Iglesias’ “Bailando” Picked as Theme Song for Telemundo’s Telenovela “Reina de Corazones”

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Telemundo viewers may soon be bailando to Enrique Iglesias‘ voice…

The 39-year-old Spanish singer’s new hit single “Bailando” (feat. Descemer Bueno and Gente D’Zona), has been chosen as the theme song for Telemundo’s new telenovela, Reina de Corazones.”

The series, described as a “story full of mystery, espionage, conspiracies, intrigue, crime and romance” that unfolds in Las Vegas, premieres July 7 and will air weeknights at 8 p.m.

Iglesais’ up-tempo dance track, which blends urban, pop and flamenco beats and boasts a beautifully choreographed video shot between the Dominican Republic and Cuba, has topped Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart for six consecutive weeks.

The track jumped to No. 1 after Iglesias performed it at the Billboard Latin Music Awards in April, which aired on Telemundo.

Telenovelas are widely viewed as a major promotional tool for Latin musicians and landing the theme song in a successful soap has proven to greatly boost a track’s success.

Iglesias’ music has often found its way into soap operas. Most recently, his single “El Perdedor,” featuring Mexican crooner Marco Antonio Solís, was the theme of soap opera “Lo Que La Vida Me Robó,” which was produced by Televisa in Mexico, and aired in the U.S. on Univision.

Reina de Corazones is produced by Telemundo and shot here in the U.S.

Sanchez to Co-Host This Year’s Billboard Latin Music Awards

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Expect a little deviousness at this year’s Billboard Latin Music Awards…

Roselyn Sanchez, one of the stars of Lifetime’s Devious Maids, will co-host this year’s awards show alongside television personality Raul Gonzalez and singer/TV host Laura Flores.

Broadcast live from Miami on Telemundo on April 24, the awards show will air at 7:00 pm ET and feature some of the biggest names in Latin music.

Sanchez, a singer/songwriter/producer/model who hails from Puerto Rico, returns as host for a second time after co-hosting the show in 2003.

On TV she appeared as a regular on Without a Trace before joining the cast of Devious Maids. In 2003, Sanchez was nominated for a Latin Grammy for “Amor, Amor,” the first single from her debut album.

Gonzalez, who recently joined Telemundo to develop and host a new variety series, is making his debut on the network as co-host of the awards show, which this year is celebrating its 25th anniversary. With a career that spans more than 30 years, the Venezuelan host spent 13 years as one of the hosts of Univision‘s Despierta America in addition to writing, producing and starring in several award-winning plays such as Visa por un Sueño.

After appearing on the Mexican telenovela En Otra Piel, Flores joined Reina de Corazones. The Mexican actress has worked in TV, theater and cinema and has hosted several television shows. Musically, the entertainer has recorded 16 albums and the most recent project, Desde mi Corazon, celebrates her musical career.

Prior to the awards show, stars will walk the red carpet and will be seen on the special La Alfombra de los Premios Billboard, which will be hosted by Telemundo personalities Monica Noguera and Rashel Diaz with Jorge Bernal of La Voz Kids and Suelta la Sopa. Guadalupe Venegas of Telemundo and Karim Mendiburu, Christian Ramirez and Kika Rocha will also be featured on the special.

González to Host Variety Show for Telemundo

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Raúl González is switching equipos…

The 42-year-old Venezuelan television host and actor, who most recently co-hosted Univision‘s morning show Despierta America for 13 years, is moving to Telemundo.

González will host a new variety series slated for next season for the network. He’ll also contribute to multiple series and specials, the first of which will be the Billboard Latin Music Awards, which will be broadcast live on April 24 at 7:00 pm ET.

“I am delighted to be joining the team at Telemundo and for the trust they have shown in me,” said Gonzalez. “I am a firm believer in following your dreams and for me hosting a prime time series has always been one of my major goals. We share a passion for quality television and will bring our audience the programming they want and deserve.”

Gonzalez left Univision last month after co-hosting of Despierta America. He also frequently co-hosted the network’s long-running variety show Sabado Gigante.

Derbez Signs with Creative Artists Agency (CAA)

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Eugenio Derbez is one step closer to taking over America…

Following the success of his comedy-drama film Instructions Not Included in the United States, the 52-year-old Mexican actor has signed with Creative Artists Agency.

Derbez is hailed as one of the top Latino filmmakers/actors in the business; and he’s one of the most recognizable Latino faces in the world.

He’s the creator and star of one of Mexico’s most popular sitcoms La Familia P. Luche (The Plush Family), which ran for 10 years on Univision. He also created the Televisa produced sketch-show XHDRbZ, which aired for two seasons.

Both programs not only appeared in the U.S. but also ran in Europe and Latin America. He had very recognizeable names in the Latino market on his sketch show, including the Mexican president Vicente Fox.

Derbez also wrote, directed and starred in last year’s Instructions Not Included, which is touted as the highest-grossing Spanish-language film in the U.S., earning $44.4M in the U.S. and $41M internationally for a total of $85.5 million worldwide.

He was also the voice of Donkey in the Spanish-language version of Shrek and lent his voice to one of the characters in Guillermo Del Toro’s animated comedy Book of Life.

U.S. audiences may remember him from Liongate’s Girl in Progress starring opposite Eva Mendes (2012) or in Fox Searchlight’s sleeper hit Under the Same Moon.

Camil to Star Opposite Gina Rodriguez in the CW’s “Jane the Virgin” Pilot

Posted on March 8, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Jaime Camil has a date with la virgen…

The 40-year-old Mexican actor/singer, who most recently starred in a gender-bending role on the telenovela Por Ella Soy Eva, is making his U.S. pilot debut with a starring role opposite Gina Rodriguez in the CW’s drama project Jane the Virgin.

Based on the popular Venezuelan telenovela Juana la Virgen, Jane The Virgin centers on Jane (Rodriguez), a hardworking religious girl who, due to a series of outrageous events, is accidentally artificially inseminated.

Camil will play the series regular role of Rubio, who happens to be a world-famous telenovela star with a surprising connection to Jane.

Camil is currently starring on Univision’s new rom-com novela, Qué pobres tan ricos.

He made a successful feature debut in the U.S. as the star of the bilingual Patelion/Lionsgate indie hit rom-com Pulling Strings, which ranked as the third highest-grossing foreign language film of 2013.

Additionally, a recent guest appearance by Camil on Devious Maids delivered strong ratings for the Lifetime series, which also has Latin roots.

Jane the Virgin, from CBS Television Studios, is written by Jennie Snyder Urman and directed by Brad Silberling.

Machado to Coach Beauty Contestants on Univision’s “Nuestra Belleza Latina” Reality Competition

Posted on January 19, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Alicia Machado is ready to coach the next Latina beauty queen…

The 37-year-old Venezuelan actress/singer and former Miss Universe has signed on to appear on Univision’s Nuestra Belleza Latina reality competition series.

Machado and fellow Miss Universe winner Denise Quiñones will mentor the 12 finalists, all talented Latinas from the United States and Puerto Rico, competing to be named Nuestra Belleza Latina.

Unlike previous years, this time around the 12 finalists are already known, said Univision.

The competitors will move to a luxury mansion where they will live together and compete in different challenges every week, until one finalist is left standing.

The winner will receive an exclusive contract with Univision, $200,000 in cash, a variety of other prizes and a new car.

The weekly series will have all the challenges of a traditional beauty contest, but with the added intrigue of the reality element – what goes on backstage.

This season hidden cameras will follow the drama being woven among the 12 contestants day by day in the mansion.

Along with Machado and Quiñones, Alejandra Espinoza, the first winner of Nuestra Belleza Latina and a host of Sabado Gigante, is joining the show as a presenter.

The Nuestra Belleza Latina reality competition series will begin its broadcast run on Sunday, February 12.

Delgado Smith Co-Hosting Fusion’s New Sports Talk Program “Sports Talkers”

Posted on October 25, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Rebecca Delgado Smith will be talking sports in the near future.

The Puerto Rican comedian/actress in Fusion’s new “outrageous” half hour of sport-talk mayhem, Sports Talkers.

The new series reportedly takes sports commentary to the next level, according to the network.

Set in what Fusion described as “tricked out suburban basement,” Delgado Smith and two fellow members of the Harvard Sailing Team comedy troupe, Adam Lustick and Billy Scafuri, will combine elements of talk radio, late-night comedy and improve performance to create what Fusion, called “a moth-balled quilt” that begins with sports and ends with “Talkers.”

“This show will do for talking about sports what talking about sports has done for sports,” said David Javerbaum, the former EP and head writer for The Daily Show With Jon Stewart who is overseeing content for Fusion’s nightly block of satire programming.

Fusion is the new ABC/Univision joint venture debuting Monday.

Delgado Smith’s credits include television appearances on The League and New Girl, as well a role in Paranormal Activity 3.

Time Warner Cable to Feature Rodriguez’s El Rey Network

Posted on October 9, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Time Warne Cable subscribers will have the chance to experience Robert Rodriguez’s latest venture…

The cable company has reached a distribution deal with Univision that includes El Rey Network and local news.

The agreement will make Time Warne Cable, the nation’s No. 2 cable operator, and Bright House Networks among the first distributors to feature the 45-year-old Mexican American filmmaker’s English-language entertainment channel when it launches this year.

“Time Warner Cable’s commitment to El Rey emboldens our ability to bring exciting, visceral and cinematic stories to young viewers across the U.S.” says Rodriguez.

The channel “will provide our customers with a unique experience,” says Time Warner Cable’s Melinda Witmer.

The pact for a broad suite of channels including Univision also includes what the companies call “a first-of-its-kind local news partnership to better serve Hispanic audiences in Los Angeles, New York and other shared markets.”

The deal comes well ahead of the expiration of the parties’ existing agreement.

Time Warner Cable will offer new networks including Univision Deportes, Univision tlNovelas and FOROtv along with UniMás, Galavisión, De Película, De Película Clásico, Bandamax, Ritmoson, Telehit and Distrito Comedia.

Vives Leads The Pack of Latin Grammy Nominees

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Vives is one of this year’s Latin Grammy darlings…

The 52-year-old Colombian singer, composer and actor leads the pack of Latin Grammy nominees with five nods.

Among his nominations, Vives’ latest album Corazon Profundo is up for Album of the Year, while his hit single “Volví a Nacer” is nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

Illya Kuryaki & the Valderramas, a duo who take their name from the fictional television spy and former Colombian soccer player Carlos Valderrama tied Vives with five nominations, landing nods at Latin music’s top honors for best urban song and best alternative album.

Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz and Caetano Veloso, the 71-year-old pioneer of Brazil’s Tropicalia music genre, each earned four nominations.

Sanz’s album La Música No Se Toca was nominated for album of the year and best contemporary pop vocal album, while his song “Mi Marciana” was nominated for song of the year and record of the year.

Veloso, who earned a Latin Grammy lifetime achievement award last year, earned record of the year and song of the year nominations for the song “Um Abraçaço.”

Natalie Cole, whose first Spanish-language album debuted at No. 1 on the Latin Albums chart, and Draco Rosa, whose Vida marked a spectacular return for the artist from his battle with cancer, earned three nominations each.

Spanish singer and actor Miguel Bosé, 57, will be honored as the person of the year for lifetime achievement. His album Papitwo is also nominated for album of the year and best contemporary pop album.

The Latin Grammys will take place November 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The awards show will be broadcast live by Univision.

Click here for a complete look at this year’s nominees.

Azcárraga Jean to Receive NATPE’s Tartikoff Legacy Award

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Emilio Azcárraga Jean is being heralded for his impact in the world of television…

The 45-year-old Mexican businessman, the head of Grupo Televisa, has been named one of the recipients of the 11th Annual Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award.

Other honorees include veteran producer James L. Brooks, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer and NBCUniversal exec Lauren Zalaznick.

“We are honored to celebrate this extraordinary group of talented people who have made such remarkable contributions to the world of media,” said NATPE President & CEO Rod Perth in a statement. “We’ve chosen each of them because they’ve raised the bar of achievement, and are some of the absolute best in their fields of our business.”

The Tartikoff Award is intended to recognize television professionals “who exhibit extraordinary passion, leadership, independence and vision in the process of creating television programming.”

He became the CEO of Grupo Televisa at the age of 29, after the death of his father. He’s widely credited from turning Televisa from a near-bankrupt business into the prosperous company it is today

Azcárraga Jean, ranked as the seventh richest in Mexico with a fortune estimated at $2.3 billion as of March 2011m is also a Board Member of Teléfonos de Mexico, Univision and Banamex.

He’ll receive the award at next year’s NATPE Television Market and Conference, taking place on January 27-29 at the Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach.

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