Gomez Receives Four Teen Choice Award Nods in Second Wave of Nominations

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Selena Gomez is still the teen choice…

The second wave of Teen Choice Awards nominations have been revealed, with the 22-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress leading the pack of Latino nominees with four nods.

Gomez, who took home the Ultimate Choice award at last year’s show, is nominated in the Choice Summer Music Star category. She’s up against Demi Lovato, a two-time nominee this round, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna and Taylor Swift.

Additionally, Gomez is nominated for Choice Break-Up Song for her Justin Bieber-inspired single “The Heart Wants What It Wants,” Choice Party Song for “I Want You to Know,” her collaboration with Zedd, Choice Summer Song for her latest single “Good For You,” featuring A$AP Rocky.

Meanwhile, Empire star Jussie Smollett has earned three nominations. The 32-year-old Brazilian American actor/singer is up for Choice TV: Breakout Star, facing off against Jane the Virgin star Gina Rodriguez, a two-time nominee, as well as Empire co-star Bryshere “Yazz” Gray, The Flash’s Grant Gustin and Candice Patton, and Black-ish’s Yara Shahidi.

Other nominees include Fifth Harmony (3), Bruno Mars (2), Sofia Vergara (2), Tyler Posey (1), Bella Thorne (1), Michelle Rodriguez (1), Victor Espinoza (1) and Bella Twins (1).

The show will air live Aug. 16 at 8 p.m. on Fox. Voting for Wave Two is open via Facebook, Instagram, TeenChoice.com and Twitter.

From now through July 24 at 12 p.m. PT, fans can vote once each day per category, per platform user ID, for the Wave Two nominees. Teen Choice Awards host(s), performers, presenters and additional nominees will be announced at a later date.

Here are the Wave Two nominees:

Movies

Choice Movie Villain (#ChoiceMovieVillain)
Rose Byrne, Spy
Vincent D’Onofrio, Jurassic World
Jason Statham, Furious 7
Donald Sutherland, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
Bella Thorne, The DUFF
Kate Winslet, Insurgent

Choice Movie Scene Stealer (#ChoiceMovieSceneStealer)
Adam DeVine, Pitch Perfect 2
Chris Evans, Avengers: Age of Ultron
Green Bay Packers, Pitch Perfect 2
Nicholas Hoult, Mad Max: Fury Road
Hailee Steinfeld, Pitch Perfect 2
Miles Teller, Insurgent

Choice Movie Breakout Star (#ChoiceMovieBreakoutStar)
Thomas Brodie-Sangster, The Maze Runner
Cara Delevingne, Paper Towns
Scott Eastwood, The Longest Ride
Taron Egerton, Kingsman: The Secret Service
Thomas Mann, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Elizabeth Olsen, Avengers: Age of Ultron

Choice Movie Chemistry (#ChoiceMovieChemistry)
Jim Carrey & Jeff Daniels, Dumb and Dumber To
Vin Diesel, Tyrese Gibson, Dwayne Johnson, Ludacris, Michelle Rodriguez & Paul Walker, Furious 7
Anna Kendrick & Brittany Snow, Pitch Perfect 2
Thomas Mann & RJ Cyler, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Dylan O’Brien & Thomas Brodie-Sangster, The Maze Runner
Sofia Vergara & Reese Witherspoon, Hot Pursuit

Choice Movie Liplock (#ChoiceMovieLiplock)
Jennifer Lawrence & Liam Hemsworth, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
Blake Lively & Michiel Huisman, The Age of Adaline
Mae Whitman & Robbie Amell, The Duff
Rebel Wilson & Adam DeVine, Pitch Perfect 2
Reese Witherspoon & Sofia Vergara, Hot Pursuit
Shailene Woodley & Theo James, Insurgent

Choice Movie Hissy Fit (#ChoiceMovieHissyFit)
Lewis Black as “Anger,” Inside Out
Bryce Dallas Howard, Jurassic World
Anna Kendrick, Pitch Perfect 2
Melissa McCarthy, Spy
Reese Witherspoon, Hot Pursuit

Choice Summer Movie (#ChoiceSummerMovie)
Inside Out
Jurassic World
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Paper Towns
Spy
Terminator Genisys

Choice Summer Movie Star: Male (#ChoiceSummerMovieStarMale)
Dwayne Johnson, San Andreas
Chris Pratt, Jurassic World
Paul Rudd, Ant-Man
Adam Sandler, Pixels
Channing Tatum, Magic Mike XXL
Nat Wolff, Paper Towns

Choice Summer Movie Star: Female (#ChoiceSummerMovieStarFemale)
Emilia Clarke, Terminator Genisys
Cara Delevingne, Paper Towns
Bryce Dallas Howard, Jurassic World
Evangeline Lilly, Ant-Man
Melissa McCarthy, Spy
Amy Poehler as “Joy,” Inside Out

TELEVISION

Choice TV Villain (#ChoiceTVVillain)
“A,” Pretty Little Liars
Tom Cavanagh, The Flash
The Dread Doctors, Teen Wolf
Terrence Howard, Empire
Matt Nable, Arrow
Chris Wood, The Vampire Diaries

Choice TV: Scene Stealer (#ChoiceTVSceneStealer)
Trai Byers, Empire
Kat Graham, The Vampire Diaries
Dylan O’Brien, Teen Wolf
Sasha Pieterse, Pretty Little Liars
Bella Thorne, Scream
Ashley Tisdale, Young & Hungry

Choice TV: Breakout Star (#ChoiceTVBreakoutStar)
Bryshere “Yazz” Gray, Empire
Grant Gustin, The Flash
Candice Patton, The Flash
Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Yara Shahidi, Black-ish
Jussie Smollett, Empire

Choice TV: Breakout Show (#ChoiceTVBreakoutShow)
Becoming Us
Black-ish
Empire
iZombie
Jane the Virgin
Younger

Choice TV: Chemistry (#ChoiceTVChemistry)
Jensen Ackles & Misha Collins, Supernatural
Trai Byers, Bryshere “Yazz” Gray, Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard and Jussie Smollett, Empire
Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Simon Helberg & Kunal Nayyar, The Big Bang Theory
Kat Graham & Ian Somerhalder, The Vampire Diaries
Grant Gustin & Candice Patton, The Flash
Ross Lynch & Laura Marano, Austin & Ally

Choice TV: Liplock (#ChoiceTVLiplock)
Candice Accola & Paul Wesley, The Vampire Diaries
Nina Dobrev & Ian Somerhalder, The Vampire Diaries
Jennifer Morrison & Colin O’Donoghue, Once Upon a Time
Candice Patton & Grant Gustin, The Flash
Emily Bett Rickards & Stephen Amell, Arrow
Gina Rodriguez & Justin Baldoni, Jane the Virgin

Choice Summer TV Show (#ChoiceSummerTVShow)
Baby Daddy
Chasing Life
Faking It
Scream
So You Think You Can Dance
Teen Wolf

Choice Summer TV Star: Male (#ChoiceSummerTVStarMale)
Tyler Blackburn, Pretty Little Liars
David Lambert, The Fosters
Ross Lynch, Teen Beach 2
Tyler Posey, Teen Wolf
Gregg Sulkin, Faking It
Mike Vogel, Under The Dome

Choice Summer TV Star: Female (#ChoiceSummerTVStarFemale)
Troian Bellisario, Pretty Little Liars
Ashley Benson, Pretty Little Liars
Willa Fitzgerald, Scream
Laura Marano, Austin & Ally
Maia Mitchell, Teen Beach 2
Italia Ricci, Chasing Life

Music

Choice International Artist (#ChoiceInternationalArtist)
2NE1
5 Seconds of Summer
Girls Generation
Little Mix
One Direction
Super Junior

Choice Country Song (#ChoiceCountrySong)
Luke Bryan, “Kick the Dust Up”
Florida Georgia Line, “Sippin’ On Fire”
Hunter Hayes, “21”
Sam Hunt, “Take Your Time”
Megan & Liz, “That Ghost”
Carrie Underwood, “Little Toy Guns”

Choice R&B/Hip-Hop Song (#ChoiceRBHipHopSong)
Flo Rida featuring Robin Thicke & Verdine White, “I Don’t Like It, I Love It”
Rihanna, “Bitch Better Have My Money”
Rihanna & Kanye West & Paul McCartney, “FourFiveSeconds”
Silento, “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)”
The Weeknd, “Earned It”
Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth, “See You Again”

Choice Rock Song (#ChoiceRockSong)
George Ezra, “Budapest”
Fall Out Boy, “Uma Thurman”
Hozier, “Take Me To Church”
Imagine Dragons , “I Bet My Life”
Twenty One Pilots, “Tear In My Heart”
X Ambassadors, “Renegades”

Choice Love Song (#ChoiceLoveSong)
Fifth Harmony, “Sledgehammer”
Little Mix, “Black Magic”
Maroon 5, “Sugar”
One Direction, “Night Changes”
Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”
The Weeknd, “Earned It”

Choice Break-Up Song (#ChoiceBreakupSong)
Selena Gomez, “The Heart Wants What It Wants”
Elle King, “Ex’s & Oh’s
Ed Sheeran, “Don’t”
Skrillex & Diplo with Justin Bieber, “Where Are You Now?”
Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar, “Bad Blood”
Meghan Trainor, “Lips Are Movin”

Choice Party Song (#ChoicePartySong)
One Direction, “No Control”
Rihanna, “B**** Better Have My Money”
Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk”
Taylor Swift, “Blank Space”
Walk The Moon, “Shut Up and Dance”
Zedd featuring Selena Gomez, “I Want You to Know”

Choice Music Breakout Artist (#ChoiceMusicBreakoutArtist)
Andy Grammer
Little Mix
Tove Lo
Rachel Patten
Meghan Trainor
The Weeknd

Choice Music: Next Big Thing (#ChoiceMusicNextBigThing)
Clark Beckham
Kalin and Miles
Skate Maloley
Bea Miller
Neon Jungle
Spring King

Choice Music: Collaboration (#ChoiceMusicCollaboration)
David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha & Afrojack, “Hey Mama”
Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk”
Skrillex & Diplo with Justin Bieber, “Where Are You Now”
Britney Spears & Iggy Azalea, “Pretty Girls”
Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar, “Bad Blood”
Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth, “See You Again”

Choice Song from a Movie or TV Show (#ChoiceMovieTVSong)
Ellie Goulding, “Love Me Like You Do” from Fifty Shades of Grey
Empire Cast featuring Jussie Smollett & Yazz, “You’re So Beautiful”
Jessie J, “Flashlight” from Pitch Perfect 2
Ross Lynch, Maia Mitchell, Garrett Clayton, Grace Phipps, John Deluca & Jordan Fisher, “Gotta Be Me” from Teen Beach Movie 2
Shawn Mendes, “Believe” from Descendants
Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth, “See You Again” from Furious 7

Choice Summer Song (#ChoiceSummerSong)
Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink, “Worth It”
Selena Gomez featuring A$AP Rocky, “Good For You”
Demi Lovato, “Cool for the Summer”
Omi, “Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix Radio Edit)”
Rachel Platten, “Fight Song”
Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar, “Bad Blood”

Choice Summer Music Star: Female (#ChoiceSummerMusicStarFemale)
Selena Gomez
Ariana Grande
Demi Lovato
Nicki Minaj
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

Choice Summer Music Star: Male (#ChoiceSummerMusicStarMale)
Justin Bieber
Jason Derulo
Andy Grammer
Shawn Mendes
Ed Sheeran
The Weeknd

Choice Summer Music Star: Group (#ChoiceSummerMusicStarGroup)
5 Seconds of Summer
Echosmith
Fifth Harmony
Little Mix
Maroon 5
One Direction

Choice Summer Tour (#ChoiceSummerTour)
5 Seconds of Summer, Rock Out With Your Socks Out
Fall Out Boy & Wiz Khalifa, The Boys of Zummer Tour
Ariana Grande, The Honeymoon Tour
One Direction, On the Road Again Tour
Ed Sheeran, X World Tour
Taylor Swift, The 1989 World Tour

Sports

Choice Male Athlete (#ChoiceMaleAthlete)
American Pharoah & Victor Espinoza
Tom Brady
Stephen Curry
LeBron James
Cristiano Ronaldo
Jordan Spieth

Choice Female Athlete (#ChoiceFemaleAthlete)
The Bella Twins
Simone Biles
Danica Patrick
Ronda Rousey
Serena Williams
The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team

OTHER

Choice Selfie Taker (#ChoiceSelfieTaker)
Justin Bieber
Kylie Jenner
Kim Kardashian
One Direction
Rihanna
Nicole Scherzinger

Choice Dancer (#ChoiceDancer)
Stephen “tWitch” Boss
Allison Holker
Derek Hough
Les Twins
Chloe Lukasiak
Maddie Ziegler

Choice Model (#ChoiceModel)
Hailey Baldwin
Cara Delevingne
Gigi Hadid
Kendall Jenner
Karlie Kloss
Robyn Lawley

Messi: The Top-Ranking Latino on Forbes’ Celebrity 100 List

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is a Latino at the top of the global earnings game…

The 28-year-old Argentine soccer star has earned the No. 13 spot on Forbes’ Celebrity 100, the list of the world’s highest-paid superstars of 2015.

Messi, the highest-ranking Latino on the list of the highest paid entertainers on the planet had earnings of $74 million during the reporting period.

In 2014, Spanish club Barcelona awarded Messi, a four-time FIFA player of the year, with a $9 million a year raise in his seventh contract since 2005, bringing his take home pay to $50 million a year through 2018. Messi holds records for most goals in Barca competitions, most goals in La Liga competitions, most goals scored in a calendar year and most hat tricks scored. That incredible talent is why sponsor Samsung cast him as superhero Iron Man in their ad to promote the Avengers film. It’s also why his main sponsor Adidas launched a Messi icon line of shoes and apparel, which has exceeded company sales expectations, including in the U.S.

He recently ranked as the top-ranking Latino on Forbes’ 2015 list of the World’s Highest-Paid Athletes, coming in at No. 4.

Meanwhile, Gisele Bündchen has earned the distinction of highest-ranking Latina on this year’s list.

The 34-year-old Brazilian supermodel, who has been the highest-paid model in the world since 2004, comes in at No. 46 with earnings of $44 million.

Bündchen, the world’s highest-paid model in 2014, continues to out-earn her younger counterparts. Despite rumors that she was retiring from the runway, Bündchen’s earnings have not suffered. She continues to land lucrative fragrance and beauty contracts with Carolina Herrera and Chanel, supplementing those deals with high fashion campaigns for Emilio Pucci and Balenciaga. Her Under Armour advertisement, which showed her attacking a punching bag while social media commentary blared in the background, was one of the most impactful this year. Bündchen has turned her name into a brand: she gets a cut of sales from the jelly sandals she designs for Brazilian shoemaker Grendene, while her line of Hope lingerie – Gisele Bündchen Intimates – also pumps up her paycheck.

Coming in at No. 52 is Bruno Mars, with earnings of $40 million.

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter’s recent collaboration with Mark Ronson, “Uptown Funk,” spent 14 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. It was only one of many reasons Mars solidified his place on the Celebrity 100. After being the featured musician in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Class of 2014, Mars continued to make a name for himself by completing his Moonshine Jungle tour. He’s currently working on his next album, and if it is anything like his previous studio effort, Mars can expect the awards and dollars to keep rolling in.

In all, 10 Latino/a celebrities made this year’s list, including tennis star Rafael Nadal, soccer phenom Neymar and multi-hyphenate extraordinaire Jennifer Lopez.

Here’s the complete list of Latino superstars on Forbes’ Celebrity 100 list:

No. 13 Lionel Messi, $74 million
No. 46 Gisele Bündchen, $44 million
No. 52 Bruno Mars, $40 million
No. 63 Fernando Alonso, $35.5 million
No. 76 Rafael Nadal, $32.5 million
No. 82 Neymar, $31 million
No. 86 Carmelo Anthony, $30.5 million
No. 89 James Rodriguez, $29 million
No. 95 Jennifer Lopez, $28.5 million
No. 95 Sofia Vergara, $28.5 million

Rodriguez & Her “Jane the Virgin” Co-Stars to Appear at This Year’s PaleyFest

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Gina Rodriguez is ready to open up about her Virgin-ity…

The 30-year-old Puerto Rican actress, who won her first-ever Golden Globe winner last month for her performance on Jane the Virgin, will make an appearance at this year’s PaleyFest, sponsored by the Paley Center for Media.

Rodriguez and her cast mates, including Andrea Nevado, Jamie Camil, Ivonne Coll and Justin Baldoni, will take part in a special presentation to speak about the acclaimed CW series, which earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Comedy Series.

The Jane the Virgin panel presentation will take place on Sunday, March 15 at 4:00 pm at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

PaleyFest is a must-see pop cultural event produced by the Paley Center that brings fans together with the talent behind their favorite shows. The audience enjoys episodes or highlights of the featured work, followed by panel discussions and Q&A sessions.

But Rodriguez and her Jane the Virgin cast members aren’t the only Latinos to take center stage…

Guillermo Diaz, who portrays Huck on ABC’s Scandal, will take part in the show’s presentation on Sunday, March 8 at 7:00 pm.

Tyler Posey, who portrays Scott McCall on MTV’s Teen Wolf, will participate in the show’s presentation on Wednesday, March 11 at 7:00 pm.

Lea Michele, who stars as Rachel Berry on Fox’s musical dramedy Glee, will take part in the show’s presentation on Friday, March 13 at 7:00 pm.

Carlos Valdes, who portrays Cisco Ramon on the CW’s The Flash, will participate in the show’s presentation on Saturday, March 14 at 4:00pm.

And last, but certainly not least, Sofia Vergara will participate in the presentation for ABC’s Modern Family on Saturday, March 14 at 8:00 pm.

Here’s a look at the PaleyFest presentation schedule featuring Latino talent:

Sunday, March 8:
Scandal* (7:00pm)
Moderator: Jimmy Kimmel, Host, Jimmy Kimmel Live
Kerry Washington, “Olivia Pope”
Guillermo Diaz, “Huck”
Scott Foley, “Jake Ballard”
Tony Goldwyn, “President Fitzgerald ‘Fitz’ Grant”
Katie Lowes, “Quinn Perkins”
Joshua Malina, “David Rosen”
Jeff Perry, “Cyrus Beene”
Darby Stanchfield, “Abby Whelan”
Bellamy Young, “Mellie Grant”
Joe Morton, “Rowan Pope”

Wednesday, March 11:
Teen Wolf (7:00pm)
Moderator: Jarett Wieselman, BuzzFeed
Tyler Posey, “Scott McCall”
Dylan O’Brien, “Stiles Stilinski”
Holland Roden, “Lydia Martin”
Dylan Sprayberry, “Liam Dunbar”
Shelley Hennig, “Malia Tate”
Arden Cho, “Kira Yukimura”\
Jeff Davis, Executive Producer

Friday, March 13:
Glee* (7:00pm)
Moderator: TBA
Jane Lynch, “Sue Sylvester”
Lea Michele, “Rachel Berry”
Chris Colfer, “Kurt Hummel”
Amber Riley, “Mercedes Jones”
Darren Criss, “Blaine Anderson”
Dot-Marie Jones, “Shannon Beiste”

Saturday, March 14:
Arrow & The Flash (4:00pm)
Arrow:
Moderator and panelists to be announced

The Flash
Moderator: TBA
Grant Gustin, “Barry Allen/The Flash”
Jesse L. Martin, “Det. Joe West”
Tom Cavanagh, “Dr. Harrison Wells”
Candice Patton, “Iris West”
Rick Cosnett, “Det. Eddie Thawne”
Danielle Panabaker, “Dr. Caitlin Snow”
Carlos Valdes, “Cisco Ramon”
Greg Berlanti, Executive Producer
Andrew Kreisberg, Executive Producer

Saturday, March 14:
Modern Family (8:00pm)
Moderator: TBA
Ty Burrell, “Phil Dunphy”
Julie Bowen, “Claire Dunphy”
Ed O’Neill, “Jay Pritchett”
Sofia Vergara, “Gloria Delgado-Pritchett”
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, “Mitchell Pritchett”
Eric Stonestreet, “Cameron Tucker”
Nolan Gould, “Luke Dunphy”
Sarah Hyland, “Haley Dunphy”
Ariel Winter, “Alex Dunphy”\
Steve Levitan, Creator & Executive Producer

Sunday, March 15:
Jane The Virgin (4:00pm)
Moderator: TBA
Gina Rodriguez, “Jane Villanueva”
Andrea Nevado, “Xiomara Villanueva”
Jamie Camil, “Rogelio De La Vega”
Ivonne Coll, “Alba Villanueva”
Brett Dier, “Michael Cordero Jr.”
Justin Baldoni, “Rafael Solano”
Yael Grobglas, “Petra Solano”
Jennie Urman, Executive Producer & Showrunner
Ben Silverman, Executive Producer

Cruz’s “Orange is the New Black” Pulls Off a Big Upset at the SAG Awards

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

It’s look like Orange is the new Modern, as Jackie Cruz and her castmates have taken down Sofia Vergara and her co-stars…

Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, featuring the Dominican American in her role as “Flaca,” took home the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series on Sunday night, upsetting reigning champion Modern Family.

The ABC series starring Vergara and Rico Rodriguez had previously won the award for years in a row for Cruz’s Orange Is the New Black, a first-time nominee in the category, pulled off the upset this year.

In addition to Cruz, the series also features Latinas Diane Guerrero, Selenis Leyva, Dascha Polanco and Elizabeth Rodriguez.
On the film side, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman cast took home the award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

Here’s a complete look at the big winners:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Birdman

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Julianne Moore, Still Alice

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
Downton Abbey

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Orange Is the New Black

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
William H. Macy, Shameless

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black

Vergara Reportedly Engaged to Actor-Boyfriend Joe Manganiello

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Wedding bells are ringing for Sofia Vergara…

The 42-year-old Colombian actress and Modern Family star and her current boyfriend, actor Joe Manganiello, are reportedly engaged to be married, according to several U.S. media outlets.

While neither of the artists’ reps have confirmed the news, showbiz publications like US Weekly say the actor asked for Vergara’s hand in marriage on Christmas Day during the couple’s vacation trip to Hawaii.

According to US Weekly, which cites sources close to the couple, the True Blood star asked Vergara to marry him in the presence of family, after they had been dating for almost six months.

Vergara has not confirmed the news on social networks, but used her Twitter account on Dec. 28 to congratulate Manganiello on his 38th birthday.

Last May, the Colombian announced that her engagement to businessman Nick Loeb was over and done with, after they had been in a relationship since 2010 and engaged since July 2012, when on a trip to Mexico’s Riviera Maya he proposed tying the knot.

It would be the first marriage for Manganiello, while it will be the second for Vergara. She has a 22-year-old son named Manolo from her marriage to high school sweetheart Jose Luis Gonzalez.

Blacc Receives Two NAACP Image Award Nominations

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Aloe Blacc may be the man to beat…

The 35-year-old Panamanian American singer-songwriter has landed two NAACP Image Award nods, making him this year’s most nominated Latino entertainer.

Presented by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the awards honor outstanding people of color in film, television, music and literature.

Blacc, earning his first-ever Image Award nominations, received a nod for Outstanding New Artist, where he’s up against
Erica Campbell, Jhene Aiko, Liv Warfield and the  3 Winans Brothers.

Additionally, he scored a nomination in the Outstanding Song category for his smash hit single “The Man.”

Meanwhile, Sofia Vergara has earned fourth NAACP Image Award nomination the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category for her star-making role as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on ABC’s Modern Family. The 42-year-old Colombian actress, ranked as one of the most powerful women in the world by Forbes, won the award in 2011.

Zoe Saldaña picked up a nomination in the Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance for her voice work on Guillermo del Toro’s animated film The Book of Life. The 35-year-old half-Dominican/half-Puerto Rican American actress voices the character of Maria in the CGI romantic comedy, which is set during the Mexican holiday of the Day of the Dead.

Other Latinos nominated for a 2015 NAACP Image Award include Scandal’s Guillermo Diaz, Dora and Friends: Into the City’s Fatima Ptacek, Soledad O’Brien and Rosie Perez.

The 46th annual NAACP Image Awards will be handed out on February 6 in a ceremony telecast live by TV One.

Here’s the full list of categories with Latino nominees:

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
Jamie Foxx – “Rio 2″ (20th Century Fox)
Loretta Devine – “Doc McStuffins” (Disney Junior)
Morgan Freeman – “The Lego Movie” (Warner Bros. Pictures/Village Roadshow Pictures/Ratpac-Dune Entertainment/Lego System A/S/Vertigo Entertainment/Lin Pictures)
Tracy Morgan – “The Boxtrolls” (Focus Features)
Zoe Saldana – “The Book of Life” (20th Century Fox)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Adrienne C. Moore – “Orange is the New Black” (Netflix)
Laverne Cox – “Orange is the New Black” (Netflix)
Lorraine Toussaint – “Orange is the New Black” (Netflix)
Sofia Vergara – “Modern Family” (ABC)
Yara Shahidi – “black-ish” (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Alfred Enoch – “How to Get Away with Murder” (ABC)
Courtney B. Vance – “Masters of Sex” (Showtime)
Guillermo Diaz – “Scandal” (ABC)
Jeffrey Wright – “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO)
Joe Morton – “Scandal” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Youth in a Youth/Children’s Program (Series or Special)
Amber Montana – “Haunted Hathaways” (Nickelodeon)
China Anne McClain – “How to Build a Better Boy” (Disney Channel)
Curtis Harris – “Haunted Hathaways” (Nickelodeon)
Fatima Ptacek – “Dora and Friends: Into The City!” (Nickelodeon)
Taliyah Whitaker – “Wallykazam!” (Nickelodeon)

Outstanding Documentary (Television)
“American Experience: Freedom Summer” (PBS)
“Bad Boys” (ESPN)
“Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown” (HBO)
“Rand University” (ESPN)
 “The War Comes Home: Soledad O’Brien Reports” (CNN)

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
Brigette Munoz-Liebowitz – “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” – Road Trip (FOX)
Aisha Muharrar – “Parks and Recreation” – Ann & Chris (NBC)
Regina Hicks – “Instant Mom” – A Kids’s Choice (Nickelodeon and Nick@Nite)
Sara Hess – “Orange is the New Black” – It Was the Change (Netflix)
Mindy Kaling – “The Mindy Project” – Danny and Mindy (FOX)

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
Ken Whittingham – “Parks and Recreation” – Prom (NBC)
Ken Whittingham – “The Mindy Project” – Think Like a Peter (FOX)
Reginald Hudlin – “Bad Judge” – Knife to a Gunfight (NBC)
Linda Mendoza – “Bad Judge” – One Brave Waitress (NBC)
Stan Lathan – “Real Husbands of Hollywood” – No New Friends (BET)

Outstanding New Artist
Aloe Blacc (XIX Recordings/Interscope Records)
Erica Campbell (My Block Inc./eOne Music)
Jhene Aiko (Def Jam Recordings)
Liv Warfield (Kobalt Label Services)
3 Winans Brothers (BMG)

Outstanding Song
“We Are Here” – Alicia Keys (RCA Records)
“The Man” – Aloe Blacc (Interscope Records)
“Pretty Hurts” – Beyoncé (Columbia Records)
“i” – Kendrick Lamar (TDE/Interscope)
“Good Kisser” – Usher (RCA Records)

Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/ Auto Biography
 “Breaking Ground: My Life in Medicine” – Louis Sullivan with David Chanoff (University of Georgia Press)
“Handbook for an Unpredictable Life: How I Survived Sister Renata and My Crazy Mother, and Still Came Out Smiling (with Great Hair)” – Rosie Perez (Crown Archetype)
“Life In Motion” – Misty Copeland (Touchstone)
“Mayor for Life” – Marion Barry, Omar Tyree (Strebor Books)
“Stand Up Straight and Sing!” – Jessye Norman (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Outstanding Literary Work – Children
“Beautiful Moon” – Tonya Bolden (Author), Eric Velasquez (Illustrator) (Abrams/Abrams Books for Young Readers)
“Little Melba and Her Big Trombone” – Katheryn Russell-Brown (Author), Frank Morrison (Illustrator) (Lee & Low Books)
“Malcolm Little” – Ilyasah Shabazz (Author), AG Ford (Illustrator) (Simon & Schuster)
“Searching for Sarah Rector” – Tonya Bolden (Abrams/Abrams Books for Young Readers)
“Dork Diaries 8: Tales From A Note-So-Happily Ever After” – Rachel Renee Russell with Nikki Russell and Erin Russell (Simon & Schuster)

Rodriguez Named to Time Magazine’s 25 Most Influential Teens List

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Rico Rodriguez is a teen sensation and inspiration…

The 16-year-old Latino actor and SAG Award winner, best known for his role as Sofia Vergara’s son on ABC’s Modern Family, has been named to Time magazine’s 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014.

The names included in the second annual spotlight were selected after the publication “analyzed social-media followings, cultural accolades, business acumen and more.”

Rodriguez was heralded for his scene-stealing role as Manny Delgado on ABC’s smash-hit comedy, as well as the hefty paycheck he gets. According to reports, he’ll earn a whopping $115,000 per episode if the show continues through season eight.

But Rodriguez isn’t the only Latino/a to make the list…

Becky G, named to Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list, earned a spot on the list.

The 17-year-old Mexican American singer/rapper was signed by mega-producer Dr. Luke in 2011 after watching her YouTube covers. The investment paid off: Becky G saw her track, “Shower,” chart in more than a dozen countries and become a top 20 hit in the U.S. this summer. When she’s not writing her own music, she represents CoverGirl as one of its youngest-ever Latina spokeswomen and helps craft tunes for other pop acts, like Cher Lloyd and fellow teen Cody Simpson.

The final Latin artist on the list: Bethany Mota.

The 18-year-old half-Mexican YouTube vlogger and fashionista, a competitor on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars this season, has built her YouTube channel, Macbarbie07, into a massive business—with 7.4 million subscribers, 565 million-plus views, and between $500,000 and $750,000 in annual ad revenue. And now she’s expanding her empire. This year, along with competing on DWTS, Mota served as a guest judge on Project Runway, all while overseeing the clothing line she launched with Aéropostale. She also released her first single, “Need You Right Now.”

Visit Time for the full list, including a Nobel Peace Prize winner, young entrepreneurs, political activists, athletes, chefs and scientists.

Mattel Releases Mariachi Barbie to Commemorate Mexican Independence Day

Posted on September 7, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Barbie is ready to celebrate Mexican history…

Mattel has released a brand new Mexican Barbie to commemorate el 16 de Septiembre, Mexican Independence Day.

Mariachi Barbie dons a fitted black bolero jacket, cropped pants trimmed in an intricate golden brocade, and a wide-brimmed sombrero. Barbie completes her look with tall black boots and a pink ribbon bow tie.

The doll celebrates “one of Mexico’s most representative traditions in music and culture” and will be available to the public in September, the company said in a statement. Mariachi Barbie joins the 2014 Barbie Dolls of the World Collection.

Just last year Mattel faced criticism for releasing a Mexican Barbie dressed in a pink, ruffled dress and holding a chihuahua and a passport. ”

It would be nice to see some contemporary images from these countries,” Felix Sanchez, chairman and co-founder of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts told Fox News Latino at the time. “These images seem very dated and seem to have been created for a different time.”

But Sanchez doesn’t have any qualms about the new Mexican Barbie.

“Well, at least she’s not coming off as sexy Latina Barbie, spinning on a pedestal,” Felix Sanchez told Buzzfeed, referring to Sofia Vergara’s largely criticized Emmy’s skit. “This is an image that does exist. It helps us embrace toy making in a way that makes it relevant and authentic.”

Vergara: Television’s Highest Paid Actress for a Third Straight Year

Posted on September 6, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s mo’ money, mo’ honors for Sofia Vergara…

For the third straight year, the 42-year-old Colombian actress and Modern Family star tops Forbes’ list of the television’s highest paid actresses.

Vergara reportedly earned an estimated $37 million between June 2013 and June 2014, according to the financial magazine. That’s more than the top-earning television actor, Ashton Kutcher ($26 million).

While the actress earns a reported $325,000 per episode on her Emmy-winning ABC comedy series, the bulk of her earnings come from her lucrative endorsements and licensing deals. Vergara is the face of Diet Pepsi, CoverGirl, Head & Shoulders, AT&T and the medication Synthroid.

She’s the also the co-founder of Latin World Entertainment, a multi-million dollar empire. The talent management and entertainment-marketing firm recently teamed up with CNET to launch a Spanish-language tech news site. Vergara’s brand also continues to grow thanks to her 12-year deal with Kmart, a strategic move to better appeal to Hispanic shoppers.

Earlier this year, she also launched her first fragrance for HSN and starred in the indie movie Chef, which received rave critical reviews and became the only summer indie to hit $30 million at the box office.

Vergara’s annual take is up from last year’s high of $30 million and her $19-million estimate in 2012.

Vergara: The Best-Dressed Latina at the 2014 Primetime Emmy Awards

Posted on August 26, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Despite not earning an Emmy nomination this year, Sofia Vergara still managed to take home one award… the Best-Dressed Latina on the Primetime Emmy Awards red carpet.

The 42-year-old Colombian actress and Modern Family star, a presenter during Monday night’s awards show at Los Angeles’ Nokia Theater L.A. Live, looked white haute on the red carpet in a body-hugging and curve-flaunting gown.

The white strapless mermaid Roberto Cavalli dress with silver detailing not only put Vergara’s ample cleavage on full display, but it perfectly showed off her toned figure.

Vergara paired her eye-catching gown with Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.

But Vergara wasn’t the only Latina to don white on the red carpet…

Camila Alves played a little game of peek-a-boo at the Emmys.

The 32-year-old Brazilian model and fashionista dazzled on the red carpet while escorting her Emmy-nominated husband Matthew McConaughey.

Alves dazzled in an oh-so-revealing white Zuhair Murad dress from the designer’s Resort 2015 Ready-to-Wear Collection. The gown featured a mosaic pattern and bateau neckline, with all-over sheer detailing and a skinny white belt.

She accessorized the geometric dress with Neil Lane jewelry and Brian Atwood shoes.

Meanwhile, Orange Is the New Black star Dascha Polanco let it flow on the Emmys red carpet.

The Dominican actress, who portrays Dayanara Diaz on the hit Netflix series, looked like royalty in a strapless princess gown with a beaded waist detail and long flowing base.

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