Harvey Guillén Among National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Impact Award Honorees

Posted on May 28, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Harvey Guillén is being feted for his impact…

The National Hispanic Media Coalition has revealed the 2024 Impact Award honorees for its annual gala taking place on June 14, with the 34-year-old Mexican American actor among those being recognized.

Annie Gonzalez (Flamin’ Hot) and Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs. Lopez) will host the celebration.

The Impact Awards is a part of the NHMC’s overall mission to spotlight the importance of accurate, fair and positive representation in media.

Each year, the organization honors individuals who are truly making an impact, shifting societal narratives and setting an example for Latine communities.

The 2024 honorees include:

Harvey Guillén, star of the hit FX series What We Do In The Shadows which is gearing up to premiere its sixth and final season. He will receive the Outstanding Performance in a Series Impact Award.

Issa López, a multi-hyphenate who most recently co-wrote and directed HBO’s True Detective Season 5 starring Jodie Foster. NHMC will recognize López’s achievements with the Trailblazer Impact Award.

Fede Alvarez, writer, director and executive producer of the upcoming feature Alien: Romulus, the seventh installment of the Alien franchise. NHMC will give him the Outstanding Film Director Impact Award.

Tatyana Ali, who most famously portrayed Ashley Banks in the hit comedy series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, will receive the Advocacy Impact Award for her advocacy and policy work in maternal health and reproductive justice.

The Los Angeles Football Club will be honored with the Community Impact Award for their commitment to multiculturalism and creating change for marginalized communities

Tubi will be honored with the For the People Impact Award for its diverse programming providing a platform for Latine series showcasing authentic representations of our communities.

“We are honored to celebrate these powerful figures who represent the present and future of the entertainment industry. This year’s honorees embody where our community is headed and are pushing their industries forward simply by taking up space and using their platforms to uplift other Latine creatives.,” said Brenda Victoria Castillo, President & CEO of the NHMC. “This year more than ever, it is imperative that we continue to celebrate our Latinidad in all aspects of our society, and NHMC is committed to ensuring that our community is recognized – not just at our gala, but in every space.”

UCP Extends Overall Development Deal with Tanya Saracho

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Tanya Saracho is getting an extension…

UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, has extended an overall development deal with the Latina Mexican-American actress, playwright, dramaturge and screenwriter.

She will develop and produce original projects for broadcast, cable and streaming platforms under the agreement.

Saracho is currently in development on several projects including the series The Wild Wild, inspired by the lives of Annie Oakley, America’s most famous sharpshooter, and the renowned trick-rider Señorita Rosalie, who were both stars of the famed Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

She’ll serve as co-creator and executive producer of the project along with Jenniffer Gomez, with Jamie Babbit attached to direct and executive produce.

“It’s a pleasure and honor working with Tanya and her company, Ojalá. Their creative brilliance and entrepreneurial approach to producing and writing is so rare, and we are thrilled to continue our partnership,” said Beatrice Springborn, President, UCP and Universal International Studios, in a statement to Deadline.

“I am grateful to continue my relationship with UCP and be able to keep crafting the stories that matter most to me – brown, queer narratives which are still missing from the landscape and are so important to tell, and which UCP has proven a commitment to nurturing,” shared Saracho.

Saracho most recently served as creator, showrunner and executive producer of the critically acclaimed series Vida on Starz. The show featured all Latine writers and directors, including Saracho, who made her TV directorial debut. Vida won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Series and was also honored by the National Hispanic Media Coalition with the 2019 Impact Award.

Additionally, the series won the Audience Award at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival and made its Season 2 premiere as an Official Selection of the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.

She was the recipient of the Norman Lear Writers Award at the Imagen Awards in 2021 and was honored by the LGBTQ California Legislative Caucus as their 2020 Pride Month Honoree. She received the Rising Star Award at the Outfest Legacy Awards and was awarded the New Voice Award by Final Draft.

Saracho co-founded the Untitled Latinx Project, whose mission is to increase Latine representation in television through content created by Latine writers, along with co-founding the Writers Access Support Staff Training Program to help increase representation and opportunities for underrepresented communities.

In addition, Saracho launched the Ojalá Ignition Lab in 2021, aimed to nurture, amplify and empower intersectional Latine voices.

John Quiñones Named Gold Circle Inductee by National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the golden hour for John Quiñones…

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences will celebrate its 2023 Gold and Silver Circle Inductees at the 44th Annual News & Documentary Awards on September 27-28 in New York, with the 71-year-old Mexican-American broadcast journalist and news correspondent among the honorees.

The Gold and Silver Circle is a society of honor. Inductees are professionals who have performed distinguished service within the television industry, setting standards for achievement, mentoring, leadership and professional accolades for 50 or 25 years.

Quiñones, an ABC News correspondent who hosts What Would You Do?, is among the Gold Circle inductees, alongside David Martin of CBS News and journalist Dan Rather.

Active in the industry since 1975, Quiñones is a seven-time Emmy Award winner, a George Foster Peabody Award winner and a recipient of the National Hispanic Media Coalition‘s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Meanwhile, Otto Padron has been named a Silver Circle inductee.

Padron is the president & CEO of Meruelo Media, one of the fastest growing minority-owned media companies in California. Padron’s mass media experience, leadership skills and vision were key in the reorganization and expansion of Meruelo Media in 2012. Today, Meruelo Media stands as one of the most diverse media companies in the Nation with four key broadcast properties in Los Angeles.

Before joining the Meruelo Media team, Padron was the Senior Vice President of Programming for Univision Television Network, the leading Spanish language network in the U.S. He is the only executive to have successfully headed programming for both major US Spanish language networks, Univision and Telemundo.

Other Silver Circle inductees are Steve Fastook, Senior Vice President of Operations, CNBC; Kim Godwin, President, ABC News; Rand Morrison, Executive Producer, CBS News Sunday Morning, CBS News; Steve Osunsami, Senior National Correspondent, ABC News; and Thomas Snowden, Editor, NBC News.

Gold Circle Documentary Inductees are Jon Alpert, Documentarian, Journalist, Co-Founder of DCTV, and Keiko Tsuno, Documentarian, Journalist, Co-Founder of DCTV.

Silver Circle Documentary Inductees are Daniel H. Birman, Documentarian, Birman Productions; Lois Vossen, Executive Producer, ITVS; and Christopher White, Executive Producer, American Documentary.

“This year’s Gold & Silver honorees are recognized for their phenomenal and continuing contributions to our television industry,” said Adam Sharp, President and CEO, NATAS. “Their persistent excellence of craft has enabled viewers to be better informed about the issues of the day, even as the character of the news cycle has evolved so markedly over the storied course of their careers. We celebrate the courage of these professionals and salute the vital storytelling they bring to our screens.”

National Hispanic Media Coalition to Honor Colman Domingo at This Year’s Impact Awards Gala

Posted on August 17, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Colman Domingo is makin’ an impact…

The National Hispanic Media Coalition has announced its honorees for this year’s Impact Awards gala, with the 52-year-old Belizean-Guatemalan American actor and social justice activist among those being feted.

Domingo is part of a roster of honorees that includes Francia Raisa, George Lopez, Mayan Lopez and Yvett Merino.

On My Block star Jessica Marie Garcia will serve as host of the festivities; U.S. Congressman Joaquin Castro will make a special appearance.

Returning to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel after last year’s virtual celebration, the Impact Awards celebrate the outstanding individuals dedicating themselves to creating a more inclusive entertainment industry through the positive portrayal of the Latinx community, both in front of and behind the camera.

“This year’s honorees have helped push the industry forward and have been instrumental in the movement for an increased and accurate representation of Latinos in Hollywood from the very start of their careers,” said Brenda Victoria Castillo, President & CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition in a statement. “NHMC is thrilled to be returning to an in-person celebration after a year, and what better way to make our return than by honoring some of Hollywood’s most illustrious movers and shakers.”

The Impact Awards Gala is just one part of the NHMC’s overall mission to spotlight the importance of accurate, fair, and positive representation in media, including advocating for an increased number of Latino writers on major networks, the increased representation of diverse talent on major television and film sets, and educating media and industry executives on the variances of Latino culture.

The Impact Awards gala will take place on September 9.

Gina Torres to Star on Season Two of Fox’s Drama Series “9-1-1: Lone Star”

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Gina Torres is Texas bound…

The 51-year-old Cuban American actress has been cast as a series regular for the second season of Fox’s 9-11 spinoff series 9-1-1: Lone Star.

Torres, best known for her role as Jessica Pearson on USA Network’s Suitsand Pearson, will star opposite Liv Tyler and Rob Lowe on the series.

9-1-1: Lone Star hails from 9-1-1 creators/executive producers Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear.

Set in Austin, it follows Owen (Lowe), a sophisticated New York firefighter who, along with his son, relocates to the Texas capital and must try to balance saving those who are at their most vulnerable with solving the problems in his own life.

Torres will play Paramedic Captain Tommy Vega, who was at the top of her game when she hung up her uniform to raise her twin daughters. For eight years life was great, until COVID-19 changed her life. With her husband’s restaurant going under, Tommy has no choice but to re-enter the workforce to support her family. Though it breaks her heart to be apart from her little girls, Tommy will show the world that no matter how much time has passed, when she puts on that uniform, she’s still a boss.

The role reunites Torres and Minear, who worked together on Fox’s sci-fi drama series Firefly.

“We are so excited to be expanding our 9-1-1-verse with the addition of Gina Torres,” said Minear. “I’ve been dying to write for her again ever since Firefly. Gina brings warmth, intelligence and command to everything she does. 2020 is finally looking up.”

9-1-1: Lone Star is produced by 20th Century Television in association with Ryan Murphy Television and Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision.

Season 2 is scheduled to begin production in Los Angeles later this fall for a premiere in early 2021 as part of the network’s midseason schedule.

Torres earned an ALMA Award, an Imagen Award and the National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Award for Outstanding Performance in a Television Series for her role as Jessica Pearson.

She most recently was cast as the lead of the Dracula reimagining drama pilot The Bridesat ABC. The Alias and Angel alumna also did an arc on HBO’s Westworld.

Tanya Saracho Signs Development Deal with UCP

Posted on August 19, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Things are developing nicely for Tanya Saracho…

The Mexican screenwriterand Vida creator has signed a development deal with UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group.

As part of the deal, Saracho will develop and create original content for television, as well as podcasts via the studio’s UCP Audio extension. She’ll also establish a lab and incubator program for Latinx voices.

“To say that I’m immensely enthusiastic about this union is not enough. This partnership with UCP is a vital opportunity to keep amplifying the voices and stories that matter to me – those brown, queer narratives which have been missing from the landscape, and which are so important to tell,” said Saracho.

“I’m also elated and looking forward to establishing a lab and incubator program aimed to nurture, amplify and empower intersectional Latinx voices,” Saracho added. “And on a personal level, it is greatly gratifying to find a home where I already feel so seen and supported.”

Saracho most recently served as creator, showrunner, and executive producer of Starz’s critically-acclaimed Vida, which aired its third and final season this spring. The series featured all Latinx directors in season one, and all Latina directors in seasons two and three, including Saracho, who made her television directorial debut last year. The series had an all-Latinx writers room for seasons one and two, and in season three, the room was composed of all Latina writers.

Vida won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Series and was also honored by the National Hispanic Media Coalition with the 2019 Impact Award. The series won the Audience Award at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival and made its season two premiere as an Official Selection of the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.

“Tanya came on the scene like a comet with such a strong point of view and a drive to tell culturally diverse stories that push boundaries and open our imaginations. Oh, the places we will go with Tanya’s deep curiosity, experience, commitment, enthusiasm, joy and fervor to tell the diverse stories we haven’t explored on television yet. We are such fans of her work on Vida and are thrilled to partner with her,” said Dawn Olmstead, president, UCP.

“One of our goals at Universal Studio Group is to provide access through on the job training and opportunities to empower the next generation of culturally diverse storytellers. Tanya’s program fully embodies that intention and we look forward to supporting her as she mentors aspiring Latinx writers,” said Bonnie Hammer, chairman, Universal Studio Group. “This is the first of many programs we will be backing across our three studios.”

Saracho was recently honored by the LGBTQ California Legislative Caucus as their 2020 Pride Month Honoree. She received the Rising Star Award at the Outfest Legacy Awards, and was awarded the New Voice Award by Final Draft.

She’s the founder of Teatro Luna, the first all-Latina theatre company in the country, as well as the founder of ALTA (Alliance of Latino Theatre Artists).

Saracho’s other television writing/producing credits include Devious Maids, Looking and How to Get Away with Murder.

Jaime Davila Named to National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Board of Directors

Posted on July 1, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Jaime Davila is coming on Board…

The Latino president and co-founder of Campanario Entertainment and executive producer of Netflix’s highly anticipated Selena: The Series has been appointed to the National Hispanic Media Coalition’s (NHMC) National Board of Directors.

Davila has been an advocate for mainstream Latino representation in the entertainment industry and an active member of the NHMC.

Most recently, he served on NHMC’s 2020 Impact Awards Gala Dinner committee to plan and sponsor the event honoring the Latinx community’s media involvement throughout 2019.

Along with his work on the committee, Davila has also hired NHMC Series Scriptwriters Program alums to projects produced by Campanario Entertainment.

As a member of the Board, Davila will continue his efforts to bring an impactful presence of Latino stories and representation to film, television and beyond.

“Jaime has been a great ally to our organization, and we are elated to have him join as a Board member,” said Brenda Victoria Castillo, the president and CEO of the NHMC. “His knowledge of the industry and determination to amplify Latino voices and authentically tell our stories, will be key as we continue to diversify the entertainment industry.”

“It’s an honor to officially become a part of the NHMC’s board and work with my fellow board members to further strengthen the presence of the Latino community across all media,” said Davila. “Campanario was founded and exists because the entertainment industry, and Hollywood specifically, needs to see that Latino stories matter and are important. It’s been my mission to authentically bring our stories to mainstream audiences. The opportunity to continue to learn from esteemed members of the NHMC that have been at the forefront of this initiative for almost three decades is invigorating.”

Since founding Campanario Entertainment, Davila has created a slate of multilingual content in the US and Mexico, including Netflix’s series about Mexican American star and music icon Selena Quintanilla.

His credits also include Bravo’s Mexican Dynasty, the documentary Colossus as well as the dramedy Como Sobrevivir Soltero, one of the first Amazon Original series to launch for Amazon Prime Video Mexico.

Davila’s career began at ICM and ITV Studios. He then worked at Bravo Network as a development executive under Andy Cohen where he adapted international formats and developed original series, including Best New Restaurant, The People’s Couch and the docuseries The Extreme Guide to Parenting, which was created by Davila. He also worked on the team that developed Vanderpump Rules, Below Deck and Shahs of Sunset.

Gina Torres to Star in ABC’s Supernatural Drama Pilot “The Brides”

Posted on March 3, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Gina Torres is vampin’ things up…

The 50-year-old Cuban American actress will lead the cast of The Brides, ABC’s supernatural drama pilot from Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina developer/executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television.

Written by Aguirre-Sacasa and directed by Maggie Kiley, The Brides, a sexy contemporary reimagining of Dracula, is a family drama with a trio of powerful female leads at its heart. With strong horror elements, The Brides is a vampire soap about empowered, immortal women and the things they do to maintain wealth, prestige, legacy — and their nontraditional family.

Torres plays Cleo Phillips. One of the three Brides of Draculaand the leader of this vampire trio, Cleo is an imperious woman with a queenly manner —understandably, as she was a queen in her former life who was turned by Dracula after the death of her husband. Now a maven of New York City real estate, Cleo is challenged professionally by a mysterious newcomer — even as her ties to her sisters are dangerously fraying.

While the focus will be on the women, the character of Dracula is featured in the show.

Torres recently played Jessica Pearson, first on USA Network’s popular original series Suits and then in the network’s Chicago-set spinoff series Pearson, which Torres headlined and executive produced. The role has earned Torres an ALMA Award, an Imagen Awardand the National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Award for Outstanding Performance in a Television Series.

At ABC, Torres co-starred on the Shondalanddrama series The Catch, recurred on Revenge and toplined the 2016 pilot The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez. Angel and Firefly alumna Torres also did an arc on HBO’s Westwood.

Nuñez to Star in NBC’s “Holding Patterns” Comedy Pilot

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Oscar Nuñez may not be out of work for long following the series finale of NBC’s The Office this May.

The 54-year-old Cuba-born actor has joined the cast of NBC’s comedy pilot Holding Patterns.

Nuñez will portray Mickey, an urbane New York literary agent representing Chad Kirk (Nelson Franklin), a womanizing book author and one of a group of friends whose lives completely change after they survive a plane crash.

Nuñez has spent the last nine seasons as part of supporting cast of the network’s award-winning series about the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.

He’s won two SAG Awards, an ALMA Award and a TV Land Award for portraying paper supply accountant Oscar Martinez on The Office. And the National Hispanic Media Coalition also honored him with an Impact Award.

Calleros to Participate in Fox’s Writers Intensive Program

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Sal Calleros’ professional life is about to get intensive…

The Latino writer, who was most recently a story editor on ABC’s Private Practice, has been selected as one of the 10 finalists to participate in the Fox network’s Fox Writers Intensive, an advanced writers program for experienced writers from diverse backgrounds.

The finalists were chosen from more than 400 nominations and submissions by talent representation and arts organizations, including the National Hispanic Media Coalition, the Sundance Institute, the New York Foundation for the Arts, Outfest, Film Independent, the NAACP, Women in Film LA and the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment and Visual Communications.

Calleros, who graduated from the ABC Writing Fellowship in 2006, says his first true writing gig was for the domestic violence clinic in the San Fernando courthouse, drafting restraining orders to prevent harassment, molestation and abuse. He also worked three years in Family Law, and as a court interpreter, giving him a wealth of legal and life experience, perspective and stories.

Calleros and his fellow finalists will spend the next 13 weeks attending seminars and workshops with executives, writers and showrunners. At the conclusion of the intensive, Fox will select one finalist as the Fox Writers Intensive Fellow, whose submitted original script will be purchased and developed jointly by Fox Broadcasting Co., 20th Century Fox Television and FX. The Fox Writers Intensive Fellow will be announced across all Fox entertainment businesses and will receive one-on-one meetings with network and studio heads, as well as priority staffing efforts across Fox properties.

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