Carlos Portugal Developing Thriller Drama “Heirs” for NBC

Carlos Portugal is television’s heir(s) apparent…

NBC has put in development Heirs, a thriller drama from the Daytime Emmy-nominated Latino television writer, director and producer, Davis Entertainment and Universal Television.

Carlos Portugal

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 famous ‘Alley of the Kiss’.

Portugal previously co-created the Hulu series East Los High, on which he also served as a director and executive producer. The show, which earned him a Daytime Emmy nod, was one of Hulu’s first original series and ran for four seasons.

His other credits include Meet the Browns, House of Payne and the feature film East Side Story

Hulu Renews Chavarria’s “East Los High” for a Fourth Season

Gabriel Chavarria is staying in school…

Hulu has picked up Emmy-nominated drama East Los High, starring the 29-year-old Latino actor, for a fourth season with a 12-episode order.

Gabriel Chavarria

East Los High, produced by Wise Entertainment and the brainchild of executive producer Katie Elmore Mota, 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 school in East Los Angeles.

Along with Chavarria, who will next appear in the film War for the Planet of the Apes, the series also stars Danielle Vega and Alicia Sixtos.

The series was created and executive produced by Carlos Portugal and Kathleen Bedoya.

Longoria Developing Drama Project “Casino” NBC with Carlos Portugal

Eva Longoria’s gamble is paying off…

The 40-year-old Mexican American actress, producer and activist’s production company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment has sold another project, the drama Casino, to NBC.

Eva Longoria

Written by East Los High co-creator Carlos Portugal, the project 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 and Ben Spector.

Universal Television, where the company is based, is the studio.

Casino stems out of efforts by the former Desperate Housewives star — who holds a master’s degree in Chicano studies — to bring Hispanic voices to television.

Born in Cuba, Portugal began his career at San Francisco PBS station KQED, where he produced the Emmy-winning documentary Frida Kahlo: Portrait of an Artist.

For the past three seasons, he has served as creator, showrunner, head writer and director of Hulu’s original drama series East Los High, directing 42 of the 48 produced episodes to date.

Before East Los High, Portugal worked on Tyler Perry’s Meet The Browns and House of Payne for TBS.

UnbeliEVAble has midseason NBC comedy series Hot & Bothered, starring Longoria, as well as three other broadcast projects in development: genre drama Zone of Silence at NBC with Blumhouse Productions and writer Rashad Raisani, comedy Bonita & Mechelle at NBC with Will Packer Prods and writer Kriss Turner Towner and a comedy at ABC with veteran comedy writer Bobby Bowman.