Carey to Receive Giving Me Life Achievement Award at The Bravos

Posted on June 26, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey has earned a new achievement award…

The 46-year-old half-Venezuelan singer/actress will receive the Giving Me Life Achievement Award at Bravo Media’s The Bravos.

Urban Dictionary defines “giving me life” as anything that you get excited or pumped about; anything that makes you laugh emphatically.

Carey has been chosen to receive the biggest honor at the Bravos, the Giving Me Life Achievement Award. The singer stopped by Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live! in May and worked her divaness to the hilt — showing up late, throwing shade at Jennifer Lopez and revealing she turned down a role in Empire because it didn’t have enough “character arc.”

The Bravos are a new pop-culture-infused fan awards show premiering July 20 at 10:00 pm.

The show will “look at some of the buzziest, most memorable moments from Bravo and beyond,” according to Bravo.

Fans will vote for stars in 12 categories such as The Susan Lucci Award for Best Performance in a Reality Show, and Don’t Call It A Comeback Award.

Andy Cohen is set to host the awards show.

The Bravos will be available on-air, online and VOD.

Gomez to Executive Produce Drama Based On Her Own Life for Lifetime

Posted on April 21, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It appears art will soon imitate Selena Gomez’s life…

The 23-year-old half-Mexican American actress/singer will executive produce a scripted drama inspired by her own life experiences for Lifetime.

The project is among the highest-profile entries on the network’s development slate.

Search is underway for a writer to pen the untitled Gomez project, which draws from the young actress’ experience navigating a career in Hollywood as seen through the eyes of her friends who quickly become her most trusted inner circle.

The drama draws parallels to the HBO comedy Entourage, inspired by executive producer Mark Wahlberg’s life as a young Hollywood actor surrounded by his close friends.

Gomez has been ramping up her portfolio as a producer. She is also executive producing Netflix’s upcoming series 13 Reasons Why, which has set Tom McCarthy to direct the first two episodes, as well as a Latina Empire-themed drama in development at Freeform.

de la Fuente to Star in ABC’s Gay Rights Movement Miniseries “When We Rise”

Posted on April 16, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Rafael de la Fuente’s career is on the Rise…

The 29-year-old Venezuelan television actor and singer has joined the cast of When We Rise, ABC’s eight-hour miniseries about the gay rights movement.

Written/executive produced by Dustin Lance Black and Bruce Cohen, the mini chronicles the personal and political struggles, setbacks and triumphs of a diverse family of men and women who helped pioneer one of the last legs of the U.S. Civil Rights struggle.

de la Fuente will play Ricardo, who ends up in a long-term relationship with the character Cleve.

de la Fuente most recently played Michael Sanchez on Fox’s hit series Empire.

Gomez to Executive Produce Latin-Themed Drama Project for Freeform

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Selena Gomez is developing her Empire…

The 23-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress has partnered with Aaron Kaplan and Freeform for a drama series project.

Described as a Latina Empire, the untitled drama, now in development, is set in a low income Latino neighborhood. It’s told through the eyes of an 18-year-old girl destined for greatness.

Gomez will serve as an executive producer on the project with Los Angeles high school senior Ana Cobarrubias serving as a consultant.

The project stems from an idea by Kaplan, who got the inspiration while attending The Zimmer Children’s Museum Discovery Award dinner last November. One of the speakers at the event was Cobarrubias, who captivated the audience, getting a standing ovation for her speech about making a difference in her poor East LA neighborhood and her determination to defy society’s expectations for someone like her by being a strong and confident young woman.

Inspired by Cobarrubia’s speech, Kaplan reached out to Burke with the idea for the series. Burke liked it, and the two approached Gomez, who came on board as an executive producer.

There are no plans for Gomez to act in the series. The show will be co-produced by Freeform and Universal Cable Prods.

Kaplan sought out Cobarrubias, who had said in her speech that she plans to pursue a career in cinematic arts so she could tell the stories of people from low-income neighborhoods like hers.

Gomez is also executive producing Netflix’s upcoming series 13 Reasons Why, which has set Tom McCarthy to direct the first two episodes.

Velazquez Appears on “Empire: Original Soundtrack, Season 2 Volume 2”

Posted on March 28, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Jamila Velazquez is lending her voice to an Empire…

The 20-year-old Puerto Rican, Dominican and Ecuadorian actress and singer, who portrays Laura Calleros on Fox’s hip-hop drama Empire, appears on the show’s newest soundtrack: Empire: Original Soundtrack, Season 2 Volume 2.

Velazquez, a breakout star on the show, appears on the tracks “Crown,” with Raquel Castro and Yani Marin, as well as the song “All Nite” with Yazz and Serayah and the “All Nite” Yo Gotti remix.

Meanwhile, the show’s star Jussie Smollett appears on twelve of the 20 tracks on the new album, including his urgent anthem with on-screen brother Yazz “Never Let It Die,” which they debuted earlier this month on American Idol.

The soundtrack will be released by Columbia Records on April 29.

Here’s the complete track list for Empire: Original Soundtrack, Season 2 Volume 2 (digital deluxe edition):

Freedom (feat. Jussie Smollett)
Crown (feat. Jamila Velazquez, Raquel Castro, Yani Marin)
Look But Don’t Touch (featuring Serayah)
Good People (featuring Jussie Smollett, Yazz)
Like My Daddy (featuring Jussie Smollett)
Shine On Me (featuring Jussie Smollett, Bre-Z)
All Nite (featuring Yazz, Serayah, Jamila Velazquez)
Body Speak (featuring Serayah)
Last Night (featuring Jussie Smollett, Bre-Z)
Get It Started (featuring Jussie Smollett, Kelli Wakili)
Got That Work (featuring Yazz)
Good Enough (Negrito Remix featuring Jussie Smollett)
Chasing The Sky (featuring Terrence Howard, Jussie Smollett, Yazz)
No Competition (featuring Yazz, Serayah, Jussie Smollett)
Hemingway (featuring Jussie Smollett)
My Own Thang (featuring Jussie Smollett, Bre-Z)
Turn Around (featuring Bre-Z)
Fabulous (featuring DMK)
Never Let It Die (featuring Jussie Smollett, Yazz)
All Nite (Yo Gotti Remix) (featuring Yazz, Yo Gotti, Serayah and Jamila Velazquez)

Smollett to Star in Ridley Scott’s “Alien: Covenant”

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

There’s an out of this world opportunity for Jussie Smollett…

The 32-year-old Brazilian American actor/singer has joined the cast of Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant as producers round out the main cast ahead of production, which is now being eyed to start next month.

Smollett joins a list of new additions to the cast that includes Amy Seimetz, Carmen Ejogo and Callie Hernandez. They join previously announced cast members Micahel Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Demian Bichir and Danny McBride.

Plot details are mostly under wraps for what is the second of the planned three films at 20th Century Fox acting as a prequel trilogy to Scott’s Alien movies. Only Fassbender is confirmed to reprise his character from 2012’s Prometheus; it remains unclear whether Noomi Rapace will return.

Smollett plays Jamal Lyon on Fox’s hit primetime soap Empire, which is in the middle of its second season.

Meanwhile, Hernandez, who starred in Machete Kills, recently wrapped shooting Damien Chazelle’s La La Land at Lionsgate opposite Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone.

Smollett & His Empire Castmates to Appear at This Year’s PaleyFest Los Angeles

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Jussie Smollett is bringing his Empire to this year’s PaleyFest…

Fox’s hip-hop drama Empire, starring the 32-year-old Brazilian American actor/singer, will make its debut at the 33rd annual PaleyFest Los Angeles in March, headlining the lineup unveiled by the Paley Center for Media.

Smollet will be joined onstage by the show’s leads Terrence Howard and newly minted Golden Globe winner Taraji P. Henson and other cast members, as well as creators Lee Daniels and Danny Strong and executive producer Ilene Chaiken.

Empire will be joined by panels featuring the casts and creators of FX’s anthology Starz drama Power, which launches it third season in June; and Fox’s freshman Scream Queens.

Also on the schedule this year: Fear The Walking Dead on March 19 and ABC’s Scandal on March 15.

This year’s William S. Paley Television Festival runs March 11-20 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

Here’s the list so far of panels with Latino cast and crew making an appearance, along with dates and times:

Friday, March 11

Opening Night Presentation Empire (7:30 PM)
Moderator: TBA
Terrence Howard, “Lucious Lyon”
Taraji P. Henson, “Cookie Lyon”
Jussie Smollett, “Jamal Lyon”
Bryshere Gray, “Hakeem Lyon”
Trai Byers, “Andre Lyon”
Grace Gealey, “Anika Calhoun”
Kaitlin Doubleday, “Rhonda Lyon”
Gabourey Sidibe, “Becky”
Ta’Rhonda Jones, “Porsha”
Serayah, “Tiana Brown”
Lee Daniels, Co-Creator & Executive Producer
Danny Strong, Co-Creator & Executive Producer
Ilene Chaiken, Executive Producer
Brian Grazer, Executive Producer

Scream Queens (7 PM)
Moderator: TBA
Emma Roberts, “Chanel Oberlin”
Jamie Lee Curtis, “Dean Cathy Munsch”
Lea Michele, “Hester Ulrich”
Abigail Breslin, “Chanel #5”
Skyler Samuels, “Grace Gardner”
Keke Palmer, “Zayday Williams”
Billie Lourd, “Chanel #3”
Niecy Nash, “Officer Denise Hemphill”

Tuesday, March 15

Scandal (7:30 PM)
Moderator: TBA
Kerry Washington, “Olivia Pope”
Guillermo Diaz, “Huck”
Darby Stanchfield, “Abby Whelan”
Katie Lowes, “Quinn Perkins”
Tony Goldwyn, “President Fitzgerald ‘Fitz’Grant”
Jeff Perry, “Cyrus Beene”
Bellamy Young, “Mellie Grant”
Joshua Malina, “David Rosen”
Scott Foley, “Jake Ballard”
Portia de Rossi, “Elizabeth North”
Cornelius Smith Jr., “Marcus Walker”
Joe Morton, “Rowan Pope”
Shonda Rhimes, Creator & Executive Producer
Betsy Beers, Executive Producer

Saturday, March 19

Fear the Walking Dead (2 PM)
Moderator: TBA
Kim Dickens, “Madison Clark”
Cliff Curtis, “Travis Manawa”
Frank Dillane, “Nick Clark”
Alycia Debnam-Carey, “Alicia Clark”
Lorenzo James Henrie, “Christopher Manawa”
Ruben Blades, “Daniel Salazar”
Mercedes Mason, “Ofelia Salazar”
Colman Domingo, “Victor Strand”
Dave Erickson, Showrunner/Executive Producer/Co-Creator/Writer
Gale Anne Hurd, Executive Producer

Sunday, March 20

Power (2 PM)
Moderator: TBA
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, “Kanan” & Executive Producer
Omari Hardwick, “James ‘Ghost’ St. Patrick”
Lela Loren, “Angela Valdes”
Naturi Naughton, “Tasha St. Patrick”
Joseph Sikora, “Tommy Egan”
Courtney Kemp Agboh, Creator, Showrunner, and Executive Producer

Smollet to Receive Chairman’s Award at the NAACP Image Awards

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Jussie Smollett is the Chairman of the awards…

The 32-year-old Brazilian-America actor/singer, who portrays singer-songwriter Jamal Lyon on Fox’s hit drama Empire, is set as one of eight recipients of the NAACP Chairman’s Award.

The honor, which will be presented at the 47th annual NAACP Image Awards next month, is given in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service.

Along with his role on Empire, Smollett is a longtime activist on behalf of civil rights, HIV/AIDS awareness and other social justice causes since age 15. He volunteers with such nonprofits as the Black AIDS Institute, Artists for a New South Africa and United Negro College Fund. Recently he interrupted his performance at the BET Awards to speak out about the Supreme Court decision allowing gay marriage.

“It is a rare privilege for me to present the NAACP Chairman’s 2016 Award to an outstanding group of trailblazing leaders all under the age of 50 who have given voice and vision to the mantra that black lives matter,” said Roslyn Brock, Chairman of the NAACP National Board of Directors. “The five individuals and three organizations have raised awareness of social, educational, and economic injustice from college campuses, church pulpits and the streets, and exemplify what this award symbolizes: ‘Courage Will Not Skip this Generation.’”

The Chairman’s Awards will be presented February 5 during the Image Awards ceremony at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. A two-hour version of the show will air at 9:00 pm ET on TV One.

Juanes Developing Autobiographical TV Series “Persiguiendo el Sol”

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Juanes is looking to break into the television…

The 43-year-old Colombian musician and his manager, Rebeca Leon, have partnered with Golden Globe-winning producer Ben Silverman for an Empire-like television drama.

The three have joined to develop and produce a television show titled Persiguiendo el Sol that will chronicle Juanes’ rise to stardom, from his beginnings in Colombia through his arrival in Miami, according to Billboard.

“It’s a mix of Entourage and Narcos,” Silverman told Billboard, referencing the Netflix drug drama not for its content, but as an example of a show shot in Latin America for mainstream audiences.

Producer Eric Newman, the showrunner for Narcos, will also be executive producer and showrunner for Persiguiendo el Sol.

“He’s the first American producer to bring American show running to American production,” said Silverman, who has worked several Latin-themed projects in recent years, including Jane the Virgin and Killer Women.

Silverman, who is the founder and chairman of entertainment production company Electus, arrived in Miami on January 18 in time for the NATPE global television market. He’ll be shopping the show concept to potential production partners in both Latin and mainstream media with plans to start shooting as early as spring or summer.

Persiguiendo el Sol, which is named after Juanes’ memoir, will be a bilingual show and will feature cameos from multiple artists in both mainstream and Latin worlds.

The notion of the show began to brew after Silverman met Juanes through Leon in 2014 and enlisted him to perform in an episode of Jane the Virgin. Silverman was already heavily vested in Latin themed productions. Among other projects, he was putting the finishing touches on bilingual film Hands of Stone, which is due out in April and tells the story of boxer Roberto “Mano de Piedra” Durán. Its cast includes Edgar Ramirez, Ruben Blades, Usher and Robert de Niro.

Juanes has also been dabbling further in mainstream film and television. Last year, his song “Juntos,” co-written with fellow Colombian Fonseca, was used for the ending credits of Disney film McFarland USA.

Gonzalez to Star in Fox’s Untitled Music-Themed Pilot from “Empire” Co-Creator Lee Daniels

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Nicholas Gonzalez us ready to make a little music…

The 39-year-old Mexican American actor has been cast opposite Queen Latifah and Benjamin Bratt in Fox’s untitled pilot from Empire co-creator Lee Daniels (aka Star).

Co-written by Daniels and Tom Donaghy and directed by Daniels, the pilot follows three young women (Jude Demorest, Ryan Destiny, Brittany O’Grady) who form a girl group with the hope of making waves in the music industry, and the choices they face along the way.

Gonzalez will play the abusive foster father of Simone (O’Grady), the younger sister of Star (Demorest).

Gonzalez recently wrapped work on the indie film Praying For Rain and had recurring roles on The CW’s Jane The Virgin and Amazon’s Bosch.

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