Gigi Saul Guerrero to Direct Biopic About the Late Jenni Rivera

Posted on August 3, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Gigi Saul Guerrero is bringing a Mexican American icon’s life story to the big screen…

The 32-year-old Mexican Canadian filmmaker and actress will direct “Jenni,” a film about the life of the late Jenni Rivera.

The biopic, which is authorized by the late artist’s estate, will be produced by Los Angeles-based multimedia company Mucho Mas Media and De Line Pictures.

Developed by Guerrero and screenwriter Shane McKenzie, the movie follows Rivera’s rise as a Spanish singer who successfully crossed over to U.S. and global audiences, as well as her work as a women’s rights activist. She died in a plane crash in 2012 at age 43.

Rivera’s variety of banda, mariachi and norteño music made her one of the best-selling regional Mexican artists ever, with 15 gold and platinum records and top-drawing tours.

She produced multiple television series like “Chiquis & Raq-C” and “I Love Jenni,” and in 2012 she was named one of the top 25 most powerful women by People en Español. She also established charities like the Jenni Rivera Love Foundation, which supports single mothers and children who have been victims of domestic abuse.

Jenni will premiere on TelevisaUnivision’s premium streaming tier VIX+ and in select theaters throughout the U.S. and Mexico. A release date has not been announced yet.

Saul Guerrero was named by Variety in 2019 as a Latinx talent to watch. Since then, she signed a first-look deal with Blumhouse Productions after the debut of her first movie, Culture Shock.

On the acting front, she has voiced characters in “Supernatural Academy” and “Angry Birds: Summer Madness.”

Gurrero also created and directed the 2017 web horror series La Quinceañera and short film El Gigante, and she co-founded the Latin genre-focused company LuchaGore Productions.

McKenzie, a frequent collaborator of Saul Guerrero’s at LuchaGore Productions, wrote the screenplays for “El Gigante,” “La Quinceanera” and “Bingo Hell.”

Jenni Rivera Enterprises will executive produce.

“Gigi is so confident in her voice and storytelling and has an innate understanding of Jenni’s life.

Rivera Biopic & Television Projects in the Works

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Jenni Rivera’s legacy lives on…

Television projects and a biopic based on the life of the late Mexican-American singer, known as la Diva de la Banda, are currently in the works, her estate has announced.

The projects are in early development and details will be announced later, but they include a music-based television series focused on the lives and stories of the Rivera family as a musical dynasty.

Rivera was one of the most successful regional Mexican musical artists of all time, selling more than 20 million records during her 20-year career.

She died in a 2012 plane crash in northern Mexico, in the midst of filming the third season of mun2 docu-reality series I Love Jenni, in which she starred. She also had just closed a deal to topline her own sitcom for ABC, Jenni.

Rivera’s estate includes several businesses, as well as a foundation named for the late singer that helps women and children facing abuse, and other charity endeavors.

Mendiola Named President of mun2

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Ruben Mendiola is taking the helm at mun2…

The Latino business executive has been named president of NBCUniversal’s cable network aimed at a young Latino audience.

Mun2 is the first cable network for young Latinos with shows and music videos in Spanish and English, including I Love Jenni, Welcome to Los Vargas, Combate Americas and Reventón.

Mendiola will report to Joe Uva, chairman of Hispanic Enterprises and Content at NBCUniversal.

Mun2 had been without its top executive since EVP and general manager Diana Mogollon departed at the end of February.

Mendiola comes from Comcast Cable where he was SVP and general manager of Multicultural Services.

Before that, he served as the general manager of Latino Programming and Spanish Business Development at Dish Network, VP of Programming and Operations at Fox Sports Latin America and programming director for Pay TV at Grupo Televisa.

Mendiola is a graduate of Universidad Iberoamericana A.C. in Mexico City where he earned his degree in Corporate Law.

mun2 to Air Footage of Rivera’s Last Concert on “I Love Jenni”

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Here’s your chance to catch a glimpse of footage from the late Jenni Rivera’s last concert.

This Sunday, May 19, mun2 will broadcast the concert the late Mexican American singer gave just before getting on the plane that crashed shortly after takeoff, taking the lives of the artist and another six people, as part of the final season of the network’s hit series I Love Jenni.

Rivera’s show in Monterrey, Mexico, included songs that she dedicated to her fans and to her daughter Chiquis.

Along with the concert footage, the episode will feature backstage shots of the singer and businesswoman celebrating the show’s success with her crew.

In addition, the episode includes pictures of how the family took the news of the deadly plane crash in northern Mexico.

The singer had filmed five of the scheduled 17 episodes for the third season of the I Love Jenni series, which debuted in March 2011 and in which the artist shared with fans details of her family life and artistic career.

Lopez Among the Actresses in the Running to Portray Jenni Rivera

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like it’s a three-way race to find the actress to portray the late Jenni Rivera in a film about her life, with Jennifer Lopez in the hunt.

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican actress is reportedly being considered to play la Diva de la Banda, as well as Angélica Vale and Alicia Machado.

Rosie Rivera, sister of the banda/ranchera singer who died in an plane crash in Mexico last December, told Univision that plans to shoot the film about the I Love Jenni star are going forward as part of the family’s wish to make all her dreams come true.

Even though Rivera’s family hasn’t confirmed who’ll play her on screen, the press these days has tossed around a number of names, including Vale. The 37-year-old Mexican actress is best known for her starring role in the telenovela La Fea Mas Bella.

Also mentioned repeatedly is Machado, the singer and actress who was the fourth Venezuelan woman in history to win Miss Universe.

Both she and Vale have publicly expressed their admiration for Rivera, but have also said that neither has been formally offered a role in the film.

It’s also been speculated that Lopez’s company, Nuyorican Productions, could produce the film, although no news has been forthcoming about whether J.Lo intends to portray Rivera.

Lopez previously starred in the 1997 biopic about another Latina legend, the late Selena Quintanilla, who was murdered by the former president of her fan club.

For his part, film director Francisco Joel Mendoza also told Univision that he already has the permits to begin production on the film, saying shooting could begin in April.

Rivera’s Memoir, “Unbreakable,” to be Released in July

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

The late Jenni Rivera’s last words or wisdom will be revealed this summer…

A memoir from the late Mexican American singer, which she completed before her untimely death in a plane crash in Northern Mexico in December, will be published in July.

Entitled Unbreakable, the memoir will be published in English and Spanish by Simon & Schuster‘s Atria Books imprint, according to the Associated Press.

Rosie Rivera, the sister of la Diva de la Banda, said the memoir captures her sister’s determined spirit.

“I miss my sister every moment, but on days that I want to feel her close, I open her book written in her own words, and feel her right next to me,” she said in a statement from Atria.

Unbreakable will allow fans to “enjoy her as we have,” she added.

Atria said the book provides “an intimate look into the heart and soul of this self-made woman, who ascended to the top of the charts against all odds, becoming a legend in a completely male dominated music category.”

News of the book’s release comes on the heels of mun2’s announcement that the third season of Rivera’s highly popular I Love Jenni reality series will premiere in April.

Lopez Reportedly Looking to Produce Jenni Rivera Biopic

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

“Jenny from the Block” could be bringing another Jenni’s story to the big screen…

Jennifer Lopez is reportedly looking to produce a biopic about the late Jenni Rivera through her production company Nuyorican Productions, according to TV y Novelas.

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican singer/actress is looking to buy the rights to move forward to developing the biopic on la Diva de la Banda, who passed away in a plane crash in Northern Mexico last December.

Lopez has even taken the initiative and reached out to Rivera’s sister, Rosie, whom Rivera left in charge of her estate, finances and children, according to the publication.

“I didn’t know her personally but I knew of her,” said Lopez after news of Rivera’s death broke. “For me, just being on tour right now, you live the same type of life. You know what I mean? It’s traveling, it’s doing shows.”

“…I’m sure she was rushing to get home to her kids at that time so she took the flight at 3 in the morning. So you go like, wow, it’s just like a wake-up call for everybody. It’s tragic. She was so young, so young, and she had five kids. It just wasn’t her time, it feels like.”

TV Y Novelas reported that Lopez admires that the Mexican-American banda and ranchera singer had thick skin and a never-give-up attitude toward the obstacles she faced in life.

“Jennifer (Lopez) knows that she (Rivera) was very strong, a warrior,” said the source. “Just like the movie of Selena Quintanilla was a success for her career, she feels that Jenni deserves a movie with all the Hollywood glitz and glam.”

In the meantime, Rivera’s fans will have the chance to see the last images of their idol on mun2. The cable network has announced that the third season of her hit series I Love Jenni, which includes footage shot a month before her passing, will premiere in April.

The Third Season of Rivera’s “I Love Jenni” to Premiere in April

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a bittersweet day for Jenni Rivera’s fans…

mun2 has announced that the third season of the late Mexican American singer’s hit reality series I Love Jenni will premiere in April.

Rivera’s series, the top-rated Hispanic reality show on cable, comes four months after the superstar banda and ranchera died in a plane crash in Northern Mexico on December 9 after giving her last performance in Monterrey.

The new season’s episodes will include footage shot in the month before her untimely passing, as well as footage shot afterward as Rivera’s family deals with her death. Rivera’s five children Chiquis, Jacqui, Michael, Jenicka and Johnny, as well as Rivera’s sister Rosie will also appear in the new episodes.

Rivera, a major star in the Latin American community and Mexico, was in the midst of preparing to cross-over into the English-language market in the U.S. Rivera’s death came just days after she’d sealed a deal to headline her own sitcom for ABC.

Season three of I Love Jenni will premiere on mun2 on April 14 at 9:00 pm ET.

Rivera’s Last Image Emerges as Stars React to Her Death

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a sad day in the Latin American community as the music industry loses a prima diva…

Mexican officials have now confirmed the remains of the airplane carrying Jenni Rivera have been found with no evidence of survivors. Rivera’s father and brother also confirmed the news on Telemundo, accoridng to NBC News.

Rivera’s makeup artist, Jacob Yebale, posted what was probably the last photo taken of the singer on Instagram with the message: “We getting Back To Mexico City…..jenni Rivera ,Arturo , Gigi and Me.. Los Amooo! at Aeropuerto Internacional de Monterrey General Mariano Escobedo (MTY)”

mun2, the home to Rivera’s popular docuseries I Love Jenni, and Telemundo issued a statement saying “Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Rivera family and the families of her team, as we await details”.

Meanwhile, celebrities like Pitbull, Ricky Martin and Eva Longoria have taken to Twitter to pay their respects to Rivera’s family and offering prayers for the friends and families of the plane’s passengers.

“I highly respected #JenniRivera 4 being a gr8 performer but more then tht being real & gr8 example 4 us all que dios la bendiga &may she RIP,” wrote Pitbull.

“Esto es triste. Un poco en shock. Mucha paz para su familia. RT @ElNuevoDia: Desaparece avión en q viajaba Jenni Rivera,” wrote Ricky Martin.

“OMG! Just heard about @jennirivera Praying for her and her family during this difficult & uncertain time!” wrote Gloria Estefan.

“Dios mío! Me acabo de enterar de la terrible noticia sobre Jenny Rivera! Rezando por un milagro!Cadena de oración por Jenny y su familia!” wrote Thalia.

“Feeling so heartbroken right now. @jennirivera has been a close family friend for the last 10 years. She has supported me so much throughout my career and is really an incredible woman. I pray and I’m going to ask for all of you to pray with me that she is alive. Her plane crashed a few hours ago and no bodies have been found. Please pray for her and her family. #prayforjenni,” wrote actress Francia Rasia.

Eva Longoria wrote on Twitter: “My prayers go out to her family. We lost a legend today. She was a great lady, and did a lot for the Latino community. She will be missed.”

To commemorate Rivera’s life and influence, Telemundo will broadcast a two-hour primetime special at 7:00 pm EST, and mun2 will re-broadcast it at 9:00 pm EST. Mun2 will also air two previously produced I Love Jenni specials at 11:00 pm EST and midnight EST.

Rivera Headlining ABC’s “Jenni” Comedy Project…

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

She’s already a mega superstar on mun2… And now Jenni Rivera’s ready to shine on ABC.

The network has put in development Jenni, a multi-camera family comedy starring the 43-year-old Mexican-American singer–songwriter.

The project hails from leading Broadway producer Robert L. Boyett – marking his return to television, where he was one of the top comedy series producers in the 1980s and 1990s — and Designing Women’s Robert Horn.

Boyett and Horn will write the project, which stars Rivera as a strong, middle-class, single Latina working to raise a family using unique parenting skills, while struggling to run a family business and navigate her extended, co-dependent relatives — all while fighting the cultural perception that she needs a man to do it.

Boyett and Horn will executive produce, with Rivera and her manager Pete Salgado serving as producers for ABC Studios.

Rivera has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide. She’s also the star mun2′s docu-reality series I Love Jenni, now filming its third season.

In addition, Rivera made her big screen acting debut in the critically acclaimed Filly Brown.

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