladies room at the Laugh Factory the first time I did stand-up comedy!
5. I don't play any instruments -- except for the organ :P

Naibe Reynoso

The Mom/Award Winning Journalist

1. I worked a red carpet event 10 days after giving birth to my son
2. I was once a guest co-host on The View
3. The book I would recommend to the first lady is "The Four Agreements"
4. My husband is a writer for the Disney show A.N.T. Farm
5. I used to host a weekly show dedicated to the Twilight franchise

We're baaaack so tune in Saturday, March 30, 7:00pm on KCAL9.  We LOVE our wonderful viewers!!!

'Ravishing in Red' Photo Shoot

Vince Gonzales and Kikey Castillo

"Anyone can be a cover model"

...according to Vince Gonzales, a photographer and dear friend of mine, his motto is "I can bring out the inner cover girl in anyone".  

So when he asked if I would be his model for his glam shoot, I had a brief moment of doubt as I wondered if I could pull this off since I'm not 6 feet tall, I'm not rail thin nor do I have amazing chiseled cheek bones -- quite the opposite!  I'm petite, with curves and ample soft cheeks BUT I really wanted to look and feel like a cover model, who doesn't right?  Plus as an actress I do have a little dream of one day seeing myself on the cover of a fashion magazine.  Half reluctant, half very excited, I said yes!!  

The Results??  Let's just say that I'm very happy I put myself into Vince's capable hands because somehow I Razzled Dazzled that camera and pulled off a Ravishing in Red photo shoot! 

But just so you know, it took a Village to Raise this Cover Model...a team of professionals were rounded up to make me look and feel picture perfect!

• first person I called was Steve Galindo, my pal and stylist (thestyleguyde.wordpress.com).  He secured the luxurious red dress, other outfits, shoes and a few other misc. stuff but he was so much more than that, he was a great moral support on set
• then there was Narcisse Chico Kitabata the make-up & hair stylist (narcissechico.com),  a friend of Vince's but I definitely look forward to working with her again
• Lori Sandler of DragonHorse Studio (dragonhorsestudio.com) who loaned me the jewelry.  Believe it or not, she was a Facebook Friend who I'd never met until the shoot
• the wonderful producer, Donna Grillo (donnagrilloart.blogspot.com), or as I know her, Vince's better half
• Lucy Eagleson, the talented videographer 
• and of course the mastermind behind it all, Vince Gonzales (vinpix.com), who shot all the knockout pictures

xoxoxoxoxoxox Ravishing in Red xoxoxoxoxoxox
Pictures & Video

One of my absolute favorites of the shoot, just really captures a side to me that is rarely seen

I was having fun twirling in the dress, you can see the glee in my eyes

Great shot that shows off the beautiful Dragon Horse jewelry but I think subliminally, I'm inviting you to the gun show...call it Pilates arms :)

I like this shot a lot, it captures me in a state of bliss

disclaimer: A mock cover, not actual...just for fun

And BAM!!  COVER MODEL 
They say if you can visualize it, it can come true and I can see it!!!

I LOVE the behind the scenes video


Behind The Scenes Glamour Photo-shoot with Kikey Castillo from VINPIX on Vimeo.

Kikey at the Golden Globes HBO After Party!!

What a complete thrill it was for me to attend the Golden Globes HBO After Party.  And the icing on the cake...I got to go with cool friends who are involved with the HBO show, Boardwalk Empire.   

*Photo Blog*

Styled by: Steve Galindo, Make up by: Gisset Renteria, and Photo by: Chris Caldovino :)

Look Ma! I'm at the HBO After Party for the Golden Globes! 

Photo by Vince Gonzales
Kikey Castillo and Boardwalk Empire's Chris Caldovino

Chris, thanks for throwing me under the bus with your peeps at Boardwalk Empire...it was all good fun though :)

Honored to be at this table meeting all the cool folks from the show.  Yes, got to talk to Steve Buscemi (super cool and nice) but no pic...bummer!

Photo by Vince Gonzales 
LtoR: Boardwalk Empire producer/writer Terry Winter, actress Karina Noelle, actress Kikey Castillo and Boardwalk Empire actor Chris Caldovino

What a class act Terry is, so engaging to talk to and down to earth, glad for his shows success and so fun getting to hang out with my amiga/sister Karina!

Photo by Vince Gonzales
LtoR: actress' Karina Noelle, Kikey Castillo, actor Chris Caldovino and Boardwalk Empire director/producer Tim Van Patten

Tim was another fun, amazing and down to earth guy - what a great time they must all have on the show.

Look who I ran into!! My friend and photographer extraordinaire, Vince Gonzales (hired to work the event taking photos of the HBO party).  He snapped a quick photo with his phone then he dashed off to work the room taking pics of the celebrities

Photo by Vince Gonzales 

In fact, here's one of Karina Noelle and I...yes, I just equated ourselves to celebrities :p

Photo by Vince Gonzales

One for the scrapbook, awe thank you Vince! 

Finally done with his photog duties, Vince joined us for a bit.   I'm so proud of him, the shot below is one of his from the night.  It was chosen for the cover of Vogue Online!  Awesome Vince :)

Photo by Vince Gonzales
here are his amazing shots of the night http://vinphoto.blogspot.com/2013/01/golden-globes-hbo-after-party.html

What an amazing night!  I got to gaze at and at times "literally" rub elbows with actors, producers and directors that I admire.  Seeing them up close and personal made my heart shine with delight knowing that I'm living the life I set out to live.  Still more to achieve but it was a great acknowledgement by the divine that I'm on the right track.  

Special heartfelt thanks to Karina Noelle, Peter Nieves and Chris Caldovino, thanks so much for including me in this special night...so much fun!!! ~ Kikey xoxo