If you missed the first season of the groundbreaking TV series Gentefied, well don’t be left out this season. The show’s second season drops on Nov. 10, 2021 on Netflix. You can always catch up with the story by binging on the first season and then going on to the following season.
Latin Heat caught up with cast members, producers, writers and got the scoop on what we can expect in season two. Carlos Santos who plays Chris Morales gave us a glimpse into his new love life. Annie Gonzalez talked about her character Lidia, the strength of her character, and the need to always appear strong. But it is obvious there is trouble in paradise. Lidia and her baby daddy Erik Morales (played by Joseph Julian Soria) are going through a bumpy road, but can their baby keep them together? We shall find out. Ana Morales, played by Kerrie Martin Lachney, seems to be moving on from a deeply passionate relationship with girlfriend Yessika Castillo (Julissa Calderon). But whatever is going on in their personal lives, they are all focused on how to stop the deportation of “Pops” (Joaquin Cosio). We catch a few glimpses of what is in store for each of their characters, but that was only the salsa on the tacos.
Cast members and creative and Netflix execs executives got together to celebrate the show’s upcoming release at an event titled A Taste of the BLVD. It was a starlit night in the heart of Montebello, just a few miles away from Boyle Heights, which is the Mexican-American neighborhood depicted in the show.
It was a Hollywood Soiree on the Eastside with the red carpet rolled out and the spotlight shining on the talent as they walked the carpet and did interviews with media outlets like Latin Heat, Variety, Hip-Latina and so many others that are keeping an eye on this hit show.
Flamin’ Hot Reunion with the Film’s director Eva Longoria, Annie Gonzalez and Jesse Garcia 
Charles King, Executive Producer, Gentefied 
Showrunner Gloria Calderon Kellett and Gentefied Produer/showrunner Marvin Lemus 
Gentefied Executive Producer and Director America Ferrera and Pal Eva Longoria 
Co-Executive Producer Luisa Leschin and Husband Max 
Latin Heat’s Bel Hernandez with Gentefied cast
Netflix executives and Executive Producers Charles King, Aaliah Williams and America Ferrera joined the celebration. Eva Longoria, a long-time friend of Ferrera, showed up to support and in the process had a mini-reunion with Annie Gonzalez and Jesse Garcia, who play husband and wife in her feature film directorial debut film Flamin’ Hot.
Showrunner extraordinaire Gloria Calderon Kellett was also in attendance. Her date was Isis King (Hey Qween!, The Q Agenda), one of the stars of her upcoming Amazon series With Love, which is set to premiere on Dec. 17.
Cast Member Laura Patalano (Ana Morales’ Mom) and daughter at BLVD Celebration 
Eva Longoria and Karrie Martin Lachney and friend
In one evening not only did we celebrate the upcoming second season of a hit show with an all-Latino cast (and producers) created by Marvin Lemus and Linda Yvette Chavez, but on this momentous evening in Montebello, California, we had five powerhouse producers/showrunners in attendance–Ferrera, Longoria, Calderon Kellett, Lemus and Chavez–plus co-producer Luisa Leschin. This is one for the records!
On Nov. 12 everyone is invited to Gentified day at the eatery BLVD MRKT, for a further celebration of the premiere of the show. Everyone is welcome to party like the cast did–maybe some will be there? Who knows? But I can guarantee you will like the delicious food and the vibes!
At the end of the day, this event was created to bring more attention to Gentefied, but the sentiment of the true meaning to our community was stated by Julissa Calderon when she said: “This is what it’s all about, places like this, shows like Gentefied. It’s a beautiful thing. We are pushing the needle forward, we are pushing our people forward and BLVD MRKT is doing just that.”
The other regular or recurring cast members include Joaquin Cosio (Casimiro “Pops” Morales), Alma Martinez (Lupe Ladera) Pops’ girlfriend, and Brenda Banda (Norma),
The venue BLVD MRKT was founded by Barney Santos and Evelyn Santos with the mission to promote community and economic development through entrepreneurship. They also help aspiring restaurateurs of color overcome barriers to becoming successful restaurant owners with their first of its kind incubator program.
Bel Hernandez is the Publisher and CEO of Latin Heat Media. She has been covering Latino in Hollywood since 1992. She was recently named to the Hollywood Foreign Press Membership Selection Committee and was awarded the Publisher of the Year by the National Association of Hispanic Publications
