Tag Archives: Gloria Estefan

Roadside Attractions Acquires North American Rights to Rita Moreno’s Documentary “Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided To Go For It”

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Rita Moreno is ready to bring her life story to America…

Roadside Attractions has acquired North American distribution rights to the 2021 Sundance Film Festival documentary Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided To Go For It, about the 89-year-old Latina living legend.

Rita MorenoA release is planned for June 18.

Roadside’s deal excludes the television license to PBS’ American Masters, which will present the exclusive U.S. broadcast premiere of the doc after it hits theaters.

In addition to Moreno, others featured in the Mariem Pérez Riera-directed doc include George Chakiris, Héctor Elizondo, Gloria Estefan, Tom Fontana, Morgan Freeman, Mitzi Gaynor, Whoopi Goldberg, Norman Lear, Eva Longoria, Justina Machado, Terrence McNally, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Karen Olivo.

The film covers Moreno’s 70-year-plus career rise and struggles, from her beginnings in poverty on a Puerto Rican farm to becoming a rare EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscars, Tony Awards) winner.

She’s the first Latina actress to win an Oscar (for her role as Anita in 1961’s West Side Story). Despite the win, studios continued to offer Moreno lesser roles as stereotypical ethnic minorities, ignoring her proven talent.

“Roadside Attractions, I’m so pleased for your commitment to my story and especially for making it available to a broader audience. Curtain Up!,” Moreno commented.

“Stars like Rita are few and far between, her showbiz story and personal remembrances resonate for a large, diverse audience, and the heights she continues to achieve are a true crowd pleasing uplift after the year we’ve all had,” said Roadside co-presidents Howard Cohen and Eric d’Arbeloff.

“Rita is an incredible inspiration to so many, hers is a success story for all women who feel alone as they struggle to assert themselves with courage and bravery against heavy odds,” offered director Pérez Riera. “We are so thrilled to bring Rita to theaters for audiences to spend time with a woman who, when speaking about herself, speaks to and for a lot of us.”

“There were only a small group of distributors we hoped would take notice at Sundance. Roadside was at the top of that list,” said film’s producer, ACT III’s Brent Miller and EP Norman Lear. “We think we’re in great hands with Howard and Eric at the helm and couldn’t be more excited for the world to know the Rita we now know and love.”

American Masters Pictures and Act III Productions in association with Artemis Rising and Maramar Films are producers.

Becky G Joins United Nations Human Rights “We All Rise” Campaign on International Women’s Day

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Becky G is commemorating International Women’s Day in a big way…

The 24-year-old Mexican American bilingual rapper/singer has joined the United Nations Human Rights on International Women’s Day (March 8) for the “We All Rise” campaign for gender equality during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Becky G

Becky G appears in the campaign alongside Celine Dion, Cher, Cyndi Lauper and many most stars.

The artists — joined by activist/tennis legend Billie Jean King, TV personality Padma Lakshmi, actors Renée Elise Goldsberry and Terry Crews, WNBA champ Sue Bird and singer/songwriter Amanda Shires — have partnered with the UN to select the 2021 We All Rise female empowerment anthem “Together We Are Stronger.”

The soaring song features KT Tunstall, Lolo, Devyn Lorea and Nikki Vianna, and was written by written by Morgan Dorr, Greg Hansen and Lorea, with production by the Highland Park Collective.

We All Rise aims to reach more than 150 million with its first effort, described in a release as a “celebrity-driven social media campaign promoting gender equality as a fundamental human right essential to achieving a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.” The coalition of celebrities and advocates participating in the effort also includes LeAnn Rimes, Dionne Warwick, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Liv Warfield, Blair Underwood, Gloria Estefan, Naomi Campbell, Bridget Moynihan, and Debbie Allen.

“Gender equality is one of the fundamental values of the United Nations and lies at the very heart of human rights,” said Veronica Birga, chief of the Women’s Rights and Gender Section of United Nations Human Rights in a statement. “That is why we are the global partner of WE ALL RISE, an exciting new initiative committed to promoting, protecting, and advancing the human rights of all women and girls around the world. Because gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, it is essential to achieving a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.”

The effort is one of many across the music world on Monday to celebrate International Women’s Day, including a playlist curated by BLACKPINK‘s Rosé and a remake of “I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan and Idina Menzel, among other efforts.

“Gender equality and the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women are fundamental human rights and core values of the United Nations,” added Trish Golden, president of We All Rise. “Together with our Global Partner, United Nations Human Rights, We All Rise is dedicated to promoting gender equality around the world and the human rights of women and girls, in all their diversity. When we support women’s rights, We All Rise together.”

The video for the inspiring “Together We Are Stronger” features images of women from around the world marching for equality and securing a future for girls and young women where they can achieve their goals.

Leslie Grace Teams Up with Meek Mill for Bacardi’s Remake of Gloria Estefan’s Iconic Song “Conga”

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Leslie Grace is letting her body do the conga…

The 26-year-old Dominican American singer-songwriter has joined voiced with rapper Meek Mill to release a reimagining of Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine’s smash hit single “Conga.”

Leslie Grace & Meek Mill

The new version, which gives the ‘80s party banger a rhythmic-pop-urban twist, is part of Bacardi‘s “Conga Feat. You” campaign that launched in November.

“Bacardi presented this amazing plan, where they wanted me to recreate ‘Conga,’” Leslie Grace tells Billboard. “I couldn’t believe it was possible but they assured me that both Gloria and Emilio [Estefan] were on board. They wanted to entrust me with this project and I couldn’t pass on the opportunity.”

Calling the process “innovative,” Grace explained that the project originally began at the end of 2019 but was put on pause because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“I went into the studio pre-Covid with Boi-1da. We immediately hit it off. I had written the first verse and the pre onto a loop he had sent me,” she notes. “Everything else was basically done remotely. Meek Mill jumped on the track later on after listening to the structure we built.”

The Estefans were also part of the process “every step of the way.”

Grace adds: “Everyone was really focused on maintaining the essence of this iconic track. Having their support and suggestions was beautiful. They approved every single thing on the project. This was really a labor of love and really intentional every step of the way with the original creators involved.”

“Conga” was the first Billboard Hot 100 hit for Gloria and Miami Sound Machine, peaking at No. 10 in February 1986. The song also hit No. 1 on Dance Singles Sales for one week in November 1985, and No. 7 on Dance Club Songs. The new version, at the helm of Grace, Mill, and Boi-1da, marks the first and only official remake of the original Latin dance classic in over 30 years.

“I’m a nineties baby, my generation grew up with ‘Conga’ and I grew up listening and dancing to the song in my living room,” Grace recounts. “Gloria is an inspiration to me. She’s one of the first artists I saw singing in both languages. I feel so honored and blessed to do this with Boi-1da and Meek Mill.”

Pabllo Vittar Earns GLAAD Media Awards Nomination

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Pabllo Vittar has extra reason to be gla(a)d…

GLAAD has announced the nominees for the 32d GLAAD Media Awards, with the 26-year-old Brazilian drag queen, singer and songwriter earning a nod.

Pabllo Vittar 

Vittar is nominated in the Outstanding Music Artist for her album 111.

She’ll compete against Ricky Martin, nominated for Pausa, and then Kehlani for her album It Was Good Until It Wasn’t.

Arca has picked up a GLAAD nod…

The 31-year-old Venezuelan record producer, DJ, singer, and songwriter, whose full name is Alejandra Ghersi, is nominated in the Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist category for the album KiCk i.

Gloria Estefan’s daughter Emily Estefan is nominated in the Outstanding Variety or Talk Show episode for “Emily’s Coming Out Story” from Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk: The Estefans.

Jesse & Joy have earned a special callout…

The Mexican sibling duo will receive special recognition for their hit single “Love (Es Nuestro Idioma).”

Josie Totah , D.J. ‘Shangela’ Pierce, and Jonathan Bennett took to GLAAD’s TikTok page to unveil the nominees. The winners will be announced during a virtual ceremony scheduled for April 2021.

The GLAAD Media Awards honor media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues.

“During an unprecedented year of crises and isolation, the nominees for the 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards reached LGBTQ people with powerful stories and inspired countless others around the world with bold looks at LGBTQ people and issues,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “As GLAAD continues to lead the fight for LGBTQ acceptance, this year’s nominees remind us that even in times of political and cultural division, diverse LGBTQ representation and visibility can enlighten, entertain, and create lasting change.”

Here’s the full list of nominees:

NOMINEES FOR THE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Film – Wide Release
The Craft: Legacy (Sony Pictures)
Happiest Season (Hulu)
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
The Old Guard (Netflix)
The Prom (Netflix)

Outstanding Film – Limited Release
Ammonite (NEON)
And Then We Danced (Music Box Films)
The Boys in the Band (Netflix)
The Half of It (Netflix)
I Carry You With Me (Sony Pictures Classics)
Kajillionaire (Focus Features)
The Life Ahead (Netflix)
Lingua Franca (ARRAY/Netflix)
Monsoon (Strand Releasing)
The True Adventures of Wolfboy (Vertical Entertainment)

Outstanding Documentary
Circus of Books (Netflix) Disclosure (Netflix)
Equal (HBO Max)
For They Know Not What They Do (First Run Features)
Howard (Disney+)
Mucho Mucho Amor (Netflix)
Scream, Queen: My Nightmare on Elm Street (Virgil FIlms/Shudder)
Visible: Out on Television (Apple TV+)
We Are The Radical Monarchs (PBS POV)
Welcome to Chechnya (HBO) 

Outstanding Comedy Series
Big Mouth (Netflix)
Dead to Me (Netflix)
Everything’s Gonna Be Okay (Freeform)
Harley Quinn (HBO Max)
Love, Victor (Hulu)
Saved by the Bell (Peacock)
Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
Sex Education (Netflix)
Superstore (NBC)
Twenties (BET) 

Outstanding Drama Series
9-1-1: Lone Star (FOX)
Killing Eve (BBC America)
P–Valley (Starz)
Ratched (Netflix)
Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access)
Supergirl (The CW)
The Umbrella Academy (Netflix)Vida (Starz)
The Wilds (Amazon)
Wynonna Earp (Syfy) 

Outstanding TV Movie
Alice Júnior (Netflix)
Bad Education (HBO)
The Christmas House (Hallmark Channel)
The Christmas Setup (Lifetime)
Dashing in December (Paramount Network)
The Thing About Harry (Freeform)
Uncle Frank (Amazon Studios)
Unpregnant (HBO Max)
Your Name Engraved Herein (Netflix) 

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
Dispatches from Elsewhere (AMC)
The Haunting of Bly Manor (Netflix)
Hollywood (Netflix),
I May Destroy You (HBO)
Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu) 

Outstanding Reality Program
Deaf U (Netflix)
Legendary (HBO Max)
Queer Eye (Netflix)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)
We‘re Here (HBO)

Outstanding Children’s Programming
“Challenge of the Senior Junior Woodchucks!” DuckTales (Disney XD)
“Dogbot” Clifford The Big Red Dog (PBS)
“Nancy Plays Dress Up” Fancy Nancy (Disney Junior)
The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo (HBO Max)
Summer Camp Island (HBO Max) 

Outstanding Kids & Family Programming
Craig of the Creek (Cartoon Network)
Diary of a Future President (Disney+)
First Day (Hulu)
Kipo and The Age of the Wonderbeasts (Dreamworks Animation/Netflix)
The Loud House (Nickelodeon)
“Mary Anne Saves the Day” The Baby-Sitters Club (Netflix)
“Obsidian” Adventure Time: Distant Lands (HBO Max)
The Owl House (Disney Channel)
She–Ra & The Princesses of Power (Dreamworks Animation/Netflix)
Steven Universe (Cartoon Network) 

Outstanding Music Artist
Adam Lambert, Velvet (More Is More/Empire)
Brandy Clark, Your Life Is a Record (Warner Records)
Halsey, Manic (Capitol)
Kehlani, It Was Good Until It Wasn’t (Atlantic)
Lady Gaga, Chromatica (Streamline/Interscope)
Miley Cyrus, Plastic Hearts (RCA)
Pabllo Vittar, 111 (BMT/Sony Music Brasil)
Peppermint, A Girl Like Me: Letters to My Lovers (Producer Entertainment Group)Ricky Martin, Pausa (Sony Latin)
Sam Smith, Love Goes (Capitol) 

Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist
Arca, KiCk i (XL)
Chika, Industry Games (Warner Records)
FLETCHER, The (S)ex Tapes (Capitol)
Keiynan Lonsdale, Rainbow Boy (Keiynan Lonsdale)
Kidd Kenn, Child’s Play (Island Records)
Orville Peck, Show Pony (Columbia/Sub Pop)
Phoebe Bridgers, Punisher (Dead Oceans)
Rina Sawayama, Sawayama (Dirty Hit/Avex Trax)
Trixie Mattel, Barbara (Producer Entertainment Group/ATO Records)
Victoria Monét, Jaguar (Tribe Records) 

Outstanding Video Game
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (Ubisoft)
Borderlands 3: Guns, Love, and Tentacles (2K Games)
Bugsnax (Young Horses)
Hades (Supergiant Games)
If Found… (Annapurna Interactive)
Ikenfell (Humble Games)
Immortals Fenyx Rising (Ubisoft)
The Last of Us Part II (Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Tell Me Why (Xbox Game Studios)
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands (Blizzard Entertainment)

Outstanding Comic Book
Empyre, Lords of Empyre: Emperor Hulkling, Empyre: Aftermath Avengers, written by Al Ewing, Dan Slott, Chip Zdarsky, Anthony Oliveira (Marvel Comics)
Far Sector, written by N.K. Jemisin (DC Comics)
Guardians of the Galaxy, written by Al Ewing (Marvel Comics) Juliet Takes a Breath, written by Gabby Rivera (BOOM! Studios) Lois Lane, written by Greg Rucka (DC Comics)
The Magic Fish, written by Trung Le Nguyen (Random House Graphic)
Suicide Squad, written by Tom Taylor (DC Comics) Wynd, written by James Tynion IV (BOOM! Studios)
X-Factor, written by Leah Williams (Marvel Comics)
You Brought Me the Ocean, written by Alex Sanchez (DC Comics) 

Outstanding Variety or Talk Show Episode
“Andy Cohen Calls for Change So He Can Donate His Plasma” Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (Bravo)
“Black Trans Lives Matter” Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
“Emily’s Coming Out Story” Red Table Talk: The Estefans (Facebook Watch)
“Laverne Cox – Exploring Trans Representation with ‘Disclosure’” The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
“Lilly Responds to Comments About Her Sexuality” A Little Late With Lilly Singh (NBC)

Outstanding TV Journalism Segment
“Black Trans Activists on Being the ‘Blueprint for the Struggle for Black Freedom’” MSNBC Live with Hallie Jackson (MSNBC)
“Dwyane Wade One-On-One: Basketball Legend Opens Up About Supporting Transgender Daughter” Good Morning America (ABC)
“Faith, Foster Care and LGBTQ Rights Collide in Supreme Court” ABC News Prime (ABC News Live)
“One-on-One with Transportation Secretary Nominee Pete Buttigieg” State of the Union (CNN)
“Trans and Non-Binary People Face Voting Barriers Ahead of 2020 Election” (CBSN) 

Outstanding TV Journalism – Long-Form
“
ABC News Joe Biden Town Hall” (ABC)
“The Deciders” (CBS)
“Pride and Protest: Being Black and Queer in America in 2020” (NBC News NOW)
“Pride on ABC News Live: The Landmark Decision” (ABC News Live)
“Prideland” (PBS) 

Outstanding Print Article
“20 LGBTQ+ People Working to Save Lives on the Frontline” by Diane Anderson-Minshall, David Artavia, Tracy Gilchrist, Desiree Guerrero, Jeffrey Masters, Donald Padgett, and Daniel Reynolds (The Advocate)
“The AIDS Quilt Marches Home” by Jason Sheeler (People)
“As Homeless Shelters Brace for Funding Cuts, LGBTQ Youths Take Desperate Measures to Get By” by Samantha Schmidt (The Washington Post)
“Delaware’s Sarah McBride Makes History as the Nation’s First Openly Transgender State Senator” by Meg Ryan (Delaware Today)
“How a March for Black Trans Lives Became a Huge Event” by Anushka Patil (The New York Times)
“It’s Time for a New Tipping Point for Transgender Folks in Hollywood” by Tre’vell Anderson (Out)
“LGBTQ Americans Are Getting Coronavirus, Losing Jobs. Anti-Gay Bias is Making it Worse for Them.” by Petruce Jean-Charles (USA Today)
“Lutheran High School Athletic Trainer, Coach Says She Was Fired for Being Gay” by Arika Herron (The Indianapolis Star)
“States Won’t Collect LGBTQ Data on COVID-19 — and Advocates Aren’t Happy” by Chris Johnson (Washington Blade)
“Why Billy Porter is a National Treasure” by Tre’vell Anderson (Essence) 

Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage
The Advocate
Billboard
People
Plus
Variety

Outstanding Online Journalism Article
“The Battle Over Title IX and Who Gets to be a Woman in Sports: Inside the Raging National Debate” by Katie Barnes (epsnW.com)
“Gay Men Speak Out After Being Turned Away from Donating Blood During Coronavirus Pandemic: ‘We are Turning Away Perfectly Healthy Donors’” by Tony Morrison and Joel Lyons (GoodMorningAmerica.com)
“Here’s how Reggie Greer Takes on LGBTQ Outreach for Joe Biden in this ‘Very Personal’ Election” by John Gallagher (LGBTQNation.com)
“No Medicine, No Food: Coronavirus Restrictions Amplify Health Risks to LGBT+ People with HIV” by Nita Bhalla and Oscar Lopez (Openlynews.com) “An Oral History of Fashion’s Response to the AIDS Epidemic” [series] by Phillip Picardi (VOGUE.com)
“Queer Spaces Project” [series] by Nico Lang, Samantha Allen, Marke B., Matt Baume, Steven Blum, Alexander Cheves, Devlyn Camp, Michael Cuby, James Factora, KC Hoard, Sophie Hurwitz, Michelle Kim, and Daniel Villareal (them.us)

“Trans Athletes’ Fight for Inclusion in World Rugby” [series] by Dawn Ennis, Alex Reimer, Karleigh Webb, and Cyd Zeigler (Outsports.com)
“Trans Freedom Fighters” [series] by Sam Levin (TheGuardian.com) “Trans, Imprisoned — and Trapped” by Kate Sosin (NBCNews.com)
“‘You Don’t Belong Here’: In Poland’s ‘LGBT-Free Zones’ Existing is an Act of Defiance” by Ivana Kottasová and Rob Picheta (CNN.com) 

Outstanding Online Journalism – Video or Multimedia
“A Closer Look: Transgender in Kashmir” by Robert Leslie (Business Insider)
“I’m an Immigrant Fighting for Queer Rights and Racial Justice” by Abigail E. Disney, Catherine King, Maria Nunez, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Patty Quillin, Julie Parker Benello, Susan Sherrerd, and Lynda Weinman (Refinery29)
“Stop Killing Us: Black Transgender Women’s Lived Experiences” by Talibah Newman Ometu, Thomas Blount, Juliana Schatz Preston, and Mariah Dupont (Complex World)
“They Will See You: LGBTQ+ Visibility in Advertising” by Brent Miller, Otto Bell, and Jordan Shavarebi (Great Big Story)
“Why LGBTQ Rights Hinge on the Definition of ‘Sex’” by Laura Bult, Ranjani Chakraborty, Melissa Hirsch, and Sidnee King (Vox)

Outstanding Blog
Gays With Kids
JoeMyGod
Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents
The Reckoning
TransGriot 

Special Recognition
After Forever (Amazon)
Deadline’s New Hollywood Podcast
Happiest Season Soundtrack (Facet/Warner Records)
Noah’s Arc: The ‘Rona Chronicles (Patrik Ian-Polk Entertainment)
Out (Pixar/Disney+)
Razor Tongue (YouTube)
“The Son” Little America (Apple TV+)

NOMINEES FOR THE SPANISH-LANGUAGE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Spanish-Language Scripted Television Series
Ana (Amazon/Comedy Central/Pantaya)
Élite (Netflix)
#Luimelia (Atresplayer Premium)
Someone Has to Die (Netflix)
Veneno (HBO Max) 

Outstanding Spanish-Language TV Journalism
“Decisión de la Corte Suprema Para Comunidad LGBTQ” Un Nuevo Día (Telemundo)
“La Hermana de Aleyda Ortiz Narra Cómo Salió del Clóset y Cómo se lo Comunicó a su Familia” Despierta América (Univision)
“Proyecto ser Humano: La Terapia del Engaño” Camilo (CNN en Español)
“Refugio para Pacientes de COVID-19 y Comunidad LGBTI en México” Un Nuevo Día (Telemundo)
“Sanación Milagrosa” Despierta América (Univision)

Outstanding Spanish-Language Online Journalism Article
“El Brutal Asesinato de una Mujer Transgénero Conmociona a Puerto Rico y Renueva una Conversación Sobre la Transfobia” por Harmeet Kaur y Rafy Rivera (CNNEspañol.com)
“Desapareció en México, Solo se Hallaron sus Restos: La Historia de la Doctora María Elizabeth Montaño y su Importancia para la Comunidad Trans” por Albinson Linares y Marina E. Franco (Telemundo.com)
“Entrevistas para el mes del Orgullo LGBT+” por Paula Velasco, Aurora Villaseñor, y Sofía Viramontes (Gatopardo.com)
“Elliot Page y el Dilema Social del Género” por Marcos Billy Guzmán (ElNuevoDía.com) “La Historia de un Amor Moderno” por María Torres Clausell (Quién.com)

Outstanding Spanish-Language Online Journalism – Video or Multimedia
“Abril Zamora: Sin Filtros” (Elle España)
“Ciudad de México Prohibe las ‘Terapias’ Contra la Homosexualidad” por Elías Camhaji, Jonás Cortés, y Rodrigo Floriano (El País)
“La Liga Deportiva de la Diversidad” por Lucía Anaya (VICE en Español) “Mujeres LGBT+ en México: Ari Vera” (Homosensual)
“Soy Trans: El Camino a un Nuevo Despertar” por Sarah Moreno, Esther Piccolino, y José Sepúlveda (El Nuevo Herald)

Special Recognition (Spanish-Language)
Jesse & Joy, “Love (Es Nuestro Idioma)”

Facebook Watch Renews Gloria Estefan’s Interview Series “Red Table Talk: The Estefans”

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Gloria Estefan isn’t leaving the (red) table anytime soon…

The 63-year-old Cuban singer-songwriter, producer, actress and entrepreneur’s Red Table Talk: The Estefans, a spin-off of Jada Pinkett Smith’s interview series, has been renewed for an additional 12 episodes.

Gloria Estefan, The Estefans

Facebook Watch has ordered the supersized order after the first season debuted in October 2020.

The series is hosted by Grammy winner Estefan, her daughter and rising musician Emily Estefan and El Gordo y La Flaca host Lili Estefan.

New episodes will debut later this year on Facebook Watch and will highlight the three generations of women, as they come together with family, celebrity guests and experts.

The first season featured discussions with Michelle Rodriguez, Rosie O’Donnell, the family of Vanessa Guillén, Kate del Castillo and Lele Pons.

Red Table Talk: The Estefans is produced by Westbrook Studios with Pinkett Smith, Estefan, Ellen Rakieten and Miguel Melendez serving as executive producers.

“We’ve missed you, Red Table Talk: The Estefans fans and can’t wait to see you again. Taking on the iconic Red Table has been an immense privilege and enlightening journey for myself, Emily, and Lili,” said Gloria. “We look forward to continued exploration, growth, and healing in our upcoming episodes – and with my red gavel, much more than the ‘rhythm’ is gonna get you.”

Red Table Talk creator and executive producer Pinkett Smith added, “It’s been an honor to work with Gloria and her family on a project that means so much to all of us. By inviting us into their lives, with such honest and vulnerable conversations, the Estefans have touched the hearts of people everywhere, shining the light on topics that aren’t traditionally discussed in the Hispanic community. We are looking forward to the new episodes of Red Table Talk: The Estefans. We hope you will join The Estefans and the entire Red Table Talk community as we continue the journey of healing with important, honest conversations that hopefully will inspire understanding, unity and encouragement all over the world.”

Mina Lefevre, Head of Development & Programming, Facebook Watch said, “Each episode of the Estefans has been truly impactful, and Gloria, Emily and Lili have opened up the Red Table to a whole new audience. The Estefans tackled complex issues with vulnerability, awareness, and poise that truly resonated with our audience. I’m looking forward to seeing what they bring to the Red Table in 2021.”

Juanes to Finance Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation’s Next Prodigy Scholarship to Berklee School of Music

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Juanes is supporting the Latin industry’s next musical prodigy…

The Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation has revealed that the 48-year-old Colombian musician and singer-songwriter is set to finance the next four-year Prodigy Scholarship that will fully fund a student’s bachelor’s degree in music at Berklee School of Music starting in the Fall 2021.

Juanes

“When the Latin Recording Academy reached out with this opportunity, I felt great joy,” said Juanes. “It took me back to when I was just getting out of high school and I was obsessed with music but I didn’t have the money to study music. Actually, studying music wasn’t even a thing and back then, I didn’t really think studying music would do anything for my future. But now I understand the importance of a music education and that’s why it’s so beautiful to be able to give back.”

The scholarship, created six years ago, holds a maximum value of $200,000 and the application period will be open from December 14 through April 10, 2021. It’s traditionally awarded to an outstanding music student between the ages of 17-24, who demonstrate a passion for Latin music but face severe financial hardships while pursuing a college education.

“This next musical prodigy should be exceptional and I don’t mean that they have to extremely virtuoso but they should have special something,” Juanes adds. “But most importantly they have to love music and be passionate about the craft. Whether you’re studying, practicing, wiring songs, you have to be dedicated 100 percent.”

In addition to the Juanes scholarship there will be 43 other scholarships; three Gifted Tuition scholarships and and 40 Tuition Assistance scholarships for music students admitted to universities of their choice.

In previous years, the Prodigy Scholarship has been co-sponsored by Latin stars including Enrique Iglesias, Juan Luis Guerra, Miguel Bosé, Carlos Vives, Emilio and Gloria Estefan, and Julio Iglesias.

Gloria Estefan to Perform at ‘Nurse Heroes Live’ Benefit Virtual Concert on Thanksgiving

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Gloria Estefan is giving special thanks to some of our frontliners…

The 63-year-old Cuban singer will be among the entertainers honoring nurses in a star-studded benefit virtual concert on Thanksgiving.

Gloria Estefanria

Nurse Heroes has announced that the concert called Nurse Heroes Live will stream on the organization’s YouTube and Facebook pages along with LiveXLive on November 26 at 7:00 pm EST.

The benefit will provide money for a variety of programs including scholarships for nurses and their children.

Estefan joins a lineup of performers that include Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Black Eyed Peas, Pitbull, The Wailers, Carole King, Maluma and Andrea Bocelli.

Whoopi Goldberg will host the concert with special appearances by Oprah Winfrey and Billy Crystal.

Taylor Swift will donate a signed collectible edition “Folklore” guitar, which will be auctioned for the benefit of the Nurses Heroes Foundation.

The nurses of New York’s Northwell Health will be the first beneficiaries of the concert. The event will also showcase 50 nurses from the hospital in an ensemble performance with several celebrities.

The concert will be produced by Emilio Estefan and Times Square Live Media.

John Leguizamo to Take Part in Upcoming CBS Special “Essential Heroes: A Momento Latino Event”

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John Leguizamo is helping to honor this year’s coronavirus pandemic warriors…

The 56-year-old Colombian actor and stand-up comedian will take part in CBS’ upcoming special Essential Heroes: A Momento Latino Event. 

John Leguizamo

Leguizamo is among a roster of new additions to the special that includes José Andrés, Arturo Castro, John Leguizamo, George Lopez, Isabela Merced, Rita Moreno, Ana Navarro, Freddy Rodriguez and Wilmer Valderrama.

 

The event will be produced and hosted by Eva Longoria. Ricky Martin and Gloria Estefan are also set to co-host.

 

The star-studded lineup will join the show, created by Henry R. Muñoz III and directed by Ron de Moraes, to celebrate Latinx culture while also shedding light on those in the community that have been heavily impacted by the novel coronavirus pandemic and those who play an essential role in fighting COVID-19.

Apart from the array of Latinx voices speaking at the event, the event will also feature musical performances, comedy pieces and docu-shorts aimed to spread awareness on the Latinx experience.

 

The special follows Longoria’s recent launch of a lifestyle site for the Latina community, She Se Puede, that covers fashion, health, culture and voting.

 

Essential Heroes: A Momento Latino Event will broadcast Monday, October 26 from 9:00-10:00pm, ET/PT on the CBS Television Network. Audiences can also stream the event live and on demand on CBS All Access.

Gloria Estefan Launches New Talk Series “Red Table Talk: The Estefans”

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Gloria Estefan is seeing red…

The 63-year-old Cuban superstar has launched her own Red Table Talk, a spinoff of Jada Pinkett Smith’s hit Facebook Watch show, with her daughter and niece.

Gloria Estefan, Emily Estefan & Lili Estefan

Gloria Estefan, her daughter Emily Estefan and niece Lili Estefan, representing three different generations, took center stage at the Red Table Talk: The Estefans, which premiered on October 7.

“I’ve been pitched many times to do a talk show before but because I knew it would be a rough schedule, it would be impossible,” says Gloria, who takes on the role of mediator in the conversations. “But I was immediately jazzed about the idea because it involves spending time with family, which I love.”

The idea about a spinoff was pitched to Gloria two years ago when she was already a fan of Pinkett Smith’s Red Table Talk. After proposing the idea to her daughter, rising singer-songwriter and producer Emily, and Lili, host of Univision‘s El Gordo Y La Flaca, they immediately said yes.

“When I actually watched the show for the first time after Gloria told me about it, I thought, ‘what did I get myself into it? Did I answer too quickly?,'” says Lili who brings a 20-plus years of talk show experience to the table.

Meanwhile, Emily is the passionate voice of the Millennial youth. “You should never be forced to share things you don’t want to share,” she says. “If you’re a good person and you’re brave and put it on the table (no pun intended), only beautiful things can come from that.”

Red Table Talk: The Estefans is an eight-episode series with a new installment airing every Wednesday at 12:00 pm ET. Featured guests include Rosie O’Donnell, Kate del Castillo, Michelle Rodríguez and Gloria Guillen, mother of slain Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen.

Eva Longoria to Host the Latino-Themed CBS Special “Essential Heroes: A Momento Latino Event”

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Eva Longoria is celebrating the Latino population in a special way…

The 45-year-old Mexican American actress and former Desperate Housewives star will host an evening that shines a spotlight on Latino culture in America with Gloria Estefan and Ricky Martin.

Eva Longoria

Essential Heroes: A Momento Latino Event will herald America’s diversity with a focus on Latino culture. The CBS special will not only highlight the different facets of Latino culture, but will also bring attention to those in the community who’ve been deeply impacted by COVID-19, including essential workers.

The special will air on October 26 on CBS and CBS All Access.

“When COVID-19 hit the United States, people were quick to applaud our essential workers, many of whom are Latinos, for helping to keep food on our tables, delivering our packages and working in our healthcare system,” said Longoria. “The Latinx community has been the backbone of this country for hundreds of years, not just the last seven months, and it’s time that we not only know our own worth, but are also recognized, appreciated and celebrated accordingly for our contributions, pandemic or not.”

The one-night special, created by Henry R. Muñoz III and directed by Ron de Moraes, will feature musical performances, comedy sets, docu-shorts and appearances from notable Latino stars. CBS will announce performers and stars to participate at a later date.

“We created Momento Latino because we understand the challenges that Latinos in America face every day, and we knew we had to bring together a national infrastructure of opportunity to move the community forward into the future,” said Muñoz, founder of Momento Latino. “We’ve brought together more than 130 organizations, nonprofits, artists, activists and community leaders so far, and through this special we can share with the nation the inspiring stories of how Latinos served as the backbone of this country’s essential workforce throughout the pandemic despite being among the hardest hit by the disease and the economic fallout.”

Essential Heroes: A Momento Latino Event is produced by Funny Or Die, in partnership with Momento Latino, UnbeliEVAble Entertainment and Global Philanthropy.