Barraza to Star in USA Network’s Drama Pilot “Queen Of The South”

Adriana Barraza’s heading south for the upcoming television season…

The 58-year-old Mexican actress, an Oscar nominee for her performance in Babel, has landed a starring role in USA Network’s drama pilot Queen Of The South.

Adriana Barraza

The project, an English-language adaptation of Telemundo’s blockbuster 2011 telenovela La Reina del Sur, is based on the best-selling book by Arturo Perez-Reverte.

Queen Of The South centers on Teresa Mendoza (portrayed by Alice Braga), who’s forced to go on the run when her drug-dealing boyfriend is unexpectedly murdered in Mexico.

Barraza will play Camilla, the lioness ex-wife of a powerful drug lord who is establishing her own empire in America.

She quickly becomes a mother figure to Teresa (Braga), but their relationship escalates into a battle of wills that will leave more than a few bodies in its wake.

Barraza most recently appeared in Guillermo del Toro’s FX series The Strain and the feature Cake. Her 0ther film credits include Amores Perros, Thor, Drag Me To Hell and The 33.

The Queen of the South cast includes Justina Machado and Hemky Madera.

Madera to Star in the USA Network’s Drama Pilot “Queen Of The South”

Hemky Madera’s next role is taking him south

The 37-year-old Dominican American actor has landed a role opposite Alice Braga in the USA Network’s drama pilot Queen Of The South.

Hemky Madera

The project is an English-language adaptation of Telemundo’s blockbuster 2011 telenovela La Reina Del Sur, starring Kate del Castillo.

Based on the best-selling book by Arturo Perez-Reverte, Queen Of The South centers on Teresa Mendoza (Braga), who’s forced to go on the run when her drug-dealing boyfriend is unexpectedly murdered in Mexico. She seeks refuge in America, where she teams with an unlikely figure from her past to bring down the leader of the very drug trafficking ring that has her on the run. In the process, she learns the tools of the trade and strategically positions herself to become the leader of the cartel.

Madera will portray violent cartel henchman Pote Galvez.

His previous credits include appearances on Weeds, New Girl, The New Normal, Burn Notice, Luck and My Name is Earl.

USA Network Looking to Adapt Telemundo’s “La Reina del Sur”

Telemundo’s La Reina del Sur is about to get an English-language makeover…

The USA Network has given a pilot order to The Queen of the South, an English-language adaptation of the blockbuster 2011 telenovela starring Kate del Castillo.

La Reina del Sur Poster

Frequent USA collaborator Fox Television Studios (White Collar, Graceland) is set to produce the project. In his television debut, feature producer David T. Friendly (Little Miss Sunshine), who brought the project to the studio, is executive producing.

Based on the best-selling book of the same by Arturo Perez-Reverte, Queen of the South is a serialized crime drama that centers on Teresa Mendoza. When her drug-dealing boyfriend is unexpectedly murdered in Mexico, Teresa is forced to go on the run and seek refuge in America, where she teams with an unlikely figure from her past to bring down the leader of the very drug trafficking ring that has her on the run. In the process, she learns the tools of the trade and strategically positions herself to become the leader of the cartel.

M.A. Fortin and Joshua John Miller (The Final Girls) wrote the script and will also executive produce the series with Pancho Mansfield.

La Reina Del Sur is not a typical telenovela, with critics noting that is feels closer to Breaking Bad than One Life To Live, and Telemundo giving it a major Emmy campaign. It was Telemundo’s most expensive telenovela ever with a budget of $10 million and became the highest-rated program in the Spanish-language network’s 19-year history, averaging nearly 4.2 million total viewers and more than 2.8 million viewers adults 18-49. Its May 30, 2011 series finale was the No. 1 broadcast program of the night, of any language.

Queen of the South joins USA’s other pilots Stanistan, Mr. Robot and Colony.