REVIEW By Bel Hernandez Castillo

Leguizamo Does America is back for Season 2, and its return couldn’t be more timely. At a moment when harmful rhetoric and misinformation about Latinos is dominating headlines, this six-episode series flips the narrative. Instead of portraying Latinos as takers, Leguizamo Does America showcases what U.S. Latinos have always been: builders, innovators, and culture shapers. 

In these times the MSNBC TV series becomes more than a docuseries—it becomes an antidote, a cultural resistance providing visibility and celebration wrapped in a bold, funny, and fiercely loving package.

Leguizamo Does America, is an NBC News Studios and Casa NOHO Production, created and hosted by Emmy and Tony award-winning actor John Leguizamo. “For season two, I wanted to go deeper into America and put a magnifying glass on Latino exceptionalism, Latino ingenuity, and Latino genius,” says Leguizamo.

Under director Ben DeJesus guidance and the excellent production skills of showrunner Carolina Saavedra the audience is taken on a cultural journey of Latino excellence in six stunningly shot and powerful episodes filmed in New Orleans, Philadelphia, Denver, Phoenix, Raleigh, and San Antonio.  Leguizamo meets the artists, chefs, activists, and cultural entrepreneurs—who are making an undeniable impact across the U.S.

The opening episode takes us to Philadelphia, the birthplace of the USA where we learn of the major role Latinos played in the American Revolution. We find out the famous Philly cheesesteak has been Latinized and people are loving it…and literally “eating it up”.  

In Raleigh, North Carolina, home to Academy Award winning actress Ariana deBose, we learn, among other things, how immigrants were brought into the US by corporations to help save the poultry industry there; how the Flor de Hidalgo dance group is keeping Mexican folklorico alive — and giving Leguizamo the host, a change to show off his “zapateado”. This episode drives home the notion that whether honoring or correcting historical erasure, Latinos in America are living examples of what it means to own our story while shaping America’s future.

In San Antonio, we meet the Castros—Congressman Joaquin Castro and his mother Rosie Castro, a lifelong activist and community organizer who helped lay the groundwork for modern Chicano politics in San Antonio. We’re also introduced to Shelly Lares, the legendary Tejano artist whose career has not only been preserving traditional music but passing it on with a Tex Mex twist to new generations with pride and purpose.

In Phoenix, Leguizamo goes head to head with WNBA’s great Diana Taurasi in a round of “hoops”. While in Denver Leguizamo explores the birthplace of the Chicano Movement, while also suiting up for a “lucha libre” bout at Hugo’s Lucha Libre cultural landmark arena.

Throughout the series, we meet musicians, chefs, artists, and entrepreneurs who are not just surviving—but thriving. And let’s talk about the food. From Mexican carnitas  to Venezuelan arepas to Tex-Mex fajitas the series celebrates Latino culinary excellence. Several featured chefs are James Beard Award winners and nominees, further proving what we’ve always known—Latinos are impacting cuisine in a most delicious way.

Think about it: tomatoes, vanilla, avocados, chocolate —these and so many other staples of global food culture are gifts from the Americas, cultivated and cherished by Indigenous and Latin communities for centuries. Leguizamo Does America honors that legacy, and reminds us of the central role Latinos play in the culinary world globally.

This is part of our resistance showing Latin joy, Latin success, Latin excellence, Latin genius, Latin exceptionalism and innovation” — John Leguizamo.

The historical context, too, is essential. The episodes filmed in New Orleans, Phoenix, and San Antonio underscore that Latino roots in America run deep—long before the arrival of the European immigrants. These are not stories of outsiders or newcomers; these are stories of indigenous peoples and Latinos who helped build this nation.

At the recent MSNBC LA premiere for Leguizamo Does America, Leguizamo spoke to a who’s who of Hollywood executives, actors, directors, producers and executives about the upcoming series.  “This is part of our resistance showing Latin joy, Latin success, Latin excellence, Latin genius, Latin exceptionalism and innovation” he said. That is exactly what Leguizamo Does America does once again in season 2. The series shines an undeniable  bright light on a community that has been here longer than America itself. Latinos in the U.S. are 65 million strong, they are American and they are here to stay.

WHERE TO WATCH:

• MSNBC: The series airs on MSNBC on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET. 
• Peacock: You can also stream the show on Peacock. 
• Roku: The Roku Channel offers access to the show, with options to buy episodes or watch through streaming services that carry MSNBC. 
• Other Streaming Services: Check platforms like Fubo, Sling TV, DIRECTV, Xumo Play, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video for availability. 

The post ‘Leguizamo Does America’ Is the Cultural Resistance We Need Right Now first appeared on .

Emmy Award winner John Leguizamo follows up his brilliant one-man show, Latino History for Dummies (2018), with a Master Class in the three-part historical documentary for PBS VOCES. American Historias: The Untold History of Latinos, Leguizamo’s panoramic, kaleidoscopic landscape exalting the centuries long contributions of Latinos to the Americas is a colorful, dramatic and illuminating cinematic wall mural worthy of Diego Rivera.

American Historias, co-written and directed by Ben de Jesus, proudly chronicles the Latino legacy from the great indigenous ancient Meso-American empires, the Conquest, the Latinization of the Americas and the Caribbean. It reminds us of our military heroism, patriotism, political activism for social justice, our cultural influences in the arts, music, film, theater and not the least of which is our world class cuisine.

Leguizamo points out Latinos are an ethnic mixture with roots in Europe, Africa an  Meso America. We are a complicated multi-layered and delicious ethnic dish like traditional Mexican mole, a blend of native and several ingredients from all over the world.

American Historias bursts, con mucho argullo Latinim like a busted piñata. Each one of the tasty historias is excellent material for movies, like Walkout and Stand and Deliver. We must have our own all Latino streaming network like Netflix. We must have a MEXFLIX streaming network to tell and share nuestro American Latino historias with the world.
American Historias is currently streaming Prime Video, Hulu & YouTubeTV.  You can also watch it free on pbs.org/VOCES

American Historias: The Untold History of Latinos is executive produced by Jill Kirkorian and produced by Alessandra Quest and Belinda Salazar Kizy among

Currently Steaming on Hulu, Prime Video and on PBS.org/Voces. Or to purchase the three hourlong episodes go to Amazon CLICK HERE.

The post Fideo Loco Quick Review: PBS’ American Historias first appeared on .

Written by Julio Martinez

John Leguizamo was born in Bogotá, Colombia but raised in New York City. He has appeared in over 100 films, working as a stand-up comedian, actor, writer and producer. On stage, his one-person play, Latin History for Morons garnered him a Tony Award after 400+ performances, and he followed that up by his PBS special: Great Performances: The Road to Broadway.  Now, working in tandem with acclaimed television director Ben DeJesus, they have co-created PBS’s VOCES American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos, hosted by Leguizamo and scheduled to debut September 27, 2024.

“This project was originally inspired by my stage play, which I created because I was horrified by the almost total absence of Latinos from my son’s American History books,” Leguizamo exclaimed during the recent Television Critics Association press tour.

Leguizamo’s one-man show highlighted the fact that Latinos didn’t just simply arrive here, they’ve been here since 1492. The first Euro language spoken in America was not English, it was Spanish, and the American land mass, from the Mississippi to the Pacific, was, in fact, Mexico until 1840.

“To label John as just the host of this show would be doing him a disservice,” deJesus adds.  “John is the genesis of the whole thing.”  Leguizamo laughs, “I’ve always been a history nerd, especially when it comes to Latin history. I’m like the Rain Man of Latin facts.” 

So all this came to him easily because he’d been studying the subject for the last 20 years. Leguizamo doesn’t just narrate the documentary.  He conducts one-on-one interviews. Instead of just telling this history, he talks to individuals who can help bring the narrative to life.

 “You need witnesses and testimonies,” Leguizamo explains. “Most people are Latin history deniers in this country. You need evidence. We need to have verification to authenticate what we’re talking about.”

 Leguizamo makes it clear that many deniers are entrenched in academia. When he was touring the country with Latin History for Dummies, he learned that U.S. Latino history was banned in Arizona for ten years. This is a state that has a population of 30 percent Latinos. In Texas, educators are allowed to teach Latino history only one day of the year, yet Latinos make up 40 percent of the population in Texas, and represent the majority.

“John Hopkins University did a study and found that 87 percent of Latino contributions to the making of America are not in history textbooks,” DeJesus adds. “So that’s erasure right there.”  

DeJesus believes this special that he and Leguizamo have produced is one of the ways to combat all the deniers. Concluding that, “If we can get this to be a regular series, it can be brought right into the schools.”

When DeJesus was asked to describe a few of the stories that really struck him, they were war stories, particularly the ones from Army veteran Guy Gabaldon. He explains, “Guy Gabaldon’s was a guy from East L.A. who happened to grow up with Japanese neighbors, so he picked up some Japanese. Based on his ability to speak Japanese, he was able — in the middle of the night – to get 1300 Japanese soldiers to surrender.

As for Leguizamo, his happiest and most satisfying interview was easy.  “Dolores Huerta. Oh, my God, she’s so lovely. It was such an honor to meet such a gracious, gentle, generous warrior. And her sense of inclusivity and embracing everybody, even though she’s a fighter, she’s still about nurturing. And that’s who I’d like to aspire to be.”

Leguizamo and DeJesus talked about future projects, particularly dramatic ones and if they thought their projects could have a home on PBS?  “That would be up to the producers on PBS.  It would be great to do it at PBS. There’s so many great stories to be told,” he said with a shrug and a smile. 

Case in point, during their research, Leguizamo and DeJsus discovered Gil Bosques Saldivar to be be an important figure in one of many stories. In World War II, he was a Mexican ambassador who saved 40,000 Jews in Vichy, France.  He hid them in two churches. That’s more than Oskar Schindler saved. Bosques then gave his refugees asylum in Mexico. “It’s an amazing story that needs to be told. It was pitched to the studios but was rejected,” DeJesus exclaimed.

“What is a Latino?” Leguizamo asks rhetorically.  “For the most part, Latinos are of three ancestries — African, European Indigenous. We’re one of the few ethnic groups whose religion, culture, and language were completely destroyed, and yet here we still are, and thriving in America.”

In fact, according to the Latino Donor Collaborative, Latinos contribute $3.2 trillion to the GDP of the United States and as a group, Latinos have the buying power of $3.4 trillion in the U.S.

 ‘We’ve come from so much oppression, yet our superpower is tenacity. We just don’t accept no for an answer,” Leguizamo proclaims.

VOCES American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos

Director and Co-Creator: Ben DeJesus – Co-Creator: John Leguizamo

Documentary Series:  90 minutes

The post John Leguizamo: The ‘Rain Man’ of Latino Facts first appeared on .

If anyone can bring attention to the dynamics of what it is to be a US Latino in America on a national scale, its John Leguizamo. It is what he has basically done all his career, only this time it will be the focus of a new six-part TV series from NBC News Studios, Leguizamo Does America, which he hosts and will begin airing Sunday, April 16 at 10 PM (ET) on MSNBC.

Each episode will feature a different city where Latinos have a large presence, or in the case of Los Angeles are almost 50% of the population. He will be visiting six cities in total, New York, Miami, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Puerto Rico, and we interview some high profile Latinos about what it’s like to be a U.S. Latino and the culture.

If you are a fan of Leguizamo, you know his acting career includes stage, TV and film you know his work from some of his more high profile roles in To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995), Moulin Rouge!, and more recently The Menu.

But it was through the theater that Leguizamo got the attention of audiences with his half-dozen his one-man shows on Broadway (and off Broadway). His topic most generally were bio-autobiographical or he would spoof his family and friends.

In 1991, Leguizamo wrote and performed in the Off-Broadway production mostly focused on is life and being Latino. In Mambo Mouth, he played seven different characters and went on to win an Obie Award and an Outer Critics Award. He was listed as one of 12 “Promising New Actors of 1991” by John Willis’ Screen Worlds. His next theater production was Spic-O-Rama, where he made fun of the stereotyping of Latinos in the United States, several of his shows became HBO specials as well as Freak. In 2002, he wrote and performed Sexaholix… A Love Story. His most current theater piece was in 2017, when he debuted Latin History for Morons a show about the participation of Latin Americans throughout US history. It was also in 2017 that he was presented with a Special Tony Award for his body of work and for his commitment to bringing diverse stories and audiences to Broadway for three decades.

And Leguizamo he takes his affinity for setting the record straight on the contribution of US Latinos seriously, hence the latest of his projects where Latinos are front and center.

In Leguizamo Does America, which premieres this Sunday, April 16 at 10pm (ET) on MSNBC Leguizamo travels across the country to celebrate the rich and diverse Latino cultures in six different destinations, exploring food, politics, music, and everything in between along the way.

Director Ben DeJesus (Latin History for Morons), a frequent collaborator of Leguizamo directed the series said in a recent NBC article, “It’s a lot of Latin themes and people, but this is really a show for all kinds of audiences”. He also credits the show as being a “life-changing” experience for him.

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In 2020, over 270 Latino writers and showrunners wrote an open letter entitled “Dear Hollywood”, which demanded action on inclusivity. As LatinHeat’s own Bel Hernandez has expressed in the past, “we need studios and networks executives to greenlight our projects”. This is where producer and head of Mankind Entertainment, John Martinez O’Felan comes in. He and his team are passionately focused on creating the demand for studios to hire more Latino executives.

LatinHeat sat down with O’Felan to discuss the challenges facing Latinos in the film industry, and how he hopes to impact change for Latino presentation in cinema with Mankind Entertainment. He also shared in-depth insight about his much talked about feature film project Alina of Cuba, James Franco’s performance, as well as his surprising thoughts regarding John Leguizamo. Martinez also shared all-new details about his two other new Latino centered film projects that are currently in development, including Barton Creek and Anna in the Tropics. 

To begin, O’Felan first elaborated on his own background and experience being Latino, and how he defines his identity:

John Martinez O’Felan: I’d like to start off by sharing my Latin cultural vantage point to frame how I see the critical mass of the cultural solution for better representation. In my Latino heritage, I come from a family with scrolled roots to one of the most ancient Spanish / Mexican lineages of Latin ancestry, one that verifiably dates back to far before 1699 B.C, through the ancient Hispanic Rite, and verifiable through various international Hispanic and tribal histories. With that level of historical enlightenment by heraldry, I see being “Latin” as a united global race with Hispanic roots, that developed and traces over eras of social and societal development. One proof of such is that the word “Latino” actually was heavily influenced by “Ladino,” a language spoken by Judeo-Spanish tribes who first migrated to the Latin America we know today: so even the word Latino is linked to Spain, so my cultural view honors all unbiasedly as a people. Taking that thinking into consideration and being someone who has spent 15 years of new company evangelization in a push for a new frontier for global Hispanic Cinema, I think the solutions have to initially hold a “global financial focus.”

Xavier LeBlanc: What inspired you to choose Alina of Cuba, Anna in the Tropics and Barton Creek? 

JMO: Part of my selection process as a Latino has been to promote new history. I’m 43 years old and coming from my generation, that’s one thing that I always felt that we lacked was a representation as to history. So, these projects that I took on take a look back at contributions that other Hispanics and Latinos have made to society between the stories of the character themselves, and also to celebrate artistic influencers like Nilo Cruz. He was the first Latino to ever win the Pulitzer prize for drama. So, I felt that with no one promoting new Latin history in America right now, I felt that sense of calling to advance that angle of the film industry. And that’s what’s driven my passion to get us to where we are now.

Alina of Cuba is based on the true-life story of former Cuban exile Alina Fernandez (aka “Castro’s Daughter”). The film is a celebration of the bravery of Latina women in seeking and elevating their voices and rights over the last fifty years. Actress Ana Villafane plays the lead role of Alina. Villafane is most known for playing international Cuban music icon Gloria Estefan in the popular Broadway production On Your Feet. She stars alongside Oscar-nominated actor James Franco as Fidel Castro. The script is written by Oscar-nominated Puerto Rican screenwriter José Rivera, and Pulitzer Prize winner Nilo Cruz. Martinez spoke about his motivations behind producing Alina of Cuba. Miguel Bardem, who is a Spanish Goya Award winner, directs the film.

JMO: I produced Alina of Cuba as an unbiased celebration of universal Latinism. So, I did it to ultimately promote unity between U.S. and international industries which ultimately impacts and helps grow a greater network for Hispanic material to be distributed. So, in other words I’m trying to prove that stories of Hispanic fabric can travel.

XL: Do you feel that Ana Villafane and James Franco may surprise audiences with their performances in Alina of Cuba, and if so, in which ways?

JMO: Absolutely. You know she’s our leading lady as Alina, and she’s an amazing talent who had her launch on Broadway, and coming with such a pedigree class. And knowing of the history being Cuban through her mother, I feel like she’s absolutely the perfect character fabric of the new age Latina to enact this story. As far as James, his likeness to the real Fidel Castro feels almost like an on-screen conjuring. But, even more exciting will be when the world sees him come out of his skin in what I believe will be one of his best performances of all time. And I say that because he studied, you know very in-depth on the character and dialect. They had a dialect coach and really dug deep, and so I feel like people are really going to love what they see when you see the fire between him and Ana on screen. It’s just going to be so amazing, because I’m already watching the footage and editing, and we’re like “Wow! You know this is something very special”.

XL: What can we expect from the most recently announced cast additions of Luna Baxter, Charlotte de Casa Bianca and Carlos Manuel Vesga in Alina of Cuba?

JMO: I think one thing is audiences I believe are going to see new faces from the international community, and I think those faces are going to impact the growth and demand between industries. Working with an actress like Luna, she’s a high pedigree great actress, and has some of the highest coveted awards. Same with Carlos. They’re amazing actors, and I think that we’ll continue to see these actors transition into more of a global image.

XL: What are some of the goals that you hope to achieve within the industry with Mankind Entertainment?

JMO: I think ultimately I’d like to create more Latin themed stories and also ultimately see more Latinos represented on the big screen. Not just in Latin stories, but also mainstream stories. I use director Robert Rodriguez as a great example of the way he used to cast his movies, or he casts his movies. 

Our focus is on the feature theatrical awards network : With our sales groups, we plan to push our U.S-developed Hispanic/Latino titles to the acquisition’s awards labels, while also creating a global festival presence for Hispanic Cinema in festivals like Cannes and Toronto, where content is globally recognized and impacts studio interest overall.

XL: Are there any notable Latin actors or directors that you would like to collaborate with that you have not yet worked with?

JMO: Well yeah, I mean first and foremost one of my favorite actors, and even you know we may see things differently and see addressing the issues of Hispanic demand differently, but I would love to work with John Leguizamo. He’s someone that you know…there’s a project that I have now, that I mean, I think he could work perfect for. You know also of course Javier Bardem, Gael Garcia, Diego Luna and Anthony Ramos is someone that I think really sticks out to me right now. As well as Ismail Cruz Cordova. As far as directors Robert Rodriguez has always been one of my Hispanic heroes. We’re both from the same hometown. I’m here from Austin, and so I think he’s someone that I strongly admire as well as a director. As far as Latinas I think Ana de Armas is someone that would be an honor to work with, and you know the list goes on I want to work with everyone.

XL: What are some ways that you feel the industry can do more to promote Latin representation, both in front of and behind the camera?

JMO: Ultimately, increasing Latin representation has to start within the packaging model on mainstream titles. So, again I use Robert Rodriguez as a great example of how he would cast his major successes.

The sad truth is the studios are driven by stockholder numbers, and timelines. So, inevitably are held hostage to having to invest mainly in already proven A-list stars to carry their titles and this is how they mitigate their financial risks. So, looking at it from that angle and considering that production executives have to focus on institutional survival; One way that I see that stands out, is for producers to focus on placing more Latin supporting cast around the already established big names on bigger titles. What this does is ultimately create more bankable Latin actors that can become the next Salma Hayek, the next Jessica Alba and the next Eva Longoria of the newer generation to continue the cycle. In other words, we need to see more diversity around established bankable actors because the buzz value will spotlight new talents that have yet to be seen.

Again, I go into the packaging of Alina of Cuba as a great example. Having James Franco as a major actor in packaging him with stars that are new and growing. I think it will have that impact. Luna Baxter and the Carlos Vesga are great examples of that type of talent in helping grow the industry and the network as a whole.

Martinez also emphasized the importance of highlighting true stories about Latinos, such as that of Carlos Lavernia in Barton Creek. As well as representation when it comes to Latinos of different groups, including Cuban and Mexicans in the US. This Latino-led biopic is written and will be directed by award-winning Cuban-American director Carlos V. Gutierrez. The story follows the triumphant life story of Lavernia, a Cuban political exile and Innocence Project participant, who was wrongfully convicted to life in prison and spent 15 years behind bars before being proven innocent. 

JMO: Stories like his are very inspiring in that you know he had no choice. He had to learn what it is to live in America, what it takes to challenge the legal system and speak the language. So, you know he didn’t have an easy road and I feel like you know his story deserves to be told to ultimately inspire others. 

Given that the Mexican-American mass is 24m+ and 40% of the U.S Hispanic market share, there really needs to be more Mexican American talents, which we also aim to cast in Mr. Lavernia’s story as a Cuban living in Texas around a mass of Chicanos, the neighborhood I grew up in.

XL: How do you feel the Hispanic and Latino marketplace for film and entertainment will change in the next 10 years? 

JMO: I think we’re going through a major population transition right now. There’s 62.6 million Hispanics in the U.S. roughly about 600 million total in Latin America and I think over time we’re going to gradually see studios aiming more to crack the code to cross national awards content that is led by more Latin actors. But, this also means that more producers focused on universality. We need more producers focused on universality and diversity because the content’s not going to get developed and produced by itself.

O’Felan also went into detail on what he has learned about the industry from his experiences working on Alina of Cuba, and his understanding of how the business and unity come together to move everything forward: 

JMO: Using Alina of Cuba as my first key to the Hollywood mecca to studio buyers, I learned first-hand during my process that each publicly traded conglomerate corporation (NBC-Universal, Focus, Sony, Fox, etc) has an executive in charge of independent acquisitions, an area where finished privately financed pictures are purchased in partnership for theatrical distribution: this is where investors recoup. Each year, during a studio’s yearly buying process, they study independent global consumer financial trends, buzz patterns and talent / content bankability en masse, and not just creative “storytelling.” Being that the U.S officially became the Corporation of the United States of America since 1871, ever since Thomas Edison founded the first studio in 1893, studios have historically grown over the last 130 years under the pressure of profitability by stockholders and growing government taxation in parallel.

With this thinking, each studio’s major investment in a finished picture is scaled across the world, and not just the United States or any tiny region, so it’s the global consumer that heavily influences what we’re seeing put out here in the U.S. In the current state, this is why comic book and action brands, which have held bestseller status, have become the norm. However, comic book and action brands aren’t necessarily designed to celebrate or promote culture, which is why studios won’t be shifting away from the Marvel or DC Universe any time soon.

The good news is, however, that right now is an ultra-hot time for independent “awards producers” and private equity financiers to step up and produce more Hispanic-human related content to service and sell to the studios, who will pay guarantees against films within the bulk of the roughly 100 international markets. This is where unity is key, because when a producer hires a large star like a James Franco or Javier Bardem as a co-lead on an awards picture, this allows the picture to introduce new stars while giving them initial clout. A perfect example is when Robert Rodriguez shot Desperado. That film was a case where as an innovator, Rodriguez, a Mexican American from Texas, placed a Spanish star as the male lead, and launched the epic career of Salma Hayek, a Latina born in Mexico who is now one of the most celebrated icons in film history.

Ultimately, O’Felan says, “I’d like to call for Hispanic unity as the first step in the business, because such will allow the independent world to build Latin stars alongside the current standing stars, creating a new universe for diversity and long term growth. In other words, we need to see more diversity around established bankable actors, because the buzz value will spotlight new talents who have yet to be seen.”

During our interview O’Felan stated that “Hispanics need a renaissance”. It seems that he is indeed doing everything possible to make that come true, while also becoming one of the trailblazers that is sorely needed in the entertainment industry right now. Mankind Entertainment’s remarkable lineup of powerful Latin stories and their mission of representation may soon help change the way audiences and Hollywood views Latinos.

The post EXCLUSIVE: ‘Alina De Cuba’ Producer John Martinez O’Felan Talks Latino Representation in Hollywood first appeared on .

Disney’s 60th animated feature is a Latino-themed musical with songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda: Encanto. 

Set in a fantastical Colombia, it tells the story of a young woman named Mirabel Madrigal, frustrated for lacking the magical powers enjoyed by all of the other members of her family. But when that magic is in danger of vanishing, Mirabel embarks on a journey to save her loved ones and their home.

Encanto is directed by Oscar-winner Byron Howard and Jared Bush, who worked together in Zootopia, and co-directed by Charise Castro Smith, who makes her feature film directorial debut. Castro Smith’s screenwriting credits include series like Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House and the Starz drama Sweetbitter; she also worked as part of the studio and creative leadership team for Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon.

The Encanto cast features the voices of Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), John Leguizamo (Moulin Rouge!), María Cecilia Botero (La Bruja), Diane Guerrero (Orange Is the New Black), Jessica Darrow (Feast of the Seven Fishes), Angie Cepeda (A Night in Old Mexico) and Wilmer Valderrama (That ’70s Show). Other cast members are Carolina Gaitan, Mauro Castillo, Adassa Dolores, Rhenzy Feliz, Alan Tudyk and reggaeton star Maluma.

Encanto held its world premiere at Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre early this month and is set for theatrical release Nov. 24, in time for the Thanksgiving weekend.

Featured Photo: ‘Encanto’ (Credit: Disney)

The post Latino-Themed Animation Film Marks Disney’s Milestone first appeared on .

By Cesar Arredondo

The new CBS television special, Essential Heroes: A Momento Latino Event, created by Henry Munoz III and executive produced and hosted by Eva Longoria, brings together a coalition of mega superstars who will pay tribute to Latinos in the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic while celebrating the U.S. Latino contribution and culture.

The TV special will highlight the grassroots work done by some individuals and organizations during the Covid-19 crisis with the participation of actors John Leguizamo, Rita Moreno, Lin Manuel Miranda, Freddy Rodriguez, Isabela Merced, and Wilmer Valderrama, comedians George Lopez and Arturo Castro, and musical performances by Juanes, Gloria Estefan, Pitbull, Luis Fonsi, Kelsea Ballerini and Ricky Martin–with the latter two also also co-hosting the one-hour special. The special will also be available to stream live and on demand on CBS All Access.

“We have comedy, we have music, we have these wonderful… documentary packages” about people and organizations helping the Latino community in the pandemic, said Longoria during a recent virtual press conference promoting the event. “It’s such a beautiful 360 (degree perspective) of our culture.” There will be documentaries about entrepreneur immigrants, a woman who provides children of farmworkers with school supplies, feeding programs for people in need, and nonprofits.

The show is produced by Momento Latino, a coalition that came together in the beginning of the pandemic to tackle the challenges facing Latinos in the tragic time of Covid-19. “As we move from crisis to recovery, we know that this is our moment to speak up and fight for US Latinos,” declares the group’s website.

Companies co-producing the CBS special are Will Ferrell’s Funny Or Die and Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment along with the consulting firm Global Philanthropy Group. Executive producers are: Henry Muñoz for Momento Latino; Longoria and Ben Spector for UnbeliEVAble Entertainment; Maggie Neilson for Global Philanthropy; and Mike Farah, Joe Farrell, Jim Ziegler, Moira Noriega, Gloria Medel Solomons and R.A. Clark for Funny Or Die. The special is directed by Ron de Moraes, who won a Primetime Emmy for the XIX Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony and a Daytime Emmy for Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade.

A COALITION IS BORN
Launched earlier this summer in response to the impact of the pandemic on Latinos, Momento Latino is a coalition of activists, artists and allies “lifting our voices to push for change and elevate issues important to #Latino communities,” according to its Facebook page.

Munoz, who co-founded the group along with Longoria and created the television special said the Momento Latino’s idea started in New York back in march as the Big Apple became the epicenter of the pandemic. As Muñoz was driven to a coronavirus testing site through a desolated metropolis in lockdown, going through the National Guard and state and local police, he recalled imagining the intimidation some Latinos might feel facing all those challenges juts to get a Covid test, especially those with language barriers or with immigration status issues. Muñoz, a prominent businessman, designer and social justice activist who until recently was also the longest-serving Democratic National Committee finance chair, called Longoria and Estefan and told them, “We’ve got to do something.”

Momento Latino now boasts members such as U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, United League of Latin American Citizens, Acevedo Foundation, Hispanic National Bar Association, Hispanic Federation, Latino Policy Forum, Latino Community Foundation, and California Association for Bilingual Education, among others.

POSITIVE GOALS
The coalition aims at uplifting Latino stories and voices, talking action on issues relevant to the community, and celebrating Latinos’ diversity while highlighting commonalities in events that bring them together. Essential Heroes: A Momento Latino Event seems to check off all those boxes.

The Oct. 26 show will present stories that exemplify American Latinos’ resilience, ingenuity and caring during the pandemic which, according to organizers, has hit their community especially hard. “We are 18 percent of the population of the United States but we’re 34 percent of frontline essential workers,” said Longoria during a virtual press conference promoting the event. Those people include nurses and other medical professionals, farmworkers and delivery, restaurant and hotel workers, among others, added Longoria.

A recent study published in the Annals of Epidemiology shows that Latinos contract the virus and die from Covid-19 at disproportionately higher rates for their population. They account for 33 percent of all confirmed Covid-19 cases nationwide when they only represent about 18 percent of the country’s total population. Also, about one in five deaths from the disease is a Latino.

KEEPING U.S. GOING
“The majority of frontline essential workers that are keeping this country running and going are from our community, the Latino community,” stated Longoria, noting that many of them lack personal protection equipment. There have been numerous news reports, especially at the start of the pandemic, of medical staff, food processing plant employees and other workers toiling without proper protection or protocols against the coronavirus, risking their lives to make a living and support their families.

Workers from restaurants, farms, food industry and medical facilities are among those considered essential by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

While inevitably addressing the pandemic’s disproportional negative impact on Latinos, the CBS special appears to be an attempt to lift spirits and offer hope with community stories and entertainment.  

A short clip from Essential Heroes played at the conference highlights a family-owned Mexican restaurant La Guelaguetza, which was started by a food street vendor who immigrated from the Mexican state of Oaxaca. In the video, Estefan introduces the Los Angeles-based iconic eatery as an example of entrepreneurial creativity in the face of adversity. Estefan also attended the press conference via Zoom.

Two singers featured in the one-hour special offer uplifting songs. Grammy Award winner rapper Pitbull will perform his single I Believe That We Will Win, a song penned and released in the pandemic.

For her part, Estefan will sing a version of her pop dance hit Get On Your Feet especially adapted to serve as send-off at the end of the show.

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Feature titles include: Going Rogue, Hometown Proud, Illegal, In the Defense Against Tyranny, La Llorona, Linda and the Mockingbirds, Sound Of Justice, The Horror Crowd, Tu Me Manques, Tuscaloosa, and Phoenix, Oregon. 

This year’s festival also presents several Orange County filmmakers, programming partnerships with the cities of Denver, Colorado and San Antonio, Texas. It also offers a special focus on democracy. The program showcases movies from Mexico, Bolivia, United Kingdom, Italy, Taiwan, Macedonia, The Republic Of Moldova, Ghana, Tunisia, India, Iran and Iraq.

Conversations with filmmakers, workshops and special programs are also part of the festival’s 11th annual edition.

The OC Film Fiesta is a program of Media Arts Santa Ana, MASA, a project of the nonprofit Community Partners.

For tickets and more information, visit www.masamedia.org

—CESAR ARREDONDO

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Esai Morales is Mission: Impossible 7 Villain

Esai Morales has stepped in as the villain for Mission: Impossible 7 is set to start production late this summer. Originally actor Nicholas Hoult was cast as the villain. The movie was slated for release on July 23, 2021 but it fell victim to the COVID-19 crisis and now is set to release on November 19, 2021. The entire franchise, consisting of six movies has amassed over $3.57 billion for Paramount. Repped by Innovative, LINK, Vault Entertainment and Eric Feig, Morales recently completed a stint in How To Get Away With Murder. No doubt about it, this is a juicy role perfect for Morales in this film, which will also see Tom Cruise reprise his Ethan Hunt spy character.

Wilmer Valderrama Renews First-Look Deal With CBS TV Studios

Wilmer Valderrama who portrays Special Agent Nick Torres on NCIS has re-upped his first-look deal with CBS TV Studios. Great news for the NCIS actor who is a NCIS which has been renewed for the 18th season.

Under the first-look agreement, Valderrama has developed several series projects for CBS TV Studios through his WV Entertainment banner, including Hipster Death Rattle, a dark comedy based on the book by Richie Narvaez, with writer Rafael Agustin and Corinne Brinkerhoff; as well as the previously announced, The Turners, a half-hour single-camera autobiographical family doctors comedy from writer Naomi Ekperigin at ABC with Two Shakes Entertainment co-producing; and Patriots From the Barrio, a WWII drama about a Mexican-American unit, based on the book by Dave Gutierrez, from writer John Covarrubias. 

John Leguizamo & Wife Justine Included In Bestseller Book

John Leguizamo is a chapter in Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue‘s book, 40 Celebrated Couples Share with Us the Secrets to a Happy Life (HarperCollings Publishers). Leguizamo’s chapter provides insight on how it’s been since he and his wife Justine got married in 2003.

“I’m thinking, Oh, my God, she cares about my feelings. She’s not saying, ‘You’re an asshole,’ or ‘You’re an idiot.’ She’s just listening to me and I just felt really heard,” Leguizamo says lovingly about his wife. Actor-writer-comedian Leguizamo may be a lot of things, spectacular on stage, film, or television, but his most important and cherished job is that of being husband to Justine and a father to their teenage children. It is a delight to read another side of the extremely private actor where he allows the public into his personal life and on what makes his marriage work. 

Salma Hayek Launches “Stand With Women” Campaign

Oscar-nominated actress Salma Hayek launched a campaign on May 20, 2020 to combat violence against women under coronavirus lockdown measures, urging her millions of social media followers to “stand in solidarity with women.” The #StandWithWomen campaign will be run by fashion brand Gucci’s Chime For Change initiative founded by Hayek and singer Beyonce in 2013 and help fund organizations fighting domestic violence around the world. “We retreat into our homes to protect ourselves from the threat of COVID-19, but what if our home was a threat itself,” asked Hayek in a video shared to her nearly 15 million Instagram followers.  “It is so important that we take a stand against gender-based violence… We can really achieve change if our voices come together and scream: No more.”

The Mexican-born Hayek was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the 2002 movie, Frida. She is the latest celebrity to join the outcry about violence against women under lockdown with South African star Charlize Theron launching a similar campaign in April.

Rosario Dawson: Latino Voice & Vision For Voto Latino

A leading advocate to galvanize the Latino vote since 2004 when she launched Voto Latino at MTV studios in New York, Rosario Dawson has been relentless in her quest to inspire Latinos to vote. And on the 15th anniversary of Voto Latino, she knows that the 2020 presidential elections will need every Latino citizen to exercise their civic duty and vote.
Dawson enlisted the Maria Teresa Kumar to take the Voto Latino lead and mobilize voters. Years later, it is a match made in heaven. Recently, Dawson was interviewed by Hispanic Executive and asked what has been her fave Voto Latino moment, and she stated, “Being a part of advancing technology like voter registration through texting… and of course, all of this: Dreaming big, coalition building, commitment, focus, and determination can make a real impact. When we see and support each other there is nothing we cannot do.”

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Inspired by the near-total absence of Latinos from his son’s American history books, John Leguizamo embarks on an outrageously funny, frenzied search to find a Latin hero for his son’s school project. From a mad recap of the Aztec empire to stories of unknown Latin patriots of the Revolutionary War and beyond, Leguizamo breaks down the 3,000 years between the Mayans and Pitbull into 110 irreverent and uncensored minutes above and beyond his unique style.

“With ‘Latin History for Morons,’ Leguizamo isn’t merely teaching us what we’ve never been taught. He’s giving us a space to cheer and cry, to laugh and listen,” David Canfield of Entertainment Weekly

Leguizamo began his work on Latin History for Morons with celebrated, sold-out development engagements at The Public Theater and Berkeley Repertory Theatre followed by a Tony-nominated run at Broadway’s Studio 54. Directed by Tony Taccone (Wishful Drinking, Bridge & Tunnel), Latin History for Morons is written and performed by Leguizamo, featuring scenic design by Rachel Hauck, lighting design by Alexander V. Nichols, and original music and sound design by Bray Poor. 

Latin History for Morons a “surprisingly poignant one-man show.” He went on to say, “the show slyly poses sharp and timely questions of what culturally defines American identity and who, in the nationalistic age of Trump, has ‘the right’ to be here.”  Ben Brantley of The New York Times

Tickets for the Los Angeles engagement of Latin History for Morons, written by and starring John Leguizamo, at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre, will go on sale to the public at noon on Thursday, July 18, 2019. They have a Buy One Get One Free Ticket Offer
at the Ahmanson Theatre Box Office for the First Eight Hours Only

Patrons who come to the Ahmanson Theatre Box Office between noon and 8 p.m. on July 18 only will qualify for a buy one get one free ticket offer (up to two free tickets) for performances September 5 – 15, 2019. “Latin History for Morons” runs September 5 through October 20, 2019, with the opening set for Sunday, September 8. Tickets will be available online at CenterTheatreGroup.org or by phone at (213) 972-4400. To kick off the day, from noon to 2 p.m., there will be food trucks on the Hope Street side of The Music Center (between First and Temple), Upstage Burger will be open and a DJ from K-LOVE (107.5 FM) will be playing music on the Music Center Plaza. 

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