Tomas Matos to Star in Tina Romero’s Horror Comedy “Queens of the Dead”

Tomas Matos will be royally horrified

The 26-year-old Latinx artist and social justice advocate will star in Queens of the Dead, a new horror comedy directed by Tina Romero, the daughter of legendary director George A. Romero.

Tomas MatosMatos will star alongside Katy O’BrianMargaret ChoBrigette Lundy-Paine, Cheyenne Jackson, Nina West, Jaquel Spivey, Quincy Dunn-Baker, Becca Blackwell, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Dominique Jackson, Riki Lindhome and Eve Lindley in the film.

Co-written by Erin Judge and Tina Romero, the film pays tribute to the zombies from the elder Romero’s classic zombie films with a fresh, contemporary and queer twist, promising to offer a genre-smashing, glam-gore thrill ride through the zombie apocalypse.

From Vanishing Angle, the film follows an eclectic group of drag queens, club kids, and frenemies who must put aside their personal dramas and use their unique skills to combat the brain-thirsty undead when a zombie apocalypse breaks out during their drag show in Brooklyn.

George A. Romero, often referred to as the “Godfather of Zombies,” revolutionized the horror genre with his groundbreaking films Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, with his work influencing countless filmmakers and becoming a cornerstone of modern horror.

Following George’s 2017 passing, Tina Romero looks to carry the torch with a talent-rich film loaded with practical effects, jump scares, laughs, and lumbering zombies amassing on the streets of Brooklyn. Given its focus on the historically disenfranchised LGBTQ+ population, the film should fit in naturally with George A. Romero’s oeuvre, which used a zombie apocalypse to examine social injustice, among many other themes.

“This is the cast of my wildest dreams. In a movie about survival, you gotta love and root for the survival crew,” said Romero in a statement about the project. “Every single person in this ensemble brings such a special and specific flavor -both on and off screen. The result is truly a magic sauce.”

Matos’ previous credits include Fire Island and Fantasmas.

Camila Cabello to Receive Billboard Latin Women in Music’s Global Impact Award

Camila Cabello is being recognized for her global impact.

The 27-year-old Mexican & Cuban singer will be honored at the 2024 Billboard Latin Women in MusicBillboard and Telemundo have announced.

Camila Cabello,The celebration, which highlights the efforts of Latin women musicians who are “proactively working for positive change, inclusion and gender parity in the music industry,” will see Cabello receive the Global Impact award.

“Singer-songwriter Camila Cabello’s success and contributions have earned her the honor of Global Impact, which recognizes female artists who have an exceptional ability to connect with audiences worldwide, not only through their music but also by positively influencing popular culture, as well as serving as ambassadors of Latin culture on a global scale,” reads the official press release, noting that the singer of “Havana” and “Señorita” has used her voice not only to create great hits worldwide, but to promote important issues that she is passionate about such as immigration, diversity, mental health and female empowerment.

Among other projects, Cabello has partnered with This Is About Humanity and Miami Freedom Project to host community events for new immigrant families in Miami, and has raised half a million dollars with Equality Florida and Lambda Legal to combat harmful legislation in Florida targeting the LGBTQ+ community.

She also launched the Healing Justice Project to provide mental health resources to BIPOC organizers across the country advancing racial, immigrant, and environmental justice.

The Billboard Latin Women in Music show will air exclusively on Telemundo on Sunday, June 9, at 9:00 pm ET, and will be simultaneously available on the Telemundo app and Peacock.

Ricky Martin to Headline LA Pride in the Park

Ricky Martin is taking great pride in his next performance…

The 52-year-old Puerto Rican superstar will headline LA Pride in the Park, which will return to the Los Angeles State Historic Park on Saturday, June 8.

Ricky MartinThis marks Martin’s first-ever headlining Pride performance.

Moreover, Martin will be the first openly gay Latin artist to take center stage at the popular Pride event.

The theme for this year’s Pride season is “Power in Pride,” which celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community’s ability to live authentically.

“I am thrilled to be headlining LA Pride in the Park because it’s an incredible opportunity to celebrate love, diversity, and equality,” Martin said in a statement. “LA Pride is a testament to the power of community, the power of visibility, and the power of standing up for our rights. Being part of this vibrant community fills me with pride and purpose.”

“With his electrifying stage presence and chart-topping hits, Ricky Martin has long been an inspiration to millions around the world,” said Gerald Garth, board president of CSW/LA Pride. “His participation in LA Pride in the Park goes beyond mere entertainment; it symbolizes a powerful affirmation of queer Latin identity and a celebration of diversity within the LGBTQ+ community. We cannot wait to be ‘Livin’ La Vida Loca’ while beaming with Pride!”

Across 20 acres and with a capacity of 25,000, LA Pride in the Park is one of the largest official Pride concerts in the country.

The nonprofit Christopher Street West Association has produced the LA Pride celebration for more than 50 years. General admission and VIP passes are now available to purchase at lapride.org.

Throughout his nearly four-decade career, Martin has brought Latin music and culture to the mainstream, paving the way for an explosion of crossover talent.

Born in Puerto Rico in 1971, Martin gained fame as a member of Menudo before embarking on a highly successful solo career, which has brought him two Grammy Awards and four Latin Grammy Awards.

Martin’s 1999 smash “Livin’ La Vida Loca” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks and received Grammy nods for record and song of the year. It was also nominated for record of the year at the inaugural Latin Grammys in 2000 – a show that became a reality because of the undeniable crossover success of artists like Martin, Santana and Marc Anthony, among others.

In May 1999, Martin appeared on the cover of Time in a story headlined “Latin Music Goes Pop!”

In November 2006, at age 34, he became the youngest-ever person of the year recipient at the annual gala put on by the Latin Recording Academy.

Martin is also an accomplished actor, earning a Primetime Emmy nod for his role in FX’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story and displaying his talent on Broadway. He starred in Jingle Jangle for Netflix, opposite Forest Whitaker and Anika Noni Rose and can now be seen in the Apple TV series Palm Royale alongside Laura Dern, Kristen Wiig, Allison Janney and Carol Burnett.

Jorgeous to Compete on Season Nine of Paramount+’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars”

Jorgeous is getting back in the race

The 24-year-old Mexican American drag performer, whose real name is Jorge Meza, will compete on the ninth season of Paramount+’s RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.

JorgeousJorgeous, who finished in 6th place on Season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, will join seven other queens from past seasons to compete for a cash prize of $200,000 — but this time, all eight queens will be competing on behalf of a charity of their choice.

Jorgeous will compete for the National Alliance of Mental Illness.

But Jorgeous isn’t the only Latina drag artist set to compete.

Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, who competed on seasons 10 and 11, will compete for the ASPCA.

The other queens include: Angeria Paris VanMichaels (season 14), competing for the National Black Justice Collective; Gottmik (season 13), competing for Trans LifelineNina West (season 11), competing for The Trevor Project; Plastique Tiara (season 11), competing for The Asian American Foundation (TAAF); Roxxxy Andrews (season five, All Stars 2), competing for Miracle of Love; and Shannel (season one, All Stars 1), competing for  Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

This year’s $200,000 cash prize will be provided by The Palette Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing grants and funding to the organizations supporting under-represented communities, including LGBTQ+ people.

All Stars 9 will mark the first time in the history of the Drag Race franchise in which queens will compete for charities.

The news comes on the heels of the finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16, which aired Friday, April 19.

After a series of solo numbers and one final lip sync to Kylie Minogue’s “Padam Padam,” Nymphia Wind took home the grand prize, becoming the first Taiwanese-American queen to win in the history of the franchise.

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 9 premieres with two new episodes on Friday, May 17, on Paramount+.

Johnny Sibilly Guest-Starring on ABC’s “Station 19”

Johnny Sibilly is ready to respond…

The 36-year-old Cuban & Dominican American actor and producer has landed a guest-starring role on ABC‘s Station 19.

Johnny SibillyIn multiple episodes of the seventh and final season, Sibilly will play Dominic, a recently single, charming, charismatic EMS firefighter whose calming nature puts people in crisis at ease.

His debut airs Thursday, April 11 starting at 10:00 pm EDT in the fifth episode of the season titled “My Way” following Andy Herrera (Jaina Lee Ortiz) as she fearlessly leads her team during a life-or-death emergency at Seattle’s most beloved landmark.

Additionally, Vic (Barrett Doss) struggles with emotional burnout and Maya (Danielle Savre) helps Carina (Stefania Spampinato) navigate some difficult news.

Station 19, created by Stacy McKee, is set in Seattle and focuses on the lives of the men and women at Seattle Fire Station 19.

The series also stars Jason George, Grey Damon, Jay Hayden, Boris Kodjoe, Carlos Miranda, Josh Randall and Merle Dandridge.

McGee executive produces alongside Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers. The series is produced by Shondaland and ABC Signature.

This season kicked off with two new showrunners: Zoanne Clack and Peter Paige.

Sibilly was most recently seen as a series regular on Peacock’s Queer As Folk and as ‘Wilson the water cop’ in the Emmy Award-winning comedy series Hacks on Max. He also played Costas Perez in the groundbreaking drama Pose, created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Steven Canals; as well as Season 2 of the web series Liza On Demand.

In addition to his work in television, Sibilly is a fervent advocate for LGBTQ+ and Latinx rights.

Christina Aguilera Signs with United Talent Agency for Global Representation

Christina Aguilera has new representation…

The 43-year-old half-Ecuadorian American Grammy-winning singer and pop icon has signed with United Talent Agency (UTA) for worldwide representation.

Christina AguileraThe “Genie in a Bottle” and “What a Girl Wants” singer, a multiple Grammy-winning singer-songwriter renowned for her powerhouse vocals, has to date sold more than 75 million records worldwide. She’s also garnered five No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making her the third female artist, and fourth overall, to top the list over three consecutive decades.

The winner of seven Grammys, including two Latin Grammys, Aguilera’s most recent recognition at these award shows came in the form of the 2022 Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album on behalf of her second Spanish-language album, Aguilera. After being recognized with the inaugural Music Icon Award at the People’s Choice Awards in 2021, she nabbed the Spirit of Hope Award at the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards, going on to receive the Advocate for Change Award at the GLAAD Media Awards the following year.

In addition to her work as a songwriter and recording artist, Aguilera is well known for her efforts as a producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Since 2009, she’s served as a global spokesperson for Yum! BrandsWorld Hunger Relief effort, also helping to raise over $150 million for the World Food Program and other hunger relief agencies, while raising awareness around domestic violence, LGBTQ+ equality and other essential cultural conversations.

Also the co-founder of Playground, a sexual wellness lifestyle brand launched in 2022, Aguilera can currently be found headlining a new show at Volatire at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.

She continues to be represented by Roc Nation and imPRint.

Camila Cabello to Receive Agent of Change Award at This Year’s Premios Juventud

Camila Cabello is being recognized for her philanthropic work…

The 26-year-old Mexican & Cuban singer and former Fifth Harmony member will receive the special “Agent of Change” award at this year’s Premios Juventud.

Camila CabelloCabello is being recognized for her commitment to the betterment of youth around the world.

“I am honored and incredibly excited to receive this esteemed recognition. I can’t wait to see you all on July 20th for an unforgettable show,” she expressed in a press statement.

In May 2022, Cabello launched and hosted a benefit concert to support the emergency “Protect Our Kids” fund. The singer has teamed with Lambda Legal and Equality Florida to help protect LGBTQ+ students and their families from Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” bill.

She has previously partnered with Save the Children, the Children’s Health Fund, UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, the ACLU and more.

Cabello now joins past Agent of Change honorees including Jesse & Joy, Maluma, Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, Kany Garcia, Jenni Rivera Foundation, Ricky Martin, Becky G, Pitbull, Juanpa Zurita, and Wisin y Yandel.

The Premios Juventud will be broadcast live on Univision on July 20.

Danell Leyva to Receive The Vanguard Award at the OUTshine Film Festival

Danell Leyva is officially a vanguard

The 31-year-old Cuban–American former-gymnast-turned-actor and Clocked star will receive The Vanguard Award at the OUTshine Film Festival, where the drama marking the feature debut of writer-director Noah Salzman will make its East Coast premiere on April 26th.

The prize recognizes notable individuals in entertainment for their contributions in helping to tell LGBTQ+ stories, as well as exemplifying outstanding leadership and support of community equality, representation and education.

Also starring Germain Arroyo, Marisa Davila, Armand Fields and Brandon HudsonClocked tells the story of Adolfo Rivera (Arroyo), an 18-year-old Puerto Rican boxer from a conservative Catholic family in Miami, Florida. Adolfo may be remarkably talented in the ring, but his family’s dreams for his profession are far different from what Adolfo has in mind. And Adolfo is secretly saving his winnings for the biggest fight of his life: self-acceptance in his desire to transition into a woman.

Leyva stars as Ramon Rivera.

His other credits include Love, Victor series and Lexi.

Johnny Sibilly Signs with Creative Artists Agency (CAA)

Johnny Sibilly has new representation…

The 35-year-old Cuban & Dominican American actor has signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA).

Johnny SibillyBest known for his role as Wilson on the first two seasons of HBO Max’s Emmy-winning comedy series HacksSibilly will return for Season 3 this year.

Sibilly previously starred as Noah Hernandez in the Peacock Original series, Queer As Folk.

He has also appeared opposite CAA client Billy Porter in the FX series Pose, and alongside CAA client Liza Koshy in YouTube’s Liza On Demand.

As a content creator, Sibilly is a fervent advocate for LGBTQ+ and Latino rights, growing a considerable social following as a result of his progressive and comedic voice that includes his popular online character, “Julissa.”

He has also partnered with brands including Viktor&Rolf, AT&T, 21 Seeds, Smirnoff, Abercrombie & Fitch, Nissan, Oculus and Bonobos.

New Episode of Paramount+’s “Behind the Music” to Feature Jennifer Lopez

Prepare for a behind the scenes look at Jennifer Lopez’s music…

The 53-year-old Puerto Rican superstar will be featured in one of the new episodes of Paramount+’s Behind the Music.

Jennifer LopezIn addition to J.Lo, new installments of the documentary series will also feature Boy GeorgeJason Aldean and Remy Ma.

The new installments of the documentary series will hit the streamer on November 29.

Additionally, remastered episodes spotlighting Boyz II Men, Christina Aguilera, Gloria Estefan, Hootie & the Blowfish, Mötley Crüe, Pink and TLC will drop the same day.

Here are the loglines for the new episodes:

  • After three decades, Jennifer Lopez is at the very top of her game and shows no signs of slowing down. J.Lo reflects on key moments of her iconic career in music, film and fashion while celebrating her present with husband Ben Affleck.
  • Boy George reflects on his meteoric rise from outcast to ‘80s global superstar with Culture Club. A tumultuous love affair, intense fame and addiction almost destroyed his career – but 40 years on, he remains an LGBTQ+ pop icon.
  • Jason Aldean is a small-town kid turned country superstar who never backed down in life, and changed the country music genre forever.
  • Remy Ma shares her journey to becoming the queen of New York hip hop. Her road to fame with the Terror Squad was paved with loss – a prison sentence almost ended it all – but her comeback inspired millions.

For 14 seasons, Behind the Music has provided an intimate look into the personal lives of pop music’s greatest and most influential artists. Since moving to Paramount+, the series has gone behind the scenes into the lives of stars like Bret Michaels, Busta Rhymes, Duran Duran, Fat Joe, Huey Lewis, LL Cool J, New Kids on the Block and Ricky Martin.

The series is executive produced by Bruce Gillmer, Jennifer Demme and Michael Maniaci for MTV Entertainment Studios.