Angélica María Receives Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Posted on May 26, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

She’s a Latin American icon… And, now Angélica María is a star in Hollywood…

On Wednesday, the 71-year-old American-born Mexican actress and Latin Grammy-winning singer-songwriter unveiled her very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Angélica María, known as “La novia de México,” arrived in a vintage white convertible to a cheerful crowd ready to celebrate a long overdue recognition to one of Latin America’s most talented and loved artists.

To kick off the ceremony, actor and singer Diego Boneta dedicated a few words to the woman he calls his mentor and inspiration.

“Angélica María, as much as I’d love to say that I am the only actor you have inspired, that’s not the case. You have inspired all of us, the new wave of Mexican and Latin actors who are here today working hard. You’ve been a great example of that. Thank you for motivating me.”

Following Boneta’s remarks, her daughter, Angélica Vale, also a well-known actress and television personality, went up to the podium with her two kids to read a tearful letter to her mother. Vale also had three messages sent from Latin superstars Emilio and Gloria Estefan and Ricky Martin congratulating Angélica María on her special day.

“I’m there in heart with you today on this glorious day honoring an incredible woman. Thank you for all your talent and art that we have enjoyed for so many years and for being my theater godmother when I began my career in Mexico,” read Martin’s message.

“I’m so thrilled and grateful,” said a tearful Angélica María. “This star means so much to me. I never thought I would have a star, but this is a dream come true. This star is dedicated to my mother, to my family, to Latin America, to the press who have always supported me and to my Mexico. Viva México!”

Born in New Orleans, Angélica María moved to Mexico at the young age of 4 where she began her acting career and, at 8 years old won her first Mexican Film Academy Award for the film Mi esposa y la otra. But that was just the first of many awards and achievements to come. She’s starred in many other films, musicals, telenovelas and theatrical productions.

She has recorded 63 albums and pioneered the genre balada-ranchera (ranchera ballad).

For her work on stage, screen, television and as a singer, Angélica María has been inducted into the Paseo de las Luminarias at Mexico City’s Plaza de las Estrellas.

Carey to Receive Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey is about to twinkle a little brighter in Hollywood…

The 45-year-old half-Venezuelan American singer will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Wednesday, August 5, according to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

Following the news, Carey took to her Instagram account to share her excitement over the honor and to thank her fans for all their love and support over the years.

“Super excited and feeling so humbled about my star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Thank you so much to the fans for making this happen for me,” she captioned a photo of a mock-up star imprinted with her name.

Next week, Carey will be the 2,556th celebrity to receive a plaque on the walkway. Directors Lee Daniels and Brett Ratner and Epic Records CEO L.A. Reid are expected to speak about the “Without You” songstress during the ceremony.

Throughout her more than 25-year career in the music industry, Mariah — who has four-year-old twins, Moroccan and Monroe, with her estranged husband, Nick Cannon — has released 18 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and has won five Grammys.

She’s currently performing in Las Vegas with a residency at Caesars Palace, which began on May 6.

Moreno Among the Recipients of This Year’s Kennedy Center Honors

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Rita Moreno continues to rack up the honors…

The 83-year-old Puerto Rican actress, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award at last year’s SAG Awards, has been announced as one of recipients of this year’s Kennedy Center Honors.

Each year, the Kennedy Center recognizes a select group for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts with the primary criterion in the selection process being excellence. Honorees are chosen by the center’s board of trustees.

Moreno, a Grammy, Oscar, Golden Globe and Tony Award winner, will be honored along side Star Wars patriarch George Lucas, actress Cicely Tyson, songwriter Carole King, conductor Seiji Ozawa and the Eagles.

Moreno, who recently guest-starred on the CW’s Jane the Virgin, has previously received the Library of Congress Living Legends Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a National Medal of Arts and the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

The event, a fundraiser for the Washington, D.C. arts center, will take place on December 6. CBS will broadcast the star-studded event on December 29.

Mars to Receive Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

There’s no denying Bruno Mars’ star power… And now he’ll have an iconic plaque to prove it.

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter is among the celebrities whose names will be added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced its class of 2016, with a list that includes Adam Levine, Cyndi Lauper, Quentin Tarantino and actors Steve Carell, Bradley Cooper, Ashley Judd, Michael Keaton and Kurt Russell.

Entertainers are recognized in five categories: motion picture, television, radio, recording and live theater/live performance. Each recipient is responsible for their star’s $30,000 cost of installation and they have two years to schedule star ceremonies from the date of selection before they expire.

Mars, a two-time Grammy-winner who was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, in 2011, is being recognized in the recording category.

But Mars isn’t the only Latino artist to make the 2016 list…

Angelica Maria, heralded as La Novia de México, will also receive her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The 70-year-old Mexican American actress and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter is being recognized in the and live theater/live performance.

Individual ceremonies have not yet been scheduled.

The full list of 2016 recipients can be seen at www.walkoffame.com.

Los Tigres del Norte Receive Special GLAAD Award for “Era Diferente”

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Los Tigres del Norte have plenty of reason to be GLAAD…

The norteño band received the Special Recognition (Spanish Language) Award at the 26th annual GLAAD Media Awards, held on March 21 at Los Angeles’ Beverly Hilton.

Los Tigres del Norte earned the award for their single “Era Diferente,” the first gay love song in the band’s 47-year history. The story of a young girl who falls in love with her female best friend, it’s also the first song of its kind in the genre.

Bandleader Jorge Hernandez, who wrote the lyrics while his brothers worked on the music, was surprised by the honor.

“I thought that no one would notice this song,” he told The Advocate. “[But now] people request it. The community is coming out to see us and this brings us great pride that these songs connect with them and brings them closer to us.”

Hernandez has said the idea for “Era Diferente,” from their most recent album Realidades, was born out of conversations with devout fans in the LGBT community over the years who wondered when they would write a corrido (a sung narrative) about them. “This interaction always stayed with me,” added Hernandez, “and I had the idea that one day I would write a song that would talk about this type of relationship.”

The five-member band, which recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, hopes to continue to reflect the stories of all Latinos.

“Sometimes in the Latino community we see machismo and problems with acceptance, but this is an area where acceptance is the most important because this is such a large community and we must accept people who love each other and live normal, happy lives,” Hernandez told The Advocate.

Lopez: The World’s Most Powerful Latina Celebrity

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

She may not be sitting at the top of the perch of Forbes’ Celebrity 100 list this year, but Jennifer Lopez is still the world’s most powerful Latina celebrity.

This year, the 43-year-old Puerto Rican actress/singer ranks No. 12 on the magazine’s official list of the world’s most powerful celebrities.

Lopez, who ranked No. 1 on last year’s list, earned $52 million in 2012. But after quitting her gig as a judge on American Idol, she lost the hefty $12 million salary that came with it.

Lopez, who received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame earlier this month, is earning at nearly the same rate though, thanks to her lucrative world tour that grossed over $1 million per night and a starring role in the Latin talent competition Q’Viva. Lopez continues to give back through her foundation and is the first female spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in its century-and-a-half history.

But Lopez isn’t the only Hispanic celebrity list…

Lionel Messi is next on the list, coming in at No. 39. The 26-year-old Argentinean soccer star won FIFA’s world player of the year award for a record fourth year in a row after scoring 91 goals in all competitions last year to break a 40-year-old world record held by Gerd Muller.

His team, Futbol Club Barcelona, rewarded him with a record contract extension through 2018 that will pay him more than $20 million annually. In addition, Adidas launched his icon signature line in 2013. It is only the second time they have done so for one of their brand ambassadors.

Other Hispanic celebrities include:

Rafael Nadal, Spanish tennis star, No. 51
Sofia Vergara, Colombian actress, No. 54
Charlie Sheen, part-Spanish American actor, No. 67
Gisele Bündchen, Brazilian supermodel, No. 81
George Lopez, Mexican American actor/comedian, No. 93
Louis C.K., Mexican American comedian/actor, No. 97

Maná Confirmed to Receive Hollywood Walk of Fame Star in 2014

Posted on June 22, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

They’re stars in their native Mexico and Latin America… And, now Maná will now get the ultimate star in Hollywood.

As previously reported, the Mexican rock band has been confirmed as a recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next year.

The band, which was formed in 1986, has sold an estimated 35 million albums worldwide. They initially received international commercial success in Australia and Spain and have since gained popularity and exposure in the US, Western Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Maná joins Katy Perry, rapper Tupac Shakur and comedian Phil Hartman as honored on the Walk of Fame, which recognizes professionals in film, television, radio and recording industries.

For motion pictures, Orlando Bloom, Ray Dolby, Sally Field, Jessica Lange, Matthew McConaughey, Liam Neeson and Tom Sherak will be recognized.

In television, Dabney Coleman, Kaley Cuoco, Claire Danes, Giancarlo Esposito, Deidre Hall, Cheryl Hines, Don Mischer and Tavis Smiley will be the recipients.

Motown songwriters and producers Holland-Dozier-Holland, Jeff Lynne, Mexican band Mana, Ray Parker Jr., Katy Perry, Rick Springfield.

“We have a great mix of celebrities and industry executives who have made Hollywood what it is today — one of the greatest entertainment destinations in the world,” said David Green, chairman of the Walk of Fame selection committee. “The new selections will bring great joy and fond memories for those millions who visit Hollywood each year!”

Dates for the Walk of Fame ceremonies have not been scheduled. Honorees have up to five years to schedule their ceremonies from date of selection, otherwise they will expire.

Lopez Receives Star on the Hollywood Rock of Fame

Posted on June 20, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Jennifer Lopez is walking tall…

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican actress-singer and former American Idol judge was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday, receiving the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce’s 2,500th star.

“I cried like almost 15 thousand times,” she said afterward. “It was so crazy. But I kept promising everybody I wasn’t going to cry and they were like, ‘Cry!’ ‘You’re not helping!’ But it was an amazing moment.”

With boyfriend, Casper Smart, and her twins Max and Emme by her side, Lopez was serenaded with praise from actor Keenen Ivory Wayans, rapper Pitbull, her Selena director Gregory Nava and actress Jane Fonda, with whom she co-starred in Monster-in-Law.

“She should have an entire block of stars,” said Fonda. “In my opinion, she’s only scratched the surface in what she’s capable of.”

Lopez relished the chance to “kind of walk down memory lane” with Wayans — “he’s the reason I moved to Los Angeles because I got that job as a fly girl” — and Nava, who put her in her first movie. “You realize you’ve been at this for a long time and you’ve been fighting and getting it,” she said. “It’s a real kind of landmark day for me and I am just glad my family was here to share it with me.”

Lopez, dressed brightly in a white top and a flowing peach skirt, became the first Latina actress to earn over $1 million for a role with the film Out of Sight.

With the simultaneous release of her second studio album J.Lo and her film The Wedding Planner in 2001, she became the first person to have a number one album and film in the same week.

With records sales of 75 million and a cumulative film gross of over $2 billion worldwide, Lopez is considered the most influential Hispanic performer in the United States.

Thalia to Receive Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame…

Posted on June 23, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Following in Shakira‘s footsteps… Thalia will be the next Latina singer to be making a permanent mark in Hollywood in the near future…

The 40-year-old Mexican singer/actress is set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame sometime next year for her career as a recording artist.

During her 30-year career—as a member of the Mexican child group Din Din, a member of the Mexican band Timbiriche and as a solo artist—Thalia has sung in Spanish, English, French, Portuguese and Tagalog. And, she’s sold more than 40 million albums worldwide.

Along with Thalia, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced 23 other honorees who will be given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, including Javier Bardem.

The 43-year-old Spanish actor, who won an Oscar for his role in No Country for Old Men, is being recognized for his work in motion pictures. Bardem, who is set to appear in the next James Bond film, one of only four actors and actresses selected to receive a star this go-round.

No word yet on when Thalia and Bardem will receive their stars.

Here’s a look at the complete list of 2013 Walk of Fame star recipients below.

Motion Pictures:
Rick Baker
Javier Bardem
Viola Davis
James Franco
Ron Howard
Helen Mirren

Television:
Simon Baker
Bryan Cranston
Ellen DeGeneres
Jane Lynch
Katey Sagal
Matthew Perry

Recording:
The Backstreet Boys
Jennifer Hudson
Jane’s Addiction
Janis Joplin (Posthumous)
New Kids On The Block
Usher Raymond IV
Thalia
Luther Vandross (Posthumous)

Live Theatre/Performance:
Olympia Dukakis
Penn & Teller

Radio:
Steve Harvey
“Shotgun Tom” Kelly

Don Francisco Named to TV Hall of Fame…

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a momento gigante for legendary Spanish-language television host Don Francisco…

The 70-year-old Chilean television icon will be inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Hall of Fame next March for his extraordinary contributions to television.

Born Mario Luis Kreutzberger Blumenfeld, the Emmy-winning Univision star is best known for hosting Sábado Gigante, one of the most popular programs in the history of Spanish-language television. He’s also the host of Don Francisco Presenta, another variety show that features interviews with big-name artists.

Born in southern Chile, Kreutzberger is the son of German Jewish immigrants who fled to the South American country to escape Nazi persecution. His father hoped he’d follow in his footsteps by working in the garment industry. After working as an apprentice in New York City, Don Francisco returned to Chile and decided to work in broadcasting instead. On August 8, 1962, the show that went on to make television history, Sábado Gigante, was born. It has since been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “… longest-running TV show in the Americas.”

Kreutzberger has received several honors throughout his career, including the “Gabriela Mistral Order of Merit,” the Chilean government’s highest grade of Grand Officer for his contributions to culture and solidarity in the country. Kreutzberger has also been honored with a
star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2001 and an Emmy in 2005 for being a leader in Spanish-language television.

In his home country, Kreutzberger created the Chilean Telethon which has resulted in the construction of 11 hospitals, where more than 80,000 disabled children are treated. His idea inspired 13 Latin American countries to create their own telethons.

Kreutzberger will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the 21st annual ceremony on March 1 at Los Angeles’ Beverly Hills Hotel.

Image courtesy of AP Photo/Alan Diaz.

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