USA Network Looking to Adapt Telemundo’s “La Reina del Sur”

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Telemundo’s La Reina del Sur is about to get an English-language makeover…

The USA Network has given a pilot order to The Queen of the South, an English-language adaptation of the blockbuster 2011 telenovela starring Kate del Castillo.

Frequent USA collaborator Fox Television Studios (White Collar, Graceland) is set to produce the project. In his television debut, feature producer David T. Friendly (Little Miss Sunshine), who brought the project to the studio, is executive producing.

Based on the best-selling book of the same by Arturo Perez-Reverte, Queen of the South is a serialized crime drama that centers on Teresa Mendoza. When her drug-dealing boyfriend is unexpectedly murdered in Mexico, Teresa is forced to go on the run and seek refuge in America, where she teams with an unlikely figure from her past to bring down the leader of the very drug trafficking ring that has her on the run. In the process, she learns the tools of the trade and strategically positions herself to become the leader of the cartel.

M.A. Fortin and Joshua John Miller (The Final Girls) wrote the script and will also executive produce the series with Pancho Mansfield.

La Reina Del Sur is not a typical telenovela, with critics noting that is feels closer to Breaking Bad than One Life To Live, and Telemundo giving it a major Emmy campaign. It was Telemundo’s most expensive telenovela ever with a budget of $10 million and became the highest-rated program in the Spanish-language network’s 19-year history, averaging nearly 4.2 million total viewers and more than 2.8 million viewers adults 18-49. Its May 30, 2011 series finale was the No. 1 broadcast program of the night, of any language.

Queen of the South joins USA’s other pilots Stanistan, Mr. Robot and Colony.

USA Network Renews Torres’ Legal Drama “Suits” for a Fifth Season

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Gina Torres will be suitin’ up for another season…

USA Network has renewed its legal drama Suits, starring the 45-year-old Cuban American actress, for a fifth season.

Torres portrays Jessica Lourdes Pearson, the co-founding and managing partner of Pearson Hardman, who was mentored by Daniel Hardman when she was an associate fresh out of Harvard Law School.

The network’s order is for 16 episodes, matching the current fourth season, whose midseason finale airs next week.

Suits averages nearly 4 million viewers and 1.6 million adults 18-49.

“Suits continues to fire on all cylinders, delivering provocative storytelling and complex characters that viewers can’t get enough of,” said USA President Chris McCumber.

In addition to Torres, the series also stars Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, Meghan Markle, Rick Hoffman and Sarah Rafferty.

Segarra Lands Role in Judd Apatow’s Comedy “Trainwreck”

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Josh Segarra is a trainwreck…

The 28-year-old Puerto Rican actor has landed a role in Judd Apatow’s latest comedy Trainwreck.

Segarra, who was recently upped to series regular for the second season of USA Network’s comedy series Sirens, will portray the role of Oli, a Staten Island smooth talking guy.

The ensemble cast includes Amy Schumer, Daniel Radcliffe, Tilda Swinton, Marisa Tomei, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn, Barkhad Abdi, Mike Birbiglia, Jon Glaser, Vanessa Bayer, John Cena, Ezra Miller, LeBron James and Method Man.

Trainwreck is scheduled to hit theaters on July 24, 2015.

Segarra Upped to Series Regular on USA Network’s “Sirens”

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Prepare for more of Josh Segarra on the USA Network..

The 28-year-old Puerto Rican actor has been upped to series regular on the cable network’s comedy series Sirens.

Segarra, who starred in the Broadway musical Lysistrata Jones, recurred for five episodes of Sirens’ freshman run.

From creators Denis Leary and Bob Fisher, the series follows three Chicago EMTs who, despite their narcissistic and self-destructive personalities, are uniquely qualified to save lives.

Segarra portrays the handsome yet dim bulb cop Billy —Theresa’s (Jessica McNamee) new partner and friend who brings out Johnny’s (Michael Mosley) jealous side.

He becomes the latest Sirens cast member to be promoted to series regular for season two. Bill Nunn, who plays EMT Cash, was also upped for its sophomore run after appearing in nearly all of the half-hour comedy’s rookie run as a recurring guest star.

USA renewed Sirens for a second season in June.

Segarra previously starred as who Hector Ruiz, Jessica Ruiz’s older brother,on the television show The Electric Company. His other television credits include appearances on Blue Bloods, Chicago P.D., The Following and Homeland.

Echevarria Signs Premium Two-Script Deal with Legendary Television

Posted on July 20, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

René Echevarria has landed a legendary contract…

The Cuban American screenwriter and film producer has signed a premium two-script deal with Legendary Television.

No concepts have been set yet, but Deadline.com reports that Echevarria may explore titles from Legendary’s movie library.

The Primetime Emmy-nominated veteran showrunner has a background in leading big properties to the small screen, including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Echevarria also served as the executive producer/showrunner on Fox’s Terra Nova and executive produced MTV’s Teen Wolf.

Additionally, he co-created USA Network’s The 4400 and worked on Medium and Castle.

Higareda to Appear on USA Nettwork’s “Royal Pains”

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Martha Higareda has landed a royal role…

The 30-year-old Mexican actress has landed a role on the USA Network’s concierge medicine practice-themed series Royal Pains.

Higareda, who appeared on El Rey Network’s El Mariachi series, will portray Viviana, the lively bartender at a quiet local bar that becomes a sanctuary for Jeremiah (portrayed by Ben Shenkman).

Higareda’s other television credits include Hawaii Five-0, CSI: Miami and the mini-series Carlos the Jackal.

The sixth season Royal Pains will premiere on June 10.

Roday to Star in CBS’ Comedy Pilot “Good Session”

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

He may be closing the chapter on his long-running USA series Psych this month… But James Roday may not be out of work for long.

The 37-year-old Mexican American actor has signed on to star as the male lead on the CBS comedy pilot Good Session.

Written by John Hamburg and Matt Miller and directed by Hamburg, the project revolves around a happy couple, Joel (portrayed by Roday) and Lindsay, who go to a therapist to help them decide if they should have a baby but quickly discover they have more to discuss.

Roday’s Joel is a dedicated middle-school guidance counselor who thinks his marriage to Lindsay, a jet-setting executive, is a happy one — but when they disagree about whether the time is right to start a family, they begin the painful, funny, embarrassing and, ultimately, rewarding, road of couples counseling.

For the past eight seasons on Psych, Roday played faux psychic detective Shawn Spencer who, with the help of sidekick Gus (Dule Hill), solved police cases.

Roday was an early social media adopter and, along with Hill, helped make Psych one of the first television series to engage its fans digitally and make it a multi-platform phenomenon.

Roday recently wrote and directed the dark comedy feature Gravy.

Nuñez to Star in the USA Network’s Comedy “Benched”

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Oscar Nuñez is getting benched…

In his first post-The Office television role, the 55-year-old Cuban actor will star in the newly picked-up USA Network comedy series Benched.

From ABC Signature and the Mark Gordon Co., the courtroom comedy focuses on Nina (portrayed by Eliza Coupe), a dedicated, career-driven corporate attorney who has a very public nervous breakdown after getting passed up for an expected promotion, and finds herself working as a public defender.

Nuñez will play a public defender and colleague in Nina’s new office.

Nuñez, a Groundlings alum, is best known for playing Oscar Martinez on NBC’s The Office for the series’ entire nine-season run.

Nuñez, who was a major scene-stealer in Sandra Bullock’s The Proposal, will next be seen in the Chilean miner film The 33.

Guevara Lands Role in Fox‘s Batman Prequel Drama Series “Gotham”

Posted on February 12, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Zabryna Guevara will soon be calling Gotham home…

The Latina actress has been cast opposite Ben McKenzie in Fox‘s Batman prequel drama series Gotham.

Based on the DC Comics characters from the Batman universe, Gotham explores the origin stories of Commissioner James Gordon (McKenzie) as an idealistic rookie detective in Gotham City; Bruce Wayne following the death of his parents; and the villains that made Gotham City famous.

Guevara, who most recently starred on television in the USA Network’s spy series Burn Notice, will portray Captain Essen, Gordon’s boss at the GCPD Homicide Squad, who balances the worlds of police and politics with a Machiavellian skill that’s as much corporate litigator as cop.

Guevara’s other credits include appearances in the films The Guilt Trip and Marley & Me, as well as television appearances in Blue Bloods, Person of Interest and Common Law.

Gotham is written and executive-produced by The Mentalist creator Bruno Heller, with Warner Bros. Television producing.

Torres Among the Red-Hot Models at the Heart Truth Red Dress Collection Show

Posted on February 7, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Gina Torres is always red-y to raise awareness about women’s heart health…

The 44-year-old Cuban American actress, who currently stars as Jessica Pearson on the USA Network’s popular legal series Suits, had fashionistas seeing red during the Heart Truth Red Dress Collection show in New York City.

The event, sponsored by the American Heart Association Go Red For Women campaign, kicked off New York Fashion Week Thursday night at the Lincoln Center.

In honor of American Heart Month, Torres, Bella Thorne and Victoria Justice joined other red-hot celebrities, including NeNe Leakes, Anika Noni Rose and Leona Lewis, to walk the runway in designer red frocks, all to raise money for the cause.

This year’s Red Dress Collection designers included Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Carmen Mark Valvo, Mark Zunino and Donna Karan.

Here’s a look at Torres, Thorne and Justice in their red dresses.

Gina Torres flaunts her curvas in an eye-catching Marchesa dress during The Heart Truth Red Dress show.

Bella Thorne dons a sleek Badgley Mischka dress in the Go Red For Women-The Heart Truth Red Dress runway show.

Victoria Justice strikes a pose in a flowery Oscar de la Renta dress in the Red Dress show.

Heart disease reportedly causes one in three women’s deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every minute. It’s estimated that 43-million women in the United States are affected by heart disease.

Here are some important facts about Latinas and heart disease:

Hispanic women are likely to develop heart disease 10 years earlier than Caucasian women.
Only 1 in 3 Hispanic women are aware that heart disease is their No. 1 killer
Only 3 in 10 Hispanic women say they have been informed that they are at a higher risk.

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Celebrating the Latino Influence

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