Eva Longoria’s “Flamin’ Hot” to Stream on Hulu & Disney+ on June 9

Eva Longoria’s (flamin’) hot directorial debut will debut on two streamers this summer.

Following the world premiere at SXSW of Flamin’ Hot, Searchlight Pictures’ feature directorial debut by the 48-year-old Mexican American actress, producer and director, the film will stream on both Hulu and Disney+ on June 9.

Eva LongoriaIt’s the first time that a new movie has been made available on both of the Disney-owned OTT services stateside. The filmwill stream on Disney+ overseas.

The film is based on the true story of Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia), a Frito-Lay janitor who disrupted the food industry by channeling his Mexican-American heritage to turn Flamin’ Hot Cheetos from a snack into an iconic global pop culture phenomenon.

“I’m so excited for the world to see Flamin’ Hot on these two streaming platforms making this universal, inspirational story accessible to an even wider audience,” director Longoria said. “Now everyone can celebrate the joy, power and heart of this film that also happens to uplift Latinos both in front of and behind the camera.”

Added Searchlight Presidents David Greenbaum and Matthew Greenfield. “Eva’s inspiring film is a joy to experience and we could not be happier that it will now be available to even more families and audiences around the world.”

Producer DeVon Franklin said: “From the moment I found Richard Montanez’ story seven years ago, I knew it would resonate with and inspire audiences everywhere. I’m so grateful to Searchlight, Hulu, and now Disney+ for giving us this historic opportunity to bring his uplifting true story to over 200 million subscribers around the world!”

The film is a Franklin Entertainment Production written by Lewis Colick and Linda Yvette Chávez (Gentefied creator-writer).

It stars Garcia as Richard, Annie Gonzalez as his wife, Judy; Emilio Rivera as Richard’s father, Nacho; Dennis Haysbert as Richard’s mentor, Clarence; and four-time Emmy winner Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as PepsiCo CEO Roger Enrico.

Other cast members include Matt Walsh (Veep), Bobby Soto (Narcos) and Pepe Serna (Scarface).

Annie Gonzalez to Star as the Late Jenni Rivera in Family-Authorized Biopic “Jenni”

Annie Gonzalez will be portraying a late banda legend…

The Latina actress will star in an authorized biopic about the life of Jenni Rivera has been greenlit at ViX.

Annie GonzalezIn addition to starring, Gonzalez will also executive produce the film.

Filming of Jenni (wt) is underway in Bogota, Colombia, and will be completed in Los Angeles.

The project is set to premiere exclusively via ViX and in select movie theaters in the United States and Mexico later this year.

Jenni (wt) will follow Rivera’s journey from her humble beginnings in Long Beach, California, to her meteoric rise to the top of the charts, and her final days before her tragic and unexpected death. The film will also share a look at the struggles she endured in her personal life and how she became the artist fans all know and love today, and how she persevered and found strength from within.

The streamer notes, Jenni is a story of resilience and bravery that shows the building blocks of what made Jenni Rivera—also known affectionately as “La Diva De La Banda”— who she was and the remarkable legacy she left behind.

“My siblings and I are very excited about this biopic and we know our mother’s story will impact generations to come,” Jacqie Rivera, daughter of Jenni Rivera and CEO of Jenni Rivera Enterprises said in a statement. “It has been an uphill battle, but we are happy to see one of our mom’s dreams come to fruition. Although we still haven’t gotten used to seeing someone portray our mother, we have faith Annie will do a great job.”

As a multiple award-winning artist—including multiple Billboard Music Awards, 22 Billboard Latin Music Awards, 18 Lo Nuestro Awards, and four Latin Grammy nominations— Rivera is not only known as one of the best-selling Regional Mexican artists of all time but also for her role in disrupting cultural precedent by crossing into banda, a male-dominated music genre and eventually into pop music, where her presence posthumously continues to shine. Rivera died in a plane crash in 2012.

“I am beyond honored to portray the essence of this phenomenal survivor that is Jenni Rivera who despite adversity at every turn was never a victim and showed her daughters, her family, and her audience what grace, forgiveness, and true authenticity is— liberating us all,” Gonzalez shared. “Jenni’s messages of feminism, civil rights, and nonconformity within her music were well before her time and made space for all of us to feel empowered. With the support of the Rivera family, I cannot wait to help tell the beautiful story and the impactful legacy of what Jenni means to me personally and what it will mean to women and Latinas everywhere.”

Manuel Uriza will star opposite Gonzalez in the role of Pedro Rivera, Jenni’s father, and Regional Mexican entrepreneur. The cast also includes Cinthya Carmona (East Los High) as Jenni Rivera’s eldest daughter, Chiquis Rivera, Jero Medina (Narcos: Mexico) and Miguel Angel Garcia (The Long Game) who will dually portray Trino Marín, Rivera’s first husband and father of her three eldest children at later and earlier stages in his life, respectively.

Additionally, Gabriela Reynoso (Si Nos Dejan) will be portraying Jenni’s mother Rosa Saavedra, J.R. Villarreal (Ultra Violet) will play Juan “Cinco” Lopez, Jenni’s late second husband, and newcomer Tatiana Juarez will portray Rivera during her early years.

“ViX is thrilled to be the official home and distributor of this powerful story about Jenni Rivera. Our commitment to this project is paramount and, along with a fantastic production team and director, we know we will have a film that will captivate our audiences,” stated Augusto Rovegno, Senior Vice President of Content ViX at TelevisaUnivision.

Gigi Saul Guerrero (Culture Shock) directs from a screenplay by Shane McKenzie (Bingo Hell).

Gonzalez is gearing up to promote Flamin’ Hot, the Eva Longoria-directed Searchlight Pictures film about how Frito Lay janitor Ricardo Montañez climbs the ranks at work and creates the spicy Cheeto snack. Flamin’ Hot premieres at SXSW on March 11 followed by a wide release via Hulu in June. The Chicana actress portrays the character of Judy, Montañez’s wife, opposite Jesse Garcia.

She also recently starred in Illegally Brown alongside Jessica Marie Garcia from filmmaker, Gabby Revilla Lugo, which is currently playing on the film festival circuit. Additionally, Gonzalez can next be seen in the upcoming independent thriller Body Language and an untitled Ethan Coen project.

Gonzalez is best known for her portrayal of Lidia Solis in the Netflix comedy series Gentefied and her guest roles in Apple’s Mr. Corman, Starz’s Vida, NBC’s Good Girls, Showtime’s Shameless, and FX’s American Horror Story, among other credits.

Jimmy Gonzales to Star in George Lopez’s Amazon Drama Pilot “Once Upon a Time in Aztlan”

Jimmy Gonzales is right on Time

The Mexican actor has been cast as a lead alongside Arianna Williams on Amazon’s Once Upon a Time in Aztlan, the drama pilot from George Lopez.Jimmy Gonzales

They join previously announced cast LopezJesse Garcia and Annie Gonzalez.

Gonzales stars as the morally compromised Hector, whose pursuit of ‘get rich or die trying’ dreams landed his partner Arturo Duran in prison for thirteen years. Since then, he’s further cemented his influence over the Duran family: He has a son with Lola (Gonzalez) and is the de facto father figure for Angela (Williams). Despite his overtures to legitimize himself, he’s a lifelong hustler who’s baiting the attention of the FBI.

Willians portrays the character of Angela, a Gen-Z Afro Latina, who is described as fiercely independent, confident, and always adapting. The face of our modern Los Angeles. The Duran family have hung their hopes on Angela as their luminary, but she’s in deep debt to her nefarious uncle, who’s co-signed her loans to USC. Her father, Arturo (Garcia) returns to her life after a long absence, presenting a challenging new vision of her future.

Written by Javier Rodriguez, the one-hour drama from STXtelevision and Amazon Studios revolves around a Chicano family in the deep suburbs of Los Angeles as they come to terms with the falsehoods of the American dream, and their ability to defy expectations. The pilot will be directed by Ricardo de Montreuil, who helmed Eva Longoria and Demián Bichir in the Blumhouse/Imagine East L.A.-set drama, Lowriders.

Rodriguez executive produces with de Montreuil, photographer/director Estevan Oriol, LA-based artist Mister Cartoon, and Michael Connolly who put the Latinx package together under his STXtelevision-based Mad Hatter Entertainment banner.

Gonzales can currently be seen as the lead in Netflix/Endeavor Content’s Blue Miracle opposite Dennis Quaid. He can next be seen on Fox Searchlight’s biopic Flamin’ Hot as Hector Morales and currently is a recurring guest star on FX’s Mayans M.C.

Other credits include AMC’s Lodge 49, AMC’s The Walking Dead, and David E. Kelley’s Mr. Mercedes.

Williams played a supporting lead in a 2021 Lifetime Movie opposite Denise Richards. Although a relative newcomer to the small screen, she’s worked with Phylicia Rashad, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Ruben Santiago Hudson at the Billie Holliday Theatre.

Annie Gonzalez to Star in George Lopez’s Drama Pilot “Once Upon a Time in Aztlan”

Annie Gonzalez’s Time card is filling up…

The Chicana actress will star in the drama pilot Once Upon a Time in Aztlan, a project from George Lopez for STXtelevision and Amazon Studios.

Annie Gonzalez

Gonzalez will star opposite her Flamin’ Hot co-star Jesse Garcia, as well as Lopez, in the pilot.

Gonzalez will portray Dolores “Lola” Duran, the youngest of Gervasio Duran’s (Lopez) children. She’s the heart of the family, a spitfire mother, and entrepreneur who runs a bar-cabaret with her ex. She is always game, at the party, and in the riot.

Garcia will portray the show’s hero, Arturo Duran. After 13 years in federal prison, Arturo has missed a lifetime’s worth of changes. His second chance at life will be born through his transcendental artistry, which will single-handedly take possession of how the world sees the Southern California Dream.

Written by Javier Rodriguez, the one-hour drama revolves around a Chicano family in the deep suburbs of Los Angeles as they come to terms with the falsehoods of the American dream, and their ability to defy expectations.

Rodriguez executive produces with photographer/director Estevan Oriol, LA-based artist Mister Cartoon, and Michael Connolly who put the Latinx package together under his STXtelevision-based Mad Hatter Entertainment banner.

Gonzalez is returning for Season 2 of Netflix’s Gentefied on November 10. Her previous credits include VidaShameless, and American Horror Story. She portrayed Garcia’s wife Judy Montanez in Flamin’ Hot.

Garcia most recently appeared in Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico as DEA agent Sal Orozco. Up next, he will appear in the films Ambulance opposite Jake Gyllenhaal; Netflix’s The Mother with Jennifer Lopez; and the Richard Montanez biopic from Eva LongoriaFlamin’ Hot in the role of Montanez.

 

Netflix Releases Trailer for Season Two of J.J. Soria’s “Gentefied”

J.J. Soria has the fighting spirit…

The first trailer has been released for the second season of Netflix’s Gentefied, starring the 35-year-old Mexican American actor.

JJ Soria

In the new clip, the Morales cousins (Soria, Karrie Martin Lachney and Carlos Santos) are dealing with drama galore as they fight to keep their grandfather Pops (Joaquín Cosío) from being deported back to Mexico.

The series, from creators Marvin Lemus and Linda Yvette Chávez, follows East Los Angeles Latinos on their respective and collective search for the American Dream.

Season 2—premiering on November 10— picks up after the emotional debut season’s finale that saw Erik Morales (Soria) and his girlfriend Lidia (Annie Gonzalez) welcome their daughter, Delfina. Amid all the happiness, Erik realizes his grandfather Pops (Cosio) is missing from the hospital celebration because he’s been arrested on an outstanding warrant and his beloved pick-up truck is being impounded.

Pops is now free and staging a fight to stay in the United States armed with the help of his social media fans and his attorney Melinna Barragan (Melinna Bobadilla). But will that be enough?

As the trailer reveals, he is also reunited with his companion Lupe (Alma Martinez) who is still waiting for his dead wife’s approval so they can take their relationship to the next level.

Speaking of love, there’s a budding relationship ahead for Chris Morales (Santos), the chef of the family whose talents could take him well beyond the neighborhood. Sparks fly when he meets Sarai (Ivana Rojas), a strong Latina with big dreams who is running her own food truck.

His cousin Ana Morales (Martin) continues to mend a broken heart after her split from Yessika (Julissa Calderon) whose icy demeanor pushes Ana into the arms of someone new.

 

Gentefied is executive produced by Lemus, Chávez, Charles D. King, Marta Fernandez of MACRO, America Ferrera of Take Fountain, Aaliyah Williams, Kim Roth, and Teri Weinberg of Yellow Brick Road.

Netflix to Premiere Season 2 of JJ Soria’s “Gentefied” in November

JJ Soria is returning to East L.A. in November…

Netflix’s half-hour Latinx dramedy Gentefied, starring the 40-year-old Mexican American actor, is returning for Season 2 on November 10.

Gentefied

From creators Marvin Lemus and Linda Yvette Chávez, the series follows East Los Angeles Latinos on their respective and collective search for the American Dream.

Season 2 picks up after the emotional debut season’s finale that saw Erik Morales (Soria) and his girlfriend Lidia (Annie Gonzalez) welcome a daughter, Delfina. As Erik realizes his grandfather Pops (Joaquin Cosio) is missing from the hospital celebration, it is revealed that he has been arrested for an outstanding warrant and his beloved pick-up truck is being impounded.

The streamer teases the return will tackle Erik and his cousin Chris’s (Carlos Santos) struggle to keep Pops in the country while dealing with new love, new babies, estranged fathers, and tracking down Bad Bunny at a Halloween party. They’ll fight to thrive, but along the way will question where they truly belong in a world made up of borders, family separation, and the potential loss of their beloved taco shop, Mama Fina’s.

Gentefied is a Netflix production also starring Karrie Martin Lachney, Julissa Calderon; and newly added season 2 cast Melinna Bobadilla, Manuel Uriza, Ivana Rojas, and Clarissa Thibeaux.

The series is executive produced by Lemus, Chávez, Charles D. King, Marta Fernandez of MACRO, America Ferrera of Take Fountain, Aaliyah Williams, Kim Roth, and Teri Weinberg of Yellow Brick Road.

Annie Gonzalez Signs with Innovative Artists 

Annie Gonzalez has new representation…

The Chicana actress has signed with Innovative Artists for representation.

Annie Gonzalez

Gonzalez plays Lidia on Netflix hit series Gentefied, which is heading into its second season. Her other recent credits include the role of Amanda on Starz’s Vida, as well as Showtime’s Shameless and Amazon’s Good Girls Revolt.

Gonzalez, a East Los Angeles native, grew up singing with the band Quetzal, which has been a noted force in the Chicano movement.

She was one of the original dancers on Jamm X Kids for the WB and has been appearing on TV since the age of 10. She was recently cast in the series regular role of Jessie on ABC’s comedy pilot Bucktown, opposite Jane Lynch and Nicole Richie.

She also has a YouTube page with videos dedicated to her thoughts on spirituality, self-love, peace, positivity and living life as a Latina.

Jesse Garcia to Star in the Eva Longoria-Directed “Flamin’ Hot” Film

It’s a flamin’ hot time for Jesse Garcia.

The 38-year-old Mexican American actor and former Quinceañera star has landed the lead role in Eva Longoria’s feature directorial debut Flamin’ Hot from Searchlight Pictures and Franklin Entertainment.

Jesse Garcia

Garcia will play Richard Montanez, the architect of the Flamin’ Hot Cheeto, while Annie Gonzalez of Gentefied will portray his wife, Judy.

Flamin’ Hot tells the true life story of Richard Montanez, the Frito Lay janitor who took inspiration from his Mexican American heritage to create Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, the snack that disrupted the food industry and became a pop culture phenomenon.

Desperate Housewives actress and Telenovela, Grand Hoteland Devious Maids EP Longoria beat out several directors for the job after impressing Franklin and Searchlight with her authentic approach to the project.

“It has been my biggest priority to make sure we are telling Richard Montañez’s story authentically,” said Longoria in a statement. “I am so happy to have two extremely talented and fellow Mexican-Americans on board in these pivotal roles. Jesse and Annie have a deep understanding of our community and will be able to help tell this story of great importance for our culture.”

Also new to Flamin’ Hot is scribe Linda Yvette Chavez who has come aboard for revisions on the Lewis Colick-penned screenplay. Chavez is the creator of Netflix’s Gentefied and she’s also adapting I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter at the streamer for America Ferrera’s upcoming directorial debut.

Garcia appears in the Searchlight Pictures title Under the Same Moon, alongside Kate del Castillo and Ferrera. He has been widely recognized for his role in the highly acclaimed Quinceañera winner of the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. For his performance as Carlos, Garcia was nominated and won the prestigious ALMA Award (American Latino Media Arts) as Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture in 2007. Garcia can also be seen in The Avengers.

Gonzalez is a Chicana actress and East Los Angeles native. She grew up singing with the band Quetzal, (which has been a noted force in the Chicano movement), was one of the original dancers on Jamm X Kids for the WB and has been appearing on TV since the age of 10. She is most known for her roles in Gentefied, Vida, Shameless, and Legion. She was recently cast in the ABC pilot, Bucktown starring opposite Jane Lynch and Nicole Richie. Gonzalez also has a YouTube page with videos dedicated to her thoughts on spirituality, self-love, peace, positivity and living life as a Latina.

Annie Gonzalez to Star in ABC Comedy Pilot “Bucktown”

Annie Gonzalez is buck-ed up!

The Latina actress has been cast as a series regular in the ABC comedy pilot Bucktown, from Emily Wilson, Tom Werner and Sara Gilbert and ABC Signature.

Annie Gonzalez

Gonzalez will star opposite Sofia Capanna, Shannon Woodward, Jane Lynch and Nicole Richie.

Written by Wilson and directed by Betsy ThomasBucktown centers on Amy (Woodward), who, after being dumped by her boyfriend and kicked out of her apartment on the eve of a big promotion, finds refuge at her mom’s house in the blue-collar neighborhood where she grew up.

Gonzalez will play Jessie, Amy’s opinionated best friend who works beside her as an assistant at the ad agency.

Gonzalez can currently be seen as Lidia on the hit Netflix series Gentefied. Other recent credits include Starz’s Vida, Showtime’s Shameless and Amazon’s Good Girls Revolt.