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Wilmer Valderrama is developing a TV series based on the Disney western Zorro for Disney Branded Television. Valderrama is set to executive produce and star as Don Diego de la Vega and his alter ego, the titular masked horseman.

The project is executive produced by former Disney Branded Entertainment President and Chief Creative Officer Gary Marsh under the multiyear production deal for his banner at Disney General Entertainment, and John Gertz of Zorro Productions, Inc.

“We’re reimagining this Disney classic as a compelling period piece, set in Pueblo de Los Angeles, but told in a very modern telenovela style — with richly drawn contemporary characters and relationships set against the action, drama, suspense, and humor of the original, iconic Zorro,” said Ayo Davis, President of Disney Branded Television. “Wilmer shares our commitment to reflect the interesting and rich diversity of the human experience and we look forward to delivering a...

Exclusive: The family comedy Mexican Beverly Hills is being developed for CBS by Erick Galindo, Aaron Izek, and Wilmer Valderrama, Deadline has learned. The single-camera project is inspired by Galindo’s New York Times essay of the same name.

Mexican Beverly Hills tells the story of a working-class Mexican-American family that moves to the wealthy, heavily Latinx city of Downey—also known as the Mexican Beverly Hills—where they both fit in and stand out in ways they never have before.

Galindo and Izek will write and executive produce; Wilmer Valderrama and Kaitlin Saltzman will also executive produce under Valderrama’s Wv Entertainment banner.

Galindo is a five-time Telly Award-winning writer, director, and producer known for his personal essays. He regularly writes about culture for LAist, NPR station Kpcc, and The New York Times, and was the first managing editor of L.A. Taco, where his work won a James Beard Foundation award.

CBS has selected six writers to participate in its 2018-19 writer development program.

The Writers Mentoring Program calls for promising scribes to go through an eight-month mentoring program that pairs each writer with a CBS Corp. executive to help them develop a piece of material. The writers also take part in a 16-week workshop designed to teach them the basics of the television biz and give them networking access to talent agents, managers, executives, showrunners and producers.

“We’re passionate about providing exposure, access and opportunity to these talented, deserving writers,” said Tiffany Smith-Anoa’i, CBS’ exec VP of entertainment diversity, inclusion and communications. “This program teaches the skills necessary for cultivating writers who will one day create and run their own shows.”

The participants were culled from a pool of more than 1,500 applications for the program that CBS has run since 2004. The program has helped launch the careers of more than 75 writers,...

CBS has named the six writers selected for its 2018-19 Writers Mentoring Program. Since its inception in 2004, the program has served to provide mentorships, access and opportunity for writers.

This year’s writers are Lisa Bao, Rashaan Dozier-Escalante, Aaron Izek, Corey Moore, Christina Piña and Dimitry Pompée. Read more about them below.

The eight-month mentoring program pairs writers with an executive mentor who helps them develop a new piece of material. Following the mentorship period, the writers participate in a 16-week workshop designed to teach them everything about the television business, as well as provide them access to agents, managers, executives, showrunners and producers.

“We’re passionate about providing exposure, access and opportunity to these talented, deserving writers,” said Tiffany Smith-Anoa’i, Evp Entertainment Diversity, Inclusion and Communications at CBS Entertainment. “This program teaches the skills necessary for cultivating writers who will one day create and run their own shows.