Annelise Cepero to Star in Christmas-Themed Romantic Drama “Holiday Harmony”

Annelise Cepero is anticipating a harmonious holiday

The Latina actress will star in the Christmas-themed romantic drama Holiday Harmony, directed by Shaun Paul Piccinino.

Annelise Cepero

Hailing from producers Ali Afshar, Lauren Swickard and Daniel Aspromonte, the film follows singer-songwriter Gail, who lands an opportunity to compete for a once-in-a-lifetime shot at the big time, and heads cross country—only getting as far as Harmony Springs, Oklahoma when her ride, her budget and all her hopes are stalled. With just two weeks to get to the iHeartRadio Christmas Eve performance of her dreams, she takes the advice of local Jack-of-all-trades, Jeremy, and takes on a group of misfit kids hoping to perform in a Christmas Eve gala of their own. Gail and Jeremy grow close, but if she’s going to fulfill her lifelong dream, she may have to leave him and the town she’s grown to love behind.

In addition to Cepero, the cast also features Jeremy Sumpter, Carla Jimenez, Sisanie, Amy Brown, Michael Wiseman, Seth Colton, Sophia Reid-Gantzert, Jordyn Curet, Richard Perrie, Kayden Franco, Ryder Franco and Brooke Shields.

HBO Max will release Holiday Harmony on November 24.

Cepero’s previous credits include West Side Story and appearances on Blue Bloods, Pose, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Chicago P.D.

Jaume Collet-Serra to Direct Taron Egerton in Netflix & Amblin’s Action Thriller “Carry On”

Jaume Collet-Serra is carrying on

The 48-year-old Spanish film director and producer will direct the Netflix and Amblin action thriller Carry On.

Jaume Collet-SerraStarring Taron Egerton, the thriller centers on Ethan Kopek, a young TSA agent who gets blackmailed by a mysterious traveler to let a dangerous package slip through security and onto a Christmas Day flight.

TJ Fixman penned the first draft of the screenplay, with Michael Green doing the most recent rewrite. Dylan Clark will produce.

The film marks the first production to come out of the overall deal Amblin signed with Netflix last June.

After doing big-budget tentpoles like Jungle Cruise and the upcoming Black Adam, Collet-Serra wanted to get back to his roots of straight-forward action thrillers like Non Stop and Unforgettable that put him on the map, and he saw Carry On as the perfect opportunity.

The director will be jumping back into developing his franchises next year but wanted to fit this project into his schedule and jumped at it while also having Green, who worked with him on several projects like Jungle Cruise, to give that final polish to script.

Howie Dorough & the Backstreet Boys to Release Boy Band’s First Christmas Album “A Very Backstreet Christmas”

Howie Dorough is embracing the holiday spirit…

The 48-year-old half-Puerto Rican singer and his fellow Backstreet Boys bandmates will be ringing in Christmas early with the release of A Very Backstreet Christmas, a collection of yuletide classics plus three freshly cut tracks, out October 14.

Howie Dorough, BSB, Backstreet Boys
For their first-ever Christmas album and first studio effort in three years, the boy band has recorded “White Christmas,” “Silent Night,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and other timeless numbers, along with new songs “Christmas in New York,” “Together,” and “Happy Days.”

 

In addition, the ‘90s pop superstars will release exclusive versions that include a 15-track CD through Target, which will feature bonus tracks “Feliz Navidad” and “It’s Christmas Time Again,” and a limited-edition red-vinyl on the act’s official store.

“We’ve been wanting to do a Christmas album for nearly 30 years now, and we’re beyond excited that it’s finally happening,” co-founder Dorough said in a statement. “We had such a fun experience putting our BSB twist on some of our favorite Christmas classics and can’t wait to be part of our fans’ holiday season.”

The Backstreet Boys are currently on the North American leg of their DNA World Tour, which kicked off in April with four shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

Those dates are in support of DNA, the band’s 2019 album which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, marking the act’s third No. 1, and first leader since Black & Blue spent two weeks at No. 1 in December of 2000.

DNA earned a Grammy nomination in the category for best pop duo/group performance (“Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”), and it marked BSB’s 10th top 10 album in the U.S.

Across their 29-year career, the quintet has shifted some 130 million records, according to BMG, which signed the BSB back in 2013.

Here’s the track list for A Very Backstreet Christmas:

“White Christmas”
“The Christmas Song”
“Winter Wonderland”
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
“Last Christmas”
“O Holy Night”
“This Christmas”
“Same Ole Lang Syne”
“Silent Night”
“I’ll Be Home for Christmas”
“Christmas in New York”
“Together”
“Happy Days”
“Feliz Navidad” *
“It’s Christmas Time Again” *

*Target version only

Pantaya to Release Season Two of Ana de la Reguera’s Comedy Series “Ana” in Late July

There’s more comedy in Ana de la Reguera’s future…

Season 2 of the 45-year-old Mexican actress’ comedy series Ana will premiere via Pantaya on July 22nd in the United States, including Puerto Rico.

Ana de la RegueraThe six-episode series, loosely based on the life of series creator and star de la Reguera, will also be available via Prime Video.

When audiences last saw Ana, she was reeling after realizing her dream gig portraying Morticia Adams wasn’t all she imagined.

When Season 2 picks up approximately a year later, Ana is working in Los Angeles on a television series reminiscent of a bad 90’s sitcom. Yes, she’s working steadily, but what does that matter when you’re unhappy?

“Ana is working on this new series in Season 2 and she is absolutely miserable,” de la Reguera says. “I really feel that the best comedy comes from people’s misery, so you can expect the second season to be hilarious. Ana is facing the reality that there’s nothing worse than when a wish comes true because often, that wish is not what you expected. All she wanted was to have steady work acting but everything goes completely wrong and now she’s miserable. And, the worst part of it all is that the show is a hit! Plus, Ana has a new nemesis this season, an 8-year-old named Miercoles who she taunts by calling her Martes. It’s hilarious.”

In the Season 1 finale, it was revealed that Ana’s mom Nena (Tina Romero) lost her house after she arrived at her daughter’s home for Christmas with multiple large suitcases. When the show returns, viewers will see Nena settled and happier than ever.

“Ana’s mom now lives with her in Los Angeles—unfortunately,” de la Reguera shares with a laugh. “She now goes back and forth between L.A. and Mexico but she’s the one living the dream and having fun. She’s enjoying Ana’s success while Ana is miserable.”

Season 2 will also count with a new Papasito played by David Palacio following the exit of Carlos Miranda. Papasito 2.0 will flex his musical talents by playing guitar and singing when he makes his debut.

de la Reguera says the character becomes more famous than Ana, which is part of the conflict of this season.

“We’re going to miss Carlos so much because we had such great chemistry and he’s such a great actor,” she says of Miranda has since nabbed a role in ABC’s Station 19. “David is bringing his own flavor to the character and he’s not trying to imitate what Carlos did last season. We actually make fun of the actor switch as an inside joke which is going to be a lot of fun.”

And for anyone hoping for a love connection between Ana and Papisto, de la Reguera teases the obstacles that lay ahead for them.

“For that, you’re going to have to see how the second and third season plays out. There are a lot of obstacles ahead, especially when it comes to her love life,” she shares. “There’s a new character being introduced in Season 2 played by Christian Meier, so her love life is a huge mess. Really everything is a mess for Ana and nothing goes right.”

Meier and de la Reguera previously starred in the 2003 Spanish-language telenovela Luciana y Nicolás, a situation that also played out in Season 1 via scenes from their recreated collaboration. In the new season, Christian and Ana reunite 20 years later at the request of the studio who is desperate to bring up ratings.

Season 3, set to be released at a future date, will find Ana more introspective with a new focus on finding herself. Her sister Chock (Paula Dávila) will become a more central character.

de la Reguera confirmed Season 3 will be the final season as it was always planned. She is heavily involved in every aspect of the series as creator, star, producer and writer, which can be taxing when a lot of what plays out is inspired by her real life. But it’s thanks to her vulnerability that makes this series a standout, as well as the confidence that emanates when she’s being self-deprecating, honest and raw.

“I pitched the show from day one as three seasons. I imagined the whole story and that’s how we shot it. I didn’t want to keep talking beyond that. It’s draining to be talking about my life and putting it all out there. I think there’s a limit,” she revealed.

She concluded with a laugh, “Unless someone wants to pay me a lot of money then we can revisit with Ana again someday for sure.”

Broken English Options “A Christmas to Remember” Screenplay from Erick Galindo & Patty Rodriguez

It’ll be a Christmas to remember for Erick Galindo and Patty Rodriguez.

Broken English has optioned an original screenplay by the award-winning Latino writer, producer and journalist and the best-selling Latina author for the holiday ensemble film A Christmas to Remember.

Erick Galindo & Patty Rodriguez

The film tells the story of Rose Klug, who has turned White Elephant into a war of attrition, one where bringing the best or most creative gift is more important than Christmas itself. The battles have become legendary among locals on the powdery slopes of Big Bear where the former hedge fund manager has called home for decades (she called it quits to manage a growing ulcer problem).

Rose feels like she’s from a different era: she drinks whiskey straight, she doesn’t say much yet commands attention, and she never takes two steps when one will do. Her family gift exchange is the one time of year she allows herself to go wild. But this Christmas, something threatens to upstage Rose’s epic game of White Elephant: her estranged and rebellious daughter Ana Klug is bringing home a rich and famous fiancé.

Broken English is currently in talks to attach a director to the project. Filming is expected to begin in Los Angeles in the fall.

Tamara Nagahiro of Grandave International will be introducing the title to buyers at next month’s Cannes Film Market.

“Erick and Patty have been on my radar for some time. I am excited to go on this journey with such visionaries,” said Jolene Rodriguez, president of Broken English Productions.

Galindo most recently announced the development of the family comedy series Mexican Beverly Hills for CBS in collaboration with Wilmer Valderrama’s WV Entertainment. He is also is a five-time Telly Awards winner known for the shorts The Bubble Machine and El De Buena Park.

Rodriguez is coming off a 15-year career at iHeartMedia’s 102.7 KIIS FM Los Angeles where she most recently served as senior producer and on-air talent of the internationally syndicated show On Air With Ryan Seacrest.

She is also created and co-founded Lil’ Libros, a bilingual children’s media publisher.

Under their banner Sin Miedo Productions, Galindo and Rodriguez created the podcast Out of the Shadows: Children of ‘86, which is currently in production with iHeartMedia.

A Christmas to Remember will be produced by Broken English’s Rodriguez with Stanley Preschutti of Grandave Capital as executive producer.

Veronica Rodriguez Signs with Verve

Veronica Rodriguez has new representation…

The Mexican American writer, director and producer has signed with Verve.

Veronica RodriguezRodriguez’s feature directorial debut, the television movie Let’s Get Merried for VH1 and MTV, followed a hard-partying, down-on-her-luck holiday-hater who decided to get married at a Christmas-themed adventure park to a man she hadn’t yet met, netting her an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Directing.

She’s currently a co-producer on Netflix’s comedy series Freeridge, and previously staffed on Disney’s Gabby Duran & The Unsittables, also directing an episode of that series before staffing on HBO’s Betty. She also directed the short film Shoot, which was produced by and starred Insecure’s Jay Ellis.

The Bay Area native is a graduate of USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program who got her start working at Funny or Die, producing and directing original content for the platform including the viral hit, How To Become Legally Recognized As A F*ckboi. During her time at that company in 2018, she participated in the Sundance New Voices Lab, then being recognized as a Sundance Institute Latinx Fellow for 2019.

Rodriguez was also a part of the 2019 Viacom ViewFinder Director Program, and Refinery 29’s Shatterbox initiative. She continues to be represented by Writ Large.

J Balvin Teams Up with Ed Sheeran on Bilingual Songs “Sigue” & “Forever My Love”

J Balvin is sheeran new music…

The 36-year-old Colombian singer and rapper has joined voices with Ed Sheeran on two brand-new bilingual songs: “Sigue” and “Forever My Love.”

J Balvin, Ed Sheeran

Marking their first collaborations together, the two-song EP is powered by an uptempo reggaeton dance song, and a stripped-down melancholic ballad with each artist playing their acoustic guitars.

Balvin and Sheeran teased their collaboration earlier in the week in a joint Instagram post where they shared the story of how they met: at a gym in New York.

“It was just me and him very early in the morning. I recognized his voice when he was on the phone so I just went up and said hi. We chatted so long we ended up having lunch and then afternoon tea. Then just went to being mates who chatted nonstop,” Sheeran wrote.

He continued, “I was in New York at Christmas for shows so we decided to have one day in the studio that led to so so much more, which you’ll find out about soon. But the first two songs we wrote are ‘Sigue’ and ‘Forever My Love,’ and I absolutely love them. He wanted to bring me into his world, and I wanted to bring him into mine. Was a proper challenge learning Spanish for this and I had so much fun doing it.”

Meanwhile, Balvin said, “Everything good takes time. We had a coffee and spoke about life and there was a dope vibe. We bonded over simple things creating a genuine friendship – we even spoke about what it’s like to be a dad hehe.”

The song was produced by longtime Balvin collaborator Michael Brun (Mr. Eazi, Masego), with whom he’s collaborated on such global hits as the 2018 World Cup anthem “Positivo.”

Sheeran first dabbled in Latin music with his 2017 “Shape of You” remix featuring Zion & Lennox.

Most recently, the British singer-songwriter practiced his Spanish in Camila Cabello’s “Bam Bam,” where he mainly sings in English but joins Cabello in the chorus singing “asi es la vida.”

This time around, Sheeran shows off his Spanish, singing full verses in Spanish.

Mario Lopez to Star Opposite Jana Kramer in Lifetime Holiday Movie

Mario Lopez is hoping to get you into the holiday spirit this Christmas…

The 48-year-old Mexican American actor/television personality will star in a Lifetime film as part of the network’s annual It’s a Wonderful Lifetime holiday slate.

Mario LopezLopez will star opposite Jana Kramer in the dance-centric TV movie, Untitled Mario Lopez/Jana Kramer Holiday Movie (wt), which also stars comedian Cheri Oteri and Lopez’s wife, Courtney Lopez.

Here’s the film: Former Broadway star, Billy Holiday (Lopez), returns to his hometown for Christmas after being abruptly fired as the host-producer-judge of the hit TV series “Celebrity Dance Off.” While there, he encounters Rae (Kramer), the charismatic owner of the local dance studio, where Billy’s 12-year-old nephew is her standout student. This Christmas, Rae is planning a dance recital fundraiser with the goal of taking her students to see a Broadway show in New York City. Billy volunteers to help Rae with the recital by reviving the town’s traditional Christmas Eve show, which was once a showcase for local talent. With Billy’s knack for producing and Rae’s knowledge of all things local, their collaboration clicks, and romantic sparks start flying!

Cheri Oteri stars as Dallas, Billy’s high-powered, fast talking Hollywood agent and Mario’s real-life wife, Courtney stars as Joanna, the charismatic host of “Celebrity Dance Off” who has just replaced Billy as executive producer and head judge.

Untitled Mario Lopez/Jana Kramer Holiday Movie (wt) is produced by Via Mar and Roberts Media, LLC. with Jeff Stearns, Mark Roberts, Lopez and Kramer serving as executive producers.

David Kendall directs from a script by Aliza Murrieta and Peter Murrieta.

Yalitza Aparicio to Star in the Horror-Suspense Film “Presencias”

Yalitza Aparicio embracing the suspense…

The 28-year-old Mexican actress, who earned an Academy Award nomination for her performance in Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma, will star in the horror-suspense film Presencias.

Yalitza AparicioThe Videocine project, also starring Alberto Ammann, will stream via TelevisaUnivsion’s Vix+ Streaming Service.

Aparicio described the project during the streamer’s launch announcement this week.

“This is a story about a man who, after his wife’s murder, launches his own investigation to find her killer,” she said. “His investigation takes place at the scene of the crime: a cabin in the woods where he spent a large part of his childhood. Before long, he notices many strange occurrences taking place and is forced with facing a terrifying reality.”

She continued, “Part of the film was shot in Tlalpujahua, known as the magical village where it’s always Christmas, located in Central Mexico in Michoacan. Where the architecture and the local traditions are a point of pride for my country.”

The Dream Assignment production is directed and produced by Luis Mandoki.

Mariah Carey Continues Reign Atop Billboard Hot 100 with “All I Want For Christmas Is You”

It’s still Christmas for Mariah Carey

The 52-year-old half-Venezuelan American Grammy-winning singer’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” holds at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, even with the latest data tracking week encompassing five days after Christmas (December 24-30).

Mariah CareyThe song, released in 1994, logs its eighth total week atop the Hot 100, after notching three weeks at No. 1 beginning in December 2019, two more starting in December 2020 and now three this holiday season, beginning two weeks ago.

Carey’s track drew 35.4 million U.S. streams (down 25%) and 16.5 million radio airplay audience impressions (down 49%) and sold 4,900 downloads (down 39%) in the December 24-30 tracking week, according to MRC Data.

The carol claims a 15th total week at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart (the third-best sum in the list’s history) and drops 6-11 on Digital Song Sales and 13-40 on Radio Songs.

“All I Want For Christmas Is You” was first released on Carey’s album Merry Christmas in 1994 and its success on the Hot 100 has snowballed in recent years as streaming has grown and holiday music has become more prominent on streaming services’ seasonal playlists.

Carey’s “Christmas” extends its mark for the longest span from a song’s first week at No. 1 on the Hot 100 to its latest: two years and 18 days (December 21, 2019-January 8, 2022).

Plus, the latest week atop the Hot 100 for “Christmas” extends Carey’s record for the longest span of an artist ranking at No. 1 on the chart: 31 years, five months and a week, dating to her first week at No. 1 on the chart dated Aug. 4, 1990, with her debut single “Vision of Love.”

With the track, Carey claims her record-extending 87th week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958, inception.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot 100
87, Mariah Carey
60, Rihanna
59, The Beatles
52, Drake
50, Boyz II Men

“Christmas” became Carey’s 19th Hot 100 No. 1, the most among soloists and one away from The Beatles’ overall record 20. It also made Carey the only artist that has ranked at No. 1 on the chart in four distinct decades.

The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data.