Fox ordered the series in May, revealing it as part of the network’s upfronts presentation for advertisers. John Eisendrath is on board as writer, executive producer and showrunner. Jamie Foxx and Datari Turner also serve as executive producers. The series is produced by Sony Pictures Television and Fox Entertainment.

Ramirez recently teamed with Eva Longoria on an 8-part scripted series about the true story of the courageous Mirabal sisters (Patria, Minerva and María Teresa). The lifelong activism in the Dominican Republic and state-orchestrated assassination of the latter led to the downfall of the DR’s hatted dictator, Rafael Trujillo (aka El Jefe).

“I am honored to have partnered with Eva Longoria, iHeartMedia, and My Cultura Podcast Network in association with School of Humans Audio Productions on the scripted podcast Sisters Of The Underground,” said Dania Ramirez. “We were given the freedom to bring on a Dominican writer/director Jose Maria Cabral, a Dominican/American co-writer Mary Castellanos and a cast of talented Dominican actors to give listeners the most authentic interpretation of this historical time.”

Ramirez is repped by Atlas Artists and Felker Toczek.

The post Dania Ramirez’s New Gig on Fox’s Drama Series ‘Alert’ first appeared on .

Fantasy Island TV Series is Reborn on FOX

 She is Woman, Hear Her Roark

Finding someone who could fill the shoes or more accurately fill the iconic white suit of Latino legend, Ricardo Montalban, in his masterful and unforgettable role as the mysterious, but always courteous, courtly and cultured Mr. Roark on the long-running Fantasy Island TV series (1977 – 1984), had to be a daunting task. But it appears the producers of the new incarnation of Fantasy Island, which premiers on FOX, August 10, may have taken a secret trip to the tropical paradise and asked the island to send them a star to take Señor Montalban’s place. Well, dreams do come true.

The beautiful and talented Roselyn Sánchez (Act of Valor, Without a Trace), with her easy Latin style and grace, has managed in only four episodes to make the role her very own. Elana Roark is the grand-niece of Mr. Roark. She has accepted to continue the Roark dynasty that owns and runs Fantasy Island. Ms. Roark is dressed in a sleek, very feminine custom-tailored white suit that replicates Mr. Roark’s right down to the vest.

 Ms. Roark helps her guests realize their fantasy wishes with friendly persuasion, gentle encouragement and tough love with a velvet touch.

 But as is developed further in the storyline, accepting the responsibility of the new “Roark” comes with a price of personal loss and self-sacrifice.

 Different Choices, Different Voices

The dynamic writing duo of Elizabeth Craft and Sara Fain, who previously teamed up to work on The Shield, The Fix and 66 Park Avenue, have infused the reborn Fantasy Island stories with a definite woman’s POV. The new version of the old classic is shot by a film crew dominated by highly skilled women artisans and technicians in front of and behind the camera. As a result, the choices the fantasy pilgrims make often reflect those of a woman’s sensibilities and perspective.

 In Episode One, Kiana Barnes (The Bold and the Beautiful, Stick with You), like Ruby, experiences loss, self-sacrifice, and the painful realization it often takes more strength to let go than it does to hold on. Ruby ultimately finds herself forever transformed.

Craft and Fain have created a wide range of diverse ethnic guests to Fantasy Island allowing them to tell their stories in their own distinctive voices. They also have a good time putting creative twists on old tried and true story structures.

 “Da Plane” is Now Just a Plain Plane

The show no longer opens with Tattoo ringing the bell announcing the arrival of new guests with those two most imitated lines in TV history: “Da plane! Da plane!” Da plane does indeed still arrive but without all the previous fanfare.

 John Gabrial Rodriguez (The Vampire Diaries, NCIS), plays Javier the handsome hotshot pilot who brings anxious fantasy-seekers to the mystic isle.. Javier harbors a desire of his own involving the lovely Latina lady in white, Elena Roark. Unlike the old series where Mr. Roark seemed like an unapproachable, mythical almost God-like being. Ms. Roark, despite her powers to make things happen on her island, is a real woman with vulnerabilities and desires of her own. Sánchez has not only instilled Ms. Roark with beauty, intelligence and lots of moxie but also with a huge dollop of humanity.

 “What Can This Island Do For You?”

Ms. Roark’s humanity is evident when she asks all the exciting arrivals, “What can this island do for you.” It’s a natural expression of her generosity and willingness to share the island’s mysterious gifts with those seeking answers or wishing to change something in their troubled lives.

 What the island will do for viewers of the rebirth of Fantasy Island is witnessing the showcasing and birth of a Latina superstar, Roselyn Sánchez. Her refreshing Latin charm, vitality and down-to-earth humanity make Sánchez the very likable and logical heir to the Roark legacy. The obvious fact  Sánchez is drop-dead gorgeous and looks fantastic in her elegantly tailored white suit doesn’t hurt either.

Thanks to the divine feminine-inspired writing team of Craft and Fain, the stories on this new rethinking of Fantasy Island are now imbued with a more nuanced exploration of the feelings, desires, uncertainties, lessons and decisions for the visitors to this magical place.

Fantasy Island is shot on location in Puerto Rico, coincidentally the birthplace of its star, Roselyn Sánchez. The island is a lush tropical Caribbean gem whose warm constant sea breezes carry the whispered allure and promise of fantasies yet unrealized.

Welcome to Fantasy Island!

Cast: Roselyn Sánchez, Kiana Barnes, John Garbial Rodriguez. Fantasy Island premieres on FOX on August 10.

Featured Photo: Roselyn Sanchez (Photo: Miller Mobley/FOX)

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Pancho Mansfield, eOne’s president of global scripted programming and exec producer of the pilot for Netflix’s hit series Queen of the South, announced his entertainment company is developing the series based on the murder mystery board game for Fox Entertainment. 

Clue was launched first in the United Kingdom in the 1940s and is now owned and published by the American game and toy company Hasbro. More than 150 million games have been reportedly sold worldwide, including versions in Spanish and Portuguese.

For the development and production of the new series, eOne and Fox have joined Hasbro’s content studio and Bento Box Entertainment, with the latter also serving as the animation studio. 

‘ICONIC’ GAME
“We’re thrilled to team up once again with our great partners at Fox and Bento Box on this exciting new series,” said Mansfield in a press statement. “Clue is an iconic whodunit property that exudes mystery and intrigue, and has fans all over the world. We can’t wait to share our reimagined animated version with audiences.” In addition to Queen of the South, Mansfield has worked as an executive producer in few other projects like the series A&E television horror series Demien and the Spike physical reality game show Pros vs. Joes. He is also credited as an executive in a long list of projects, including the TV series Sirens, The Glade, Lights Out, Blade: The Series, Queer as Folk and Resurrection Blvd.   

The perennial board game favorite has produced various editions globally in its seven-decade-long history, including eight North American versions.

“‘Colonel Mustard…In the Conservatory…With the lead pipe.’ By just hearing these colorful phrases alone, you immediately know what they mean — leaving no mystery as to why Clue is one of the most beloved board games-turned-IP of all time,” said Michael Thorn, president of entertainment of Fox Entertainment. “We couldn’t be more excited to develop it as an animated series along with eOne and Bento Box.”

ON THE BIG SCREEN
In 1985, the game was adapted into the film Clue, directed by BAFTA winner Jonathan Lynn (The Distinguished Gentleman). The film featured a stellar cast: Academy Award nominees Eileen Brennan (Private Benjamin), Madeline Kahn (Blazing Saddles), Lesley Ann Warren (Victor Victoria) and Michael McKean (A Mighty Wind); Primetime Emmy nominees Tim Curry (Tales From the Crypt), Christopher Lloyd (Taxi) and Martin Mull (Veep); and Lee Ving (Flashdance).

Launched under the name Murder! in 1949, Clue was created by Englishman Anthony E. Pratt, who reportedly did it during WWII to pass the time during lengthy air raid drills. In the game, players try to solve the murder of Mr. Boddy, the host of the game’s “dinner party.” Players must untangle clues to determine who among the party’s six guests–Professor Plum, Colonel Mustard, Miss Scarlett, Mrs. Peacock, Mr. Green and Dr. Orchid–committed the crime. There 324 different plots for players to solve. The Hasbro board game is sold in over 30 countries. 

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Naya Rivera was born on January 12, 1987 in Valencia, California.  She began her career as a child actress and model, appearing in national television commercials. She landed her first TV role in  CBS’s sitcom The Royal Family in 1991. However her breakthrough role came in 2009 when she was cast as the lesbian cheerleader Santana Lopez on the FOX television series Glee.  She received various awards for this role including a SAG Award, an ALMA Award and two Grammys for her singing in the series.

A few years later she signed with Columbia Records and had begun her solo musical career recording the single Sorry. 

Her film credits included the horror film At the Devil’s Door. She also worked on the comedy (2014) Mad Families (2017). And in 2016 she published a memoir titled Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes, and Growing Up. 

Besides performing, Rivera championed various charitable causes, particularly for LGBT rights, immigrants’ rights, and women’s rights.

Rivera was getting ready to return to her role of the female role of Collette Jones in the TV series Step Up, when on June 8 she died in Lake Piru in California while swimming with her four-year-old son. Her body was found five days later on July 13, 2020.

Rivera left an indelible mark on the TV screen with her roles and having been a vanguard of Afro-Latino and queer representation on television.

— Latin Heat News Service

The post Remembering Naya Rivera’s Birthday first appeared on .

By Justina Bonilla

With the success of the FOX series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey comes the newest installment Cosmos: Possible Worlds, hosted by one of America’s most esteemed and well-known science personalities, astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. Broadcast Premiere of Cosmos: Possible Worlds is Tuesday, September 22 (8/7c).

In the world of science and nature television programs, Dr. Tyson has become a positive influence in the promotion of science literacy and respect for nature, alongside contemporaries Bill Nye (Bill Nye the Science Guy), Dr. Michio Kaku (How the Universe Works), Sir David Attenborough (Planet Earth and Life on Earth), and the late Dr. Stephen Hawking (A Brief History of Time and Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking) (1942-2018). 

Dr. Tyson was born in 1958, in Manhattan, New York, to sociologist and civil rights activist father Cyril Tyson and to gerontologist and Puerto Rican mother Sunchita Feliciano Tyson. At 9-years-old Dr. Tyson first visited his local planetarium, igniting his interest in the universe. By age 11 he decided he wanted to be an astrophysicist.

“I grew up in a house where curiosity was nurtured, and my ambitions were supported,” Dr. Tyson shared in an exclusive interview with Latin Heat. “It was the attitude that pervaded the household that I think served me.” As a part of their parental nurturing of his interest, Feliciano Tyson took Dr. Tyson as a child, to her family’s native Arecibo, Puerto Rico to see the Arecibo Observatory, which is a radio telescope.

In 1980, Dr. Tyson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University. Later, he received his MA degree in Astronomy in 1983, from the University of Texas at Austin. At Columbia University, Dr. Tyson earned an MPhil (Masters in Philosophy) degree in astrophysics, in 1989 followed by his Ph.D. degree in astrophysics in 1991.

Currently, alongside his Cosmos hosting duties, Dr. Tyson is also the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, NY. He also hosts his own talk show StarTalk, with over 1.29 million subscribers on YouTube, where “Science meets pop culture”… StarTalk.

Someday Dr. Tyson hopes to have both former President Obama as a guest on StarTalk. “[President Obama] is actually highly scientifically literate,” Dr. Tyson noted. “Rumor has it, I haven’t double-checked this, that when he was in law school he wrote a paper, a law paper, that explored some intersection between some legal case and quantum physics. So I always wanted to sit him down and ask him about that.” Previous presidential guest includes President Jimmy Carter, President Bill Clinton, and Vice-President Al Gore.

As an author Dr. Tyson has written sixteen books, including The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America’s Favorite Planet (2009), Astrophysics for People in a Hurry (2017), and Letters from an Astrophysicist (2019).  Along with public speaking engagements, he has also appeared on an array of films and television shows such as Superman v Batman Dawn of Justice, The Big Bang Theory, Gravity Falls, and is a frequent guest on multiple talk shows.

The original 1980 PBS Cosmos program, Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, was hosted by Dr. Carl Sagan (1934-1996). Dr. Sagan was an immensely influential scientific figure in the 1970s and 1980s, most notably, as an author, science communicator, and college professor. He specialized in numerous scientific fields, including astronomy, astrobiology, astrophysics, cosmology, planetary science, and space science. Dr. Sagan co-wrote Cosmos: A Personal Journey, with wife Ann Druyan. Druyan is the creator, as well as a producer and writer for both Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey and Cosmos: Possible Worlds.

Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, found its way to FOX TV, as a result of animation trailblazer Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) meeting Dr. Tyson through The Science and Entertainment Exchange. Inspired, by what Dr. Tyson shared with him about revitalizing Cosmos for the 21^st Century, MacFarlane, both an admirer of Dr. Sagan and the original Cosmos series, brought Cosmos to FOX, beginning his collaboration with Dr. Tyson and Druyan. Thus, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey premiered in 2014 to both critical praise and audience popularity.

Dr. Tyson is a fitting successor to Dr. Sagan as host for Cosmos due to his immense passion and eternal curiosity of science. According to Dr. Tyson’s sister Lynn Tyson, “What [Neil] is able to do is to demystify science. And that is the ultimate equalizer.” Adding “I think particularly with science, some people feel there is a barrier. Scientist talk formulas, scientists use big words. Neil has broken all that down, and has a way of communicating that allows for people to connect to the information.” (Quoted from an interview on CBS Sunday Morning, 2017).

In both A Spacetime Odyssey and Possible Worlds, Dr. Tyson uses the “Ship of Imagination” to travel far into space, time, and the unseen worlds of Earth. If Dr. Tyson had access to this versatile ship in real life, “I would choose an occasion in the past, where major events unfolded.” He went on to elaborate, “I would want to observe the formation of the solar system, for example, and watch the planets corrales out of the swirling gases that is the disc of material, of the newborn star system, and the newborn star we call the sun. Then I would want to watch the formation of the moon.” Dr. Tyson continued, “All evidence suggests that it’s the consequence of a sideswiping collision that Earth had with a Mars-sized protoplanet.”

Finally, Dr. Tyson would want to watch the asteroid which took out the dinosaurs. “You don’t want to interfere with that.” Because, as Dr. Tyson explained, “You want to make sure it takes them out so that mammals have some chance of rising up from underfoot, under T-Rex’s feet, where he would otherwise be serving us up as Hors d’Oeuvres”.

For Cosmos: Possible Worlds, one of Dr. Tyson’s favorite locations to film pre-COVID, is FAST (the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope), in southwest China. Putting the vast size of FAST into perspective, Dr. Tyson elaborated, “We began [this interview] talking about the Arecibo radio telescope. That’s a huge telescope. Its three-football field across. The FAST telescope, has twice the collecting area of the Arecibo telescope. So, no longer does the United States have the largest telescope in the world, China does”.

When asking about the possibility of a fourth season of Cosmos, Dr. Tyson mentioned that that decision would be heavily influenced by Druyan. “[Druyan] is a brilliant storyteller,” Dr. Tyson reveals. She is the notable writing talent whose work has majorly impacted all three Cosmos series. Dr. Tyson noted with admiration, “When you’re that creative you’re thinking all the time. And even if there isn’t a show scheduled, or funded, or planned, you would still research that, and have it ready to roll.”

Observing the influence Cosmos has had on media, pop culture, and science, Dr. Tyson concluded, “What Cosmos has done successfully, I think, is highlighting for people the history of this quest to understand this world around us. And, how we can harness our discoveries, the fruits of that quest, to empower us to become shepherds of our own lives, our own loved ones, and civilization itself”.

Cosmos: Possible Worlds airs on Fox, September 22, at 8/7c.

The post Neil deGrasse Tyson: Our Guide to the Cosmos and Beyond first appeared on .

Drama Filthy Rich Where Wealth, Power, Religion and Family Collide, Premieres Sept. 21st (9/8c)

Guatemalan-born Benjamin Levy Aguilar has certainly hit the ground running since his arrival in Hollywood. With only two music videos to his credit, he landed his first television drama series, FOX’s Filthy Rich, starring Kim Cattrall and Gerald McRaney. It is the story of a Southern Gothic family, wherein wealth, power, religion and familial impropriety collide. The ten-episode series premieres September 21 (9/8c). “This is my first television job ever,” Aguilar exclaims. It was my first screen test. It’s my first pilot season. It’s been after eight years of study, but everything has been moving quickly since I booked this.” 

Filthy Rich spotlights the Monreauxes, a mega-rich Southern family, led by television network crusader Margaret (Cattrall) and her wheeler-dealer husband Eugene (McRaney), who handles the business end. When Eugene allegedly dies in a plane crash, we learn that he fathered three illegitimate children, all of whom are provided for in his will.    

“I play one of the three children, Antonio Rivera,” Aguilar tells us.” He is training to become a fighter but he doesn’t exude a fighter’s persona. He is definitely soft spoken and sensitive.  He wears his heart on his sleeve, even though he has had such a tough life, being a young single father who grew up without a father. But he has this amazing polar opposite personality that comes out in the ring.” 

This may be his first series but not Aguilar’s first time in the spotlight. “I was a soccer star,” he laughs. “I’ve been playing soccer since I can remember. It got me through my toughest times as a child, my father passing away and a lot of other negative things. I am thankful to soccer for saving my life. It kept me sane. And I was really very good at it. When I was 12, I was recruited by AC Milan and I played in Italy for two years, but unfortunately, I broke my femur the second year. I just couldn’t face being alone in Italy without my mother. I guess it wasn’t meant to be and I’ve made peace with that. But playing soccer in Italy hold some of the most beautiful memories of my life.”  

It  was while recovering from his injury that Aguilar found a new path to follow. “I was in a cast from my hip to my toes for about ten months, followed by rehab. I had forgotten how to walk. But I got through that all right and when I was fourteen, I found a new passion, martial arts. I put all my energy into learning how to master this new dream.”

Aguilar’s “new dream” was unknowingly set in motion by his father who passed away when he was ten. “He was a Brooklyn-born Jewish businessman  who owned a very exotic restaurant in Guatemala. My mom went to his restaurant when she won the title of Miss Guatemala. They met, fell in love and when they married, my mother, who was Catholic, converted to Judaism. 

“So many of my friends in Guatemala were from Israel. Through them I discovered Krav Maga, which is an Israeli-based style of martial arts. Living in such a dangerous country as Guatemala, I thought it was necessary for me to learn this discipline, to defend myself and my family. And that turned into a whole career that I thought I was going to pursue. Krav Maga is not a sport. It is self-defense. The goal of Krav Maga is to eliminate the threat as quickly as possible, with the least amount of risk.  There are no rules. It is very aggressive. A street fight will last 30 to 60 seconds. There are no rounds.” Aguilar actually became advanced enough in the discipline to find work at Guatemala’s largest security firm. After learning skills such as tactical shooting and defensive driving, he worked in security during the 2011 Presidential Election. 

Aguilar recalls, “I thought that was going to be my life’s work but I think I got burnt out, training and working so hard. I even considered moving to Israel. I was going to sign my papers and prepare to move out of the country. One day I was with my mom at the DMV, renewing my license. I told her, ‘I’m unhappy. I don’t know what to do with my life.’  Well, at that moment at the DMV, there was a screen and it was showing a movie. We had never thought of movies as a possibility for me. A big dream in Guatemala would be to become a soccer star.  It is big but it is obtainable. My mom looked at that screen and said, ‘Wait, what about acting?’  And I said, ’How do you do that’?  She said, “I guess you move to Hollywood.’  I said, ‘OK, let’s do it.’ I literally bought the ticket that day.  I moved to Los Angeles the next week by myself.”

Aguilar was fortunate to book two music videos soon after arriving in Hollywood. “Those were the first acting experiences I did when I came to L.A. That’s how I paid my bills. It was great being front of a camera and have the experience of relating to people. I would always take it seriously and try to find that chemistry and realness.” And the training hasn’t stopped now that he is working in a series. “I am always in class, studying at Anthony Gilardi Acting Studio, also Lesly Kahn and others. You never stop learning.  I think the most beautiful acting boot camp I could experience is this first season of Filthy Rich with all these great actors.  I was forced to grow as an actor at a fast pace because there is no turning back.”  

The post Benjamin Levy Aguilar Stars Alongside Kim Cattrall in FOX’s “Filthy Rich” first appeared on .

Naya Rivera, best known for her breakthrough performance as Santana Lopez on Fox’s television series Glee, died of what was ruled an accidental drowning, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. On July 8, Rivera went missing after renting a pontoon boat and going for a swim with her 4-year-old son at Lake Piru, California. She son was found later sleeping in the boat with his life vest on.

The loss of Rivera is felt by millions. Many have shared touching memories, expressed their condolences and shared photos with Rivera on social media, including loving tributes to the beloved actress from friends, family, fellow actors and producers who worked with her.

“RIP Naya Rivera,” singer, songwriter and actress Demi Lovato tweeted. “I’ll forever cherish the opportunity to play your girlfriend on Glee. The character you played was groundbreaking for tons of closeted (at the time) queer girls like me, and your ambition and accomplishments were inspiring to Latina women all over the world.” 

“She played by her own rules and was in a class of her own. She had a brashness about her that I couldn’t help but be enchanted by.” Glee co-star Darren Criss tweeted. “I also always loved her voice, and savored every chance I got to hear her sing. I think she had more talent than we would have ever been able to see.” 

Rivera began her acting career at just four years old on the set of CBS’s sitcom The Royal Family in 1991. She landed small roles over the years, but Rivera’s portrayal of Santana Lopez on Glee truly showcased her talent. 

Although Rivera’s character in Glee initially began as just another stereotypical popular cheerleader, she grew into a complex and fierce character that quickly made her a fan favorite. Her depiction of the lesbian Latina on Glee resonated with millions as Rivera brought Santana’s story of coming to terms with her sexual identity to life.

Naya’s family released a statement through several of the Hollywood trades that read in part:

“We are so grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers for Naya, Josey and our family…While we grieve the loss of our beautiful legend, we are blessed to honor her everlasting legacy and magnetic spirit. Naya was an amazing talent, but was an even greater person, mother, daughter and sister.

“Her beauty and talent were out worldly,” Glee co-star Chris Colfer, who played Kurt Hummel, wrote in an Instagram post. “She spoke truth to power with poise and fearlessness.”  

“Naya Rivera was a fierce talent with so much more to do and this is such a terrible tragedy,” 20th Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment said in a statement. “We are forever grateful for the indelible contribution she made to Glee from the first episode to the last. Our hearts are broken and our thoughts go out to Naya’s family, friends and young son.” 

The impact of her role is still felt by fans today. Rivera used her platform to advocate for more diversity on television. 

The post Friends, Colleagues And Fans Mourn The Loss Of Naya Rivera first appeared on .

After weeks of training and auditions, the Sosa Siblings from Provo, Utah, have progressed to the Top 10 on FOX’s dance competition, So You Think You Can Dance! Both Sosa’s made it past the Final Cut rounds. Stephanie, 19, made it into the Top 5 Girls, and Ezra, 18, made it into the Top 5 Guys. Now, going into the LIVE shows, the competition intensifies as they compete against each other for the title of “America’s Favorite Dancer” and the coveted $250,000 grand prize! 

After long and grueling rehearsals, Ezra had a heart-stopping moment last week following his amazing performance when Judge Mary Murphy gave her critique:

“Ezra, you know how many ballroom dancers we have in this competition, and you know how hard your sister worked and transformed herself this year, and we all think that you did a tremendous job,” Murphy said during the elimination. “There are some things we could really highlight and today was one of them, but your time at the Academy, I’m sorry, is over.”

Ezra gracefully thanked the judges before Murphy had the last word, “Do not cut me off, young man. Your journey is continuing,” Murphy said. “You’re going into the Top 5!” 

Stephanie was equally excited to have made it into the Top 5 Girls, but most importantly, that she has been able to share this journey with her younger brother Ezra. The Sosa’s have already made history by being the first siblings to make it this far in the competition. And, despite the friendly sibling rivalry, Stephanie and Ezra are each other’s biggest supporters!

In last night’s episode, the Top 5 Girls were paired up with the Top 5 Guys and danced to compete for America’s votes.

And, both Stephanie and Ezra shone with their performances! The Sosa Siblings, who are now in competition with each other, did not disappoint the judges and fans! They have a real shot at winning!

Each week, viewers get an opportunity to start voting for their favorite dancer(s) from the end of the show until 9:00 A.M. the next morning. From this point on, the Sosa’s fate lies in America’s hands. It’s up to the viewers to decide, by their votes, which of the Top 10 will move forward in the competition and who will be eliminated. 

The Sosa Siblings are professionally trained dancers in the ballroom, ballet, Latin/Salsa and freestyle and have been dancing since they were 3 and 4 years old. Throughout the years, they’ve garnered impressive credits, Stephanie on Disney Channel’s High School Musical TV series, and she and Ezra in Hallmark’s Dear Dumb Diary. Older brother Tristan, who is also a principal dancer, had the honor of dancing on Luke Perry’s K-9 Christmas in 2014. 

“We support each other and it was really nice having him [Ezra] there with me just because I knew I had someone that loved me fully and wanted me to succeed,” Stephanie told a reporter in a recent interview. “It was really nice just because every single round, we went through together.”

So You Think You Can Dance, (SYTYCD), Season 16, is a dance competition with a panel of judges featuring series creator Nigel Lynthgoe, as well as dance expert Mary Murphy, choreographer Laurieann Gibson, and dancer/choreographer Dominic ‘D-Trix’ Sandoval. Cat Deeley is the show’s host. 

Competing in the Top 10 last night were:
Top 5 Girls Selected: Stephanie, Mariah, Anna, Sophie, and Madison.
Top 5 Guys Selected: Ezra, Gino, Benjamin, Eddie, and Bailey.

Tune in next week to SYTYCD on FOX, Monday, August 19^th at 9:00PM/8:00 PM Central to watch Stephanie and Ezra Sosa compete against each other and vote for your favorite.

Follow the Sosa Siblings on social media:
Facebook: @SosaSiblings
Instagram: @SosaSiblings
Twitter: @SosaSiblings

The post “SYTYCD”: Sosa Siblings Sparkling in Competition! first appeared on .

Parents Enrique and Lucrecia Sosa from Provo, Utah, have spent the majority of their married lives devoted to nurturing their children’s goals and dreams, and constantly fostering the importance of family unity and loyalty to each other. All three children, Tristen, 22, Stephanie, 19, and Ezra, 18, are professionally trained dancers in ballroom, ballet, Latin/Salsa and freestyle and have been dancing longer than they can remember. 

It is no surprise to learn that FOX’s hit dance competition series, So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD), has been a TV program that the Sosa’s have watched for years. 

“Every Monday night, we watched as a family,” admits Stephanie, “all three of us would tell our parents, ‘one day, we’re going to dance on this show,’ and now we’ve achieved that dream.”

That opportunity first came last year in SYTYCD’s Season 15, when Tristen and Stephanie auditioned and both made it into the competition. They didn’t get to the levels they’d hope for but the experience was invaluable—especially for Stephanie. 

Having made it past the audition phase where they competed together as partners, on Monday, July 15^th, the Sosa Siblings, Stephanie and Ezra, will now compete against each other on SYTUCD’s Academy Part 1. The siblings are ballroom dancers and for the first time in the show’s history, two siblings have made it to the final rounds. From this point on, they are on their own coveting for that ultimate cash prize of $250,000 the winner will walk away with.

Stephanie, Ezra and Tristen have been principal dancers for years and have garnered impressive credits. Stephanie has appeared on Disney Channel’s High School Musical TV series, and she and Ezra were both featured in Hallmark’s Dear Dumb Diary. All three siblings, Stephanie, Ezra and Tristen, had the honor of dancing on Luke Perry’s K-9 Christmas in 2014. 

“I was inspired to dance because of SYTYCD,” admits Stephanie. “It’s been like a dream come true and I’m really grateful for this opportunity. And, I hope I’m able to inspire others as I was. It’s hard to be a dancer being Latina and growing up a minority, having to fight for things. I do hope I make it far on the show, I mean getting to Top 4 would be amazing… but no matter how far I get, I just hope to inspire others.”

Little brother Ezra, feels equally excited and when asked about the sibling rivalry, he laughs. “There are little things here and there in the competition, where rivalry is evident, but no matter how far I make it in the competition, I am thrilled to be able to share this experience with my sister. But, yeah,” he laughs, “I want to win!” 

So You Think You Can Dance, returned for its 16^th season of the dance competition series that spotlights highly skilled dancers between the ages of 18 and 30, who compete in various dance styles to secure their place in the “SYTUCD studio.” Each week, contestants compete for America’s votes and are eliminated until a winner is named on the season finale. SYTYCD was created by Nigel Lythgoe and joining him at the judging table are Laurieann Gibson (Lady Gaga’s longtime choreographer) and SYTYCD alum Dominic “D-Trix” Sandoval. The show’s host is Cat Deeley.

“This Monday, [July 15^th] our family’s story will be profiled,” says Enrique, the siblings’ father. “The Sosa’s are profoundly touched by the network’s sensitivity, respect, and support of Ezra and Stephanie’s background story. It has not been easy for us but ultimately, we are blessed.” Enrique, an engineering firm accountant, is also the former BYU men’s soccer team coach. He met his wife, Lucrecia, when they both were students at BYU and each playing on the soccer teams – he in the men’s and she in the women’s. 

“You would think we would have produced three professional soccer players,” Enrique jokes, “but instead we’ve got three amazing dancers!”

As to what Tristen is up to these days, well he’s the Director of a new Latin Ballroom program in Las Vegas, Summerlin Dance Academy, with over 300 students!

Tune-in to SYTYCD on FOX, Monday, July 15^th at 9:00 PM/8:00 PM Central to watch Ezra and Stephanie Sosa compete against each other and vote for your favorite. Both siblings are phenomenal dancers and are in it to win! 

Follow the Sosa Siblings on social media:
Facebook: @SosaSiblings
Instagram: @SosaSiblings
Twitter: @SosaSiblings

The post Sosa Siblings 1st Pair of Siblings in Finals of “So You Think You Can Dance” first appeared on .

The milestone 10th season of MASTERCHEF kicks off with another crop of talented home cooks!

Celebrating its 10th season, television’s #1 cooking show, MASTERCHEF, will air two nights per week, kicking off Wednesday, May 29th, 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT, and joining the Thursday lineup on Thursday, June 20th, 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT on FOX.

This season, the judges — award-winning chef Gordon Ramsay, acclaimed chef Aaron Sanchez and renowned restaurateur Joe Bastianich — take the series to new heights, selecting just 20 incredible home cooks from a batch of top-notch culinary talent.

In the premiere episode, “The Epic 10th” Season Auditions — Pt. 1,” airs Wednesday, May 29th, 8-9PM ET/PT on FOX, dozens of hopefuls enter MASTERCHEF kitchen for the first time and have one chance to wow the judges and secure a spot in the Season 10 field of competitors. The second episode, “Auditions— Pt. 2/Battle Round,” airs Wednesday, June 5th, 8-9PM ET/PT.

The post Chef Aarón Sánchez Ready for “MASTERCHEF” 10th Season Kickoff first appeared on .