Saralegui Receives US Hispanic Chamber’s “Ultimate Latina Award”

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

There’s no denying that Cristina Saralequi is an ultimate star in the Latino community… And now she’s got an award to prove it.

The 64-year-old Cuban American journalist, actress and talk show host received the Ultimate Latina Award during the 33rd annual convention of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Saralagui, commonly referred to as the “Latina Oprah” received the special USHCC prize for her attempts to talk openly about issues like sex education for teenagers, AIDS and the problems associated with human rights that affect the Latino community.

“Supporting the aspirations of young women and girls has been an important calling throughout my life. By accepting this award,” said Saralegui after claiming her award. “I hope that more will seize the opportunities provided by the enduring American Dream”

“The USHCC is proud to recognize Cristina Saralegui, one of the most prominent and influential Latinas in America,” said USHCC chairwoman Nina Vaca. “Not only does her remarkable success as an entrepreneur espouse the values of The Ultimate Latina, so too does her commitment to the betterment of society through her unique voice and her philanthropic efforts,” Vaca said.

Saralegui began her career at Vanidades magazine and later launched her program El Show de Cristina on Univision in 1989, which for years was the network’s most-watched program until it was cancelled.

More than 5,000 Hispanic businessowners, corporate executives, local chamber of commerce leaders from around the country and public officials are attending the national convention, which is being held in Los Angeles.

“Por ella soy Eva” Trailer Featuring Camil & Lucero Released

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Talk about a maldito mujeriego…

In a single hilarious scene, the official trailer for Univision’s highly anticipated telenovela Por ella soy Eva shows just what a wicked womanizer Jaime Camil’s character really is.

In the telenovela, which is based on the Colombian melodrama En los tacones de Eva, the 38-year-old Mexican actor plays Juan Carlos Caballero Mistral, who transforms into Eva María Lion Jaramillo as a way of getting closer to his co-star Lucero’s character Elena.

In the trailer Camil’s disguised character, who faked his own death, visits his own gravesite on his birthday and witnesses the comedic chaos that ensues when his many conquests all show up to pay their respects to the man they think has passed away.

It’s the first time Camil, who previously Tweeted a photo of his sexy makeover, and Lucero play a couple on screen.

Camil and Lucero’s co-stars Por ella soy Eva include: Helena Rojo, Paty Navidad, Mariana Seoane, Leticia Perdigón and Jesús Ochoa.

Por ella soy Eva is set to premiere on Monday, July 16 at 8:00 pm ET on Univision.

Ramos & Salinas to Receive Lifetime Achievement Emmy

Posted on June 30, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas are two of the most important Latino journalists in the United States… And, now the co-anchors of Noticiero Univision are being honored for their influence.

The 54-year-old Mexican-born Ramos and the 57-year-old Mexican American Salinas will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 33rd Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards.

Ramos and Salinas have co-anchored Univision’s popular evening newscast since 1988. It’s the most-watched newscast among U.S. Hispanics and attracts an audience that’s a generation younger than English-language evening news broadcasts.

“The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is delighted to honor Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas, the co-anchors of Univision’s nightly newscast, with our prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award,” NATAS chairman Malachy Wienges said in a statement. “The majority of the U.S. Hispanic population receives the news of the world first and foremost from these two brilliant reporters who continue to be the voice, the conscience and the heart of Hispanic America across the country. We are happy to honor their work which sits amongst the very best news reporting in any language.”

Meanwhile, Ramos and Salinas’ influence could expand to an even larger audience…

Univision and ABC News will partner on an English-language cable news network aimed at acculturated Hispanics early next year with a digital destination set to roll out in time for the presidential election in November. The partnership will increase the visibility of Univision’s on-air personnel. Ramos recently appeared on ABC‘s World News with Diane Sawyer to discuss the Supreme Court ruling on Arizona’s immigration law.

Ramos and Salinas will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Emmy gala on October 1 at Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City.

del Castillo to Star in “La Reina del Sur” Sequel

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

It’s no surprise that Kate del Castillo will be returning to her throne at Telemundo in the near future…

The network has announced that producers are in the early stages of pre-production on a sequel to Telemundo’s hit telenovela, La Reina del Sur.

Based on a novel of the same name by Spanish author Arturo Pérez-Reverte, the drama tells the story of the rise of Teresa Mendoza (played by del Castillo), a young woman from Mexico who becomes the most powerful drug trafficker in southern Spain.

The first episode of La Reina del Sur, which aired on February 28, 2011, attracted 2.4 million viewers, making it the most viewed premiere for any telenovela on the network. Over the course of its run, the telenovela frequently dominated it’s time slot for broadcast television among the 18-34 age demographic. And the final episode, broadcast on May 30, 2011, was Telemundo’s highest rated broadcast in its 19-year history, attracting nearly 4.2 million viewers and dominating its time slot among the 18-49 demographic, beating out the English language networks.

Despite del Castillo’s recent deal with rival Univision to produce and star in webnovelas for the network, Telemundo has confirmed that del Castillo will reprise her role.

Anthony & Lopez to Perform Together for “Q’Viva! Live”

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

It’s official… Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez will be reuniting… For one night in concert, that is.

The former couple will perform together as part of Q’Viva! The Chosen Live, a special show that will feature their picks from Anthony and Lopez’s televised Latin talent show.

“It’s a very unique, modern way, and sexy way, to package these traditional talents,” Anthony told Billboard. “I’m really, really looking forward to the live show.”

Q’Viva! The Chosen, currently airing on Univision and Fox, features the pair as traveling across the globe to find the best undiscovered Latin talent. Both Anthony and Lopez are executive producers of the show, along with American Idol creator Simon Fuller and choreographer Jamie King.

Besides Lopez and Anthony, 52 performers from around the world will perform as part of the Q’Viva! concert to be held at Mandalay Bay Events Center on May 26. It’ll serve as the culmination of the TV show’s search to find acts for what Anthony calls “the world’s most amazing Latin spectacular ever.”

Anthony said one of the things that most impressed him was how the artists bonded despite differences in ethnicity and where they came from.

“I thought that bringing all of these artists together in one house would have been a little more dynamic by way of conflict,” the salsa singer said. “That’s one thing that absolutely blew me away, the way they became one nation. And that’s how they would put it – ‘We’re one nation, all of us.'”

Anthony believes the show, in its inaugural season, will be back.

“Absolutely. We’re in the middle of setting it up now,” he said. “This is a passion project. … I’m looking forward to doing it again. It’s bigger than all of us. It’s a movement.”

Hilton to Appear in Weekly Segment on Univision’s “El Gordo y La Flaca”

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

He’s the most notorious gossip columnist on the internet… And, now Perez Hilton is expanding his media empire.

The 33-year-old Cuban American blogger will be joining the team on Univision’s popular program El Gordo y la Flaca.

Every Thursday, starting this week, Hilton will appear on the show in a special segment from Southern California where he’ll discuss the latest gossip and buzz surrounding Hollywood stars.

Hilton – whose real name is Mario Lavandeira – was born in Miami and has become one of the entertainment industry’s most popular bloggers. His blog, which averages 200 million visits per month, provokes all sorts of feelings from his fans.

Hilton recently landing his first acting role in Spanish, playing the part of a “paparazzo’s guru” who gives advice to the protagonist of the MTV Latin America telenovela Popland. And, his Superfan celebrity interview project was recently picked up by the CW.

Lavandeira studied drama in college and has appeared in several television and film projects, including HBO’s The Sopranos.

Ponce to Star in Nick at Nite’s “Hollywood Heights”

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Ponce is reaching new heights in Hollywood…

The 39-year-old Puerto Rican actor/singer has signed on to star in Nick at Nite’s Hollywood Heights—an adaptation of the 1990 Mexican telenovela Alcanzar una estrella, which starred Eduardo Capetillo and Mariana Garza.

Hollywood Heights centers on an adolescent girl named Loren who falls in love with a young rock star Eddie. Loren, played by Brittany Underwood, achieves her dream of becoming a singer-songwriter after winning a contest promoted by Eddie and, of course, romance ensues.

Ponce will play Eddie’s father in Hollywood Heights, which will be broadcast daily.

It’s the latest English-language role for Ponce, who most recently starred in Univision’s telenovela Dos hogares. He previously appeared in the film Couples Retreat and the television series 7th Heaven.

Fatima Ptacek: The New Voice of Dora the Explorer

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

There’s a brand new voice behind the beloved animated character Dora the Explorer… And, her name is Fatima Ptacek.

The 11-year-old half-Ecuadorian actress will be voicing the title character at the center of a $1-billion franchise and hit animated series, which celebrates its 12th season this year.

“[I’ve] been watching Dora for as long as I remember,” the sixth-grader recently told the Today show. “I’ve grown up with Dora.”

Ptacek, a highly successful child model, can speak both English and Spanish—just like the character she portrays.

“Most [of Dora’s dialogue] is spoken in English, but she speaks in Spanish when she sings. We get both on the shows,” says Ptacek, whose mother is from Ecuador, while her father, whose background is Norwegian, hails from Queens, N.Y., where the family still lives.

Ptacek, who has said in interviews she has no intention of finding a boyfriend until she’s at least 20, appears to be keeping a level head about her professional career.

“I can just imagine little kids sitting in front of their televisions and smiling the way I used to smile when I was little kid and watched Dora,” she told Today. “It’s really, really cool.”

Dora the Explorer airs on Nickelodeon, while a Spanish-dubbed version airs on Univision.

Anthony & Lopez’s Latest Q’Viva Trailer Released…

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

In less than 24 hours, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony’s highly anticipated new talent show will premiere on Univision… But you don’t have to wait ‘til then to get a taste of Q’Viva The Chosen.

The new trailer for the live Latin talent show asks the question, “What would bring Marc and Jennifer back together again?” Nearly two minutes later, you learn it’s talent, talent, talent!

Following a whirlwind search through some 20 countries that led to Lopez playing soccer in Peru and practicing capoeira in Uruguay, it looks like the pair has discovered some of the best unearthed talent to headline their own live Latin show in Las Vegas. And they’re ready to make them international stars…

The competition begins on Saturday, January 28 at 7 p.m. EST on Univision.

Lopez Launching Amigas, Inc. on Tres: MTV, Musica y Mas

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

She was named the world’s greatest musical comeback act in 2011… And, it looks like there’s no slowing down Jennifer Lopez in 2012.

The 42-year-old Puerto Rican singer/actress—currently appearing as a judge on Fox’s American Idol and preparing to launch her international Latin talent show Q’Viva: The Chosen later this month—has partnered with Tres: MTV, Musica y Mas to launch yet another television series.

Lopez, Simon Fields and Jane Startz will serve as executive producers of Amigas Inc., an aspirational eight-episode program that chronicles the lives of four entrepreneurial Miami teenagers who launch a party-planning business to throw their perfect Quinceneras.

Startz created the Amigas, Inc. book series and characters, which were inspired by Lopez.

The series, which will launch in the fall, comes from Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions and Jane Startz Productions, with United Entertainment also taking on a producing role.

“I’m so excited to bring the Amigas series to television and to share the rich cultural experiences of being a Latino that are universal to us all,” said Lopez. “I hope that this series will entertain audiences and inspire my fans to pursue their own dreams.”

It’s Lopez’s latest project targeting the Hispanic audience… She and Marc Anthony are the masterminds behind Univision‘s talent show Q’Viva, which will premiere on January 28.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: Univision