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“Rebel” Premieres on PBS’ Voces

Writer and director Maria Agui Carter brings us Rebel, a project she’s been working on for over a decade. It’s the story of officer Harry T. Buford, whose real name was Loreta Janeta Velazquez. Born …

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CBS’ Latino Involvement Continues to Lag

Compared to the other networks, large or small CBS has consistently offered viewers fewer shows with fewer Latinos in front of the camera than anyone else, in spite of having a Latina at the head …

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Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity” looks Incredible

Alfonso Cuarón has had a terrific year. It’s been a few years since A Children of Men, and now we’ll be seeing his work on TV, in Believe, a new series for NBC he co-created, …

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Guillermo del Toro’s “Pacific Rim” is Obviously Awesome

He’s wowed us with Hellboy and its sequel, mesmerized us with Pan’s Labyrinth and The Devil’s Backbone, and has produced more great movies than we can count. Now he’s bringing it all home in Pacific …

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ABC’s Fall Schedule has a Healthy Helping of Latino Stars, New and Returning

Five of ABC’s new offerings feature Latinos in a wide range of roles, with half a dozen renewed shows with Latinos as well. But where’s John Leguizamo? ABC continues to make a strong showing in …

“Rebel” Premieres on PBS’ VocesCBS’ Latino Involvement Continues to LagAlfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity” looks IncredibleGuillermo del Toro’s “Pacific Rim” is Obviously AwesomeABC’s Fall Schedule has a Healthy Helping of Latino Stars, New and Returning

“Rebel” Premieres on PBS’ Voces

Maria Agui Carter

Writer and director Maria Agui Carter brings us Rebel, a project she’s been working on for over a decade. It’s the story of officer Harry T. Buford, whose real name was Loreta Janeta Velazquez. Born in Havana, Cuba and raised in New Orleans. Velazquez masqueraded as a man and was a soldier and spy for the Confederacy during the American Civil War—more than once, in fact. She fought at Bull Run and other bloody encounters, and when her gender was discovered in New Orleans, she simply re-enlisted, then went on to fight in the battle of Shiloh before she was discovered yet again.

Velazquez is portrayed by actress Romi Dias (All Night Bodega, El Cantante). “Rebel is a detective story,” she says, “about a woman, a myth, and the politics of national memory.”

Rebel premieres on Friday at 10P on PBS’s Voces.

Watch Rebel – Preview on PBS. See more from VOCES.

CBS’ Latino Involvement Continues to Lag

Compared to the other networks, large or small CBS has consistently offered viewers fewer shows with fewer Latinos in front of the camera than anyone else, in spite of having a Latina at the head of the programming division for a number of years.

This year seems to be no different. But CBS is clearly on a roll, ratings-wise, with blockbuster comedies like Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men, and the most-watched dramas on TV like NCIS and Blue Bloods, so there’s little motivation to change much, or to take many chances. (It’s also interesting to note that of those four hugely popular shows, only one has a Latino in the regular cast–Cote de Pablo in NCIS–and in it, she plays a character of emphatically Israeli descent).

This year we’ve seen arcs by Latino characters–sometimes even playing Latinos–on shows like the aforementioned Blue Bloods and the now-cancelled Vegas. But with the cancellation of Golden Boy, with supporting actor work by Kevin Alejandro, CBS once again ends the season with only two returning shows with Latinos in the cast: the aforementioned de Pablo in NCIS and Makenzie Vega in The Good Wife, playing Julianna Margulies’s Anglo daughter. (Whether or not Miguel Ferrer will return to NCIS is unclear, as is the fate of the much-ballyhoo’d NCIS spin-off NCIS: Red, in which Ferrer is slated to be a regular member of the cast.)

The new 2013-14 season, at least in the fall, will be no different and no better when it comes to Latinos in the mix. Given its relatively high success rate, CBS is only bringing six new shows to air for the fall, as opposed to nearly twice that many on rival NBC. Of those six, only one has a Latino in a visibly continuing role: James Martinez in the role of “Gonzo Sanchez.” With a name like that, why are we not encouraged?

So: Vegas and Aimee Garcia gone, Golden Boy and Kevin Alejandro gone, no word on whether Marisa Ramirez will return as Danny’s ‘new’ partner in Blue Bloods, and other long-forgotten shows with Latinos like Partners and Made in Manhattan long-gone and already forgotten. And–as of this moment, anyway–one new supporting role on all of CBS to add into the mix.

Some things have a hard time changing, apparently.

Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity” looks Incredible

Alfonso Cuarón has had a terrific year. It’s been a few years since A Children of Men, and now we’ll be seeing his work on TV, in Believe, a new series for NBC he co-created, and in Gravity, a near-space thriller starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. A new trailer has just been released, and if the movie is half as beautiful and harrowing as the clip, we’re in for a sweet ride. Take a look:

Guillermo del Toro’s “Pacific Rim” is Obviously Awesome

He’s wowed us with Hellboy and its sequel, mesmerized us with Pan’s Labyrinth and The Devil’s Backbone, and has produced more great movies than we can count. Now he’s bringing it all home in Pacific Rim, sure to be one of this summer’s biggest blockbusters (with giant monsters and giant robots and incredible tech…how couldn’t it not be?). The new trailer released at WonderCon is more than just encouraging: it’s awesome. Check it out:

Del Toro has plenty more on his plate: he has a haunted house thriller, Crimson Peak, and an eerie remake of Pinnochio in pre-production, as well as a TV mini-series based on The Strain, is urban vampire novel-series, and maybe even an Incredible Hulk TV series and a third Hellboy. Whatever it is…we can’t wait.

ABC’s Fall Schedule has a Healthy Helping of Latino Stars, New and Returning

Luis Antonio Ramos

Five of ABC’s new offerings feature Latinos in a wide range of roles, with half a dozen renewed shows with Latinos as well. But where’s John Leguizamo?

ABC continues to make a strong showing in support of Latino Hollywood, with five new programs featuring Latinos and just as many returning programs that do the same. Among the new arrivals:

  • Lucky 7, a drama about all that happens–good and bad–when seven men split a big lottery win, features Luis Antonio Ramos (The Ruins) as the owner of the store where it all happened, with Christine Evangelista (The Joneses) as his wife.
  • Killer Women, produced by Sofía Vergara and Latin World Entertainment among others, is all about formidable female Texas Rangers. Plenty of space of Latino talent, and we’re seeing it, including Spanish actress Marta Milans (Shame), and Alex Fernandez (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen).
  • Resurrection is a strange set of stories about what happens when the recently deceased randomly return to life. Among the players: Nicholas Gonzalez (Off the Map) and newcomer child actor Landon Gimenez.
  • Trophy Wife. We loved Natalie Morales in Middleman, White Collar, and even 90210, so were sure to like here in this soapy new drama about beautiful people doing dubious things to each other.

    Natalie Morales

     

  • Mixology is another odd premise: the interlocking stories of a bunch of people who meet for the first time at a pick-up bar. Two Latinos are there: Alexis Carra (Incredible Girl) and Adan Canto (The Following), no longer a dead cult member.

ABC’s primetime roster continues to be enriched by the ongoing work of Latinos in other returning shows. Renewals include Sara Ramirez in Grey’s Anatomy, Jon Huertas in Castle, Guillermo Díaz in Scandal, Madeleine Stowe in Revenge, and Lana Parrilla in Once Upon a Time.

Unfortunately–and inevitably–it wasn’t all good news. Jai Rodriguez will have to look for other work; Reba McIntyre’s reboot of her sitcom career, Malibu Country, won’t be back. Writer Matt Lopez’ pilot, Gothica, got a pass, and Camile Guasty was part of the cast of the American reworking of the British comedy Spy, but it didn’t make the cut either.

The biggest disappointment, however, is the absence of John Leguizamo on the fall schedule. After two separate attempts at updating a British sitcom fell short, there was a lot of talk about the Latino-themed comedy pilot based on his own family. It apparently, is a ‘pass’ as well.

Still: five new shows and at least that many returning, all with Latinos in key roles. A pretty healthy commitment from ABC, continuing a multi-year trend where it puts its diversity where its mouth is.

Interesting, Wide-Ranging Week for Latinos on DVD

It’s really rather remarkable, the range and depth of roles that Latino actors have taken on in recent years, and this week’s DVD releases offer some shining examples.

For instance, Aubrey Plaza has had a good week. Just a few days ago, NBC announced that Parks and Recreation, the quirky sitcom that introduced Aubrey Plaza to millions, has been renewed for another season…and this Tuesday, May 14, marks the DVD release of A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swann III starring Charlie Sheen and with Plaza in a supporting role. Talk about a career on the rise.

Meanwhile, here’s a reminder of just how long Miguel Ferrer has been working in Hollywood, just like his father Jose before him. This time it’s 1998’s production of George Orwell’s Brave New World, being released this week for the first time.

Dexter has been a wellspring for the best in Latino talent and performances for years, and some of the best can be found in Season 7, including the surprise passing of a key Latino character. The full season, complete with the amazing work of David Zayas and Lauren Velez, is available starting today.

Desiree Avalos is one of the often unseen professionals in Latino Hollywood. She’s worked as a stunt woman, a stunt coordinator, a picture car manager and an actress–to mention just a few of her jobs in the last few years. One of her more recent in-front-of-the-camera gigs was in 2009’s The Locker, available on DVD for the first time beginning this week.

Keram Malicki-Sanchez, of Polish and Ecuadorian descent, is a Canadian multi-threat. An actor, a music producer, a musician and a new media consultant who has been invited to speak at conferences across North America about the future of tech, social media and the intersection of technology and the arts, he was also a key player in the extremely strange–even by horror film standards–reboot of a horror icon in Texas Chainsaw 3D, releasing on DVD this Tuesday. You may already have seen him in True Blood, Charlie’s Angels, The Mentalist, and so much more

Classic television, independent films, cult faves and more…with Latinos in the mix in front and behind the camera. All in one week–and over and over throughout the year.

 

Good news…

Upfronts Be Crazy: Freddy Rodríguez and “Night Shift” is Part of NBC this Fall After All!

…Welcome to the Family

Last week, the word was that Night Shift, also known as After Hours, had been given a “pass” by the Powers That Be on NBC. Now it’s “never mind”–both Night Shift and the Latino/Anglo “blended family” show Welcome to the Family are on the schedule after all.

Freddy Rodríguez plays Michael Ragosa, the new no-nonsense boss of the night shift at San Antonio Memorial Hospital. Relative newcomer Alma Sisneros has a regular role as Nurse Diaz as well.

Welcome to the Family stars Mike O’Malley, the coolest Dad in the world in Glee, and Mary McCormack of In Plain Sight whose daughter hooks up and gets pregnant by Joseph Haro (Glee,” “Awkward”), of East L.A. His parents, played by Ricardo Chavira (Desperate Housewives) and Justina Machado (Six Feet Under, ER) are just as unhappy with all this…but it seems like their kids are serious about making a life together, so…let the blended family hijinks begin

L-r: Ricardo Chavira, Justina Machado, Mary McCormack
and Mike O’Malley Welcome to the Family

It’s actually great news: a Latino character in the key role in one show, and an actual Latino family from East L.A. as the focus of another series. Exactly the sort of development we’d been hoping for, and along with the far darker and more complex drama Gang-Related, already announced by Fox, represents a significant step forward for Latino Hollywood this fall.

Krysta Rodriguez, from Real Broadway to TV Broadway and Beyond

Krysta Rodriguez

There have been Latinos on Broadway for years, from Rita Moreno and Chita Rivera to Raul Esparza and Karen Olivo, among many many others. And though they’ve never been wholly ignored, their influence–even when they’ve been at the center of Latino-centric musicals like In the Heights–has always been underestimated.

We saw the same thing happen in the pseudo-Broadway world of the NBC TV series Smash, now limping to the end of its second, and almost certainly last, season on Saturday nights on NBC. When it first began last year, this high-drama singin’-and-dancin’ series about the launch of a brand new Broadway musical starred very few actual Broadway stars (Megan Hilty, who played Glinda in Wicked on Broadway and elsewhere). But when the ratings didn’t hold up and they turned to actual musical stars to bolster the energy and authenticity of the show, where did they turn?

To next-generation Latina wonder Krysta Rodriguez, fresh from Broadway by way of Orange County, California.

L-r: Krysta Rodriguez and Katharine McPhee in Smash

Krysta made it to Broadway at the tender age of 22, in the short-lived Beach Boys musical Good Vibrations. By 2007, she found herself in the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line, and later in Spring Awakening and In the Heights. And she really hit the big time when she originated the role of Wednesday in the musical version of The Addams Family, first in Chicago, and then on the Great White Way.

Now, not yet 30, she’s starring in Smash as the young Latina sensation at the center of a struggling off-Broadway show. She’s gotten at least one number a week in the episodes where she’s appeared, and some of them (like the one below) have been pretty stunning.

It’s most likely way too good and way too late. The last episodes of Smash’s second season are being ‘burned off’ on Saturday nights, but Krysta’s work remains a standout. Almost all of her episodes are available on NBC.com, and hopefully will remain here for a while longer. Take a look here, and catch more of Krysta online. It’s certainly not the last you’ll be seeing of her…

Alfonso Cuarón on NBC? “Believe” It, this Fall

NBC has greenlighted a number of projects in the last couple of days, and though the number of Latinos involved is sadly low, there is one particular bright spot: Alfonso Cuarón’s Believe is slated for the Fall 2013 season.

Created by Cuarón and Mark Friedman, this eerie drama “centers on a young girl with supernatural powers who’s on the run from dark forces who changes the lives of the people she encounters while being protected by an unlikely guardian who was given a reprieve from death row.” Cuarón is working with some powerful partners, even though it’s his first foray into television. J.J. Abrams (Lost, Star Trek, and so much more) is one of the executive producers, and his company Bad Robot Productions is the company producing it all.

No word yet on NBC’s Latino/Anglo love story/dramedy Welcome to the Family, starring Ricardo Chavira (Desperate Housewives) and Justina Machado (among others). It’s the story of a white family and a Latino family, bonded together by their children who fall in love…followed quickly by an unplanned pregnancy. But spots are filling up fast.

More to come…

NBC Passes on Six Pilots and Cancels “Deception”

Laz Alanso

No more Laz Alonso, and no Freddie Rodriguez, Diana Maria Riva, or Pedro Pascal in the fall

The “upfronts,” the big announcements about the fall TV season, will be on us as early as next week…but in the meantime, the networks are already announcing the fates of a few programs and pilots. The latest news includes the cancellation–to no one’s surprise–of Deception, NBC’s largely unsuccessful attempt to clone a hybrid of ABC’s hits Revenge and Scandal. That’s sad news for co-star Laz Alonso was accompanied by word of a solid ‘pass’ on six pilots, too, including three that featured popular Latino actors.

Freddie Rodriguez

Freddie Rodriguez of Chaos and Ugly Betty was part of After Hours, aka Night Shift, about the late-night workers in a major American city. NBC decided it wasn’t interested. But fear not, Freddie fans: look for him in the feature films CBGB and Fort Bliss later this year.

Pedro Pascal

Pedro Pascal was covering a lot of bases when he showed up in the crime drama The Sixth Gun, and NBC said “No”…but that may not be a problem for this busy young actor. Weeks after he disappears with the end of Red Widow (an ABC show which, though not yet cancelled, is widely considered DOA), he’ll show up as part of the cast of USA’s much-anticipated undercover cop show Graceland. So no harm no foul, at least for Pedro.

Diana Maria Riva

Diana Maria Riva was in FOX’s The Good Guys two seasons back and CBS’ ¡Rob! just last year, and we were looking forward to seeing her in the very odd sitcom called Drop Off (aka The Gates), about the interlocking lives of families dropping their kids off at day care (really? Yes, really.). But NBC apparently didn’t get the joke either; it’s one of the pilots that won’t be showing up in the fall.

And this is just the beginning. NBC still has nineteen other pilots in contention, many with Latinos involved. And the other networks are still playing their decisions close to the corporate vests. Still, this bit o’ news signifies the Beginning of the End for a lot of hopeful Hollywood projects. We’ll keep you informed as the drama (and comedy) unfolds…

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