Christina Aguilera to Receive Spirit of Hope Award at Billboard Latin Music Awards

Posted on September 9, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a spirited time for Christina Aguilera.

The 41-year-old half-Ecuadorian American actress and pop star will receive the Spirit of Hope award at the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards.

The special award — which was established in 1996 in honor of the late Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla — will recognize Aguilera for her philanthropic and humanitarian contributions beyond her musical work.

Aguilera will also perform during the awards show, which will take place on Thursday, September 29, at the Watsco Canter in Miami, and will be broadcast live on Telemundo beginning at 7:00 pm ET.

The Billboard Latin Music Awards — where Bad Bunny leads the list of finalists with a staggering 23 nods across 13 categories — will be simulcast on Telemundo, Universo, Peacock, the Telemundo App, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.

In addition to her musical accolades, including more than 75 million records sold worldwide, five No.1 Billboard Hot 100 hits, and a Hollywood Walk of Fame star, the artist also known as Xtina has lifted her voice to help end the cycle of domestic abuse, been a longtime supporter and ally to the LGBTQ+ community, raised awareness about HIV/AIDS research, and traveled the globe to help feed children in poverty-stricken areas.

Aguilera joins past Billboard Spirit of Hope recipients including Gloria Estefan, Emmanuel, Willy Chirino, Olga Tañon, Maná, Los Tigres del Norte, Ricky Martin, El General, Soraya, Juan Luis Guerra, Shakira, Ricardo Montaner, Juanes, Daddy Yankee, Marc Anthony, Carlos Vives, Carlos Santana, Luis Fonsi, and Maluma.

Sheila E to Receive Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023

Posted on June 17, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Sheila E’s star is shining brighter than ever…

The 64-year-old half-Mexican American percussionist and singer will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.

Sheila E began her career in the mid-1970s as a percussionist and singer for The George Duke Band. After leaving the group in 1983, she began a successful solo career, starting with her critically acclaimed debut album, which included the career-defining song, “The Glamorous Life“.

Commonly referred to as The Queen of Percussion, she became a mainstream solo star in 1985 following the success of the singles “The Belle of St. Mark“, “Sister Fate“, and “A Love Bizarre” with the last becoming one of her signature songs. She is.

Prince joined forces during the Purple Rain recording sessions. She provided vocals on the B-side to “Let’s Go Crazy“, “Erotic City” in 1984. Though taken under Prince’s wing, she proved to be a successful artist in her own right.

But Sheila E isn’t the only Latinx artist getting their star…

Marc Anthony, the late Jenni Rivera, Kirstin Maldonado and her fellow Pentatonix members.

The honorees are chosen by the Walk of Fame selection panel of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Ellen K, chair of the selection panel and a top radio personality, announced the new honorees on www.walkoffame.com.

Ashanti Officially Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Posted on April 8, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Ashanti is celebrating a Star-ring moment…

The 41-year-old half-Afro-Dominican singer/actress has officially received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Ashanti star was unveiled on the morning of Thursday, April 7 — a feat her mom and manager Tina Douglas, predicted decades ago.

“It’s surreal,” Ashanti told Billboard, moments after unveiling her star and taking photos with longtime friends and collaborators Tichina Arnold and Ja Rule. “I’m shocked, stunned and over the top grateful. This is a staple in my career and the fact that it will be here forever is a big deal.”

The honor comes 20 years after the release of Ashanti’s self-titled debut studio album, which premiered at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and charted for 55 weeks. The Grammy-winner and actress has since released 18 Hot 100 tracks, including two No. 1 hits.

“I’m not a super emotional person, so the fact that I cried a little bit today is a little weird for me,” Ashanti said with a laugh. “I’m so humbled and overjoyed to have friends, family and genuine people here supporting me that I love.”

In addition to Arnold and Ja Rule, Ashanti was surrounded by her parents, Tina and Ken-Kaide Thomas Douglas, sister Kenashia Douglas, Lupita Cornejo, Simone Smith, her team, many loved ones and fans. All of whom she thanked during her acceptance speech, naming her parents as her lifeline and family as her foundation.

“The fact that my mom spoke this into existence is surreal,” the star explained. “She really had that feeling as a mother to say, ‘My child is gonna get this.’ She manifested it and I’m forever grateful.”

Previously, Ashanti’s mom showed onlookers a photo of the star she had originally created for her daughter. “I didn’t know she still has that star,” Ashanti said proudly.

“I’m grateful to the [Hollywood Chamber of Commerce] for doing this because as artists, we put so much into it, so many sacrifices, so to feel like we’re being rewarded with something that [lasts] forever is an honor.”

After Ashanti’s star ceremony, family and friends joined her for an intimate, lavish lunch at Tatel Beverly Hills, where many shared heartfelt words about the Billboard Music Award-winner — and hilarious stories.

After listening to the kind words and fun memories, Ashanti shared a message of her own. “My family has been my backbone from the beginning. I didn’t wake up and say ‘I wanna be a star or singer,’ it happened accidentally. But being in this business for so many years has taught me so much.”

She went on to thank God and her supporters as she briefly became emotional again. “I’ve had a lot of people betray and stab me and I’ve been naive, so to be here enjoying this moment, I appreciate you for believing in me.”

“Without the machine behind me, I would not be here,” Ashanti continued. “I’m able to live out my dream. This star symbolizes that I kinda did something right.”

Ashanti to Star In & Produce the Rom-Com “The Plus One”

Posted on September 21, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Ashanti won’t be going it alone…

The 40-year-old half-Afro-Dominican singer/actress has signed on to star in and produce the romantic comedy The Plus One.

Ashanti will play Lizzie, whose only request of her “Male of Honor” Marshall is that he doesn’t bring his hated ex Marie to her destination wedding. But lovesick Marshall brings her as his plus one, and Marie does everything in her power to wreck Lizzie’s big day.

Filming is scheduled to start in December in Florida.

The film’s director and additional cast members have yet to be revealed.

Ashanti most recently starred in the Sony Pictures Worldwide acquisition Honey Girls, which wrapped in March.

Her movie credits to date include Coach Carter with Samuel L. Jackson, The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz, John Tucker Must Die and Resident Evil: Extinction.

The singer, who has sold more than 27 million records worldwide, will be getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2022.

Salma Hayek to Receive Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Posted on June 19, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Salma Hayek will have a permanent place in Hollywood…

The 54-year-old Mexican Oscar-nominated actress and producer is among the 38 honorees invited to join the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Hayek, who moved to Hollywood in 1991, rose to acclaim in films like Desperado and From Dusk till Dawn. She earned an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo in Frida.

But Hayek isn’t the only Latin honoree this year…

Tessa Thompson was selected in the Motion Picture category.

The 37-year-old Afro-Panamanian American actress gained mainstream recognition for her starring role as Valkyrie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero films Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame.

Her other credits include Sylvie’s Love, Men in Black: International, and Creed.

Ashanti has been selected in the Recording category.

The 40-year-old part-Dominican American Grammy-winning singer and actress was first discovered as a teenager and later signed to Murder Inc. Records in 2002.

That year, she was featured on Fat Joe‘s “What’s Luv?” and Ja Rule‘s “Always on Time,” both of which became two of the biggest hit songs of 2002; Ashanti became the first female artist to occupy the top two positions on the Billboard Hot 100 chart simultaneously when “Foolish” and “What’s Luv?” were at numbers one and two, respectively.

Other Latin artists selected include Los Huracanes Del Norte and Angelica Vale.

These honorees were chosen from among hundreds of nominees at a meeting of the Walk of Fame selection committee and ratified by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors this week. Radio personality Ellen K, chair of the selection committee (and a past Walk of Fame honoree), announced the new honorees on the Walk of Fame’s website.

The selection panel, made up of fellow Walk of Famers, handpicks a group of honorees each year that represent various genres of the entertainment world. “The panel did an amazing job choosing these very talented people,” said Ellen K. “We can’t wait to see each honoree’s reaction as they realize that they are becoming a part of Hollywood’s history with the unveiling of their star on the world’s most famous walkway.”

Dates have not been scheduled for these star ceremonies. Recipients have two years to schedule star ceremonies from the date of selection before their selection expires. Upcoming star ceremonies are usually announced 10 days prior to dedication on the Walk of Fame website.

Here’s the full list of Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2022 honorees (using their full names as shown on their list):

Recording: Black Eyed Peas, George E. Clinton Jr., Ashanti Douglas, DJ Khaled, Avril Lavigne, Los Huracanes Del Norte, Martha Reeves and Ermias Asghedom (Nipsey Hussle, posthumous).

Motion pictures: Francis Ford Coppola, Macaulay Culkin, Willem Dafoe, Salma Hayek, James Hong, Helen Hunt, Michael B. Jordan, Regina King, Ray Liotta, Ewan McGregor, Adam McKay, Jason Momoa, Tessa Thompson and Carrie Fisher (posthumous)

Television: Byron Allen, Greg Berlanti, Ricky Gervais, Peter Krause, Robert Odenkirk, Holly Robinson-Peete, Norman Reedus, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jean Smart, Ming-Na Wen and Kenan Thompson.

Live theatre/live performance: Patti LuPone, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. and Angelica Vale

Radio: Richard Blade

Sports entertainment: Michael Strahan

Kenny Ortega Signs with A3 Artists Agency

Posted on August 12, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Kenny Ortega has new representation…

The 70-year-old Spanish American prolific director, choreographer and producer has signed with A3 Artists Agency.

Ortega earned a Primetime Emmy for choreography and a DGA Award for his work on the Disney Channel’s High School Musical.

High School Musical 2 drew over 17 million viewers when it premiered on Disney Channel, making it the most watched program in cable telecast history. He’s also the executive producer for the film’s soundtracks.

Disney’s High School Musical 3, which made the leap from television to the big screen, opened to $42M at the domestic B.O., marking the biggest theatrical box office opening for a musical in history. The film earned more than $252M globally off an $11M budget.

Ortega directed and choreographed the Descendants trilogy, Newsies, and Hocus Pocus, and choreographed classic films like Dirty Dancing, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Pretty in Pink, among others.

Other recent work includes A Change of Heart, The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again for Fox and The Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Special for Freeform.

On September 10, Netflix will release Ortega’s next directorial project Julie and the Phantoms, a family musical comedy based on a Brazilian television series.

It’s the first title under Ortega’s new multi-year deal with Netflix. He’s also set to direct and produce a feature musical adaptation of Elise Primavera’s book series Auntie Claus, under the pact.

In addition to his Emmy for High School Musical, Ortega earned two others for choreography and variety/music/comedy program direction for the XIX Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony. Last year he received the prestigious Disney Legends Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His other honors include The Fred & Adele Astaire Lifetime Achievement Award, Bob Fosse Award, American Choreography Lifetime Achievement Award, MTV Video Music Award, American Music Award, among many others.

Guillermo del Toro Receives Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Posted on August 7, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Guillermo del Toro is a star… And he has the hardware to prove it!

The 54-year-old Oscar-winning filmmaker saw his star unveiled on the Hollywood Walk of Fameon Tuesday.

The ceremony took place just a few days before the release of the latest film he’s written and produced, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

At the ceremony del Toro told the large crowd of fans to always celebrate their “weirdness.” He remembered coming to Hollywood as a young man and admiring the stars of Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney and Alfred Hitchcock.

“What I felt with those stars is there were people who were as weird as me and they were here. And it gave me hope,” said del Toro. “This star is for you, all of you who that feel weird.”

Fellow filmmaker and longtime friend J.J. Abrams celebrated del Toro at the unveiling.

“You are a mind-bendingly, brilliant creator, a curator of the most remarkable collection of art, a man who tells stories of unlikely heroes with hearts almost as large as his own,” said Abrams.

sel Toro also spoke about being an immigrant from Mexico, and encouraged everyone to believe in the possibilities in life, not the obstacles.

“Do not believe the lies they tell about us,” said del Toro. “Believe in the stories you have inside and believe that we all can make a difference.”

del Toro is known for a number of well-known films, including Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water and Hellboy, among many others. Shape of Water earned the filmmaker two Academy Awards for best picture and best director.

de Toro’s star is the 2,669th awarded on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Pitbull to Place Hand Prints Outside San Diego’s Theatre Box

Posted on December 4, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Pitbull is leaving his mark in San Diego…

The 37-year-old Cuban-American rap superstar will be the first celebrity to place his hand prints in the sidewalk outside of Theatre Box, a new 73,000 square-foot theater complex in San Diego.

The project is a partnership between Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre and celebrity sweet shop the Sugar Factory.

The self-proclaimed Mr. Worldwide will be the first to put his hands in the cement outside the San Diego theater, where he will presumably be followed by others to create what is conceived as spinoff of the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.

According to announcement from the new venue, the theater will be open on December 14 with a DJ session by rapper and comedian Nick Cannon, a San Diego native.

The new complex will include an eight-screen movie theater and a sports bar “with the biggest television screens in San Diego.”

The entertainment mall will take up an entire San Diego block, on Fifth Avenue at the corner of G Street.

Linda Ronstadt to Receive Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Posted on June 27, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Linda Ronstadt is about to shine a little brighter…

The class of 2019 Hollywood Walk of Fame honorees have been announced, with the71-year-old half-Mexican American singer making the list.

Recipients are recognized in the recording, television, film and live theater/live performance categories, and Ronstadt is certainly a living legend.

Ronstadt, an 11-time Grammy winner, was awarded the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award by The Latin Recording Academy in 2011 and also awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award by The Recording Academy in 2016. Additionally, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was awarded the National Medal of Arts and Humanities in 2014.

She will receive a joint star with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris. The three singers joined voiceson the albumTrio, which was released in 1987. It sold over 4 million copies worldwide and also received several awards, including two Grammy Awards.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame receives hundreds of submissions each year for a personal star on Hollywood Boulevard. The groundbreaking only comes to fruition for very few, as it is estimated that the construction and ceremony production costs exceed $30,000.

The dates for the star ceremonies have yet to be announced.

Pitbull to Receive His Own Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Posted on July 8, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Pitbull is finally reaching Star status…

Two years after it was announced that the 36-year-old Cuban American rap superstar would get his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has finally set a date for Mr. Worldwide to unveil his star.

On Friday, July 15, Pitbull will be honored with the 2,584th star, which will be located in front of Eastown located in Celia Cruz Square.

Guest speakers at the ceremony include actor and rapper Luther Campbell and motivational speaker and author Tony Robbins.

“The world is fascinated by Pitbull’s story and his remarkable talent. The Hollywood community welcomes him with open arms and applauds him for his work by placing him on one of the world’s most famous landmarks, the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” said Ana Martinez, producer of the Walk of Fame ceremonies in a statement.

The chart-topping artist and entrepreneur, who is currently touring the U.S. with Prince Royce and Farruko, has won one Grammy, two Latin Grammys and seven American Music Awards.

He joins a long list of Latin artists who have unveiled their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame including Thalía, Jennifer Lopez, Vicente Fernández, Angélica María, Maná, among others.

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