Amazon MGM Studios’ Gato Grande label will launch a new division focused on producing English language series and films sourced from Latin American intellectual properties. Its first project, “Clipperton,” is based on best-selling Colombian author Laura Restrepo’s novel “The Isle of Passion.”
“Clipperton” follows the true story of a group of Mexican castaways stranded on a remote island who must try to survive while maintaining their relationships.
The new division’s goal is to produce premium, scripted television and features for mainstream U.S. and global audiences. The idea is to create commercial content across all genres that escapes the “commonplace tropes of Latinos generally seen in media,” according to the company’s statement.
The film projects will focus on developing and producing high-concept stories in comedy, drama and sci-fi, with budgets ranging from $5 million to $30 million. In television, Gato Grande plans to develop a wide range of content...
“Clipperton” follows the true story of a group of Mexican castaways stranded on a remote island who must try to survive while maintaining their relationships.
The new division’s goal is to produce premium, scripted television and features for mainstream U.S. and global audiences. The idea is to create commercial content across all genres that escapes the “commonplace tropes of Latinos generally seen in media,” according to the company’s statement.
The film projects will focus on developing and producing high-concept stories in comedy, drama and sci-fi, with budgets ranging from $5 million to $30 million. In television, Gato Grande plans to develop a wide range of content...
- 2/29/2024
- by Diego Ramos Bechara
- Variety Film + TV
NBC has put in development Heirs, a thriller drama from East Los High co-creator Carlos Portugal, Davis Entertainment (The Blacklist) and Universal Television, where Davis Entertainment is under a deal.
Written by Portugal, Heirs is set in Miami Beach’s exclusive Star Island. It revolves around the heirs of a Latin American ex-dictator who face an unexpected dilemma when a young girl is kidnapped from their home on the night of their own daughter’s lavish quinceañera.
Portugal executive produces with Davis Entertainment’s John Davis, Jordan Davis and John Fox. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, is the studio.
Portugal is also developing his original scripted drama Miss-ng at HBO Max with Macro/UCP, as well as a feature film musical entitled El Beso at Netflix with Lucky Chap and Screen Arcade producing. El Beso is based on the romantic Mexican urban legend around Guanajuato, Mexico’s...
Written by Portugal, Heirs is set in Miami Beach’s exclusive Star Island. It revolves around the heirs of a Latin American ex-dictator who face an unexpected dilemma when a young girl is kidnapped from their home on the night of their own daughter’s lavish quinceañera.
Portugal executive produces with Davis Entertainment’s John Davis, Jordan Davis and John Fox. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, is the studio.
Portugal is also developing his original scripted drama Miss-ng at HBO Max with Macro/UCP, as well as a feature film musical entitled El Beso at Netflix with Lucky Chap and Screen Arcade producing. El Beso is based on the romantic Mexican urban legend around Guanajuato, Mexico’s...
- 12/16/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
NBC is developing the drama series “Heirs” from Carlos Portugal.
The series is set in Miami Beach’s exclusive Star Island. It follows the heirs of a Latin American ex-dictator as they face an unexpected dilemma when a young girl is kidnapped from their home on the night of their own daughter’s lavish quinceañera.
Portugal will write and executive produce the project, with John Davis, Jordan Davis, and John Fox executive producing via Davis Entertainment. Universal Television will serve as the studio. Davis Entertainment is currently under an overall deal at Utv.
Portugal previously co-created the Hulu series “East Los High,” on which he also served as a director and executive producer. The show as one of Hulu’s first original series and ran for four seasons. His other credits include “Meet the Browns,” “House of Payne,” and the 2006 feature film “East Side Story.” He is currently developing the...
The series is set in Miami Beach’s exclusive Star Island. It follows the heirs of a Latin American ex-dictator as they face an unexpected dilemma when a young girl is kidnapped from their home on the night of their own daughter’s lavish quinceañera.
Portugal will write and executive produce the project, with John Davis, Jordan Davis, and John Fox executive producing via Davis Entertainment. Universal Television will serve as the studio. Davis Entertainment is currently under an overall deal at Utv.
Portugal previously co-created the Hulu series “East Los High,” on which he also served as a director and executive producer. The show as one of Hulu’s first original series and ran for four seasons. His other credits include “Meet the Browns,” “House of Payne,” and the 2006 feature film “East Side Story.” He is currently developing the...
- 12/16/2020
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Macro TV Studio on Wednesday announced five new hires to help bolster the studio’s executive ranks. Macro TV studios President Marta Fernandez revealed the addition of Inga Dyer as senior vice president of business and legal affairs, Aisha Corpas Wynn as vice president of alternative programming, Ahmadou Seck and Khalid Jordan as directors of development and Ilayda Yigit (not pictured) as manager.
Fernandez, herself, joined as president of former WME partner Charles D. King’s TV studio just last year to help grow and oversee Macro’s TV slate, which includes “Gentefied,” “Dawn,” and the Michael B. Jordan-produced “Raising Dion” for Netflix. Allen Hughes is also directing a five-part docuseries on Tupac Shakur with the full cooperation of the late rapper’s estate.
“As Macro Television Studios continues to grow and expand, I am so excited to work alongside all of these truly talented individuals that further the...
Fernandez, herself, joined as president of former WME partner Charles D. King’s TV studio just last year to help grow and oversee Macro’s TV slate, which includes “Gentefied,” “Dawn,” and the Michael B. Jordan-produced “Raising Dion” for Netflix. Allen Hughes is also directing a five-part docuseries on Tupac Shakur with the full cooperation of the late rapper’s estate.
“As Macro Television Studios continues to grow and expand, I am so excited to work alongside all of these truly talented individuals that further the...
- 9/9/2020
- by Trey Williams
- The Wrap
Carlos Portugal is developing the one-hour mystery drama “Miss Ng” at HBO Max, Variety has learned exclusively.
The series is set in the small town of Nuevo Guerrero, where nothing is more important than the annual Miss Nuevo Guerrero beauty pageant. But when last year’s winner goes missing, her former best friend, her arch-rival and her half-sister all enter the upcoming pageant. In doing so, they risk going missing themselves and exposing the town’s dark secrets.
Portugal will write and executive produce the potential series. Charles D. King and Marta Fernandez of Macro Television Studios will also executive produce. Ucp and Macro Television Studios will co-produce.
Portugal previously co-created the Hulu series “East Los High,” on which he also served as a director and executive producer. The show as one of Hulu’s first original series and ran for four seasons. His other credits include “Meet the Browns,...
The series is set in the small town of Nuevo Guerrero, where nothing is more important than the annual Miss Nuevo Guerrero beauty pageant. But when last year’s winner goes missing, her former best friend, her arch-rival and her half-sister all enter the upcoming pageant. In doing so, they risk going missing themselves and exposing the town’s dark secrets.
Portugal will write and executive produce the potential series. Charles D. King and Marta Fernandez of Macro Television Studios will also executive produce. Ucp and Macro Television Studios will co-produce.
Portugal previously co-created the Hulu series “East Los High,” on which he also served as a director and executive producer. The show as one of Hulu’s first original series and ran for four seasons. His other credits include “Meet the Browns,...
- 8/20/2020
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Wise Entertainment, the production company behind six-time Emmy nominated drama series East Los High, has signed a first-look deal with Amazon Studios. Under the pact, Wise will develop develop and produce television series to premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Co-founded by producer Mauricio Mota and producer/writer/director Katie Mota, Wise aims to develop, create, and produce content from a rich and diverse cross-section of voices to tell impactful, entertaining stories.
“Wise Entertainment is uniquely skilled at creating compelling entertainment that also tackles topical issues.” said Vernon Sanders, Co-Head of Television, Amazon Studios. “We share a common commitment to creating content for our global audience that tells an inclusive and diverse range of stories. We’re looking forward to seeing the engaging, provocative series that Wise Entertainment develops for our global Prime Video audience.”
Among other projects, Wise produced the six-time Emmy-nominated, groundbreaking drama East Los High.
Co-founded by producer Mauricio Mota and producer/writer/director Katie Mota, Wise aims to develop, create, and produce content from a rich and diverse cross-section of voices to tell impactful, entertaining stories.
“Wise Entertainment is uniquely skilled at creating compelling entertainment that also tackles topical issues.” said Vernon Sanders, Co-Head of Television, Amazon Studios. “We share a common commitment to creating content for our global audience that tells an inclusive and diverse range of stories. We’re looking forward to seeing the engaging, provocative series that Wise Entertainment develops for our global Prime Video audience.”
Among other projects, Wise produced the six-time Emmy-nominated, groundbreaking drama East Los High.
- 5/15/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
What could “inclusion riders” — or truly inclusive hiring — do for Hollywood? Maurício Mota, co-president of Wise Entertainment and an executive producer of Hulu’s “East Los High,” explains.
When Frances McDormand introduced the wider world to the phrase “inclusion rider” during the 2018 Oscars, it had an effect almost immediately. Weeks later, the production companies of Michael B. Jordan, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, and Paul Feig were among those jumping on board, saying they would adhere to the riders’ mandate to include certain percentages of employees from traditionally marginalized groups. Endeavor’s Ari Emanuel even wrote a memo supporting inclusion riders.
So what will all that do? Let me supply just one set of examples, drawn from several years’ worth of experience with our Hulu show, “East Los High.”
What happened with “East Los High” is proof of what happens when you hire from traditionally excluded groups. Given a real chance,...
When Frances McDormand introduced the wider world to the phrase “inclusion rider” during the 2018 Oscars, it had an effect almost immediately. Weeks later, the production companies of Michael B. Jordan, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, and Paul Feig were among those jumping on board, saying they would adhere to the riders’ mandate to include certain percentages of employees from traditionally marginalized groups. Endeavor’s Ari Emanuel even wrote a memo supporting inclusion riders.
So what will all that do? Let me supply just one set of examples, drawn from several years’ worth of experience with our Hulu show, “East Los High.”
What happened with “East Los High” is proof of what happens when you hire from traditionally excluded groups. Given a real chance,...
- 4/11/2018
- by Mauricio Mota
- Variety Film + TV
Starz in getting into the telenovela business. The premium cabler said at TCA today that it is working with Lionsgate and Televisa USA to develop Teresa, a serialized drama based on the popular Mexican series. Carlos Portugal (East Los High) will create the series and serve as showrunner. Teresa focuses on an undocumented young Latina clawing her way into the exclusive world of Los Angeles wealth. The series will chronicle her ruthless pursuit of money and power and her…...
- 8/1/2016
- Deadline TV
Starz is tripling down on diverse projects with female voices. The pay cable network announced Monday that it is developing “Dirty Girls Social Club,” based on Alisa Valdes’ best-selling novel, “Pussy Valley,” from playwright Katori Hall, and “Teresa,” based on a highly-rated, award-winning Mexican telenovela.
Read More: How The Outstanding New Starz Series ‘The Girlfriend Experience’ Gives Us A Female TV Antihero For The Ages
The new Starz projects were revealed during the network’s portion of the Television Critics Association press tour.
“Dirty Girls Social Club” is a half-hour series following six diverse professional women living in New York City who have known each other since college. Ten year later, through the ups and downs of their personal and professional lives, they still can only count on each other. Ligiah Villalobos (“Under the Same Moon”) will serve as showrunner. Anne Thomopoulos (“Rome”) and Lucia Cottone will serve as executive producers.
Read More: How The Outstanding New Starz Series ‘The Girlfriend Experience’ Gives Us A Female TV Antihero For The Ages
The new Starz projects were revealed during the network’s portion of the Television Critics Association press tour.
“Dirty Girls Social Club” is a half-hour series following six diverse professional women living in New York City who have known each other since college. Ten year later, through the ups and downs of their personal and professional lives, they still can only count on each other. Ligiah Villalobos (“Under the Same Moon”) will serve as showrunner. Anne Thomopoulos (“Rome”) and Lucia Cottone will serve as executive producers.
- 8/1/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
So You Think You Can Dance‘s Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss will recur on the fourth season of Hulu’s Emmy-nominated original series East Los High. Produced by Wise Entertainment and the brainchild of Katie Elmore Mota, Carlos Portugal and Kathleen Bedoya, the series deals with the experiences of teens navigating life in a fictional inner city high school in East Los Angeles. Sytycd choreographer/mentor tWitch will play himself. When the Bomb Squad is invited to attend a…...
- 3/10/2016
- Deadline TV
Hulu is bringing back one of its popular original series. The streaming video-on-demand service, which now boasts an ad-free subscription option, has ordered a fourth season of its teen drama series East Los High.
Created by Carlos Portugal and Kathleen Bedoya, East Los High follows the story of several Latino high school students in inner-city East Los Angeles. The series, which boasts an all-Latino cast, will boast twelve new episodes for its fourth season. East Los High is produced by the non-profit Population Media Center in conjunction Prajna Productions, Into Action Films, and The Alchemists. Katie Elmore Mota and Mauricio Mota serve as executive producers alongside Portugal and Bedoya, while Troy Combs and Carlos Reza co-executive produce.
Hulu originally announced East Los High at its Newfronts presentation back in April 2013. The streaming platform’s high school drama did so well the series was renewed for a second season, which debuted...
Created by Carlos Portugal and Kathleen Bedoya, East Los High follows the story of several Latino high school students in inner-city East Los Angeles. The series, which boasts an all-Latino cast, will boast twelve new episodes for its fourth season. East Los High is produced by the non-profit Population Media Center in conjunction Prajna Productions, Into Action Films, and The Alchemists. Katie Elmore Mota and Mauricio Mota serve as executive producers alongside Portugal and Bedoya, while Troy Combs and Carlos Reza co-executive produce.
Hulu originally announced East Los High at its Newfronts presentation back in April 2013. The streaming platform’s high school drama did so well the series was renewed for a second season, which debuted...
- 12/15/2015
- by Bree Brouwer
- Tubefilter.com
[caption id="attachment_41181" align="aligncenter" width="559"] Oskar Rodriguez and Ashley Campuzano(Photo by Todd Williamson/Hulu) Scene 6.15/caption]
Hulu has renewed its original drama series, East Los High, for a fourth season of 12 episodes. East Los High features teens at a fictional inner-city high school in East Los Angeles. The series is Hulu's first original series to get a fourth season.
East Los High was Hulu's first English-language show with all-Latino cast, creators, and writers. The cast includes: Gabriel Chavarria, Danielle Vega, and Alicia Sixtos. East Los High is executive produced by Katie Elmore Mota, creators Carlos Portugal and Mauricio Mota, and Kathleen Bedoya. Read More…...
Hulu has renewed its original drama series, East Los High, for a fourth season of 12 episodes. East Los High features teens at a fictional inner-city high school in East Los Angeles. The series is Hulu's first original series to get a fourth season.
East Los High was Hulu's first English-language show with all-Latino cast, creators, and writers. The cast includes: Gabriel Chavarria, Danielle Vega, and Alicia Sixtos. East Los High is executive produced by Katie Elmore Mota, creators Carlos Portugal and Mauricio Mota, and Kathleen Bedoya. Read More…...
- 12/15/2015
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Hulu has picked up Emmy-nominated drama East Los High for a fourth season with a 12-episode order. East Los High, produced by Wise Entertainment and the brainchild of Katie Elmore Mota, Carlos Portugal and Kathleen Bedoya, has received critical acclaim for its realistic portrayal of inner-city Latino high school students, The original series, Hulu’s first to get a fourth season pickup, deals with the experiences of teens navigating life in a fictional inner city high…...
- 12/15/2015
- Deadline TV
Eva Longoria’s company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment has sold another project, drama Casino, to NBC. Written by East Los High creator Carlos Portugal, Casino centers on the aftermath of a mogul’s mysterious death when his ambitious young widow and his illegitimate son have to join forces to save his famed casino, while circumstances surrounding his death come to light and threaten to take them both down. Portugal executive produces with UnveliEVAble Entertainment’s Longoria…...
- 10/21/2015
- Deadline TV
The Hulu Original returns for a third season with an even hotter mix of love, dance, sex and true-to-life drama. Camila finally confronts a dark secret from her past. But in trying to keep her sister and boyfriend from harm, Camila risks losing her own life and her one true love. Meanwhile, the stakes are higher than ever when Ceci invites boys to join to the Bomb Squad and the sexy new team dances their way through the tough streets of La, where unexpected romance and danger make this yet another addictive year at East Los High. East Los High Premiere date: All episodes streamingWednesday, July 15 Cast: Gabe Chavarria, Danielle Vega, Carlito Olivero, Alexandra Rodriguez, Vannessa Vasquez, Jd Pardo Crew: Executive Produced by Katie Elmore Mota, Mauricio Mota and Emiliano Calemzuk. Created and Executive Produced by Carlos Portugal and Kathleen Bedoya...
- 5/21/2015
- by HollywoodNews.com
- Hollywoodnews.com
You can’t set your DVR for East Los High, one of the most popular shows among Hispanic youth. But you can stream the show online on your laptop or tablet (or even TV, if you insist)—now in its second season on Hulu—as a nod to not only the changing nature of television, but as a telling insight on how a streaming content company has managed to build a sizeable audience among one of television’s most coveted demographics: Latino 20-somethings.
Since Hulu debuted East Los High last summer, the English-language show—about Latino teens engrossed in everyday...
Since Hulu debuted East Los High last summer, the English-language show—about Latino teens engrossed in everyday...
- 7/9/2014
- by Nina Terrero
- EW - Inside TV
East Los High returns this summer hotter than ever with a capital 'Ever' as romance, sex, dancing and mystery once again fill the halls with a new cast of students at East Los High! Ceci (Danielle Vega) returns to coach the Bomb Squad, struggling to take the unruly dance team to state championships. Working as a single mom, Ceci faces new challenges with a hot new boyfriend who turns out to be more than meets the eye. Things get heated as mysterious turns of events make it another breathtaking year. “East Los High” was created by Carlos Portugal and Kathleen Bedoya and is produced by Prajna Productions, The Alchemists, Into Action Films, and Population Media Center. Featuring an all Latino cast introducing Vannessa Vasquez, Andrea Sixtos, Ray Diaz, Alexandra Rodriguez, Ashley Campuzano, Rick Mancia, Jeremy Chavarria & Vivian Lamoli. Along with Danielle Vega, East Los High season 2 also sees the return of fan faves Team Jacob & Maya: Gabriel Chavarria, Alicia Sixtos and resident bad girl Tracy Perez as Vanessa. The new 12 episode season will tackle issues such as domestic abuse, coming out as gay in high school and bullying, promising to bring the high school drama to a whole new level.
Alexandra Rodriguez
Alicia Sixtos
Andrea Sixtos
Ashley Campuzano
Danielle Vega
Gabriel Chavarria
Jeremy Chavarria
Jessica Meza
Ray Diaz
Rene Alvorado
Rick Mancia
Tracy Perez
Vannessa Vasquez
Vivian Lamolli
If you missed season 1 catch up to speed at: http://www.hulu.com/east-los-high & give them some love at https://www.facebook.com/EastLosHigh
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
Alexandra Rodriguez
Alicia Sixtos
Andrea Sixtos
Ashley Campuzano
Danielle Vega
Gabriel Chavarria
Jeremy Chavarria
Jessica Meza
Ray Diaz
Rene Alvorado
Rick Mancia
Tracy Perez
Vannessa Vasquez
Vivian Lamolli
If you missed season 1 catch up to speed at: http://www.hulu.com/east-los-high & give them some love at https://www.facebook.com/EastLosHigh
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
- 2/21/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Last week, 'East Los High' (Elh), a project we've been tracking since last year announced that they had signed a deal to exclusively premiere the show on Hulu.com, making it the first English language show with an all Latino cast on the site. In a reality where the market has become saturated with projects that lack originality and heart, writer/director Carlos Portugal set out to create a show that realistically reflected the lives of teenagers from East L.A. that was to be told from an American Latino perspective. Portugal and his team of writers engaged organizations such as Advocates for Youth, Voto Latino and the California Family Health Council in developing this 26 episode series. Now that it's ready to premiere on June 3rd, with new episodes dropping weeknights, LatinoBuzz caught up with Carlos and actors Alicia Sixtos, Janine Larina and Jorge Diaz and invited them to share their experiences in the making of Elh.
LatinoBuzz: How did you develop these characters and story lines?
Carlos Portugal: The number one rule that I give starting writers is: "Write about what you know." I certainly took this to heart when creating Elh. Personally, I love writing women characters. Especially Latinas. Every major character (Maya, Jessie, Vanessa, Ceci, Soli, Reina, Paulina, Lupe) is either loosely based or a composite of girlfriends and/or relatives. As far as the male characters, I based Hernan (the "veterano" who owns the local taqueria) on my father: A respectful, kind-hearted man that nobody messes with.
LatinoBuzz: Tell me about your decision to use the backdrop of East La as one of the characters.
Carlos Portugal: You have no idea (or maybe you do) of how so many people, including highly educated Angelenos, are scared of traveling to East La. I even had a few crew members drop out when they found out that the show was shooting in East La. There is this preconceived notion that East La is a dangerous area populated by taggers and gang members. Of course, this is as far from the truth as you can get! It's one of the warmest places full of good restaurants and hard-working families. I try to shatter the stereotypes of Ela that people are used to seeing in movies and TV. (I made a decision early on that there would be no gang members in the show). My hope is that people from East La get to see themselves in the show portrayed as diverse human beings and not the typical Latino stereotypes we see in TV and films.
LatinoBuzz: How important was having an all Latino cast and also primarily a Latino crew?
Carlos Portugal: I don't think I would have been able to shoot this show in such a record time (67 production days) if it hadn't been for the hard work and dedication of the Latino cast and crew. We shattered the "Latinos are always late" myth once and for all. During the 67 days of shooting not one of the eighty plus actors was ever late to work! I'm truly humbled by their love, passion and dedication to this project. As far as inspiring young Latino filmmakers, seeing a show like this will hopefully excite them so that they would want to create/write/produce/direct and edit their own take on their communities
LatinoBuzz: How did you get all these organizations involved in the development of the series?
Carlos Portugal: We had a product that spoke to all of them. They saw that our hearts were in the right place. Every single person who helped us out was amazing.
Trailer: http://www.hulu.com/watch/483909
LatinoBuzz: The show centers around your character Jessie and Maya, your cousin -What is the dynamic between your characters?
Janine Larina: The dynamic between Maya and Jessie is definitely a roller coaster. A love triangle between two cousins doesn't make for anything less. It changes throughout the season as things happen and certain events come to light. They are both strong Latina young women finding themselves and going through high school. Yes, I used Latina, women and high school in one sentence. So you know there will definitely be some drama.
LatinoBuzz: What do you want people to take away from your character?
Janine Larina: This one is tough because I feel like there is so much that can be learned from Jessie and her journey. I hope that people can relate to her in some way or another and take from her a sense of encouragement to always do what is right regardless of the consequences that may come with it. To be true to who you are and stand up for your beliefs whether they are what is popular or not. Be yourself and the right people will always be there.
LatinoBuzz: It's pretty ground breaking, what do you hope the series achieves?
Janine Larina: I believe this series can achieve a lot in terms of bringing situations to light that aren't so often talked about in certain communities. Sex, drugs and relationships to name a few. Yet, in such an entertaining way. I can only hope that viewers learn from the experiences that the students of East Los High go through and are better equipped with the information they need to perhaps not follow some of the mistakes when put in similar situations.
LatinoBuzz: Tell us a little bit about your character, Jorge.
Jorge Diaz: I play "Paulie", the best friend, the goof ball, the horn-ball....he's a lot more 'talk' than he is 'walk' though. There is, however, a sincerity behind all of his jokes, inappropriate comments, and constant tail-chasing because he truly does care about his best friend Jacob, and his lady friend Soli. There's a good heart behind there somewhere. He was Alot of fun to play to say the least, and I hope that shows on screen.
LatinoBuzz: Do you feel the characters in Elh are a refreshing break from some of the stereotypes that are often perpetrated in film and television when these characters are in fact fully realized teenagers dealing with teenage problems?
Jorge Diaz: Besides adding to the authenticity of an actual East Los Angeles high school, having East Los High consist of an entire Latino cast gives a group of Latinos a chance to tell their stories! It's a chance to show that stories of young people from East La are just as important, interesting and relatable as those from teens in Beverly Hills, Orange County, or any other American story for that matter; because that's exactly what they are: American stories. I was actually surprised to find out that a show like this had never done before, considering Latinos make up about 35 percent of the population. We've somehow subconsciously been taught through television that young, rich Caucasian kids represent what it means to be a teenager in the United States. Being an adolescent is a Human experience and anyone can relate to it, you just might see a few more brown faces in this particular one :)
LatinoBuzz:As an actor how was being part of an ensemble?
Jorge Diaz: Being a part of an ensemble with such a loving group of actors is something I'll never forget. I personally connected to this project because I have always wanted to be a teacher at heart and this project allowed us the unique opportunity to combine our love for the craft of acting and be able to bring up certain issues in a fun, non-preachy way. No kid ever wants to be preached to, or Any person for that matter, but if we are somehow able to see ourselves in another person and be able to fully relate to him/her in a certain circumstance, that right there is what allows a space to grow and be entertained all at the same time. I dig that.
LatinoBuzz: What attracted you to the character of Maya?
Alicia Sixtos: Maya's a really strong girl. A thinker. Listens more than she speaks and cries more than she'd like. People say I'm a bit like her. I think we attracted each other.
LatinoBuzz: How important do you think a project like this is to a community like East Los Angeles?
Alicia Sixtos: I think that if it gets out to cities like East La, the Sf Bay Area (where I'm from), Texas, New Mexico, New York, Central and South America, it could be really different and useful. The underlying story is how to deal with a lot of the issues that teens and young adults find themselves face to face with but the issue is that a lot of adults don't talk about these major issues with teen because its uncomfortable and made taboo.
LatinoBuzz: When you read the whole series did you get a sense that this could be something different?
Alicia Sixtos: Not initially. When I read the series all I could think was; “did I really just read 540 script pages in one sitting?” I have a lot of trouble reading a lot of these 95 page scripts. Point is the story is really compelling. Thinking on it after the fact, I see the potential it has in being very influential for a lot of people. I can't think of a show like this one with its picture and story quality and featuring so many Latino actors. Latinos in America in particular have telenovelas and Disney shows. That's what kids and parents watch now a days, apart or together. Elh could possibly be the bridge in the gap for a lot of families and young people who don't have a path to follow. I'm hoping that it will be. The only way to really make that happen is by word of mouth. So anyone who's reading this make sure you check out East Los High on Hulu.com on June 3rd and check us on Facebook and Twitter: @eastloshighshow. Thank you for the support Juan, Latinobuzz & IndieWire.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
LatinoBuzz: How did you develop these characters and story lines?
Carlos Portugal: The number one rule that I give starting writers is: "Write about what you know." I certainly took this to heart when creating Elh. Personally, I love writing women characters. Especially Latinas. Every major character (Maya, Jessie, Vanessa, Ceci, Soli, Reina, Paulina, Lupe) is either loosely based or a composite of girlfriends and/or relatives. As far as the male characters, I based Hernan (the "veterano" who owns the local taqueria) on my father: A respectful, kind-hearted man that nobody messes with.
LatinoBuzz: Tell me about your decision to use the backdrop of East La as one of the characters.
Carlos Portugal: You have no idea (or maybe you do) of how so many people, including highly educated Angelenos, are scared of traveling to East La. I even had a few crew members drop out when they found out that the show was shooting in East La. There is this preconceived notion that East La is a dangerous area populated by taggers and gang members. Of course, this is as far from the truth as you can get! It's one of the warmest places full of good restaurants and hard-working families. I try to shatter the stereotypes of Ela that people are used to seeing in movies and TV. (I made a decision early on that there would be no gang members in the show). My hope is that people from East La get to see themselves in the show portrayed as diverse human beings and not the typical Latino stereotypes we see in TV and films.
LatinoBuzz: How important was having an all Latino cast and also primarily a Latino crew?
Carlos Portugal: I don't think I would have been able to shoot this show in such a record time (67 production days) if it hadn't been for the hard work and dedication of the Latino cast and crew. We shattered the "Latinos are always late" myth once and for all. During the 67 days of shooting not one of the eighty plus actors was ever late to work! I'm truly humbled by their love, passion and dedication to this project. As far as inspiring young Latino filmmakers, seeing a show like this will hopefully excite them so that they would want to create/write/produce/direct and edit their own take on their communities
LatinoBuzz: How did you get all these organizations involved in the development of the series?
Carlos Portugal: We had a product that spoke to all of them. They saw that our hearts were in the right place. Every single person who helped us out was amazing.
Trailer: http://www.hulu.com/watch/483909
LatinoBuzz: The show centers around your character Jessie and Maya, your cousin -What is the dynamic between your characters?
Janine Larina: The dynamic between Maya and Jessie is definitely a roller coaster. A love triangle between two cousins doesn't make for anything less. It changes throughout the season as things happen and certain events come to light. They are both strong Latina young women finding themselves and going through high school. Yes, I used Latina, women and high school in one sentence. So you know there will definitely be some drama.
LatinoBuzz: What do you want people to take away from your character?
Janine Larina: This one is tough because I feel like there is so much that can be learned from Jessie and her journey. I hope that people can relate to her in some way or another and take from her a sense of encouragement to always do what is right regardless of the consequences that may come with it. To be true to who you are and stand up for your beliefs whether they are what is popular or not. Be yourself and the right people will always be there.
LatinoBuzz: It's pretty ground breaking, what do you hope the series achieves?
Janine Larina: I believe this series can achieve a lot in terms of bringing situations to light that aren't so often talked about in certain communities. Sex, drugs and relationships to name a few. Yet, in such an entertaining way. I can only hope that viewers learn from the experiences that the students of East Los High go through and are better equipped with the information they need to perhaps not follow some of the mistakes when put in similar situations.
LatinoBuzz: Tell us a little bit about your character, Jorge.
Jorge Diaz: I play "Paulie", the best friend, the goof ball, the horn-ball....he's a lot more 'talk' than he is 'walk' though. There is, however, a sincerity behind all of his jokes, inappropriate comments, and constant tail-chasing because he truly does care about his best friend Jacob, and his lady friend Soli. There's a good heart behind there somewhere. He was Alot of fun to play to say the least, and I hope that shows on screen.
LatinoBuzz: Do you feel the characters in Elh are a refreshing break from some of the stereotypes that are often perpetrated in film and television when these characters are in fact fully realized teenagers dealing with teenage problems?
Jorge Diaz: Besides adding to the authenticity of an actual East Los Angeles high school, having East Los High consist of an entire Latino cast gives a group of Latinos a chance to tell their stories! It's a chance to show that stories of young people from East La are just as important, interesting and relatable as those from teens in Beverly Hills, Orange County, or any other American story for that matter; because that's exactly what they are: American stories. I was actually surprised to find out that a show like this had never done before, considering Latinos make up about 35 percent of the population. We've somehow subconsciously been taught through television that young, rich Caucasian kids represent what it means to be a teenager in the United States. Being an adolescent is a Human experience and anyone can relate to it, you just might see a few more brown faces in this particular one :)
LatinoBuzz:As an actor how was being part of an ensemble?
Jorge Diaz: Being a part of an ensemble with such a loving group of actors is something I'll never forget. I personally connected to this project because I have always wanted to be a teacher at heart and this project allowed us the unique opportunity to combine our love for the craft of acting and be able to bring up certain issues in a fun, non-preachy way. No kid ever wants to be preached to, or Any person for that matter, but if we are somehow able to see ourselves in another person and be able to fully relate to him/her in a certain circumstance, that right there is what allows a space to grow and be entertained all at the same time. I dig that.
LatinoBuzz: What attracted you to the character of Maya?
Alicia Sixtos: Maya's a really strong girl. A thinker. Listens more than she speaks and cries more than she'd like. People say I'm a bit like her. I think we attracted each other.
LatinoBuzz: How important do you think a project like this is to a community like East Los Angeles?
Alicia Sixtos: I think that if it gets out to cities like East La, the Sf Bay Area (where I'm from), Texas, New Mexico, New York, Central and South America, it could be really different and useful. The underlying story is how to deal with a lot of the issues that teens and young adults find themselves face to face with but the issue is that a lot of adults don't talk about these major issues with teen because its uncomfortable and made taboo.
LatinoBuzz: When you read the whole series did you get a sense that this could be something different?
Alicia Sixtos: Not initially. When I read the series all I could think was; “did I really just read 540 script pages in one sitting?” I have a lot of trouble reading a lot of these 95 page scripts. Point is the story is really compelling. Thinking on it after the fact, I see the potential it has in being very influential for a lot of people. I can't think of a show like this one with its picture and story quality and featuring so many Latino actors. Latinos in America in particular have telenovelas and Disney shows. That's what kids and parents watch now a days, apart or together. Elh could possibly be the bridge in the gap for a lot of families and young people who don't have a path to follow. I'm hoping that it will be. The only way to really make that happen is by word of mouth. So anyone who's reading this make sure you check out East Los High on Hulu.com on June 3rd and check us on Facebook and Twitter: @eastloshighshow. Thank you for the support Juan, Latinobuzz & IndieWire.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 5/7/2013
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
HollywoodLife.com has learned Christian Serratos is starting her next movie, ‘Lip Service’ — and she’ll be showing off her singing chops!
We all know actress Christian Serratos as Angela from the Twilight Saga, but she’s about to make her foray into romantic teen comedies!
The 20-year-old actress will be starring in the film Lip Service as a young singer named Roxie, who has an amazing voice that attracts the attention of a record producer named Eddie (played by Ross Thomas). Eddie convinces Roxie to do voiceover work for a big celeb who’s supposed to be an amazing singer, but can’t hold a note. However, his promises are empty and all sorts of drama ensues.
We think Lip Service sounds a little like a modern day Singin’ in the Rain! The film starts starts shooting this month and will be directed by writer Carlos Portugal (Meet the Browns...
We all know actress Christian Serratos as Angela from the Twilight Saga, but she’s about to make her foray into romantic teen comedies!
The 20-year-old actress will be starring in the film Lip Service as a young singer named Roxie, who has an amazing voice that attracts the attention of a record producer named Eddie (played by Ross Thomas). Eddie convinces Roxie to do voiceover work for a big celeb who’s supposed to be an amazing singer, but can’t hold a note. However, his promises are empty and all sorts of drama ensues.
We think Lip Service sounds a little like a modern day Singin’ in the Rain! The film starts starts shooting this month and will be directed by writer Carlos Portugal (Meet the Browns...
- 4/19/2011
- by Kirstin Benson
- HollywoodLife
Christian Serratos ("The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1") has scored the lead role in the upcoming music-themed romantic comedy "Lip Service" reports MTV News.
Serratos will play a talented young singer named Roxie who is convinced by a record company executive to lend her voice to a new song by a famous celebrity named Sienna Monetz, who plans on lip-syncing from Roxie's voice.
Ross Thomas ("Soul Surfer") will play the record executive, the Monetz role has yet to be cast. Rachele Brooke Smith and Eric Roberts also star. Carlos Portugal directs from his own original screenplay.
Serratos will play a talented young singer named Roxie who is convinced by a record company executive to lend her voice to a new song by a famous celebrity named Sienna Monetz, who plans on lip-syncing from Roxie's voice.
Ross Thomas ("Soul Surfer") will play the record executive, the Monetz role has yet to be cast. Rachele Brooke Smith and Eric Roberts also star. Carlos Portugal directs from his own original screenplay.
- 4/19/2011
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
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