ABC to Preview Aguilera’s “Chasing Life” Two Weeks Early

It appears Augusto Aguilera’s close-up will come earlier than previously planned…

ABC Family has announced it will make Chasing Life, which stars the Latino up-and-comer,available two weeks ahead of its television debut.

Augusto Aguilera

Based on the Mexican telenovela Terminales, Chasing Life follows an aspiring journalist, 24-year-old April Carver (portrayed by Italia Ricci), who finds out she has terminal cancer.

Aguilera portrays Kieran, a bad-boy slacker who is actually an extremely intelligent and educated young man.

Beginning Tuesday, the first episode of the series will be available for preview on the free WATCH ABC Family app through Monday, June 9. Additionally, the premiere can be viewed early on-demand through participating television providers starting Tuesday, June 3. The show’s official Facebook page also will show the episode, beginning Sunday, June 8.

It’s common for networks to debut new shows on digital platforms before they make their respective premieres on TV. Most recently AMC teamed with Tumblrto offer consumers an early look at the 1980s tech drama Halt and Catch Fire prior to its June 1 kickoff.

In addition to Aguilera and Ricci, the series also stars Mary Page Keller, Aisha Dee, Richard Brancatisano and Haley Ramm, along with Scott Michael Foster, Steven Weber, Rebecca Schull and Andy Mientus.

Chasing Life, a Lionsgate/Televisa production, debuts Tuesday, June 10 at 9 p.m. on ABC Family.

Souza Cast in the ABC Drama Pilot “How to Get Away with Murder”

Karla Souza is getting’ away with murder…

No, it’s not a crime we’re talking about.

Karla Souza

The 28-year-old Mexican actress has been cast in the ABC/ABC Studios drama pilot How to Get Away with Murder.

The sexy, suspense-driven legal thriller centers on ambitious law students and their brilliant and mysterious criminal defense professor who become entangled in a murder plot.

Souzo, who starred in two of last year’s massive hit Mexican comedies Nosotros los nobles and No se aceptan devoluciones, will portray one of the law students.

Souza’s other credits include the film From Prada to Nada and the Mexican television series Terminales.

ABC Family Orders the Mexican Telenovela Remake of “Chasing Life”

Lifetime’s Devious Maids isn’t the only new U.S. television program based on a Mexican series…

ABC Family has given a  series order to the drama Chasing Life, which  was originally called Terminales, for an early 2014 launch.

Terminales

Chasing Life, which received a 13-episode order, according to Deadline.com, joins new ABC Family drama series The Fosters and Twisted, meaning all three of the network’s pilots from the most recent cycle are going to series.

Chasing Life is an adaptation of the successful Televisa Spanish-language series Terminales. The pilot was produced by Lionsgate in association with Televisa.

Chasing Life stars Italia Ricci as April, an ambitious young newspaper reporter who tries to balance her career aspirations with her family — her widowed mom Sara (Mary Page Keller), rebellious little sister Brenna (Haley Ramm), and her grandmother. Just as things start to look up at work, home and on the romance front with co-worker Dominic (Richard Brancatisano), April gets the devastating news from an estranged uncle that she has cancer.

The Mexican version, which premiered in September 2008, stars Ana Claudia Talancón, Alfonso Herrera, Andrés Almeida, Isela Vega, Opi Domínguez and Danny Perea.

Televisa’s “Rubí” to Get an English-Language Adaptation on Fox

The telenovela-to-American-television trend continues… But this time its Fox getting in on the game.

Following Lifetime’s successful move to bring the telenovela-based Devious Maids to life and ABC Family’s attempt at recreating the magic of Televisa’s Terminales, it looks like Televisa’s Rubí may be getting an English-language adaptation via Fox.

Rubi Telenovela

The network has put in development an hour-long series based on the popular 2004 telenovela. Starring Bárbara Mori as a dual protagonist/antagonist,  Rubí centered on a beautiful but poor woman who’d do anything to make her dream a reality and become rich – even giving up the greatest love of her life.

20th Century Fox Television and Televisa are producing the English adaptation, which is being executive produced by Michael Garcia.

The original telenovela earned monster ratings when it aired in the United States on Univision from September 2004 to March 2005, with its two-hour finale being watched by nearly 8 million viewers. So, Fox has high hopes for the recreation.

ABC Family Orders Pilot For Remake of Mexican Series “Terminales”

It appears Devious Maids may not be the only new series based on a successful Mexican program…

ABC Family has signed off on a pilot order for the one-hour drama Terminales, an adaptation of Televisa’s original series of the same name.

Terminales

Created and produced by Miguel Ángel Fox , the series chronicles the life of young and successful publicist April Marquez, who is diagnosed with terminal cancer. It’s described as Sex And The City if Carrie Bradshaw was dying of cancer.

The Mexican version, which premiered in September 2008, stars Ana Claudia Talancón, Alfonso Herrera, Andrés Almeida, Isela Vega, Opi Domínguez and Danny Perea.

The pilot for the American remake was written by Susanna Fogel and Joni Lefkowitz. Aaron Kaplan, Fogel and Lefkowitz will serve as executive producers.

Produced by Lionsgate in association with Televisa, the pilot will go into production this fall along with Jennifer Lopez’s previously announced drama pilot The Fosters (working title).