Longoria to Executive Produce NBC’s Musical Comedy “Tuned” with Zachary Levi

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria has tuned in to her next behind-the-lens project…

The 39-year-old Mexican American actress and former Desperate Housewives star, who could soon star in her own television sitcom, is set to executive produce Tuned with Chuck star Zachary Levi, who would also star in new series project.

It work mark Levi’s return to NBC since starring on its spy action-comedy.

Tuned, a half-hour single-camera comedy, would showcase Levi’s musical skills, which he displayed in his voice work as the male lead in Disney’s Tangled, opposite Mandy Moore.

Written by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont (Made Of Honor), Tuned is described as a musical half-hour about an ambitious New Yorker whose life is upended by sudden musical hallucinations. While these vivid hallucinations threaten to completely derail his enviable life, he’ll eventually realize that they might lead him on a more fulfilling journey.

Tuned hails from Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment and Universal Television, where the company is under a first-look deal.

It’s Longoria’s latest project as an executive producer to be revealed, following the announcement of her politically themed Latino family drama Pair of Aces for ABC. She’s also an EP on Lifetime’s Devious Maids.

Longoria Being Eyed for Starring Roles on Two Television Projects

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is ready to return to television…

The 39-year-old Mexican American actress, who became a household name as one of the stars of ABC’s hit dramedy Desperate Housewives, is looking to make her television comeback as the star of a half-hour, single-camera comedy series.

Two years after Desperate Housewives ended its eight-season run, Longoria has two projects in the works that could see her back on the small screen.

She’s been wooed by NBC for a project called Telenovela and for an untitled comedy at ABC. Originally, the script she was to choose would end up being the project going go to pilot.

But NBC stepped up in a big way, according to Deadline.com.

Telenovela, from Cougar Town co-executive producers Chrissy Pietrosh and Jessica Goldstein and Universal Television, will get a 13-episode order if Longoria commits to star and a pilot order if she doesn’t. The project is expected to hire a casting director shortly.

The project is set behind the scenes of a telenovela, and NBC is in discussions with sister network Telemundo to make episodes of the fictional telenovela that would air on the Spanish-language network.

NBC, which helped her launch her production company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, which is based at Universal Television, already has several projects with her as a producer.

Meanwhile, Longoria is already an established player behind the scenes. In addition to serving as executive producer of Lifetime’s Devious Maids, she’s also set to executive produce the politically themed Latino family drama Pair of Aces.

Longoria to Guest Star on Fox’s Hit Comedy Series “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”

Posted on August 20, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is joining the force…

The 39-year-old Mexican American actress and Desperate Housewivesalum has signed on for a three-episode arc on the upcoming second season of Fox’s acclaimed comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Longoria will portray Sophia, a defense attorney who catches Jake’s (Andy Samberg) attention when she faces off against him in court.

The second season of the Golden Globe-winning series, set in the NYPD’s 99th Precinct in Brooklyn, picks up with Captain Ray Holt (Andre Braugher) finding himself face-to-face with his longtime nemesis (guest star Kyra Sedgwick) as the NYPD goes through administration changes.

Longoria, an executive producer of Lifetime’s Devious Maids, will next appear in the feature film Frontera.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 2 premieres on September 28.

Machado Starring in Lifetime Film’s “The Last of Robin Hood”

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Justina Machado hasn’t heard the last of Robin Hood…

The 41-year-old Puerto Rican actress has a role in Lifetime Film’s The Last of Robin Hood, which was recently acquired by Samuel Goldwyn Films for U.S. distribution.

The Kevin Kline-starrer was co-written and co-directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland.

The biopic focuses on the final years of Errol Flynn’s life (Kline), as well as his May-December romance with starlet Beverly Aadland (Dakota Fanning), and the role of Aadland’s mother (Susan Sarandon) had in encouraging the relationship.

“The Last Of Robin Hood captures a very unique aspect of Hollywood and celebrity,” Samuel Goldwyn Films SVP Peter Goldwyn said in announcing the pickup.

“The film takes place in 1959, but it might as well be 2014. You have an aging superstar struggling to maintain his fame, a starlet chasing her big break, a manipulative ‘stage’ mother, and the public’s timeless curiosity, almost obsession with, ‘celebrity.’ The non-stop, sensational tabloid coverage of Errol Flynn’s life and relationship mirrors exactly the kind of coverage this story would receive in Hollywood 55 years later.”

The Last of Robin Hood also stars Bryan Batt, Max Casella, Jason Davis, Matt Kane, Patrick St. Esprit and Ric Reitz.

Samuel Goldwyn Films is planning a fall theatrical release for the biopic.

Lifetime network-affiliated Lifetime Films was launched as a division of A+E Studios in June 2013 and develops, produces and acquires female-focused indie movies. Robin Hood was its first project. It since has partnered with Viola Davis, Julius Tennon’s JuVee Prods. and Sara Risher’s ChickFlicks to produce Lila And Eve, starring Davis and Jennifer Lopez.

Machado’s previous credts include Welcome to the Family, The Fosters, Private Practice, Switched at Birth and Desperate Housewives.

Longoria to Be Honored with Humanitarian Prize at Women In Film Crystal + Lucy Awards

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is a Latina with heart… And, now she’s being recognized for her efforts to give back to the community.

The 39-year-old Mexican American actress, producer and philanthropist will be honored at the Women In Film 2014 Crystal + Lucy Awards, which honor exemplary women in the entertainment industry.

Longoria, who was named Philanthropist of the Year by The Hollywood Reporter in 2009 for ‘her commitment to Latino causes and giving back to the community will receive the 2014 Norma Zarky Humanitarian Award.

The former Desperate Housewives star serves as the national spokesperson for Padres Contra El Cancer, a nonprofit committed to improving the lives of Latino children with cancer and their families. She came to Padres in 2003, when she began visiting hospitalized children.

In 2006, Longoria founded Eva’s Heroes, a nonprofit in her hometown of San Antonio. It provides an after-school program with an inclusive setting for individuals with developmental disabilities.

She also serves as exec producer, in collaboration with nonprofit producer Shine Global, on The Harvest, a documentary focusing on the plight of the 500,000 child farm workers in America, most of whom are Latino.

The Crystal + Lucy Awards will be presented on Wednesday, June 11 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza.

Machado to Star in ABC’s Medical Drama Pilot “Warriors”

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Morena Baccarin isn’t the only Latina warrior…

Justina Machado will join the former Homeland star as a series regular on ABC’s medical drama pilot Warriors.

Inspired by the goings-on at the Walter Reed Military Medical Center, Warriors follows the best and brightest active-duty military doctors and nurses as they practice trailblazing medicine.

The 41-year-old Puerto Rican actress will play Anna, the chief surgical scrub nurse for Dr. George Mann (Don Hany), who is impervious to his teasing but not his bad jokes.

Machado’s previous television credits include appearances on ABC Family’s The Fosters, ABC’s Desperate Housewives, HBO’s Six Feet Under and NBC’s ER.

Longoria to Star in the Horror Film “Visions”

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is having horrific visions…

The Mexican American actress and former Desperate Housewives star has been added to the cast of the Blumhouse Productions horror film Visions.

Longoria joins Isla Fisher and Community‘s Gillian Jacobs in film, with The Big Bang Theory‘s Jim Parsons in talks to co-star.

Fisher stars as a pregnant woman who moves with her husband to the countryside where she’s plagued by visions of a sinister hooded figure.

Longoria will portray Fisher’s fashionable, acerbic and funny city gal pal who disapproves of her friend’s life choices.

Directed by Kevin Greutert, Visions was written by Lucas Sussman.

Longoria most recently directed Episode 1 of Lifetime’s Devious Maids, the Marc Cherry dramedy that she also executive-produces.

On the big screen Longoria is set to star in the upcoming pics Frontera with Michael Pena and Ed Harris, Refugio from Demian Bichir, and Any Day opposite Sean Bean and Kate Walsh.

Longoria Raises Awareness About the Plight of Farm Laborers with the Documentary “Food Chains”

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is shining a spotlight on farm laborers in the United States…

The Mexican American actress and former Desperate Housewives star is hoping to push the plight of farm laborers to the top of the U.S. policy agenda with the release of Food Chains, an activist documentary that she executive produced.

The doc had its world premiere on Monday during the Berlin Film Festival‘s Culinary Cinema sidebar.

Food Chains, directed by Sanjay Rawal, follows a group of tomato pickers in Florida – the Coalition of Immokalee Workers – who take on the $4 trillion global supermarket industry.

Longoria has long been an outspoken advocate for farm workers rights for many years.

“Long before I was famous,” the actress told The Hollywood Reporter.

She has spoken to Congress and campaigned for fair work legislation for U.S. farmworkers.

Longoria also produced the 2011 documentary Harvest, which takes a closer look at the fate of the hundreds of thousands of children that work as migrant laborers in the U.S. food industry.

“There’s more interest in food than ever before. Everyone is about organic and local and ‘I don’t eat Gluten.’ but no thought is put to the people who pick the food that feeds us all.”

Longoria to Direct Lifetime’s “Devious Maids” Season Two Opener

Posted on January 11, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is adding another title to her resume… television series director.

The 38-year-old Mexican American actress will direct the season two premiere episode of Lifetime’s hit series Devious Maids, marking her television directorial debut.

The series, executive produced by Longoria and for former Desperate Housewives boss Marc Cherry, stars Ana Ortiz, Dania Ramírez, Roselyn Sánchez, Edy Ganem and Judy Reyes as five maids with ambition and dreams of their own while working for the rich and famous in Beverly Hills, a place where murder and mayhem collide in the posh mansions of the city’s wealthiest and most powerful families.

Inspired by the hit telenovela, Ellas son… la alegría del hogar, Devious Maids is Lifetime’s fastest-growing scripted series ever and is the number one series across cable in its Sunday time period among women. Its finale last September garnered three million total viewers, making the episode Lifetime’s best drama telecast in 2013.

Devious Maids also stars Susan Lucci, Grant Show, Rebecca Wisocky, Tom Irwin, Mariana Klaveno, Matt Cedeño, Melinda Page Hamilton and Drew Van Acker. Joining the cast this season are Dominic Adams, Joanna Adler and Colin Woodell.

Devious Maids returns for its second season on Sunday, April 20 at 10:00 pm ET.

Longoria Named Maxim’s Woman of the Year

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is starting off 2014 with a maxim(um) bang…

The 38-year-old Mexican American actress and former Desperate Housewives star has been named Maxim magazine’s woman of the year.

“It’s especially awesome after how long it’s been since my first cover,” Longoria told the men’s magazine after receiving the honor.

“I’ve had a beautiful relationship with Maxim over all these years … When someone sees the cover of this issue, they’re going to say, ‘¡Que rico!’ … Say it when something is really good,” says the magazine’s January/February cover girl.

But there’s more to Longoria, a pro in the kitchen, than meets the eye…

“One thing people are usually surprised about when they get to know me is how domestic I am,” explains the three-time Maxim cover girl. “So when you see the sexy Maxim cover and then you put it against me in an apron with flour in my hair, it takes a moment to reconcile that image.”

The multi-talented actress, entertainment producer and philanthropist recently received her master’s degree and had just presented her thesis at the time of the interview.

“Back in high school I really was the chameleon, too,” she says. “I got along with the honors math club, then I would go to cheerleading practice, and then I was a band geek as well.”

Longoria took the No. 1 spot on Maxim‘s Hot 100 list in 2005 and 2006, making her the only woman to win the honour twice in a row. In 2006, she was also the oldest Hot 100 winner in the magazine’s history.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: Desperate Housewives