María Elisa Camargo to Make English-Language Acting Debut in “Off The Grid”

Posted on October 21, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

María Elisa Camargo is preparing for a special first…

The 38-year-old Colombian-Ecuadorian actress will make her English-language debut in the action-thriller Off The Grid, starring Josh Duhamel and Greg Kinnear.

In the film, a scientist (Duhamel) steals an experiment and hides off the grid in Europe to prevent it from becoming weaponized. His former research partner (Kinnear), along with an extraction team, is sent in to find him and locate the missing experiment.

Camargo plays Josey, a resilient Colombian immigrant who runs a bed and breakfast with her parents and works as a bartender in the local bar, where her sharp wit have made her a beloved figure in the community.

Red Sea Media is handling sales on the film.

Directed by Johnny Martin, the film is being produced by Luca Matrundola and Richard Salvatore and is executive-produced by Red Sea’s Roman Kopelevich.

The film is currently in post-production. Grindstone has taken domestic rights.

The supporting cast also includes Anna Golja and Michael Papajohn. Production companies also include BondIt, Buffalo 8 and Latigo.

Former X Factor Colombia contestant Camargo is known for leads in Spanish-language series for Televisa, Telemundo, VIX, Amazon and Netflix.

Carolina Miranda Signs with Artist International Group for Management

Posted on August 8, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Carolina Miranda has new representation…

The 33-year-old Mexican actress, who currently stars in the hit Netflix series Fake Profile, has signed with Artist International Group and partner Kimberly Hines for management.

Debuting on May 31st as the streamer’s number one global non-English series, and remaining on that list for six weeks, Fake Profile centers on Miranda’s character Camila, following her from Las Vegas to Cartagena

Prior to that Colombian project from creator Pablo Illanes, the actress was best known for starring in the Netflix series Who Killed Sara?, a thriller that wrapped up its third and final season last year, after establishing itself as one of the most popular non-English language titles in the history of the platform.

Other notable credits for Miranda include Telemundo’s Señora Acero, one of the most-watched Spanish-speaking series in the United States; Mexico’s current number one show, Tierra de Esperanza (Televisa); Paramount Channel’s Dani Who?; and feature films including Infelices Para Siempre, to name a few.

Founded by CEO David Unger in 2017, AIG is known for representing such actors as Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anil Kapoor, Gong Li, Daphne Patakia, Rafael Cebrian, Fan Bingbing and Rossy de Palma, as well as writer-directors including Ludovic Bernard, Tony Kaye and Michael Haussman.

Miranda will continue to be represented by Paradigm in the U.S. and Prensa Danna in Mexico.

Jawy Mendez Signs MMA Contract with Combate Global

Posted on July 13, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jawy Mendez is ready for combat(e)…

The 33-year-old Mexican reality show star and recording artist has signed with Combate Global to compete as a pro mixed martial arts fighter, the promotion has announced.

His debut will be on August 5 against Johan Rodriguez.

Mendez, was a member of the cast of Mexico’s Acapulco Shore reality show — a takeoff on Jersey Shore — for nine seasons. He’ll be on another reality series, Hotel de Los Famosos, which airs on one of Mexico’s biggest networks, Televisa Canal 5, for its next season.

Mendez, who has more than 3 million followers on Instagram, has been training in MMA for two years, since opening up his Crew Wellness Club Mexico in Mexico City. He trains with MMA veterans Alfredo Morales and Carlos Enrique Cañada.

His bout against Rodriguez, a Colombian fighter also making his pro debut, is contracted for a 176-pound catchweight.

MMA has been red-hot in Mexico with three Mexican-born fighters winning UFC titles in 2023. Combate Global, which draws strong television ratings in the U.S. on Univision, has been focused on Latin American talent, specifically fighters from Mexico, and the Spanish-speaking audience since 2011 under UFC co-creator Campbell McLaren.

Azul Guaita Signs with AFA Prime Talent Media

Posted on October 9, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Azul Guaita has new representation…

The 21-year-old Mexican actress has signed with AFA Prime Talent Media, a division of Kenan Thompson’s Artists for Artists company, for representation in all areas.

Guaita can currently be seen in Netflix’s Rebelde in the role of teen star Jana Gandía Cohen. Season 2 of the series, a sequel to the 2004 Mexican telenovela of the same name, was released in July.

Additionally, she stars in La Mujer del Diablo, an original series from TelevisaUnivision’s new streaming service Vix+, as Daniela Beltrán.

Guaita has also starred in several projects produced by the biggest production companies and studios in Latin America including Soltero con Hijas from Televisa, La Negociadora from Claro Video, and Subete a mi Moto, an Amazon prime original series about the Latin boy band Menudo.

The actress has expanded her social media footprint in the Latin-American market thanks to the success of Rebelde. She currently boasts 1.4 million followers across multiple social platforms, which helped her close her first endorsement deal with Dolce & Gabbana as an ambassador this year.

Juan Pablo Di Pace Joins Cast of Vix+’s “Travesuras de la Niña Mala,” Based on Mario Vargas Llosa’s Novel

Posted on July 14, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Juan Pablo Di Pace is getting into a little mischief, and he’s doing it en español…

The 42-year-old Argentine actor and singer has joined the cast of Travesuras de la Niña Mala for the TelevisaUnivision streaming service ViX+.

He’ll star opposite Macarena Achaga in the role of Ricardo Somocurcio.

Production is currently underway in Paris and London.

“It is a privilege to portray Ricardo Somocurcio, perhaps Mario Vargas Llosa’s most idealistic hero when it comes to love. A translator whose undying love for ‘the bad girl’ will transcend time and space,” Di Pace tells Deadline. “It is very exciting to portray him from the age of 25 to 55 – from the 1960s to the 1980s – in Paris, London, Mexico, Madrid and Tokyo and to speak Spanish, English, and French. From one country to the next, she will drive him crazy but he’ll always follow. The series is a first in many ways and I am so proud to be working on it with the brilliant ViX+. It’s an absolute dream job.”

Travesuras de la Niña Mala tells the epic love story between Arlette (Achaga), a nonconformist and adventurous woman, and her once teenage love, Ricardo, a man trapped in a predictable routine. Thanks to Arlette, he slowly learns to get out of his comfort zone.

These two characters’ lives will intertwine over forty years, through reunions across Lima, Paris, Madrid, Tokyo, London, and more.

María López Castaño wrote the series based on the acclaimed novel of the same name by Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa. Alejandro Bazzano will direct the ViX+ Original series, in production by W Studios. David Azcano joins the production as the show’s cinematographer.

“Watching the first scenes of this unique series filmed in Paris is a dream come true,” said Patricio Wills, president of W Studios. “With ViX+ we are producing this incredible series based on Mario Vargas Llosa’s beautiful book. We are not only filming in the original European locations but are accurately able to depict an era that marked a dramatic change in world culture.”

“I am thrilled and thankful to be able to direct a series based on one of my favorite novels by Mario Vargas Llosa,” Bazzano said. “Recreating the convulsive universe of this stormy love story is an exciting challenge and I am confident it will be a great success.”

Di Pace is most notably known for flexing his comedic chops on the Netflix series Fuller House in the role of Kimmy Gibbler’s (Andrea Barber) husband Fernando Hernandez-Guerrero-Fernandez-Guerrero.

His other television credits include the role of Jesus Christ in A.D. The Bible Continues and Nicolas Treviño in TNT’s Dallas.

On the big screen, he played Petros in the 2008 smash musical feature, Mamma Mia! opposite Meryl Streep, Colin Firth and Amanda Seyfried, among others.

Univision & Televisa to Produce Vicente Fernández Biopic Series Based on Olga Womat’s Book “El Último Rey”

Posted on January 13, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

The late Vicente Fernández’s life story is headed to the small screen…

Univision and Televisa are joining forces to produce a biopic series inspired by the legendary Mexican singer, actor and film producer.

The new series will be based on the book El Último Rey, penned by journalist Olga Womat, for which Televisa reached an agreement with Editorial Planeta to acquire the rights, according to a statement from Univision and Televisa.

Without revealing many details about the series, like the release date or cast, the announcement comes a month after the death of the ranchera icon, who died December 12 in a hospital in his native Guadalajara. The cause of death was complications following surgery for a cervical spine injury after a fall last August. Fernández had remained hospitalized since then in stable but serious condition.

Univision and Televisa’s series on Fernández isn’t the only one that will see the light of day.

The Idol of the People, starring Mexican singer and actor Jaime Camil, is a Caracol TV production that will air on that Colombian television network and for which Netflix has acquired world rights outside of Colombia.

A cultural icon to generations, the Jalisco-born artist was known for his swooning rancheras, like “Hermoso Cariño” and “Acá Entre Nos,” and timeless folk anthems that he serenaded fans with for decades. The Mexican cultural icon also holds the record for the most top 10s on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums chart to date, with a total of 49.

Over on the all-metric Hot Latin Songs tally — a blend of airplay, streams and digital sales — Fernández holds the record for the most entries for a regional Mexican solo act, with a total of 61.

Following his death, the catalog of songs by the man known as the “Charro de Huentitán’s” increased 721% globally in the days, according to reports to MRC Data. Collectively, his songs generated 97.3 million on-demand streams on December 12 and 13, compared to the 11.9 million streams accrued on December 10 and 11.

Born February 17, 1940, Fernández began his career singing on the streets of his hometown Guadalajara and went on to record more than 50 albums, starred in more than 2 dozen telenovelas and Mexican films, and became a touring titan always going onstage with his iconic traje de charro that included ornate sombreros and embroidered jackets.

Cassandra Sanchez-Navarro Signs with Buchwald & Anonymous Content for U.S. Representation

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Cassandra Sanchez-Navarro is ready to crossover stateside…

The 30-year-old Mexican actress and telenovela star has signed with Buchwald and Anonymous Content for representation in the United States.

Sanchez-Navarro starred in the romantic comedy Cindy La Regia, a film that went on to become the most successful film in her native Mexico in 2020.

She most recently appeared in the Pantaya release El Peligro En Tu Miranda, currently available for viewing on streaming platforms.

Up next, she will appear in two films: Malcriados and Enfermo Amor opening in Mexico later this year.

Other credits include appearances in Netflix’s Sense 8 and El Dragon: Return of the Warrior for Univision and Televisa.

Sanchez-Navarro was classically trained at LA’s Lee Strasberg Academy and New York American Musical and Dramatic Academy, before going to London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.

She’s a fifth-generation actor and granddaughter of Manolo Fabregas, often referred to as ‘The Man of Theater’, and the first Mexican to perform on Broadway, starring opposite legends including Shirley MacLaine and Clint Eastwood.

She continues to be represented by manager Prensa Danna in Mexico.

David “Leche” Ruiz Signs with Cavalry Media

Posted on May 5, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

David “Leche” Ruiz is joining the cavalry…

Following the success of Netflix’s Who Killed Sara?, which the streamer has reported as its most-watched foreign language series at 55-million subscribers, Cavalry Media has signed the Mexican director and screenwriter, the show’s director.

Ruiz, who is based in Mexico City, Mexico, began his career directing music videos, before quickly becoming one of the most prolific filmmakers in his field.

Ruiz directed six episodes of Who Killed Sara?, including the pilot and the finale.

The series stars Manolo Cardona as Alex Guzman, a man hell-bent on getting revenge on the Lazcano family and finding out who killed his sister Sara after spending 18 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. The series launched on March 24 and Netflix revealed viewership figures as part of its first quarter financial results on April 20.

Ruiz will be the showrunner, as well as direct multiple episodes of season 2, which hit Netflix on May 16. Other episodic directing credits include Claro Video’s La Negociadora and Televisa’s La Piloto.

AppleTV+ GIves Series Order to Eugenio Derbez-Starrer “Acapulco,” Inspired By His “How to Be A Latin Lover” Film

Posted on December 1, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Eugenio Derbez has found the Apple(TV) of his eye…

AppleTV+ has given a series order to Acapulco, a Spanish and English-language half-hour comedy executive produced and starring the 59-year-old Mexican actor, comedian and filmmaker.

The project is inspired by Derbez’s hit 2017 feature comedy How to Be A Latin Lover.

Acapulco hails from Lionsgate Television, studio-based The Tannenbaum Company, as well as Derbez and Benjamin Odell’s 3Pas Studios.

Created by Austin Winsberg, Eduardo Cisneros and Jason Shuman, Acapulcocenters on a young Mexican man, who’s dream comes true when he gets the job of a lifetime at the hottest resort in Acapulco. But he soon realizes the job is far more complicated than he ever imagined as all of his beliefs and morals start to be questioned. The show takes place in 1984 with Derbez narrating and playing the present-day version of the main character.

InHow to Be a Latin Lover,produced by 3Pas Studios and distributed by Pantelion Films, Lionsgate’s venture with Televisa, an out-of-shape former gigolo (Derbez) is left to fend for himself after the rich older woman he’d married 25 years ago dumps him for a younger man.

Gaz Alazraki will direct and executive produce the pilot.

Derbez’s feature film Instructions Not Included, which he directed, co-wrote and starred in, became the most successful Spanish language film in the U.S. and worldwide, grossing more than $100 million worldwide. Cisneros served as an associate producer on the movie.

United Airlines’ Oscar Munoz Named to Univision’s Board of Directors

Posted on November 13, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Oscar Munoz is ready to share his (Uni)vision…

The 61-year-old Mexican-American businessman and executive chairman of United Airlines has been named as an independent director on Univision’s board of directors.

Prior to his role at United Airlines, Munoz served on the board of parent company United Continental Holdings (UCH) and held multiple executive positions at CSX Corporation and AT&T.

Univision, the Hispanic media giant whose takeover by private equity investors led by former Viacom CFO Wade Davis will soon close, has also named SoftBank Group COO Marcelo Claure; Estée Lauder Companies SVP of public affairs María Cristina “MC” González Noguera; and veteran Walmart exec Gisel Ruiz to the board.

It’s understood that Univision will name at least four more members to the board when the pending takeover by new majority investors is complete. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2020.

ForgeLight, a firm run by Davis, and Searchlight Capital Partners are buying majority control of Univision from a collection of other private equity investors. Mexico-based production power Televisa is keeping its 36% stake.

Madison Dearborn Partners, Providence Equity Partners, TPG, Thomas H. Lee Partners and Saban Capital Group acquired the company for $13.7 billion in 2007, beating out a rival bid from Televisa. The current transaction, which is expected to close at the end of the year, is expected to value the company at less than $10 billion.

Davis exited Viacom when it merged with CBS last December, emerging soon thereafter as the leader of the Univision bid. The deal, announced last February, was initially expected to close over the summer.

Univision has been run since 2018 by CEO Vince Sadusky. The local television and Hispanic media veteran replaced predecessor Randy Falco after the longtime former NBC exec made a series of out-of-the-box investments in English-language websites and ill-fated cable network venture Fusion. Sadusky has implemented a “back-to-basics,” Spanish-language refocus in an effort to help the flagship broadcast network regain ground it had lost to U.S. rival Telemundo in some pockets of the schedule.

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