ABC Orders Pilot of the Eva Longoria-Produced Drama “Grand Hotel”

Posted on February 4, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a grand old time for Eva Longoria…

ABC has ordered a pilor for the soapy drama Grand Hotel based on the Spanish series, from the 42-year-old Mexican American actress and former Desperate Housewives star and the hit ABC/ABC Studios dramedy’s writer Brian Tanen.

Written by Tanen, Grand Hotel is a soap opera-like drama set against the backdrop of a Miami Beach hotel, centering around the family who owns the business, the staff who run it, and the explosive secrets they hide under the perfect exterior.

Longoria and Ben Spector are executive producing via UnbeliEVAble Entertainment alongside Tanen as well as Oliver Bachert and Christian Gockel of Beta Film, which distributed the original series.

UnveliEVAble, ABC and ABC Studios also developed a Grand Hotel adaptation last season with a different writer.

Televisa USA previously took a stab at an English-language adaptation of the series set in pre-Castro Havana.

Gran Hotel (aka Grand Hotel) was created and produced by Bambu Producciones and ran on Spain’s Antena 3 for three seasons, with its first season reaching a 18.5% share. Dubbed “a Spanish Downton Abbey,” the original series, set in 1905 Spain, has been a top international seller for Beta Films.

Eva Longoria Developing English-Adaptation of Spain’s “Gran Hotel” for ABC

Posted on November 21, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is having a gran old time…

ABC is developing Grand Hotel, a soapy drama from the42-year-old Mexican American actress/producer and former Desperate Housewives star and writer Brian Tanen.

The project, from Longoria and Ben Spector’s UnveliEVAble Entertainment and ABC Studios, is based on the popular Spanish telenovela Gran Hotel.

Written by Tanen, Grand Hotel is a soapy drama set against the backdrop of a Miami Beach hotel, centering around the family who owns the business, the staff who run it, and the explosive secrets they hide under the perfect exterior.

Tanen, Longoria and Spector executive produce alongside Oliver Bachert and Christian Gockel of Beta Film, which distributes the original series.

UnveliEVAble, ABC and ABC Studios also developed a Grand Hotel adaptation last season with a different writer. Televisa USA previously took a stab at an English-language adaptation of the series set in pre-Castro Havana.

Gran Hotel was created and produced by Bambu Producciones and ran on Spain’s Antena 3 for three seasons, with its first season reaching a 18.5% share.

Dubbed “a Spanish Downton Abbey,” the original series, set in 1905 Spain, has been a top international seller for Beta Films.

Longoria recently teamed with another former Desperate Housewives writer, David Schulner, for immigrant drama Lucky Boy, with Nisha Ganatra directing.

Tony Plana to Star in the Indie Comedy “Headshop”

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Tony Plana is going independent…

The 64-year-old Cuban actor and former Ugly Betty star has been cast in the upcoming indie comedy Headshop, directed by Kim Bass.

Plana will co-star opposite Loretta Devine, Kimberly Elise, Deon Cole, Michael Jai White, Reno Wilson, Marla Gibbs, Kris Marshall, Donis Leonard Jr., and Claudia Zevallos round out the cast of the film, which is currently shooting in Los Angles.

Written by Bass, the film follows therapist Dr. Latrice Monroe who, after a devastating loss, tries to reconnect to her roots by opening her new office in a neighborhood that’s very resistant to her services. As her new neighbors slowly open up, they inadvertently teach her the true meaning of community.

Plana’s previous credits include the television shows Jane the Virgin, Alpha House, Desperate Housewives and Colony.

Acorn TV Acquires Longoria’s BBC One Miniseries “Decline and Fall”

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria’s decline and fall is extending beyond Great Britain…

Acorn TV has acquired the BBC One comedy Decline and Fall, starring the 42-year-old Mexican American actress and former Desperate Housewives star.

The three-part miniseries will make its U.S. premiere on Monday, May 15, on Acorn TV.

Decline and Fall, the first television adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s classic novel, also stars Jack Whitehall and David Suchet.

“Acorn TV is off to another record year, and May just might be our best schedule yet,” said Mark Stevens, President of Acorn Brands at RLJ Entertainment. “We’re thrilled with the subscriber response to our first 2017 Acorn TV Originals — Agatha Christie’s The Witness for the Prosecution and Irish drama Striking Out — and Decline and Fall is a perfect addition to our Originals slate. This new BBC One comedy has been getting rave reviews in the UK for its witty script and stellar cast led by Jack Whitehall, David Suchet, and Eva Longoria, so we know U.S. fans will love it as much as we do.”

First Trailer Released Featuring Longoria on Fox’s “Empire”

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Here’s a first look inside Eva Longoria’s Empire…

Empire is back from its winter hiatus and the battle between Lucious and Cookie explodes into their biggest war yet.

After the hit Fox series’ return Wednesday night, a teaser was unveiled that features the first look at the characters played by the 42-year-old Mexican American actress and Desperate Housewives star, Demi Moore and Nia Long.

The second half of Season 3 finds Lucious (Terrence Howard) announcing his new music project, Inferno, and putting everyone on notice – especially Cookie (Taraji P. Henson), who then vows to knock him off his throne for good.

Longoria guest stars as Charlotte Frost, the formidable director of Nevada’s all-powerful state gaming commission. Charlotte has the power to make or break Lucious’ dreams of expanding Empire’s reach to Las Vegas, and beneath her alluring façade lies a force of darkness and corruption. Her episode is slated to air this spring.

Additional actors and musicians who will appear on Empire this spring include Rumer Willis, Taye Diggs and Phylicia Rashad.

Chavira to Star in CBS’ NASA-Themed Drama Pilot “Mission Control”

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Ricardo Chavira’s career is going out of this world…

The Mexican-American actor has been cast as a series regular in CBS’ NASA-themed drama pilot Mission Control.

He is joining the project, from The Martian author Andy Weir, The Martian producer Simon Kinberg and CBS Studios, in a recasting.

Written by Weir and directed by Jeremy Podeswa, Mission Control revolves around the next generation of NASA astronauts and scientists who juggle their personal and professional lives during a critical mission with no margin for error.

Chavira will play Diaz, director of the Johnson Space Center. He replaces Nestor Serrano, who originally was cast in the role.

Chavira, who starred on Desperate Housewives, just wrapped a season-long recurring arc as Bruce on the CW’s Jane the Virgin, also from CBS Studios.

Additionally, he is coming off high-profile arcs on ABC’s Scandal and Netflix’s Santa Clarita Diet.

Longoria to Star in Fox’s Workplace Comedy Pilot “Type-A”

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is being Type(- A) cast…

The 42-year-old Mexican American actress and former Desperate Housewives star will play the lead in Type-A, Fox’s single-camera workplace comedy pilot from the Life in Pieces duo of executive producer Jason Winer and writer-producer Lesley Wake-Webster.

Written by Wake-Webster and loosely based on the book Assholes: A Theory by Aaron James, Type-A — in the vein of Up in the Air — is an office comedy about a group of consultants hand-picked to do the dirty work most professionals can’t handle: layoffs, downsizing, generally delivering horrible news. To everyone else, they’re the enemy – to one another, they’re family.

Longoria will play Axler, the ambitious, brutally honest consultant who is at war with her inner “nice girl.”

Winer is directing as well as executive producing with Wake-Webster, while James serves as consultant for 20th Century Fox Television.

Fox and 20th have been high on Longoria, courting her for multiple projects. She also is set for a high-profile guest-starring turn this spring on the Fox flagship drama series Empire, playing Charlotte Frost, the formidable director of the Nevada Gaming Commission who has the power to make or break Lucious’ (Terrence Howard) dreams of expanding Empire’s reach to Las Vegas.

Through her production company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, Longoria executive produced the Lifetime series Devious Maids and NBC comedy Telenovela, in which she also starred.

Longoria next stars opposite Demian Bichir in the feature Lowriders and is featured in the British miniseries Decline and Fall opposite Jack Whitehall, which premieres in the spring. She recently directed an episode of the CW’s Jane the Virgin and is set to direct an episode of ABC’s Black-ish.

Longoria to Appear on Fox’s Drama Series “Empire”

Posted on January 31, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is heading to a new empire…

The 41-year-old Mexican American actress will guest star on Fox’s hit drama series Empire.

The former Desperate Housewives star will play Charlotte Frost, the formidable director of the all-powerful state gaming commission. Charlotte has the power to make-or-break Lucious’ (Terrence Howard) dreams of expanding Empire’s reach to Las Vegas and beneath her alluring facade, lies a force of darkness and corruption. Her episode is slated to air this spring.

The second half of Season 3 picks up on March 22 when the battle between Lucious (Howard) and Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) explodes into their biggest war yet. After launching a deadly missile at Angelo, Lucious announces his new music project, Inferno, and puts everyone on notice – especially Cookie, who then vows to knock him off his throne for good.

Longoria joins previously announced actors and musicians who appear on Empire this spring, including Taye Diggs, Phylicia Rashad, Rumer Willis and Nia Long.

Golden Globe-nominated for her role as Gabrielle Solis in Desperate Housewives, Longoria stars in the in the upcoming feature film Lowriders, slated for release on May 12. She’s also featured in the British miniseries Decline and Fall, opposite UK comedy star Jack Whitehall, which premieres this spring.

de la Garza Takes the #DemiLovatoChallenge

Posted on January 5, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Madison de la Garza is feeling like her sister…

The 15-year-old Mexican American actress, the younger half-sister of actress and singer Demi Lovato, and her friends have joined the #DemiLovatoChallenge, a new viral dance craze.

The contest goes all the way back to a video young rapper Kandi Reign shared last month, showing off a dance routine with friends to her new song “I Feel Like Demi Lovato.”

Soon, others began submitting their own versions — where the main rules seem to be looking fresh and having fun.

On Monday, de la Garza and her friends got in on the act, with the former Desperate Housewives actress posting a video on Twitter with the message, “y’all know we had to do it.”

y’all know we had to do it. @CALIakaSARAH @officialjman @loganbinstock @abbysmalberg #demilovatochallenge pic.twitter.com/uY1YJUfMa5

— Madison De La Garza (@MadDeLaGarza) January 3, 2017

That same day Lovato endorsed the challenge herself, saying, “Umm.. this #demilovatochallenge is giving me LIFE.”

Chavira to Appear on The CW’s “Jane The Virgin”

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Ricardo Chavira is heading to Virgin territory…

The 45-year-old Mexican American actor and former Desperate Housewives star has landed a recurring role on the upcoming third season of The CW’s Jane The Virgin, playing Xo’s (Andrea Navedo) ex-boyfriend who dated her when he was married.

In one of several cliffhangers in the Season 2 finale, Xo, who had just slept with ex-husband Rogelio’s nemesis Esteban, was seen holding a positive pregnancy test for a baby that could be any of the two men’s.

Chavira starred as Carlos Solis opposite Eva Longoria on all eight seasons of ABC’s Desperate Housewives and has been recurring as presidential candidate Francisco Vargas on ABC’s Scandal.

He’ll next be seen opposite Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant on Netflix’s new comedy series Santa Clarita Diet.

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