ABC to Premiere New Season of Dancing with the Stars, Featuring Xochitl Gomez, As Scheduled

Xochitl Gomez is headed to the ballroom as originally scheduled…

ABC will proceed as planned with the September 26 season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, featuring the 17-year-old Mexican American actress, in light of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the studios reaching a tentative agreement on Sunday night.

Xochitl GomezThe reality competition will kick off its 32nd season with its full celebrity cast, including Gomez.

The network last Thursday put in place plans to postpone DWTSreturn after actors in its celebrity cast, particularly Walsh, Alyson Hannigan and Mira Sorvino, came under pressure from striking WGA members.

Last week, WGA picketers targeted multiple rehearsals for DWTS, which is a WGA signatory that typically employs one writer to pen talking points for the host.

Picketing on the show continued through yesterday. Just hours before the WGA-AMPTP deal was announced, a group of around 35 writers went out to picket Dancing with the Stars at TV City where producers were doing prep ahead of the Tuesday live season opener.

Following the tentative deal with the studios, all WGA picketing was suspended Sunday night.

Variety shows like DWTS are covered under the SAG-AFTRA National Code of Fair Practice for Network Television Broadcasting, better known as Network Code. It is separate to the film and TV collective bargaining agreement that SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP negotiated unsuccessfully in the spring and early summer, leading to the current actors strike.

Because of that, ABC is allowed to put on DWTS, and SAG-AFTRA members are allowed to participate. In fact, SAG-AFTRA last week backed actors who are appearing on the show, noting that they are not in violation of strike rules and are required to go to work. It is the show’s WGA affiliation via the employment of one writer out of 500 crew members that made it a struck production.

Season 32 marks the return of DWTS to ABC. The show aired last season on Disney+. The new season will simulcast live on Disney+ and be available next day on Hulu.

Xochitl Gomez to Compete on Season 32 of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars”

Xochitl Gomez is heading to the ballroom…

The 17-year-old Mexican American actress and Marvel star will compete on season 32 of Dancing with the Stars.

Xochitl GomezBut Gomez won’t be the only Latinx competitor.

Venezuelan YouTuber, actress and singer Lele Pons, 27, and Mexican real estate mogul and television star Mauricio Umansky, 53, will also compete this season.

Other competitors include Mira SorvinoAriana MadixCharity LawsonJamie Lynn Spears, Alyson Hannigan and NFL star Adrian Peterson.

“There’s something for everyone in this cast,” says executive producer Conrad Green. “What’s interesting with a lot of our contestants this year is this real drive and excitement about doing it. There’s a real passion for it. It’s been a tough number of years, one way or another with the strikes going on and all these things. So what I’m hoping we can bring to people is bringing Dancing back and giving audiences a blast of sunshine early in the week.”

After Tyra Banks‘ exit, Alfonso Ribeiro will return as a host, stepping onto the main stage, while former Dancing pro Julianne Hough joins to take over Ribeiro’s former cohost slot in the Sky Box.

The show is also back in its original home, airing live on ABC, after being solely available on Disney+ last season (where it will now stream concurrently).

Here’s the full cast for season 32 of Dancing with the Stars:

  • Supermodel Tyson Beckford with partner Jenna Johnson
  • Marvel star Xochitl Gomez with partner Val Chmerkovskiy
  • How I Met Your Motherstar Alyson Hannigan with partner Sasha Farber
  • Social media and reality TV star Harry Jowsey with partner Rylee Arnold
  • Bachelorette Charity Lawson with partner Artem Chigvintsev
  • Vanderpump Rules‘ Ariana Madix with partner Pasha Pashkov
  • Grammy-winning singer Jason Mraz with partner Daniella Karagach
  • NFL All-Star Adrian Peterson with partner Britt Stewart
  • Singer and social media star Lele Pons with partner Brandon Armstrong
  • Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino with partner Gleb Savchenko
  • Actress Jamie Lynn Spears with partner Alan Bersten
  • Real estate mogul and TV star Mauricio Umansky with partner Emma Slater
  • Comedian and actor Matt Walsh with partner Koko Iwasaki
  • The Brady Bunch star Barry Williams with partner Peta Murgatroyd

Dancing With the Stars premieres on Tuesday, September 26, at 8:00 pm ET/PT on ABC.

Angel Studios to Release “Sound of Freedom,” Featuring Eduardo Verastegui, in Several Global Markets

Eduardo Verástegui’s latest project is going global…

Angel Studios is launching its unexpected summer hit Sound of Freedom, starring the 49-year-old Mexican actor/producer, in several international markets after it made $127M during its first three weeks in U.S. theaters.

Eduardo Verastegui, Sound of FreedomWritten and directed by Alejandro Monteverde, the film will be released in South Africa from August 18 and Australia and New Zealand from August 24.

The film will hit cinemas in the following territories from August 31: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Belize, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and Costa Rica.

The film will receive subsequent releases in the UK and Ireland from September 1 and Spain from October 11.

Based on a true story, the film follows a federal agent (Jim Caviezel) who, after rescuing a young boy from ruthless child traffickers, learns the boy’s sister is still captive and decides to embark on a dangerous mission to save her. With time running out, he quits his job and journeys deep into the Colombian jungle, putting his life on the line to free her from a fate worse than death.

The movie originally was developed at Fox International and was then purchased back by the filmmakers during the scrimmage of the Disney-Fox merger. Cast features Mira Sorvino, Bill Camp, José Zúñiga and Verástegui, who is also a producer.

“Since Sound of Freedom launched in the U.S., demand has been building around the world in dozens of regions and languages,” said Jared Geesey, SVP Global Distribution for Angel Studios. “Child trafficking is a global issue, and we hope to build on the incredible momentum here in the states and share the film’s powerful message worldwide.”

Barillas Cast in CBS’ Pilot Starring Jim Gaffigan

Life’s a drag for Christian Barillas… At least when it comes to his next project.

The Latino actor has joined the cast of CBS’ untitled Jim Gaffigan comedy pilot in a draglicious role.

Christian Barillas

The project centers on Jim, portrayed by Gaffigan, who lives with his wife Jeannie (portrayed by Mira Sorvino) and five kids in a 2-bedroom New York apartment.

Barillas plays Arlen, the neighborhood’s resident drag queen, who happens to be one of Jim’s closest friends and a good friend to his family.

Barillas, who most recently appeared as a priest in Seven Psychopaths, has previously appeared in ABC Family’s Bunheads and NBC’s soap opera Passions.

Hernandez Cast in CBS’ Trooper Pilot…

Hostel star Jay Hernandez could be heading back to television.

The 34-year-old Mexican American actor, who rose to fame when he starred opposite Kirsten Dunst in the romantic drama Crazy/Beautiful, has signed on to star opposite Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino in CBS’s drama pilot Trooper.

Jay Hernandez

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Trooper centers on KJ Flaxton (Sorvino), a common-sense mother-turned-New York state trooper.

Hernandez, who last appeared on television in ABC’s Six Degrees, will play KJ’s new partner, a former Miami homicide detective looking for a fresh start for his daughter and him following the death of his wife.