Lopez’s “The Fosters” to be Recognized at the Television Academy Honors

Jennifer Lopez is earning praise from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

The Television Academy has announced this year’s honorees for the Seventh Annual Television Academy Honors, with the 44-year-old Puerto Rican actress/singer/television producer’s The Fosters making the grade.

Jennifer Lopez & The Fosters

The ABC Family drama series, executive-produced by Lopez, is being heralded for carving its own niche within the ever-evolving landscape of modern television.

The show centers on a multi-ethnic family of foster and biological kids being raised by a lesbian couple (Teri Polo and Sherri Saum). They have built a close-knit, loving family when their lives are disrupted in unexpected ways by the addition of a hardened teen girl who has spent her life in the foster care system.

The series stars Jake T. Austin and Cierra Ramirez as two of the couple’s adopted children.

The other programs being recognized are The Big C: Hereafter, Comedy Warriors: Healing Through Humor, Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House Of God, Mom, Screw You Cancer and Vice.

The Television Academy Honors recipients are being honored for using the power of television to bring awareness to important social issues.

For the first time this year, beginning the week of May 25, the recipients will be celebrated with special daily content on the Television Academy’s digital platforms and on Yahoo TV.

Dana Delany will host the awards ceremony set for June 1 at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Santos Lands Recurring Role on ABC Family’s “The Fosters”

Bianca Santos is joining the (ABC) Family

The Latina newcomer has joined the cast of ABC Family‘s The Fosters as a recurring player.

Bianca Santos

From executive producer Jennifer Lopez, the family drama follows two moms and their multi-ethnic family.

The Fosters is a big break for Santos, who will recur in the key role of Lexi, the best friend to fraternal twin Mariana Foster (Cierra Ramirez).

Production began on Friday in Burbank, with pilot director Tim Busfield helming.

Teri Polo, Sherri Saum, Jake T. Austin, Hayden Byerly, David Lambert, Maia Mitchell and Danny Nucci star in The Fosters.

Benny Medina, Joanna Johnson, Blaine Goldsmith Thomas, Elaine Goldsmith Thomas and Greg Gugliotta serve as executive producers along with Lopez on the Nuyorican Productions/Prodco series.

The Fosters will debut at 9:00 pm on June 3 on ABC Family.

Austin & Ramirez’s “The Fosters” to Premiere in June

Jake T. Austin and Cierra Ramirez will be getting their ABC Family close-up this June…

The network has scheduled the premiere date for its new family drama The Fosters, which stars the 18-year-old Puerto Rican, Argentine, and Spanish-American actor and the 17-year-old Latina actress, for early June.The Fosters

Executive-produced by Jennifer Lopez, the one-hour drama revolves around a multi-ethnic family mix of foster and biological kids being raised by two moms Stef (Teri Polo) and Lena (Sherri Saum).

Austin will portray Jesus Foster, while Ramirez will play his sister Mariana.

The Fosters will premiere on Monday, June 3rd at 9:00 pm ET.

Lopez’s “The Fosters” Gets Series Order at ABC Family

Jennifer Lopez is bringing the drama to ABC Family

The network has greenlighted the 43-year-old Puerto Rican multi-hyphenate’s The Fosters to series.

Jennifer Lopez

Executive produced by la Lopez, the scripted drama is a one-hour drama that revolves around a multi-ethnic family mix of foster and biological kids being raised by two moms Stef (Teri Polo) and Lena (Sherri Saum). Wizards of Waverly Place‘s  Jake T. Austin, Hayden Byerly, David Lambert, Maia Mitchell, Danny Nucci and Girl in Progress star Cierra Ramirez co-star. It was co-created by Bradley Bredeweg and Peter Paige.

The Fosters

The Fosters will begin production this spring for a summer launch. The series order for The Fosters is in line with the network’s typical pickups, usually in the range of eight to 12 episodes.

The Fosters joins ABC Family’s growing scripted slate of popular original programming that includes Pretty Little Liars, Switched at Birth, Baby Daddy and the outgoing The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

Austin Cast in J.Lo’s “The Fosters” Pilot for ABC Family

He may no longer be a Russo on the Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place… But Jake T. Austin may soon be forming part of a new TV family.

The 17-year-old Puerto Rican, Argentine and Spanish actor has joined the cast of ABC Family‘s drama pilot The Fosters, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Jake T. Austin

The hour-long drama, executive produced by Jennifer Lopez,  centers on Stef (The West Wing‘s Teri Polo) and Lena Foster (Rescue Me‘s Sherri Saum), a mixed-race lesbian couple who are parents to a biological son Brandon (David Lambert) as well as several adopted children. When Lena decides to take in Callie (Maia Mitchell), a troubled teen with an abusive past, the girl’s disruptive ways threaten to turn the Fosters’ lives upside down.

Austin, who recently guest-starred on Law & Order: SVU and Drop Dead Diva, will portray Jesus Foster, Mariana’s bilingual fraternal twin who may not be as book smart as his sister but is more sensible and pragmatic than she is. He’s described as a charming, hyperkinetic kid who’s on Ritalin.

The casting news comes shortly after Austin wrapped his four-season stint on Wizards of Waverly Place, where he played Selena Gomez’s kid brother Max Russo, one of three wizards, for more than 100 episodes of the series. He’ll reprise the role in the network’s upcoming one-hour special.

The pilot is currently in pre-production for a November shoot in Los Angeles.