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Yelyna De León will star in and direct the romantic comedy “20 Pounds to Happiness” from “Real Women Have Curves” writer Josefina López.

Carlo Mendez and Riley Shanahan co-star in the film, which also features Christiana Leucas, Soledad St. Hilaire, Iyari Limon, Rafael Sigler and Tricia Cruz.

“20 Pounds to Happiness” marks De León’s debut as a feature film director. The movie follows a full-figured Latina in a “Real Women Have Curves” support group who must decide between staying loyal to her girlfriends or risking the loss of her dream man. López and De León serve as producers.

De León’s credits as an actor include “Will and Grace,” “Snowfall,” “Ray Donovan,” “Shamelsss,” “A Better Life” and “East Side Story.” She also wrote, produced and acted in the murder mystery film “Murder in the Woods” alongside Danny Trejo.

Mendez is a Cuban-American actor with television roles in “9-1-1,” “Superior Donuts,” “Parks and Recreation...

I have a deep yearning for uniting people. I believe that one of my purposes in this life is to bring people together in a way that transcends status, class, and occupation, creating a space where everyone feels truly united and understood. That's why in 2022, I decided to launch my first El Teteo party in Los Angeles, driven by a longing for something that reminded me of my home in NYC.

I was feeling homesick and needed to feel connected to my roots and my community. El Teteo serves as an extension of what I was taught: to find moments of joy through pain, troubles, and hard work. For me, community is about gathering with the people you love and care for, no matter where you are - whether that's getting together with beach chairs in front of a building or plastic chairs at a park under a bridge. Teteo,...

The Changemaker Awards are back! Now in their second year, the Changemaker Awards spotlight outstanding Film Independent Fellows whose contributions have significantly impacted the entertainment industry and their communities.

This year the award will be presented to Linda Yvette Chávez, Tze Chun, and Grace Lee (Documentary Lab 2012).

Linda Yvette Chávez, known for her fearless storytelling and inclusive narratives with projects like the Oscar-nominated Flamin’ Hot and the acclaimed Netflix series Gentefied. Tze Chun, a versatile writer, director, and showrunner, has garnered praise for his work on shows like Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, and I’m a Virgo, showcasing his talent and creativity across different genres. Grace Lee, an award-winning documentary director and producer, has grappled with issues like politics and race with works like And She Could Be Next and American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs.

“It is our privilege in Artist Development to nurture and support talented...

Francisco Ramos, the Venezuelan American stand-up comic known for his unique perspective on the immigrant experience, took to YouTube on Tuesday to unveil his debut comedy special, Venezuela’Merican, via 800 Pound Gorilla.

No logline was provided for the special, filmed in Las Vegas at Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club inside the MGM Grand. But you can check out a first-look clip, spotlighting a bit on pumpkin patches, below.

Produced by Garrett, Ed Conover and 800 Pound Gorilla Records, Ramos’ special was directed by Michael Malone.

“I’m beyond thrilled for everyone to finally see the special(ito) we’ve been cooking up!” said Ramos in a statement to Deadline. “Huge shoutout to Brad Garrett for producing it and to the fantastic team at 800 Pound Gorilla for their incredible support. Now, fingers crossed for 1 million views—because that’s the magic number that might finally make my mom stop asking, “When are you getting a real job?...

Explore the Lives of the Bones Cast Emily Deschanel as Dr. Temperance Brennan – $30 Million Net Worth David Boreanaz as Seeley Booth – $30 Million Net Worth T.J. Thyne as Dr. Jack Hodgins – $10 Million Net Worth Tamara Taylor as Dr. Camille Saroyan – $5 Million Net Worth John Francis Daley as Dr. Lance Sweets – $5 Million Net Worth Michaela Conlin as Angela Montenegro – $4 Million Net Worth Carla Gallo as Daisy Wick – $2 Million Net Worth John Boyd as James Aubrey – $1- $5 Million Net Worth Eric Millegan as Dr. Zack Addy – $750 Thousand Net Worth

The hit crime procedural drama Bones graced our screens for twelve captivating seasons from September 13, 2005, to March 28, 2017.

Distinguishing from the era’s formulaic TV landscape, Bones intricately wove forensic anthropology into FBI crime-solving with a dash of humanity, humor, and romance.

Bones captured audiences for twelve seasons and introduced an ensemble cast consisting of charming veterans and fresh faces (Credit: INFevents)

Now, 18 years after its inception,...

Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) and Bowen Yang (SNL) have been tapped to star in a reimagining of Ang Lee’s classic romance The Wedding Banquet from filmmaker Andrew Ahn (Fire Island), Deadline can confirm.

The original film’s co-writer and producer James Schamus will join Joe Pirro in producing for Symbolic Exchange, alongside Anita Gou and Caroline Clark for Kindred Spirit. Jordan Hart will co-produce, with Andrew Karpen, Shivani Rawat, Kent Sanderson, Julie Goldstein, Sam Intili and Daniel Bekerman exec producing. Kelly Marie Tran, Yuh-jung Youn and Joan Chen will also star in the remake scripted by Ahn and Schamus.

Bleecker Street and ShivHans Pictures have co-acquired North American rights and have slated the film for release in theaters next year. Production kicks off in Vancouver next month.

Marking Lee’s sophomore feature, The Wedding Banquet follows Wai-Tung, a gay Taiwanese-American, who agrees to marry Wei-Wei, an...

According to new McKinsey & Company research, there are over 62 million Latinos living in the United States who not only account for more than $3 trillion of Gdp but are also avid consumers of film and TV. US Latinos account for 24 percent of box office ticket sales and 24 percent of streaming subscribers. Yet somehow, there still aren't enough Latines behind and in front of the camera even though our viewership doubles when we see ourselves represented on or off screen.

Today, we still don't have enough TV programming that accurately represents us - and the few shows that have been created for us and by us, like "Vida," "One Day at a Time," "Promised Land," and "Gentefied," were eventually all canceled despite their popularity. Among these many cancellations was Dominican American creator Claudia Forestieri's beloved "Gordita Chronicles," which was released in June 2022 on HBO Max and was canceled after just one season.

On Thursday, Disney Entertainment Television (Det) announced that it has selected the latest cohorts for the company’s Scripted Directing and Writing Programs, two of the entertainment industry’s most successful talent development initiatives.

After expanding into daytime television just last year, three program participants will direct episodes for ABC’s “General Hospital,” with other individuals positioned across Disney-owned 20th Television, ABC Entertainment and ABC Signature-produced programs as directors or writers.

“General Hospital”

ABC

Joining the “General Hospital” team are Erica Eng, Nina Kramer and Aubrey Smyth, each of whom will be shadowing and directing episodes of the daytime drama series, which recently won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing Team for a Daytime Drama Series at “The 50th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” in December. The team was represented by directors Tina Keller, Robert Markham, Allison Reames Smith, Gary Tomlin, Frank Valentini (the show’s executive producer), Denise Van Cleave and Phideaux Xavier,...

Exclusive: Allied Management Group, which was set up by Wilmer Valderrama and John Pollak, has signed a number of Latino writers to its roster.

The company has signed Luisa Leschin, Raphael Draccon & Carolina Munhóz, The Original Content Society’s Raúl Campos and Felix de Valdivia, and Daniel and Diego Ayala López.

The goal is for Allied to bring these Latino writers to networks, streamers and studios in the U.S English-language market.

Leschin has worked on nearly 500 episodes of television including Netflix’s Gentefied, where she was a co-exec producer on its second season, Max’s Head of the Class, where she was a co-ep and Hulu’s East Los High. She has also worked on series including Everybody Hates Chris and The George Lopez Show.

Draccon and Munhóz are a husband-and-wife writing team who showran The Chosen One and Invisible City for Netflix and have a first-look deal with...

Amazon MGM Studios’ Orion Pictures is developing America Ferrera’s feature directorial debut, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, after the project was previously set up at Netflix.

Ferrera is set to direct from a script by Linda Yvette Chávez that adapts author Erika Sánchez’s best-selling 2017 young adult novel of the same name. The story centers on Chicago-based teen Julia Reyes, who aspires to become a successful writer but struggles to live up to her family’s expectations following the tragic death of her seemingly perfect sister Olga.

The movie hails from Anonymous Content and Macro Film Studios. Producers include Doreen Wilcox Little, Charles D. King, Poppy Hanks and David Kuhn, while Sánchez and Greta Talia Fuentes serve as executive producers.

The Hollywood Reporter reported in February 2021 that the feature adaptation of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter was in development at Netflix. Chávez co-created the Netflix series Gentefied,...

Exclusive: America Ferrera’s directorial debut I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter is in development at Amazon MGM Studios’ Orion Pictures from screenwriter Linda Yvette Chávez. The film, based on Erika Sánchez’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name, was previously set at Netflix.

The story follows Julia Reyes, a teen with a sharp tongue, a fierce wit and big dreams of becoming a famous writer, somewhere far, far away from Chicago and her traditional Mexican immigrant parents who just can’t understand her love for Whitman, Dickinson and the Ramones. They wish she was more like Olga, Julia’s sister, now eternally perfect since her tragic death. As Julia seeks to break free of her oppressive home, she tries to uncover her sister’s truth, and in the process gains a deep understanding of the wounds her family carries.

Producers include Doreen Wilcox Little, MacRo...

America Ferrera has made a career of playing real women, ranging from portraits of historical figures (such as political activist Helen Chávez in “Cesar Chavez”) to portrayals of the relatable plights faced by everyday girls everywhere (as embodied by the actress’ viral speech in “Barbie.”)

Ferrera’s selection of roles have seeming all lead to her turn in Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” which landed Ferrera a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the 2024 Oscars. But the former teen star was already an icon to fans of the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” franchise, “Ugly Betty,” and “Superstore.” “Barbie” was just a nice reminder that maybe we’ve all been taking Ferrera’s talents for granted too long.

Let’s not forget that Ferrera made history by winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for “Ugly Betty,” becoming the first Latina woman to take home the prize in the category.

The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative on Thursday unveiled its latest The Inclusion List, a data-driven ranking system that looks to identify the most inclusive TV series across broadcast, cable and streaming in front and behind the camera.

The list, a collaboration of the Inclusion Initiative and the Adobe Foundation, used data on personnel from the 2021-2022 broadcast season and streaming series from 2021-2023. More than 560 series were scored, looking at 4,500 series regular roles and more than 11,000 crew members across more than 110,000 behind-the-scenes positions were evaluated.

Leading the Top 100 lists were the recently ended Queen Sugar from OWN, HBO’s The Baby and the CW’s All American: Homecoming on the broadcast and cable side, and Raising Dion (Netflix), Gentefied (Netflix), The Garcias (Max), The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray (AppleTV+), Reasonable Doubt (Hulu), Now and Then (Apple TV+), Rap Sh!t (Max), With Love (Amazon Prime), First Kill (Netflix), and Swarm...

Just in time for Monday’s Emmy awards, the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative and Dr. Stacy L. Smith, along with the the Adobe Foundation, have unveiled The Inclusion List for episodic programming, which recognizes the most inclusive series in broadcast, cable and streaming.

Following a similar effort for films, the list analyzes on-screen and behind-the-camera personnel from more than 500 programs to determine the 100 most inclusive broadcast and cable series from the 2021-22 broadcast season, as well as streaming series from 2021 to 2023. The project also recognizes 20 producers responsible for the most inclusive content.

“The goal of the Inclusion List is to recognize the stories and storytellers who are taking inclusion seriously and whose content reflects their values,” said Dr. Smith, founder of the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. “With today’s release of the Inclusion List for broadcast/cable and streaming series, we are excited to acknowledge the creative voices championing inclusion across the spectrum of episodic content.

America Ferrera has been set to receive the annual SeeHer Award at the 29th annual Critics Choice Awards, with the honor to be bestowed during next month’s ceremony.

The award honors a woman who advocates for gender equality, portrays characters with authenticity, defies stereotypes and pushes boundaries. Previous recipients include Viola Davis, Gal Gadot, Claire Foy, Kristen Bell, Zendaya, Halle Berry and in 2023 Janelle Monáe.

Ferrera had a big year co-starring in the year’s biggest box office blockbuster, Warner Bros’ Barbie, as well as in Dumb Money. She received the Groundbreaker Award earlier this month at the Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of Cinema & Television: Honoring Black, Latino and Aapi Achievements.

Sher also was nominated for Critics Choice supporting actress award as part of Barbie‘s haul of a leading 18 nominations. Winners will be revealed in a ceremony set to air January 14 on the CW with Chelsea Handler hosting.

Women in Film returned for its annual Wif Honors on Thursday night, once again recognizing the women working on the frontlines to change the entertainment industry for the better.

The event, held at The Ray Dolby Ballroom in Los Angeles, kicked off with the presentation of the Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award, selected and presented by the icon herself. Fonda explained that, “there’s great joy in being an artist, an actor — being paid for your work and recognized, fantastic, wonderful; but to be an activist that’s something else again. To act is to put on a performance, but to be an activist is to perform in service of the world.” She continued, “It’s hard to imagine a more perfect recipient of this recognition,” speaking of this year’s chosen honoree, America Ferrera.

“From her very first moment on the screen in Real Women Have Curves it was obvious...

Exclusive: UTA has signed well known comedian, actor, and podcast host Felipe Esparza for representation in all areas globally.

Rising to fame as the 2010 winner of NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Esparza’s most recent special was the dual-language Felipe Esparza: Bad Decisions, which debuted on Netflix to critical acclaim, in both English and Spanish, in 2020. His second special, Translate This, premiered on HBO in 2017 and continues to be available for streaming on all HBO platforms. His first, 2012’s They’re Not Gonna Laugh At You, made its way to Netflix after debuting on Showtime.

Esparza has also been seen recurring on series like NBC’s Superstore, Adult Swim’s The Eric Andre Show, Netflix’s Gentefied, and Cartoon Network’s Victor and Valentino. Notable film credits include Guest House with Pauly Shore, 7th & Union with Omar Chaparro, Daddy Daughter Trip with Rob Schneider, You People with Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill,...

Julissa Calderon is a Dominican-American actress from Miami who first became known for the viral videos she produced and starred in for Buzzfeed's "Pero Like," with the mission to use her platform to create the Dominican representation and storytelling she wasn't seeing online. She broke into Hollywood after landing the role of Yessika, a queer Afro-Dominicana, in Netflix's "Gentefied." She was later cast in Prime's "With Love," where she also got to play a Dominican woman by the name of Annie.

For Latine Heritage Month, we asked women we admire how they are prioritizing descansar and restoration amid today's prevailing grind culture. Read Calderon reflect, in her own words, ahead.

Being a Dominican kid from New York, raised in Miami, and the daughter of immigrant parents, my understanding of work has always revolved around trying to survive. Growing up, my mom was waking at 6:30 in the morning...

Disney+ has released the trailer for ‘Flamin’ Hot’, directed by award-winning actor, director and producer Eva Longoria, premiering exclusively on Disney+ in UK on 9 June 2023.

The inspiring true story of Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia) who as a Frito-Lay janitor disrupted the food industry by channelling his Mexican-American heritage to turn Flamin’ Hot Cheetos from a snack into an iconic global pop culture phenomenon.

The film stars Jesse Garcia (“Quinceañera”) as Richard, Annie Gonzalez (“Gentefied”) as his wife, Judy, Emilio Rivera as Richard’s father Nacho, Dennis Haysbert as Richard’s mentor, Clarence, and 4x Emmy® Award winner Tony Shalhoub as PepsiCo CEO Roger Enrico. Other cast members include Matt Walsh (“Veep”), Bobby Soto (“Narcos”) and Pepe Serna (“Scarface”).

Also in trailers – Teaser trailer lands for Yorgos Lanthimos’ upcoming feature ‘Poor Things.’

The post Trailer lands for Eva Longoria’s ‘Flamin’ Hot’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Netflix has decided not to renew Latina-led teen dramedy Freeridge, a spinoff to On My Block, for a second season, Rolling Stone has learned. The news arrives just two months after the show first premiered on the streaming service in early February, according to a source.

The eight-episode show featured an entirely Poc cast and starred two Latinas — Keyla Monterroso Mejia and Bryana Salaz — in the main roles as rival sisters Gloria and Ines, respectively. Freeridge followed the siblings and their two best friends Cameron (Tenzing Norgay Trainor) and Demi...

They’re the most disproportionately underrepresented demographic in Hollywood, an industry that makes its headquarters in a county where they comprise the plurality of the population. And even as other systemically marginalized groups make prominent and visible strides in pop culture, Latinos have remained caught in a cycle of development hell, with projects created by and centering them canceled (or permanently shelved) even as they continue to prop up a significant share of the box office as audience members.

“There was an overabundance and then a complete 180 has now happened. The graveyard of Latino shows in the last five years, it has been a decimation,” writer Gloria Calderón Kellett tells The Hollywood Reporter. “In a row One Day at a Time, Vida, Diary of a Future President, Gentefied, all of these shows came out, all of them 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. They didn’t support the shows with marketing. They...

Eva Longoria’s feature directorial debut, “Flamin’ Hot,” had audiences on fire at its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival on March 11 — while deftly navigating the controversy surrounding the film’s subject without ever addressing it by name.

The movie is based on the life of former Frito-Lay executive Richard Montañez, played by Jesse Garcia, who has said that he was responsible for inventing the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos brand when he was working as a janitor for the company.

Before “Flamin’ Hot” went into production in 2021, however, Montañez’s claims were disputed by a Los Angeles Times report in which Frito-Lay stated that an internal investigation turned up no evidence that “Richard was involved in any capacity in the Flamin’ Hot test market” in 1990. Instead, the Times’ story attributed a Frito-Lay factory in the Midwest with spearheading the Flamin’ Hot brand and credited Montañez for helping to bring to...

Exclusive: An authorized biopic about the life of Jenni Rivera has been greenlit at ViX with Annie Gonzalez set to star and executive produce. Filming of Jenni (wt) is underway in Bogota, Colombia, and will be completed in Los Angeles.

The project is set to premiere exclusively via ViX and in select movie theaters in the United States and Mexico later this year.

Jenni (wt) will follow Rivera’s journey from her humble beginnings in Long Beach, California, to her meteoric rise to the top of the charts, and her final days before her tragic and unexpected death. The film will also share a look at the struggles she endured in her personal life and how she became the artist fans all know and love today, and how she persevered and found strength from within.

Jenni Rivera portrayed by Annie Gonzalez in Jenni (wt)

The streamer notes,...

Macro, the media company founded in 2015 by Charles D. King, announced the completion of an over $90 million minority investment led by BlackRock Alternatives, through the BlackRock Impact Opportunities Fund and funds and accounts managed by BlackRock. Harbourview Equity Partners and funds managed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management also participated in the round, joining the list of Macro’s investors that also includes Emerson Collective, AMC Networks, Essence Ventures, Mnm Creative, Raymond J. McGuire, Anré Williams, Clara Wu and others.

The company plans to use the additional capital to scale and expand operations across its existing business verticals, as well as invest in key organic and inorganic growth initiatives to diversify its revenue streams and reinforce the company’s core lines of business.

“This next phase for Macro is to extend our reach by fueling each business vertical with the appropriate human and financial resources to unleash the full potential of the Macro ecosystem,...

Issues of discrimination and exclusion in Hollywood are often driven by baseless beliefs about marginalized communities, and even efforts to increase diversity sometimes get stalled in the “listening phase” without prioritizing action. That’s why Harness and Untitled Latinx Project (Ulp) co-produce Dear Hollywood (Demanding Equal Access and Representation in Hollywood). The initiative focuses on concrete, data-based strategies for change.

“Latine storytellers and Latine storytelling has lived in the shadows since the advent of Hollywood. It’s always been like this,” said “Vida” creator and Ulp member Tanya Saracho while opening Dear Hollywood and UTA’s Latine Heritage Month event. “We are allowed a glimpse of light here and there, but we always go back in the shadows. We never remained in the light long enough to make substantial progress.”

“They canceled our ‘Gordita Chronicles,'” Saracho continued, referring to the coming-of-age comedy executive produced by Eva Longoria and Zoe Saldaña...

A beloved children's literature classic is getting another adaptation, less than a decade since Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures gave the title the feature treatment with Jennifer Garner, Steve Carell, and Ed Oxenbould. As announced by The Hollywood Reporter, "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" is getting a new Hispanic or Latin-American adaptation of Judith Viorst's best-selling book, with Eva Longoria and George Lopez already cast in the starring adult roles. The new film comes from "Gentefied" co-creator and showrunner Marvin Lemus, who will direct the film for Disney+. Joining Lemus is "Father of the Bride" and "Clifford the Big Red Dog" scribe Matt Lopez, who will provide the script. Shawn Levy's 21 Laps and The Jim Henson Company are producing the film.

In the new adaptation, "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" will follow a Mexican-American family who fears...

Eva Longoria and George Lopez are set to star in the Latino-centric “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” a new Disney+ adaptation of Judith Viorst’s bestselling children’s book, according to an individual with knowledge of the project.

Marvin Lemus, the co-creator and showrunner of “Gentefied,” is set to direct the project. “Father of the Bride’s” Matt Lopez wrote the script. Production on the Disney+ project is eyeing a spring start date in New Mexico.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, which first reported the news, the film “follows a Mexican-American family who have recently lost their connection to each other and their roots, as they embark on an epic road trip that immediately goes hilariously wrong.”

Also Read:

Jonás Cuaron to Direct Bad Bunny in Sony’s ‘El Muerto’ From ‘Blue Beetle’ Writer Gareth Dunnet Alcocer (Exclusive)

“Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day...

Click here to read the full article.

Eva Longoria and George Lopez are on board to star in Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, a new, Latino-centric adaptation of the best-selling children’s book by Judith Viorst.

Marvin Lemus, the co-creator and showrunner of Gentefied, a bilingual series that ran for two seasons on Netflix, will direct the feature, which is intended for Disney+ and being produced by Shawn Levy’s 21 Laps and The Jim Henson Company.

This new version follows a Mexican American family who have recently lost their connection to each other and their roots, as they embark on an epic road trip that immediately goes hilariously wrong.

Longoria will play Alexander’s mother, a travel writer who has lost her passion for work, while Lopez has been cast as the family’s grandfather, a tough biker.

Matt Lopez (Father of the Bride, Clifford...

Exclusive: Screenwriter, executive producer and showrunner Monica Macer is getting into business with MGM Television with a multi-year, exclusive, overall deal. Under the pact, Macer will create, develop and produce original scripted programming for the television studio.

Macer began her TV writing career staffed on Emmy-winning series Lost. As a showrunner and executive producer, her credits include Netflix’s Latine dramedy Gentefied, which was nominated for a Peabody Award, and most recently the fifth and final season of CBS’ Macgyver. She also served as showrunner of Queen Sugar’s second season and as a consulting producer on HBO Max’s Emmy-nominated limited series Station Eleven.

“Monica Macer is a dynamic storyteller who has written for and produced some of the most popular and acclaimed series of the last 15 years,” said Michael Wright, President of Scripted Television at MGM. “We are thrilled she’s chosen MGM to be her new creative home,...

Click here to read the full article.

Disney’s Encanto and Hulu’s Love, Victor were the big winners at the 2022 Imagen Awards, held Sunday at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes in downtown Los Angeles.

Encanto was named best feature film and Love, Victor was a repeat winner for best primetime comedy at the 37th annual awards, which were established in 1985 from a suggestion by veteran television producer Norman Lear to encourage and recognize positive portrayals of Latinos in the media. Today, The Imagen Foundation aims to serve as a bridge between the Latino community and the entertainment industry in providing access, education, and resources for Latinos in the industry, as well as those seeking careers in entertainment.

The Imagen Awards were handed out Sunday at an afternoon gala, which marked the in-person return of the ceremony after a two-year live hiatus due to the pandemic.

Encanto also won best director for Jared Bush,...

This year’s fall festival circuit has been everything, everywhere, all at once, it seems.

The 2022 Film Independent Forum announced that “Everything Everywhere All at Once” writer/directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, also known as Daniels, will kick off the conference with a keynote.

Opening night on October 24 will also include a screening of A24’s “The Inspection,” followed by a Q&a with director Elegance Bratton, Gamechanger’s CEO/producer Effie T. Brown, and producer Chester Algernal Gordon.

The Film Independent Forum event starts October 24 at the Directors Guild of America Theatre in Los Angeles. The conference will continue with virtual sessions and panels to be enjoyed by global audiences October 25 through 27. The full program will take place over the course of four days, October 24 through 27.

The Film Independent Forum hosts independent filmmakers and content creators, with the 2022 lineup returning in a hybrid format of both in-person and virtual events.

Amazon Studios and Macro Film Studios have partnered for a new endeavor — a multiyear first-look film deal.

Under the new pact, Amazon Studios will have first rights to feature film projects Macro will develop, package and produce for Prime Video, which is available in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. News of the partnership was announced by Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke, as well as Macro founder and CEO Charles D. King and Macro Film Studios president James F. Lopez.

“With our ongoing goal to share MacRo Film Studios’ premium and acclaimed content to a global audience, there really is no better partner than Amazon Studios,” said King and Lopez in a joint statement. “Their reach extends to a national and international core and they are known the world over for a business acumen and long-horizon strategic thinking that is simply unmatched. We believe we will do great things together.

There's a bittersweet reality that comes with the life of an actor. There can be seasons where it feels like the roles are just flowing in by the second, and then there are quieter seasons - Michelle Ortiz knows both quite well. Being a Latina with no connections or hookups in the industry, the actor has always worked that much harder at any role she's ever landed. It's that resilience and the commitment she continues to dedicate to her craft that helped her land her latest role as Maggie on Hulu's "This Fool," which released on Aug. 12. Ortiz beautifully marries both her skills as a comedian and as an actor who can deliver drama in a way that really highlights how nuanced Maggie is as a character. She's an independent woman but in many ways also very codependent on her on-and-off boyfriend, Julio (played by standup comedian Chris Estrada...

This week, a sold-out crowd gathered in Aspen, Colorado for the Latinx House’s inaugural Raizado Festival, a three-day event filled with music, art exhibitions, film screenings, panel discussions, and more. Planned as an opportunity to highlight issues and achievements in the Latino community — particularly in an area known for events that attract white, wealthy elites — the festival included headlining performances by massive names in the Latin music industry, including Mexican star Belinda and the rising regional singer-songwriter Lupita Infante.

Both artists were drawn to the festival’s mission of uplifting Latinos across the country,...

Exclusive: ICM Partners veterans Chris von Goetz and James Robins Early have teamed to launch Adventure Media, an artist-driven management and production company. Aaliyah Williams has joined the company as a founding partner, manager and producer.

Von Goetz, Robins Early and Williams bring different experience to the partnership. Von Goetz is transitioning to management after becoming one of the business’ top TV lit agents during 25-year career at ICM Partners and predecessor Bwcs. During his 12-year tenure at ICM, Robins Early worked in feature film in addition to scripted TV, while Williams is a Peabody-nominated TV and film producer who most recently has been under a first-look deat at CBS Studios for her company Just A Rebel. The trio knew each other from ICM where Von Goetz and Robins Early worked and Williams was a client.

Adventure is starting with an extensive roster of talent — including most of Von Goetz...

Click here to read the full article.

West Side Story, Encanto and In the Heights are among the nominations for the 37th annual Imagen Awards, which recognize work by Latino talent, new faces and seasoned creatives.

“After two years of streaming celebrations, we are ecstatic to be back in person and to honor those who made significant contributions to the television, film and streaming spaces,” What We Do in the Shadows star Harvey Guillén, who presented the nominees, said. “With the caliber of talent and the diversity of the roles and projects, our expectations were wildly exceeded with 445 entries, up 125 from 2021! We are beyond proud of this year’s nominees and all those who submitted. Given the excellence of the entries, the judges had a difficult time selecting those to be nominated.”

Nominees are determined by an independent panel of entertainment industry and Latino community leaders.

The 37th annual Imagen...

The Imagen Awards on Monday unveiled the full list of nominees for its 37th annual gala honoring Latino storytelling, performances, writing and creative expression in television and film. This year’s awards show is set for October 2 in Los Angeles at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes.

Walt Disney Studios’ West Side Story was among the most nominated alongside Disney’s animated movie Encanto. Eugenio Derbez scored several nods including Best Actor in a Feature Film for Apple TV+’s Coda and Best Actor in a Comedy (Television) for Hulu’s The Valet.

Derbez’s 3Pas Studios is also behind Apple TV+’s comedy Acapulco, which also received several mentions in the noms, which were revealed today by What We Do in the Shadows star Harvey Guillén and actress-writer-producer Karrie Martin Lachney.

“After two years of streaming celebrations, we are ecstatic to be back in person and to honor those...

"Con paciencia y calma se sube un burro a una palma," is a famous Dominican saying that translates to "With patience and calm, a donkey can climb a palm." The saying speaks to the resourcefulness of Dominicans. It's about making do with what you have and creating new opportunities for yourself when the opportunities aren't necessarily falling on your lap. If there's one Dominican in the biz who has built their career off creating opportunities for themselves, when the opportunities weren't coming, it's comedian, actress, and writer Sasha Merci Medina.

Six years ago, Medina, who was born and raised in the Bronx, took her first stab at comedy. In 2016, she started off performing at open mics and doing standup. But when the opportunities weren't knocking on her door, Medina started posting comedy clips to her Ig @sashamerci after Instagram added the video feature to its platform. Before she knew it,...

When TV academy voters sit down to fill out their 2022 Emmy nominations ballots, they have to consider 118 shows for Best Comedy Series; this is up by 50 contenders from last year. Since 2017, voters have not had to limit their choices to just 10 shows. The TV academy tells its members to “vote for as many achievements in this category that you have seen and feel are worthy of a nomination.”

Reigning Best Comedy Series winner “Ted Lasso” is back to try and defend its title, while six of its seven 2021 rivals have shots at redemption since they also aired during the eligibility period of June 1, 2021 to May 31, 2022. Those half dozen shows are “Black-ish,” “Cobra Kai,” “Emily in Paris,” “The Flight Attendant,” “Hacks,” and “PEN15.” The lone 2021 nominee missing from this ballot is “The Kominsky Method,” which ended its three-season run last May. Also back in the hunt is “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,...

Exclusive: Gina Reyes has joined UTA as an Agent in the Television Literary division. She will be based in Los Angeles and will report to Partners & Co-Heads of TV Literary, Dan Erlij, and Allan Haldeman.

Prior to joining UTA, Reyes served as a Television Literary agent at Verve Talent & Literary Agency. Throughout her tenure, she worked with clients such as Aitch Alberto, Tanuj Chopra (Delhi Crime), Marvin Lemus (Gentefied), Eif Rivera, Rebecca Rodriguez and Santa Sierra, among others.

“Throughout her career, Gina has worked to uplift and champion unique and important storytellers,“ jointly said Erlij and Haldeman in a statement to Deadline. “She has helped identify and amplify the next generation of...

Xochitl Gomez (pronounced So-chee) stepped into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with her portrayal of America Chavez in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," and she's officially on the rise. The 16-year-old Mexican American actress has previously starred in the hit iteration of Netflix's "The Baby-Sitters Club" and "Gentefied," among other acting credits. The young star is now bringing the resilient Latina teenage superhero America to life with her incredible acting chops, working alongside remarkable actors, including Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen. Though she bagged the role of a young Marvel superhero at an impressively early age, she's been earning her stripes in the acting game for over a decade now. Scroll ahead to get to know the talented new addition to the ever-growing MCU, including her famous acting coach, her audition process for America, and her future creative plans.

After a two-year hiatus, the Producers Guild of America’s Produced By Conference is returning to Los Angeles this June.

First established in 2008, the Produced By Conference is an annual one-weekend event that brings producers from film, television, and other mediums for roundtables, panels and networking events. This year’s Produced By is the first since 2019, after the conference faced several cancellations due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The conference is set to take place on June 11 and 12 at the Fox Studio Lot in Los Angeles.

In addition to announcing the return for the event, the conference also announced the co-chairs for the 13th edition. Betsy Beers, Mike Farah and Charles D. King will all serve as co-chairs for the event. Beers is a creative partner and executive producer for Shonda Rhimes’ production company Shondaland, Farah is the chief executive officer of popular comedy website and production company Funny or Die,...

With its second season out on April 29, Amazon's "Undone" is back following Rosa Salazar's Alma as she time travels, addresses her own inadequacies, and tries to heal her family. She's not alone thanks to a largely Latina support system that includes her sister Becca (Angelique Cabral) and her mother, Camila (Constance Marie). This season, we also meet her abuelita Fabiola (Renée Victor) and tia Monse (Ana Ortiz), who also play significant roles in her life.

This season addresses what having so many Latinas in one cast does, which is proves there's no one way of being Latina. Let's start with what side of the border they're on. In the new season, Alma and Becca leave their home in San Antonio to visit their abuela and extended family in Mexico. Along the way, we learn it was their mom who crossed and started an Eeuu-based family. So in "Undone," we...

Exclusive: Actor and producer Karrie Martin Lachney signed with Paradigm for representation in all areas.

Lachney made a splash with her portrayal of Ana Morales in the Netflix dramedy Gentefied, created by Linda Yvette Chávez and Marvin Lemus. The series followed a multigenerational, Mexican American family living and loving in Los Angeles, co-starring Joaquin Cosio, J.J. Soria, and Carlos Santos. It ran for two seasons before it was canceled in January.

Lachney’s portrayal of Ana represented experiences that mirror that of many second-generation Latinos whose parents sacrificed everything in search of the American dream— a point of view rarely shown on television.

Ana had to prioritize her familial responsibilities while still a young woman herself over her own dreams and desires. She was challenged at every corner with having to choose between an upcoming art show opportunity, spending time with her girlfriend, and being a support to her...

America Ferrera has signed on to play opposite Margot Robbie in “Barbie,” the upcoming movie from Warner Bros., Mattel and Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment.

Greta Gerwig is directing the movie, from a script she co-wrote with Noah Baumbach, with Robbie playing the titular toy doll and Ryan Gosling playing Ken. It is unknown who Ferrera will play as details of the film’s plot have been kept fantastically wrapped in plastic.

Best known for her Emmy-winning work on screen in projects like “Ugly Betty,” “Real Women Have Curves,” and as a voice actor in the popular “How to Train Your Dragon” franchise, Ferrera expanded her resume by producing the hit NBC comedy workplace comedy “Superstore” (which she also starred in for five of the show’s six seasons) and Netflix’s “Gentefied.” She also stepped behind the camera to direct multiple episodes of both shows.

Ferrera is set to make...

Exclusive: America Ferrera is set to co-star opposite Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in Warner Bros’ Barbie, the studio’s movie centered on the classic doll line. Greta Gerwig is directing the pic, with Robbie playing the titular role and Gosling playing Ken. No word yet on who Ferrera will play.

Gerwig also co-wrote script with Noah Baumbach.

Plot details are unknown, but given Gerwig’s track record as a director, one can expect that this won’t be your typical take on the doll’s story. Robbie is producing the film under her LuckyChap Entertainment production banner along with LuckyChap’s Tom Ackerley. Robbie Brenner also will produce through Mattel, as will David Heyman via Heyday Films. LuckyChap’s Josey McNamara and Mattel’s Ynon Kreiz are executive producers.

Ferrera is set to make her feature directorial debut with an adaptation of Erika Sánchez’s bestselling novel I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter,...

Black Monday has gone bust: Showtime has cancelled its Wall Street satire after three seasons, TVLine has confirmed.

Actor Paul Scheer, who played trader Keith Shankar on the dark comedy, first broke the news of Black Monday‘s axing on his Twitch stream Thursdays with Rob & Paul, where he joked to co-host Rob Huebel that he was boycotting all Showtime programming after the premium cabler cancelled his series.

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Both “Black Monday” and “Work in Progress” have been canceled at Showtime.

“Black Monday” aired its third season on Showtime from May to August 2021. The dark comedy series followed a group of Wall Street traders in the late 1980s into the early 1990s. It starred Don Cheadle, Andrew Rannells, Regina Hall, Paul Scheer, and Casey Wilson.

Scheer had revealed the news on the Twitch show “Thursdays with Rob & Paul,” saying “I guess we haven’t said it. Let’s say ‘Black Monday’ was not renewed.”

“Black Monday” was created by David Caspe and Jordan Caham, with both serving as showrunners and executive producers. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg also executive produced along with Cheadle. Rannells and Hall produced. Showtime and Sony Pictures Television co-produced the series.

“We can confirm that ‘Black Monday’ will not be moving forward with a fourth season,” Showtime said in a statement. “Don Cheadle, Regina Hall,...

GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, today announced the nominees for the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards.

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 finalist Gottmik announced nominees in select GLAAD Media Awards categories live via GLAAD’s TikTok channel.

The GLAAD Media Awards honor media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues. Since its inception in 1990, the GLAAD Media Awards have grown to be the most visible annual LGBTQ awards show in the world, sending powerful messages of acceptance to audiences globally. The 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards are presented by Gilead Sciences, Inc. and Ketel One Family Made Vodka.

The 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards nominees were published, released, or broadcast between January 1 and December 31, 2021. The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies, which fund GLAAD’s work to accelerate LGBTQ acceptance, will be held in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday,...

GLAAD today announced the nominees in 30 categories for its 33rd Annual Media Awards.

In a flip-flip of last year’s top leaders, the combined HBO/HBO Max scored the most nominations of any network with 19, followed by Netflix with 17. That’s a lot closer than last year, when Netflix ran away with 26 noms, while HBO was a distant second with nine.

Streaming services saw a total of 63 nominations, with cable receiving 39 and broadcast networks receiving 17. Hulu received seven nominations, while ABC, MSNBC and Peacock all saw four. In the Spanish-language categories, Univision and Telemundo both received two nominations.

The GLAAD Media Awards honor media for fair, accurate and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues.

During a year when anti-transgender violence rose and lawmakers across the U.S. introduced an unprecedented number of bills attempting to stop transgender youth from participating in sports and accessing gender-affirming healthcare, many of the...