Al Madrigal to Co-Host National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Impact Awards Gala

Posted on April 28, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Al Madrigal is ready to make an Impact…

The 53-year-old half-Mexican American actor and Lopez vs. Lopez scene-stealer will co-host the National Hispanic Media Coalition’s (NHMC) 2025 Impact AwardsGala alongside On My Block’s Jessica Marie Garcia.

The gala will take place on Friday, June 6, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

The Impact Awards event honors the contributions of Latinos, creating a more inclusive society.

NHMC is a woman-led, non-profit civil and human rights organization committed to eliminating hate, discrimination, and racism toward Latino and marginalized communities. Since its founding, the organization has worked to empower the Latino community through policy advocacy, media representation, and coalition building. NHMC advocates for increased Latino visibility through its policy work in Washington, D.C., and media advocacy and representation in Hollywood.

Madrigal is best known for serving as the Latino Correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Most recently, he recurs on NBC’s hit comedy Lopez vs. Lopez playing George Lopez’s best friend, Oscar. As an entrepreneur, Madrigal founded All Things Comedy alongside fellow comedian Bill Burr, which produces several movies and TV shows. Madrigal is developing an extensive slate of Latino-centric projects for TV within his current deal at CBS Studios.

Actress, writer, and producer Garcia recently guest-starred on Lopez vs. Lopez, from George Lopez, Mayan Lopez and Debby Wolfe, which recently concluded its third season and is currently awaiting renewal.

Garcia played Yesika, Mayan’s fabulous TikTok-dancing social media influencer cousin who does everything for “the Gram,” including giving Mayan a taste of the glamorous life.

She’s widely recognized for her breakout role as Jasmine Flores on Netflix’s hit series On My Block and for recurring on Shonda Rhimes’ How to Get Away with Murder, playing Rhonda opposite Viola Davis.

Most recently, she starred in the short film Illegally Brown, directed by Gabby Revilla Lugo, which made the rounds on the festival circuit, and What To Expect, from director Gabriela Garcia Medina.

“We are honored to have a dynamic duo with strong roots uplifting our Latino community, hosting our Impact Awards Gala this year,” said Brenda Victoria Castillo, President & CEO of the NHMC. “Al and Jessica both exemplify Latino excellence and demonstrate the strength of community, both in front of and behind the camera. We are elated to welcome Al and have Jessica return to host our Gala.”

Past honorees include Fede Alvarez, Harvey Guillén, Issa López, Tatyana Ali, Umbrella Academy, George and Mayan Lopez, Colman Domingo, Francia Raisa, Salma Hayek Pinault, Rosie Perez, Tessa Thompson, America Ferrera, Jay Hernandez, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, James Cameron, Rosario Dawson, Zoe Saldana, Danny Trejo and Diego Luna.

NBC Developing Drama Series Starring Jon Huertas Based on Candace Fox’s Novel “Fire with Fire”

Posted on March 13, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Jon Huertas is returning to acting…

NBC is developing a drama starring the 55-year-old Puerto Rican actor, who will executive produce alongside The Rookie and The Recruit creator Alexi Hawley.

Wendy Mericle is writing the untitled project based on the novel Fire with Fire by bestselling author Candice Fox.

Executive producer Sherry Marsh acquired the rights to the book while under her deal at eOne. It comes from Lionsgate Television, where Hawley is under an overall deal, and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Huertas and Mericle executive produce alongside Hawley, through Perfectman Pictures and Marsh for Marsh Entertainment. Perfectman’s Rachel Abarbanell will co-executive produce.

This is Huertas’ return to acting following a two-year break while focusing on directing, and to NBC where he starred on their smash hit series This Is Us in the series regular role of Miguel Rivas.

The official logline for the new project: When a pair of grieving parents hijack an LAPD forensics lab and threaten to start destroying evidence until the police find their missing daughter, an unlikely partnership between grizzled undercover cop Enrique Arroyo (Huertas) and rookie flame-out Lynette Lamb is forged as they race to solve this cold case before the situation explodes.

If the show goes to series, Huertas will be one of the growing number of Latino leads currently on TV alongside George Lopez in NBC’s Lopez vs. Lopez, Ramon Rodriguez on ABC’s Will Trent, Manuel Garcia Rulfo in Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer, Eugenio Derbez in Apple’s Acapulco and Diego Luna in the Disney+ series Star Wars: Andor.

Huertas is best known for his roles in HBO’s Generation Kill, ABC’s Castle and the Emmy-winning series This Is Us. He is developing the new show with his longtime manager Marsh and bringing it to his longtime collaborator Hawley.

Prime Video Releasing George Lopez’s Final Comedy Special, “Muy Católico,” in February

Posted on January 22, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

George Lopez is preparing for his last (stand-up) hurrah…

The 63-year-old Mexican American comedian and actor is retiring from stand-up comedy, but not before giving fans one last show.

From Prime Video, George Lopez: Muy Católico, recorded last September at the famed Los Angeles venue, the Dolby Theater, will premiere on February 18.

Across one hour, Lopez will share his reflections on aging, Latino family dynamics, and cultural quirks.

He also embraces the challenges of getting older and touches on generational clashes and Latino superstitions.

“It is the last one. I’ve subjected the American people to enough of my crap. It seems like the right time; it’s been the one thing that has just never left me my whole life and it’s a wonderful place to leave it at this particular point,” Lopez told Tamron Hall about his decision to retire.

Viewers can continue to watch Lopez and his real-life daughter Mayan Lopez, who you can see on the right-hand side of the photo above, in the NBC comedy Lopez Vs. Lopez, which is currently in its third season. The duo plays father and daughter in the multi-cam series that explores a fictionalized version of their relationship which they co-created alongside Debby Wolfe.

George Lopez previously released four HBO comedy specials including The Wall (2017), It’s Not Me, It’s You (2012), Tall, Dark and Chicano (2009), which was nominated for a Best Comedy Album Grammy Award, and America’s Mexican (2007).

His comedy concert, Why You Crying? from Showtime was released in 2004.

His most recent special, We’ll Do It for Half, was released on Netflix in 2020.

The special is produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Travieso Productions.

George Lopez to Appear on NBC’s “A Toast to 2024!” Special

Posted on December 18, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

George Lopez is preparing for a special toast to 2024…

The 63-year-old Mexican American stand-up comedian and actor will appear on the two-hour primetime special A Toast to 2024!, which will be hosted by Today‘s Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager.

Kotb and Bush Hager will help viewers ring in the New Year when they return as the hosts of the special airing on December 31 at 9:00 pm ET/8:00 pm CT.

In addition to Lopez, who stars on NBC’s Lopez vs. Lopez, others who will be featured to discuss the year’s buzziest and brightest moments are Happy’s Place and The Voice‘s Reba McEntire and NBC Paris Olympics correspondent and rapper Snoop Dogg,.

The complete list of celebrities to be interviewed includes television personalities and NBC News talent: James Acaster, Andrea Canning, Kristin Chenoweth, Dylan Dreyer, Tokala Black Elk & Rex Linn, Belissa Escobedo & Pablo Castelblanco, Fortune Feimster, Willie Geist, David Alan Grier, Lester Holt, Stephanie Hsu, Matt Iseman, Kenny Jary, Carson Kressley, Adam Lambert, Preacher Lawson, Tom Llamas, Mayan Lopez, Loni Love, Howie Mandel, Chris Mann, Melissa Peterman, Joel McHale, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Craig Melvin, Keith Morrison & Josh Mankiewicz, Al Roker, Amber Ruffin, Rickey Smiley, Martha Stewart, Mike Tirico, Allison Tolman, Julio Vaqueiro & Nicole Suarez and Johnny Weir.

NBC recently revealed its full NYE lineup, which kicks off with an encore performance of the St. Denis episode “Salamat You Too” at 8:00 pm followed by a repeat of the Night Court episode “The Judge’s Boyfriend’s Dad” at 8:30 pm.

A Toast to 2024! airs at 9 p.m. and serves as the lead-in for The Day Drinking with Seth Meyers New Year’s Special at 11:30 p.m. The night’s celebrations conclude with E! News Presents NBC’s Hot 10 of 2024 at 12:35 am.

A Toast to 2024! marks the 10th New Year’s Eve special from NBC News and Dateline NBC. Liz Cole is the senior executive producer; Paul Ryan is the executive producer; Charmian Ling is the senior producer; Justin Smith is the supervising producer.

Jaime Camil Returning to Guest Star on NBC’s “Lopez vs. Lopez” for Season Three

Posted on December 6, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Jaime Camil is returning to Lopez vs. Lopez.

The 51-year-old Mexican actor, singer and television personality will make his return to the NBC comedy in season three,” per Variety.

Camil, the scene-stealer on the CW’s Jane the Virgin, previously appeared in four episodes of the multi-camera series during its second season in the role of Josué Consuelos, the unfaithful ex-boyfriend of Rosie (Selenis Leyva).

He will now appear in two episodes of the show’s ongoing third season.

First up, Camil will return in the episode airing on January 3, titled “Lopez vs. Escándalo.” The official logline for that episode reads, “George has a pretty big secret to keep when he starts secretly spending time with Rosie’s ex. Mayan tries to manage a customer’s move herself. Quinten tries to tackle a plumbing problem at home, but is he man enough to handle it without George?”

He will then return the following week in the January 10 episode “Lopez vs Josué.” The logline for that episode reads, “George is recruited to be the star witness when Rosie sues her ex-fiancé Josué for the egregious offense of wasting her time. Quinten finds himself feeling pushed out when Chance and Mayan bond over Mayan’s past life as a DJ.”

Camil is best known to American audiences for his role in the hit CW series “Jane the Virgin,” on which he starred throughout the show’s five-season run.

He previously lent his voice to animated productions like Coco, The Secret Life of Pets and Elena of Avalor.

Camil is also well-known star in his native Mexico for releasing multiple platinum

George Lopez and his daughter, Mayan Lopez, lead the cast of Lopez vs. Lopez, alongside cast members Leyva, Matt Shively, Brice Gonzalez and Al Madrigal.

George and Mayan co-created the series with Debby Wolfe.

Universal Television produces in association with Mohawk Productions, Travieso Productions, Mi Vida Loba and 3 Arts.

George Lopez Preparing New Hour-Long Comedy Special for Prime Video

Posted on September 12, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

George Lopez is preparing to bring the laughs…

The 63-year-old Mexican American stand-up comedian and actor is preparing a new hour-long comedy special to premiere on Prime Video.

Amazon MGM Studios and Travieso Productions are producing Lopez’s new hour, which is his first since We’ll Do It for Half for Netflix in 2020.

Taping at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on September 27 and 28, as part of Lopez’s “ALLLRIIIIGHHTTT! Comedy” tour, its premiere date will be announced down the road.

Breaking ground for Latino comics in a decades-long career spanning television, film, stand-up, and late-night, Lopez has previously put out four comedy specials with HBO — The Wall (2017), It’s Not Me, It’s You (2012), Tall, Dark and Chicano (2009), and America’s Mexican (2007) — earning Grammy nominations for the latter two. His stand-up output also includes Why You Crying?, an acclaimed comedy concert for Showtime, and a number of other comedy albums.

Coming to the attention of many with the groundbreaking hit sitcom George Lopez, which he co-created, wrote, produced and starred on for ABC, he’s most recently exec produced and starred opposite his daughter Mayan Lopez on NBC’s sitcom Lopez vs Lopez, a fictionalized look at their real-life relationship, which returns for its third season on October 18.

He also exec produced and starred in TV Land’s semi-autobiographical sitcom Lopez, which ran for two seasons, and co-created and starred on FX’s Saint George.

At one point hosting his own TBS late-night talker, Lopez Tonight, Lopez last summer joined the DC Extended Universe with Angel Manuel Soto’s Blue Beetle.

Other recent feature projects include Snoop Dogg’s Amazon MGM sports comedy, The Underdoggs, as well as the indie holiday comedy How the Gringo Stole Christmas.

NBC Renews George Lopez’s “Lopez vs. Lopez” for Third Season

Posted on May 8, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

There’s more family time and family drama in George Lopez’s future.

NBC has renewed the 63-year-old Mexican American actor/comedian’s hit series Lopez vs. Lopez for a third season.

In its second season, which ended at in April, George Lopez’s real-life daughter Mayan Lopez and the Lopez family underwent big changes while George took his first step in sobriety.

NBC said that the show reached nearly 10 million total viewers across all platforms and is the highest-indexing broadcast program among English-dominant Hispanic households.

Starring George, Mayan, Selenis Leyva, Matt Shively, Brice Gonzalez and Al Madrigal, it was co-created by Debby Wolfe, who executive produces alongside Bruce Helford, George Lopez, Michael Rotenberg and Katie Newman.

It’s produced by Universal Television, in association with Mohawk Productions, Travieso Productions, Mi Vida Loba and 3 Arts.

Jessica Marie Garcia Signs with Creative Artists Agency (CAA)

Posted on March 7, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Jessica Marie Garcia has new representation…

The 36-year-old Cuban & Mexican American actress has signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA).

Garcia currently recurs on the NBC comedy series Lopez Vs. Lopez opposite George and Mayan Lopez, as cousin ‘Yesika’. Before that, she starred on Netflix’s “Most-Binged Original” hit series On My Block as the spitfire ‘Jasmine Flores’, a role that earned her a Teen Choice Award nomination for Best Summer TV Actress and an MTV Movie & TV Award nomination.

She also appeared in Gina Rodriguez’s Disney+ series Diary of a Female President as ‘Camila,’ as well as recurring on Shonda Rhimes’ How To Get Away With Murder playing ‘Rhonda’ opposite Viola Davis. Additionally, she starred in all four seasons of the Disney Channel original series Liv and Maddie as ‘Willow Cruz.’

Her feature film Avenge the Crows, in which she plays ‘Peaches,’ a tough inner-city gang member, starring alongside Danny Trejo and Lou Diamond Phillips, is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. You can see her earlier work on shows including ABC’s The Middle, as the tough wrestlerette, ‘Becky,’ and as ‘Sierra Cruz’ on ABC Family’s Huge.

Garcia is also a member of the all-female ensemble cast of Betch: A Sketch Show, streaming now on Paramount+. She has also lent her voice to both seasons of the Love in Gravity podcast, which received special recognition at the 2023 GLAAD Awards. She additionally voiced ‘Renee Montoya’ in the hit original audio drama Batman Unburied for Spotify and voiced ‘Ami’ for the audio original book The Honeymoon Crashers by the writing duo Christina Lauren.

Garcia is branching out with her production shingle, where she has been writing and producing, most recently with her film Illegally Brown, directed by Gabby Revilla Lugo, which was recently on the festival circuit. She also shot the film What To Expect with director Gabriela Garcia Medina.

Justina Machado to Star in Netflix’s First Original Medical Procedural “Pulse”

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Justina Machado’s pulse is on the rise…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican actress has been cast as the first series regular on Pulse, Netflix’s first medical procedural original.

Hailing from first-time creator Zoe Robyn, who serves as showrunner and executive producer alongside veteran.

The show’s first two episodes will be directed and executive produced by Kate Dennis.

Pulse will feature a mix of medical cases and office romances. In it, while the staff of Miami’s busiest Level 1 Trauma Center navigate medical emergencies, young ER doc Dani Simms is unexpectedly promoted to Chief Resident amidst the fallout of her own provocative romantic relationship.

Machado plays Natalie Cruz, a brilliant and politically-savvy doctor, who oversees both administration and medicine in her role as the Chair of Surgery and Emergency Medicine.

Bradley Gardner, Emma Forman and Michael Klick also executive produce the series, which is slated to begin production in March in Albuquerque.

The greenlight for Pulse comes after Robyn and Cuse worked with a writers room last year to craft scripts.

Machado recently starred in the Amazon/Blumhouse series The Horror Of Dolores Roach based on the popular Spotify podcast of the same name.

She previously headlined Netflix/Pop’s acclaimed One Day At a Time reboot and recently guest starred on NBC’s Lopez vs. Lopez.

Machado will next star in the independent feature The Throwback from director Mario Garcia.

The Gersh Agency Signs Jaime Camil

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Jaime Camil has new representation…

The Gersh Agency has signed the 50-year-old Mexican actor, singer and producer for representation in all areas.

Camil is best known for starring in all five seasons of The CW’s telenovela satire Jane the Virgin.

He is coming off of Apple TV+’s acclaimed musical comedy Schmigadoon!, which ran for two seasons.

Up next, the actor will be seen recurring on the second season of NBC’s Lopez vs. Lopez, also taking on a guest arc on the upcoming season of Acapulco for Apple TV+.

Additionally, he’s set to narrate and executive produce Desde La Raíz, a Roku series exploring the origins of Mexican products like coffee, chile, corn and mezcal.

Previously, Camil starred in and executive produced the CBS comedy series Broke, starred as the lead villain opposite Zoë Kravitz in Steven Soderbergh’s thriller Kimi, and hosted and executive produced the game show Lotería Loca for CBS.

He also played Mexican musical icon Vicente Fernández on Netflix’s El Rey, Vicente Fernández, which spent five weeks in the streamer’s Global Top 10 TV (Non-English) when it debuted in 2022, peaking at #1 worldwide and #2 in the U.S. in that time period.

Before making a splash in the English-language market, Camil was already a bonafide star in his native Mexico and all across Latin America for his work in Spanish-language projects both in TV and film. Some of his hits include the telenovela La Fea Más Bella (Ugly Betty), Por Ella Soy Eva and Qué Pobres Tan Ricos, to name a few.

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