Zoe Saldana to Receive Critics Choice Association‘s Groundbreaker Award

Posted on October 14, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Zoe Saldana is a special Critics Choice honoree…

The 46-year-old 44-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress is among the honorees from the Critics Choice Association‘s 4th Annual Celebration of Latino Cinema & Television taking place on October 22, 2024 at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.

Saldaña will receive the Groundbreaker Award for her starring role in Netflix’s Emilia Pérez, which won the Best Actress prize for the ensemble cast at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.

The Director Award – Film will be awarded to Pablo Larraín for his directorial work on Netflix’s Maria.

The film competed in the Venice Film Festival and was one of the official selections for both the Telluride Film Festival and the New York Film Festival this year.

The Vanguard Award will be given to filmmaker Fede Alvarez for his writing and directorial work in creating 20th Century Studios’ Alien: Romulus.

The film notably earned $45.1 million in its domestic opening weekend at the box office and became the highest grossing horror film in IMAX history.

Emmy-nominated director, writer and producer Issa López will receive The Director Award – Series for her directorial work on the HBO Original Series True Detective: Night Country.

The series received 19 Emmy nominations, the most for any limited or anthology series this year and won star Jodie Foster the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for a Limited Series, Anthology, or Television Movie.

The Showrunner Award will recognize Emmy-nominated television writer and producer Francesca Sloane for her work on Prime Video’s series Mr. & Mrs. Smith. The series was nominated 16 times at this year’s Emmys and was awarded two wins.

Oscar and Emmy-nominated actress Adriana Barraza will be honored with the Actress Award – Film for her role in Roadside Attractions’ film My Penguin Friend.

Barraza previously earned an Academy Award nomination in 2007 for Best Supporting Actress for her work in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s film Babel and just received a 2024 International Emmy nomination for Best Actress for her work in the award-winning Netflix film El último vagón.

Actress and writer Fernanda Torres will receive the Actress Award – International Film for her role in Sony Pictures Classics’ film I’m Still Here, which notably garnered the Best Screenplay award at this year’s Venice Film Festival and has been selected as Brazil’s 2024 submission for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars.

Emayatzy Corinealdi will accept the Actress Award – Series for her performance on Hulu/Onyx Collective’s Reasonable Doubt.

Corinealdi also recently appeared in the HBO series Ballers and in the Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead. STARZ will bestow Emayatzy Corinealdi’s award with a special STARZ #TakeTheLead designation as part of its ongoing commitment to amplifying narratives by, about, and for women and underrepresented audiences.

Ramón Rodríguez will be awarded with the Breakthrough Actor Award – Series for his starring role in the ABC series Will Trent.

Rodríguez was also nominated in the Best Actor in a Drama Series category for season one at last year’s Critics Choice Awards.

The Comedy Series Award will be bestowed upon the acclaimed Apple TV+ series Acapulco, starring Emmy-winner Eugenio Derbez, Enrique Arrizon, Fernando Carsa, and Camila Perez.

The International Series Award will recognize the Apple TV+ Spanish-language drama series Familia de Medianoche, which features an entirely Latino cast and crew led by performers Renata Vaca, Joaquín Cosío, and Diego Calva.

The Celebration honors standout performances and work, both onscreen and offscreen from the Latino entertainment community.

Apple TV+ Renews Eugenio Derbez’s Comedy Series “Acapulco” for Fourth Season

Posted on August 28, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

There’s more Mexican history in Eugenio Derbez’s future.

Apple TV+ has renewed the bilingual comedy series Acapulco, starring the 62-year-old Mexican actor and comedian, for a fourth season.

The series tells the story of twentysomething Máximo Gallardo (Enrique Arrizon), whose dream comes true when he gets the job of a lifetime as a cabana boy at the hottest resort in Acapulco.

In Season 3 of the series inspired by the 3Pas Studios and Pantelion Films’ feature How to Be A Latin Lover, past mistakes were reconciled with exciting new beginnings.

In the present story, older Máximo (Derbez) returns to a Las Colinas he no longer recognizes. While in 1985, younger Máximo (Arrizón) continues his climb up the ladder of success while potentially jeopardizing all the relationships he’s worked so hard to build.

In addition to Derbez and Arrizon, the ensemble cast of Acapulco includes Fernando Carsa, Damián Alcázar, Camila Perez, Vanessa Bauche, Regina Reynoso, Raphael Alejandro, Jessica Collins, Chord Overstreet, Rafael Cebrián, Regina Orozco, and Carlos Corona.

Season 3 also welcomed special guest stars Jaime Camil and Cristo Fernandez.

“Having Apple order a fourth season of Acapulco is beyond thrilling,” said star and executive producer Derbez. “I’m incredibly grateful to our amazing partners, the talented cast and crew, and especially to the audience, whose love and support have made this journey possible. It’s rare for shows centered on Latino stories to make it this far, and that makes this milestone even more meaningful.

He added, “Representation matters, and continuing to share these vibrant stories on a global stage is something Ben Odell and I are deeply proud of. Thank you for helping us break barriers and celebrate our culture. We can’t wait to dive back into Las Colinas for more fun, laughter, and heart with all of you!”

Acapulco is produced for Apple by Lionsgate Television, 3Pas Studios, Zihuatanejo Productions and The Tannenbaum Company.

In addition to starring in the series, Derbez serves as executive producer alongside Odell.

The series is created by Austin Winsberg, Eduardo Cisneros and Jason Shuman.

Eduardo Cisneros Signs with Independent Artist Group

Posted on May 6, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Eduardo Cisneros has new representation…

Independent Artist Group has signed the 46-year-old Mexican writer and producer, who is the co-creator of Apple TV+’s Eugenio Derbez-starrer Acapulco and co-writer of Focus Features’ comedy Half Brothers, for representation.

Cisneros also serves as executive producer and writer of Acapulco, a comedy series now in its third season, which has been a critical success, with an average audience score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, winning the Imagen Award for Best Primetime Comedy, as well as earning nominations at the Critics’ Choice Awards and the HCA Television Awards.

Cisneros teamed up with his Acapulco creative partner and frequent collaborator Jason Shuman to script Half Brothers, which became a Top 10 hit around the world when it was released on Netflix last year.

The duo’s production company Raqmar recently wrapped up a multi-year first look feature deal at Sony.

Development projects emerging from that deal include Telenovela, which Cisneros is writing to direct with Montecito producing, and The Big Day, which Shuman and Cisneros are co-writing and producing.

Outside of that deal, the pair wrote a reboot of the sci-fi comedy Short Circuit for Spyglass and are developing a series project with Warner Bros. Television.

Cisneros’s other work as a producer includes the drama To Leslie, which brought star Andrea Riseborough her first Academy Award nomination, and the critical darling The Obituary of Tunde Johnson, which premiered at TIFF in 2019.

Currently, he’s working on his feature directorial debut, The Resurrectionist, as well as the short Bespoke, which will shoot in Amsterdam in May.

The creative’s career started at a young age in his native Mexico, where he would go on to co-create two of the most successful Spanish-language television comedy shows of recent years: XHDRBZ and La familia P. Luche.

Born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico, he’s on the advisory board of the Los Angeles Academy of Arts and Enterprise and is a founding member of LA Clubhouse, a professional organization devoted to empowering film and television writers of LGBTQIA+ Latinx background.

Wilmer Valderrama’s Allied Management Group Signs a Slew of Latino Writers

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Wilmer Valderrama is giving up-and-coming Latino writers their big break…

The 44-year-old Venezuelan & Colombian American actor’s Allied Management Group, which he set up with John Pollak, has signed a number of Latino writers to its roster.

The company has signed Luisa Leschin, Raphael Draccon & Carolina Munhóz, The Original Content Society’s Raúl Campos and Felix de Valdivia, and Daniel and Diego Ayala López.

The goal is for Allied to bring these Latino writers to networks, streamers and studios in the U.S English-language market.

Leschin has worked on nearly 500 episodes of television including Netflix’s Gentefied, where she was a co-exec producer on its second season, Max’s Head of the Class, where she was a co-EP and Hulu’s East Los High. She has also worked on series including Everybody Hates Chris and The George Lopez Show.

Draccon and Munhóz are a husband-and-wife writing team who showran The Chosen One and Invisible City for Netflix and have a first-look deal with Warner Bros. Discovery LatAm to work with Max. They have also written comic books for both Marvel and DC

Campos and de Valdivia are brothers, born in Mexico, who run The Original Content Society. They created, wrote, directed and produced the first YouTube Original sitcom in Latin America – Sobrevivi – as well as Spotify’s first original comedy series, El Grupo, and are co-exec producers for the third and fourth seasons of Amazon’s LOL starring Eugenio Derbez. In addition to producing and directing 24 Netflix comedy specials, they have a first look deal with ITV America, where they are developing an international comedy series called Güerita.

Daniel and Diego Ayala López, born in Colombia were behind Amazon series Manes, which was the most-watched series for Amazon Colombia, and Los Billis. They have worked with Colombia’s Caracol and are currently developing a number of projects with U.S. studios and production companies.

“These writers are currently helping to define the future of Latino story telling by creating universal stories that aren’t defined by borders or language, but instead reflect the modern content experience- groundbreaking storytelling that can be consumed by viewers in a global market,” said Pollak and Valderrama. “As the need for fresh stories and unique points of view continue to be the priority for Hollywood, these writers will lead the charge and redefine how premium content is created and Allied Mgmt Group is honored to be working alongside them.”

Ramón Rodríguez to Receive Spotlight Award at National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts’s Visibility Awards

Posted on September 18, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Ramón Rodríguez is officially in the Spotlight…

The National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts is honoring three artists at its annual Visibility Awards in D.C. on Wednesday, including the 43-year-old Puerto Rican actor, at an event designed to advance Latino representation in film and television.

Rodríguez will receive the organization’s Spotlight Award for producing and starring in the adaptation of the Karin Slaughter crime novel Will Trent.

“Ramón has been a leading voice in continued efforts to open doors for Latino talent in the industry,” the foundation said.

Ángel Manuel Soto, director-producer of the Latino superhero movie Blue Beetle, is being recognized with the organization’s Raul Julia Award for Excellence.

“Ángel’s work advances the presence of Latinos in film and highlights studies demonstrating that Latino directors are more likely to bring Latino talent to their projects,” the foundation said.

Camila Morrone, honored with the Horizon Award, is starring with Willem Dafoe in Patricia Arquette’s, Gonzo Girl, based on Cheryl Della Pietra’s semi-autobiographical novel, based on her time as Hunter S. Thompson’s personal assistant.

The event and Noche Musical, to be held at the Mayflower Hotel, will follow the foundation’s 2023 Visioning Summit, Advancing Representation in Media, Arts, & Beyond. Felix Sanchez, the foundation’s chair and co-founder, said in a statement that the summit’s intent is to “rethink the landscape with images of the American Latino.”

Among those leading panel discussions at the event, to be held Wednesday morning at the National Press Club, will be CBS News’s Ed O’Keefe, CNN’s Jim Acosta, NBC News’ Monica Alba, and NPR’s Claudia Grisales.

Also scheduled to participate are Soto, Carla Dirlikov, senior advisor and envoy for cultural exchange at the National Endowment for the Arts; Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), actor and comedian Eugenio Derbez and producer Flavio Morales. The summit is free and open to the public.

Organizers said that the event will adhere to any modifications per SAG-AFTRA guidelines.

Trailer Released for Eugenio Derbez’s New Spanish-Language Film “Radical”

Posted on September 17, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a Radical time for Eugenio Derbez.

The first trailer has been released for the 62-year-old Mexican actor, comedian and producer’s new Spanish-language film Radical.

From screenwriter and director Christopher Zalla and based on a 2013 article written for Wired magazine by Josh Davis, Radical tells the true story of Sergio Juarez Correa (Derbez), a teacher in the neglected town of Matamoros, Mexico, who suffered a mental breakdown after increasingly coming to feel he’s failing to reach his students. But when Correa stumbles upon a new form of learning via a TED Talk that might help him defeat that challenge, he implements it, hoping to turn his classroom situation around.

Radical also stars Daniel Haddad, Gilberto Barraza, Jennifer Trejo, Mia Fernanda Solis and Danilo Guardiola.

Cast will be able to support the film with publicity should they choose to do so during the strike due to a recently approved Interim Agreement granted by SAG-AFTRA. Derbez is expected to do so ahead of the premiere.

The project hails from Derbez’s production company, 3PAS Studios. Derbez produced alongside partner Ben Odell and screenwriter Josh Davis.

Radical, a 2023 Sundance Film Festival “Festival Favorite” breakout, is slated for distribution by Participant and TelevisaUnivision’s Pantelion Films.

It’s opening on October 20th in Mexico and in the U.S. on November 3rd.

Cristo Fernández to Star on Season 3 of Apple TV+’s “Acapulco”

Posted on April 25, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Cristo Fernández is heading to Acapulco…

The32-year-old Mexican actor and Ted Lasso scene-stealer has joined the cast of the Apple TV+ series Acapulco for Season 3.

In Acapulco, Fernández will portray an artist and community organizer, joined fellow new cast member Jaime Camil, who will portray in the role of Alejandro for Season 3.

Production on the 10-episode new season is currently underway.

When Acapulco returns with new episodes, it’s time to reconcile past mistakes and exciting new beginnings. In the present story, older Maximo (Eugenio Derbez) finds himself returning to a Las Colinas he no longer recognizes. While in 1985, younger Maximo (Enrique Arrizon) continues his climb up the ladder of success while potentially jeopardizing all the relationships he’s worked so hard to build.

The cast also includes Fernando Carsa (as Memo), Damián Alcázar (Don Pablo), Camila Perez (Julia), Chord Overstreet (Chad), Vanessa Bauche (Nora), Regina Reynoso (Sara), Raphael Alejandro (Hugo), Jessica Collins (Diane), Rafael Cebrián (Hector), Carlos Corona (Esteban) and Regina Orozco (Lupe).

Austin Winsberg, Eduardo Cisneros and Jason Shuman created the series.

The project hails from Lionsgate TV, 3Pas Studios, Zihuatanejo Productions and The Tannenbaum Company.

Jaime Camil to Star on Season 3 of Apple’s “Acapulco”

Posted on April 11, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jaime Camil is resorting to new work…

The 49-year-old Mexican actor has joined the cast of Apple’s Acapulco for Season 3. Production on the 10-episode new season is currently underway.

Camil will guest star as Alejandro, the brother of one of the wealthiest men in Mexico and a new co-owner of Las Colinas who makes his co-owner Diane Davies’ (Jessica Collins) life miserable at the hotel.

From Lionsgate TV, 3Pas Studios, Zihuatanejo Productions and The Tannenbaum Company, in Season 3 of Acapulco, it’s time to reconcile past mistakes and exciting new beginnings. In the present story, older Maximo (Eugenio Derbez) finds himself returning to a Las Colinas he no longer recognizes. While in 1985, younger Maximo (Enrique Arrizon) continues his climb up the ladder of success while potentially jeopardizing all the relationships he’s worked so hard to build.

Acapulco is inspired by 3Pas Studios and Lionsgate/Pantelion Films’ box office hit How to Be A Latin Lover. Austin Winsberg, Eduardo Cisneros and Jason Shuman created the series.

Executive producers include Winsberg and director Jay Karas; Derbez and Ben Odell for 3Pas Studios; Eric and Kim Tannenbaum, as well as Jason Wang on behalf of The Tannenbaum Company. Sonia Almanza Gambaro co-executive produces for 3Pas Studios.

Seasons 1 and 2 of Acapulco are now streaming globally on Apple TV+.

Camil is currently starring in Season 2 of Apple’s Schmigadoon! where he portrays Sergeant Rivera, Schmicago’s chief of police. He is most notably known in the U.S. for his series regular role as Rogelio de la Vega in the CW’s Jane the Virgin across all 5 seasons. He also starred in and executive produced the CBS comedy series, Broke. Most recently, he brought to life the legendary Vicente Fernandez in Netflix’s El Rey, Vicente Fernandez.

Before making a splash in the English-language market, Camil was already a bona fide star in his native Mexico and stateside for his work in Spanish-language projects both in TV and film. Hits include the telenovela La Fea Más Bella, Por Ella Soy Eva and Qué Pobres Tan Ricos, to name a few.

Camil currently has a first-look deal with VIS (a division of Paramount) to develop an array of TV and film projects for Paramount+.

Oscar Isaac Teams Up with Gaby Moreno to Release Stripped-Down Cover of “Luna de Xelajú”

Posted on March 31, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Oscar Isaac is paying homage to his Guatemalan roots through song…

The 44-year-old Cuban-Guatemalan actor has joined voices with Gaby Moreno to release a stripped-down rendition of the classic waltz anthem, “Luna de Xelajú.”

The lead single off Moreno’s upcoming album was released on Friday alongside a music video directed by Diego Contreras, which sees the two guitarists and singers performing the track in one take at the Palace Theater in Los Angeles.

“‘Luna de Xelajú’ is considered the 2nd anthem of my country, Guatemala. Written by Paco Pérez in the 1940s,” explains Moreno. “I’ve been singing it since I was a teenager and more recently have been performing this song live in my concerts, usually as an encore. I invited my dear friend and incredible artist, Oscar Isaac, to sing it with me for this very special acoustic version…Just two voices with two guitars, singing together this timeless, sweet, and nostalgic song from our motherland.”

Isaac is no stranger to displaying his musical prowess on screen.

The Golden Globe-winning and Emmy-nominated actor played a struggling folk musician in the Coen Brothers-directed Inside Llewyn Davis, and also co-wrote an original song for the 2011 film 10 Years. However, “Luna de Xelajú” is particularly notable because it sees Isaac singing in Spanish.

“My grandmother Graciela Argentina Nicolle de Estrada would perform ‘Luna De Xelajú’ in the concert halls of Guatemala. Growing up it was always hummed or sung as a lullaby by my mother Eugenia, and was a favorite of my uncle Guillermo’s,” Isaac says. “I’m grateful to Gaby for asking me to share this song as a way of honoring my family and all of Guate.”

Since moving to the U.S. from her native Guatemala, Moreno has put out seven albums with her 2022 record Alegoría earning a Grammy nomination for best Latin rock or alternative album. She was previously nominated in 2017 in the best Latin pop album category for her Spanish-folk album, Ilusión.

In addition to her music, Moreno has a long list of credits in TV and film. She co-wrote the theme song for Parks and Recreation, and most recently collaborated on Guillermo del Toro’s Netflix show Cabinet of Curiosities.

Moreno also received a 2023 Guild of Music Supervisors Awards nomination for her song “A Song In My Heart” in the Eugenio Derbez-starring film, The Valet.

“Luna de Xelajú” is the first single from Moreno’s “X Mí (Vol. 1)” EP (pronounced “Por Mi”), slated for release on May 5 via Cosmica Artists.

The new record — a blend of songs in both English and Spanish — “will house a collection of rich and soulful acoustic songs that have remained dear to Gaby’s heart,” per the press release.

Raúl Martínez Signs with The Gersh Agency

Posted on March 21, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Raúl Martínez has new representation…

The Gersh Agency has signed the 51-year-old Mexican director.

Martinez is known for Spanish-language titles including The Waiter, which came in as the highest-grossing film native to the country in its July 2021 debut.

In the comedy penned by Alberto Bremer and Martínez, a waiter pretends to be an important businessman in order to reach the upper class through his entrepreneurial dreams.

Other notable big-screen titles from Martínez include Cuando sea joven for Eugenio Derbez’s 3Pas Studios and Lionsgate’s Pantelion; The Patriarch for Panorama Global and Distant Horizon; and Grumpy Christmas for Panorama and Netflix.

Martínez is currently attached to direct the comedy Cholitas, based on a script by Jason Richman and Kira Kalush, for 20th Century Studios and Hulu. Blumhouse will produce alongside Michael Seitzman’s Maniac Productions, with casting underway.

The Mexico City-based artist, who has also helmed over 40 episodes of the sketch-comedy series Backdoor, continues to be managed by Jorge Garcia.

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