Despite his obvious talent and scene-stealing ability, the chances to see Michael Pena in a leading role are extremely rare. He was tremendous a few years ago as an injured soldier in The Lucky Ones, but it was in last year's End of Watch that Pena showed what he could really do. Now he's getting another chance to prove himself in Diego Luna's directorial debut, Cesar Chavez: An American Hero, a film that could earn him a great deal of attention.
The first trailer has been released, and it hits on a number of hot button topics, especially immigration and worker rights. Written by Keir Pearson (Hotel Rwanda), the film focuses mostly on Chavez's organization of the largest non-violent protest in history as he fought to gain better rights for farm workers in California. Looks solid, and Pena seems to capture the activist's fiery personality.
Co-starring Rosario Dawson, America Ferrera, John Malkovich, Wes Bentley, and Gabriel Mann, Cesar Chavez: An American Hero opens on April 4th 2014.
