Harvey Guillén Among National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Impact Award Honorees

Posted on May 28, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Harvey Guillén is being feted for his impact…

The National Hispanic Media Coalition has revealed the 2024 Impact Award honorees for its annual gala taking place on June 14, with the 34-year-old Mexican American actor among those being recognized.

Annie Gonzalez (Flamin’ Hot) and Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs. Lopez) will host the celebration.

The Impact Awards is a part of the NHMC’s overall mission to spotlight the importance of accurate, fair and positive representation in media.

Each year, the organization honors individuals who are truly making an impact, shifting societal narratives and setting an example for Latine communities.

The 2024 honorees include:

Harvey Guillén, star of the hit FX series What We Do In The Shadows which is gearing up to premiere its sixth and final season. He will receive the Outstanding Performance in a Series Impact Award.

Issa López, a multi-hyphenate who most recently co-wrote and directed HBO’s True Detective Season 5 starring Jodie Foster. NHMC will recognize López’s achievements with the Trailblazer Impact Award.

Fede Alvarez, writer, director and executive producer of the upcoming feature Alien: Romulus, the seventh installment of the Alien franchise. NHMC will give him the Outstanding Film Director Impact Award.

Tatyana Ali, who most famously portrayed Ashley Banks in the hit comedy series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, will receive the Advocacy Impact Award for her advocacy and policy work in maternal health and reproductive justice.

The Los Angeles Football Club will be honored with the Community Impact Award for their commitment to multiculturalism and creating change for marginalized communities

Tubi will be honored with the For the People Impact Award for its diverse programming providing a platform for Latine series showcasing authentic representations of our communities.

“We are honored to celebrate these powerful figures who represent the present and future of the entertainment industry. This year’s honorees embody where our community is headed and are pushing their industries forward simply by taking up space and using their platforms to uplift other Latine creatives.,” said Brenda Victoria Castillo, President & CEO of the NHMC. “This year more than ever, it is imperative that we continue to celebrate our Latinidad in all aspects of our society, and NHMC is committed to ensuring that our community is recognized – not just at our gala, but in every space.”

Tatyana Ali to Appear on Season Three of ABC’s Hit Comedy Series “Abbott Elementary”

Posted on March 11, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Tatyana Ali is heading to the classroom…

The 45-year-old half-Afro-Panamanian American actress and singer will appear on season three of ABC’s hit comedy series Abbott Elementary.

Ali, best known for her roles on NBC’s The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and CBS’ long-running soap opera The Young and the Restless, is among a list of recently announced guest stars/recurring stars that includes Lana Condor, Keegan-Michael Key, Cree Summer and Karan Soni.

It’s been a star-studded season on the Emmy-winning series.

During Sunday’s post-Oscars special episode, Bradley Cooper made a special appearance, while Season 3 kicked off in February on a high note with guest appearances from Philadelphia Eagles players Jalen Hurts, Brandon Graham and Jason Kelce.

The series has also previously had guest appearances from Taraji P. Henson, Ayo Edebiri, Vince Staples and Leslie Odom Jr.

Abbott Elementary takes place in a predominantly Black Philadelphia public school. Quinta Brunson, who created the series, plays Janine Teagues, an optimistic second-grade teacher who makes it her mission to help enrich her students’ lives while also managing her own personal life.

Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, William Stanford Davis and Sheryl Lee Ralph also star.

Tatyana Ali Lands Recurring Role on Peacock’s “Bel-Air”

Posted on January 19, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Tatyana Ali is heading to Bel-Air…

The 43-year-old half-Afro-Panamanian actress and former The Fresh Prince of Bel Air star is joining the cast of Bel-Air.

Ali, who played Ashley Banks in The Fresh Prince, is set to recur as an English literature teacher in the second season of the Peacock reboot.

Ali joins stars Jabari Banks (Will), Adrian Holmes (Philip Banks) and Cassandra Freeman (Vivian Banks) in the new, 10-episode season that kicks off on February 23 on Peacock.

Ali will play Mrs. Hughes, a teacher at Bel-Air middle school who sees something special in Ashley Banks (Akira Akbar).

Per the logline: Season two of Bel-Air picks up with Will at a crossroads as a new figure comes into his life who challenges what he’s learned in Bel-Air and competes for control of his influence. He juggles this while navigating his home life with the Banks family and trying to rebuild the trust that was broken at the end of last season. We’ll see Will and Carlton’s brotherhood start to evolve as they grow closer, but still challenge each other about their differences. We’ll also see Hilary evolve as she becomes more of a boss in her influencer world and how that spills over into her relationship with Jazz, and also highlight the relatable struggles around Viv and Phil balancing marriage and family while trying to forge their own career paths and reconnect to the things that are important to them.

“In season two, the show will continue to find ways to push the envelope and feel refreshing and unique while also honoring the heart of the legacy series,” said Carla Banks Waddles, the new showrunner who took over for TJ Brady and Rasheed Newson in October. “Last season was very much about the introduction to the Banks family world, and this season we get to go deeper with some of the themes we touched on … What it truly means to be a family even when it’s challenging. We’ll also explore Will’s character beyond feeling like a fish-out-of-water. He’s now struggling to find a balance of maintaining his independence and his West Philly identity while also being open to new opportunities for himself in Bel-Air.”

Bel-Air is from Universal Television and Westbrook Studios.

Tatyana Ali to Star in Lifetime’s Original Thriller “Vanished: Searching for My Sister”

Posted on October 19, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Tatyana Ali is twinning…

Lifetime has ordered the original thriller Vanished: Searching for My Sister, starring the 42-year-old Daytime Emmy-nominated half-Afro-Panamanian actress/singer and former The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star.

Set for a winter 2022 premiere, Vanished: Searching for My Sister stars Ali, Justin Bruening, Jasmine Guy, Carolyn Hennesy and Anthony “Treach” Criss.

Twins Jada and Kayla (both played by Ali) could not be more opposite: Jada being the mild-mannered sister with an office job, and Kayla the wild child. Recently divorced from her husband Warren (Bruening), Kayla asks Jada to watch her daughter while she sets up her new apartment. But after a few days with no word from Kayla, Jada begins to worry and reports her sister missing. With no leads and the police investigation at a standstill, Jada takes matters into her own hands. She disguises herself as her sister and gets pulled into a world of drugs and deceit in order to learn the shocking truth about what really happened to Kayla.

Vanished: Searching for My Sister is produced by Big Dreams Entertainment and Leslie Greif serves as executive producer.

Tim Woodward Jr. directs from a script written by Christina Welsh.

Tatyana Ali to Star in Lifetime’s Holiday Movie “Secret Santa”

Posted on August 29, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Tatyana Ali is getting into the Christmas spirit…

The 38-year-old half-Afro-Panamanian American actress and former The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star will star in the recently greenlit Lifetime holiday movie Secret Santa (working title).

Ali will star opposite Mindy Sterling, Dan Lauria and Brendan Fehr in the two-hour original movie, which is currently shooting in Salt Lake City, Utah for a premiere this winter.

The plot: Christmas is Hillary Nash’s (Ali) least favorite time of year. As the Senior Financial Analyst at the upscale Hudson Valley Outdoor Mall, she has to be the annual Christmas Grinch and cancel the leases of under-performing stores by the end of the year. One afternoon, her 8-year-old niece Molly, asks the mall Santa to help find a boyfriend for her beloved aunt. Unbeknownst to Molly, and Hillary, the mall Santa is just a substitute filling in and is actually Ryan McCue (Fehr), a lawyer-turned-artist who is decorating the mall for Christmas and trying to find his way after quitting his job and losing his fiancee. As Hillary and Ryan begin to fall for each other, they each don’t realize the other’s true identity: Hillary who is tasked with closing a failing gift wrap shop run by Ryan’s Aunt Patty and Ryan who is too ashamed to tell Hillary that he is the acting mall Santa.

The cast also includes Kim Fields and Jasmine Guy.

Sterling plays cheery Agnes, who along with her husband, played by Dan Lauria, run the mall cookie store, bringing a combination of sweetness, advice and answers to all.

Ali’s recent credits include television

Tatyana Ali to Star in the USA Network’s Pilot “Olive Forever”

Posted on July 26, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Tatyana Ali is extending an Olive branch…

The 38-year-old part-Afro-Panamanian American actress and former The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star has been cast as a series regular opposite Emily Rudd in USA Network’s Olive Forever, a comedic crime drama pilot from writer Brian Duffield, AwesomenessTV and its former CEO Brian Robbins.

Written by Duffield and to be directed by Matt Shakman, Olive Forever follows the exploits of Olive (Rudd), a high school student, con artist, cat burglar and chameleon who’s mature beyond her years. She is a savvy survivor who knows she can “get away with anything.” A foster kid, Olive knows how to work the system, her tough exterior protecting a girl who’s just looking for a home.

Ali will play Alison, Olive’s foster mother, a quick-witted, tender community college professor who strives to guide Olive away from her criminal past.

Ali, best known for playing Ashley Banks on the iconic comedy series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, most recently guest-starred on American Koko and Zoe Ever After and previously appeared on The Young and the Restless and Glory Road.

Ali Wins Third Consecutive NAACP Image Award…

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Tatyana Ali could be on her way to becoming the next Victoria Rowell…

The 34-year-old part-Panamanian actress/singer picked up her third consecutive NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series during Friday’s awards show from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

The former The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star, who won the award for her recurring role as Roxanne on CBS’ The Young and the Restless, is the first actress to win the award more than two consecutive times since Rowell, best known for her portrayal of Drucilla Winters on The Young and the Restless.

Rowell first picked up the award six times in a row, from 1994-1999. She then won the award four consecutive times, from 2003-2006. In all, Rowell won the award 11 times.

Ali, who is currently starring on BET’s Second Generation Wayans, was the only Hispanic artist to win an NAACP Image Award this year. Bruno Mars, the most-nominated Latino this year, went home empty-handed.

Tatyana Ali Receives BET’s Black Girls Rock Award…

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Tom Castaneda

She made her triumphant return to television in TV One’s first original scripted series, “Love That Girl”… And, now Tatyana Ali is getting a little love of her own…

The part-Panamanian actress/singer, who rose to fame in the 1990s on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” received the “Young, Gifted & Black Award” at BET’s 6th Annual Black Girls Rock Awards, which celebrate the talents, lives and strength of Black women.

The 32-year-old Harvard graduate and self-proclaimed “education activist” told The Huffington Post, “I was so touched, because when I was little, there wasn’t anything like what Beverly Bond and BET is doing, there wasn’t anything like ‘Black Girls Rock.'”

Ali added, “To find those positive images that look like you do and maybe share the same experiences and the same struggles, you really have to search. My confidence and my self-esteem when I was younger would have been so changed by something like this. I’m just really happy to be on the other side of that so I can provide for younger girls what I didn’t have.”

Hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross and Regina King, the awards show was held at New York City’s famed Paradise Theater on Saturday night. The A-list event was highlighted with stellar performances by Mary J. Blige, Melanie Fiona, Estelle, Mary Mary, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu.

Other honorees included: Academy Award-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson, political activist and scholar Angela Davis, WNBA President Laurel J. Richie and The Rebecca Project for Human Rights co-founders Imani Walker and Malika Saada Saar.

Meanwhile, Ali, who released her first album, “Kiss The Sky” in 1999 says she’s “hopeful” that a musical project will come to fruition.

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