Eva Longoria’s gamble is paying off…
The 40-year-old Mexican American actress, producer and activist’s production company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment has sold another project, the drama Casino, to NBC.
Written by East Los High co-creator Carlos Portugal, the project centers on the aftermath of a mogul’s mysterious death when his ambitious young widow and his illegitimate son have to join forces to save his famed casino, while circumstances surrounding his death come to light and threaten to take them both down.
Portugal executive produces with UnveliEVAble Entertainment’s Longoria and Ben Spector.
Universal Television, where the company is based, is the studio.
Casino stems out of efforts by the former Desperate Housewives star — who holds a master’s degree in Chicano studies — to bring Hispanic voices to television.
Born in Cuba, Portugal began his career at San Francisco PBS station KQED, where he produced the Emmy-winning documentary Frida Kahlo: Portrait of an Artist.
For the past three seasons, he has served as creator, showrunner, head writer and director of Hulu’s original drama series East Los High, directing 42 of the 48 produced episodes to date.
Before East Los High, Portugal worked on Tyler Perry’s Meet The Browns and House of Payne for TBS.
UnbeliEVAble has midseason NBC comedy series Hot & Bothered, starring Longoria, as well as three other broadcast projects in development: genre drama Zone of Silence at NBC with Blumhouse Productions and writer Rashad Raisani, comedy Bonita & Mechelle at NBC with Will Packer Prods and writer Kriss Turner Towner and a comedy at ABC with veteran comedy writer Bobby Bowman.
