Rudy Valdez to Serve on Sundance Film Festival’s Competition Jury

Posted on January 4, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Rudy Valdez is headed to Sundance for an important role…

Sundance Film Festival organizers have set 16 alums from past editions to serve on its Competition Jury, with the Latino Emmy-winning filmmaker among those making the list.

Valdez is known for his commitment to telling powerful, diverse and dynamic stories through an unparalleled and self-taught cinematic lens.

From documenting the rise of one of the world’s best-known musicians to delving into the devastating impact mandatory minimum prison sentences can have on a family, Valdez’s commitment to uplifting unheard voices while shining a light on cultural, social, and political moments not only reveals suppressed stories but also sparks meaningful conversations.

His ability to capture the essence of human emotion and experience has earned him critical acclaim and has firmly established Valdez as a transformative and influential figure in the world of filmmaking.

His credits include The Sentence, Carlos, The Last Patrol and Prison Dogs.

In addition to Valdez, in the U.S. Documentary Competition, the list includes Debra Granik, Adrian Tomine and Lena Waithe in U.S. Dramatic Competition; Shane Boris and Nicole Newnham in U.S. Documentary Competition; Jennifer Kent, Mira Nair and Rui Poças in World Cinema Dramatic Competition; Mandy Chang, Monica Hellström and Shaunak Sen in World Cinema Documentary Competition; Christina Oh, Danny Pudi and Charlotte Regan in Short Film Program Competition; and Zal Batmanglij in the NEXT competition section

“The Sundance Film Festival is known for discovering and platforming visionary emerging artists. We cannot do this without our jury, who so thoughtfully help us recognize and amplify the next generation of independent storytellers,” said Festival Director Eugene Hernandez. “We are thrilled to announce the talented, accomplished artists who comprise this year’s jury.”

Commenting on the fact of jurors’ participation in past festivals, Director of Programming Kim Yutani said that “they know what it is to introduce new work to the Sundance community and we are so pleased to be able to welcome them back to Sundance to take in the films our programming team has curated. We can’t wait to see what resonates with them.”

Feature award winners at the 40th edition of the Utah festival will be announced at a ceremony at The Ray Theatre in Park City on Friday, January 26th, with short film jury winners to be announced at the Shorts Awards & Party on Tuesday, January 23rd. In addition to meting out prizes, members of the Competition Jury will participate in celebratory programming, ranging from talks and panels, to a special 40th edition trivia night, and a party for artist alumni.

The 2024 festival is taking place in person in both Park City and Salt Lake City from January 18-28, with a selection of films to be made available online across the country from the 25th to the 28th. Films in competition categories awarded by the jury will be screened in person and via the online festival platform from January 27-28.

Swizz Beatz to Produce Amazon Studios’ Verzuz-Inspired Documentary Film “Gifted & Black”

Posted on March 3, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Swizz Beatz is celebrating the gifted and talented…

The 43-year-old half-Puerto Rican recording artist, music producer and entrepreneur is set to produce Amazon Studios’ feature-length documentary Gifted & Black for Prime Video.

The project, which hails from Amazon Studios, Hillman Grad Productions and Good Trouble Studios, will be directed by James Adolphus.

Lena Waithe will produce under her Hillman Grad Productions alongside Swizz Beatz and Timbaland.

Inspired by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s music phenomenon Verzuz, Gifted & Black explores the traditions of Black music to connect, going from the plantation to the Pulitzer Prize. Set against the backdrop of the pandemic and the recent racial reckoning, Gifted & Black frames those traditions in the context of the collective resiliency fundamental to the Black experience.

While tracking the exponential growth of Swizz and Timabland’s Triller-owned Verzuz music enterprise from its onset, the documentary interweaves the roots of Black music, embedding in Black communities and with Black musical artists, through poignant interviews, gripping vérité and magnetic archival footage, offering insights into how Black music continues to be an uplifting and uniting salvation that endures through uncertain times.

“I’m grateful to Swizz and Tim for trusting us with something so historic,” said Waithe on behalf of Hillman Grad Productions. “Verzuz is more than just two artists going song-for-song. It’s a testament to the power of Black people. It’s the joyful celebration of legacy that we all needed. With this documentary, we’re excited to take audiences behind the scenes of this global phenomenon, while also paying tribute to the artists that shaped us. We could not be more grateful to Amazon for seeing the vision, and this film wouldn’t be possible without our amazing filmmakers, James Adolphus and Ben Selkow. They have flown to every city, interviewed every artist, and continue to capture history as it happens. We can’t wait for the world to see how this whole thing comes together.”

“When we first started this mission the entire world had hit rock bottom. People were going through so much and Tim and I felt we should do something to help folks escape,” Swizz Beatz added, “The rest is history, we made the magical call to Hillman Grad because we only wanted people to see the best of the best.”

“Swizz and I are excited to show the world everything that took place behind scenes during the process, while celebrating the artists that helped us build Verzuz,” said Timbaland. “Thank you to our entire team, Hillman Grad, James Adolphus, Ben Selkow, Amazon, Triller, and everyone involved. Verzuz came from our love of culture and our love of music and the fact that it has become the force it is today is way beyond anything Swizz or I could’ve imagined.”

“The launch of Verzuz reminded us of the multigenerational excitement for music ‘battles,’ which gave us the escape we all craved in 2020,” said Matt Newman, co-head of movies at Amazon Studios. “We are thrilled to work with Hillman Grad, Good Trouble, Swizz Beatz, and Timbaland to give audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the building of the Verzuz franchise.”

Jalmer Caceres Among 10 Filmmakers Selected for Indeed & Lena Waithe’s ‘Rising Voices’ Program

Posted on February 26, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Jalmer Caceres is a rising voice, indeed…

Indeed, Lena Waithe and her company Hillman Grad Productions have named the Salvadoran filmmaker/writer as one of its 10 filmmakers for the second edition of their Rising Voices program.

Caceres is among a roster of filmmakers that includes Cara Lawson, Gbenga Komolafe, Georgia Fu, Justin Floyd, Leon Cheo, Shanrica Evans, Tara Motamedi, Travis Wood and Urvashi Pathania.

Indeed: Rising Voices was created to uncover, invest in and share stories created by BIPOC filmmakers across the U.S.

Executives from Hillman Grad Productions, Indeed and Ventureland selected participants’ screenplays from a pool of 900 submissions.

Each will be given a production budget of $100,000 to create a short film of less than 15 minutes in length, which will debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in June.

Their journey with Rising Voices will see them receive access to a crew through Hillman Grad and 271 Films, and a $10,000 writing and directing fee, as well as mentorship from Waithe and other filmmakers including Calmatic, Destin Daniel Cretton, Justin Chon, Melina Matsoukas and Rayka Zehtabchi.

Indeed has tripled the investment put into the first cycle of Rising Voices for the latest edition, bringing $3M to that program, as well as a new Production and Development Lab for filmmakers from Rising Voices 1 including Johnson Cheng, Stacy Pascal Gaspard and Gabriela Ortega.

“Indeed’s Rising Voices not only levels the playing field for BIPOC creators in Hollywood by creating opportunities for individuals to be seen, heard and represented, but also empowers the next generation of storytellers, providing access to funding, on-site skill, career development and mentorship,” said Waithe. “Our continued mission at Hillman Grad Productions is to ensure that program mentees are truly set up for success as they continue to grow within their individual careers.”

“Indeed’s mission is to help people get jobs. Season One of Rising Voices proved our belief that talent is universal but opportunity is not,” added Indeed CEO Chris Hyams. “With Season Two, we are thrilled to bring 10 brilliant new voices to the story of the power of jobs to change lives.”

The first season of Rising Voices resulted in the creation of more than 650 jobs, with finalists’ films debuting in June of last year.

Learn more about the program here.

Eva Longoria to Guest Star on Disney+’s “The Proud Family” Revival “Louder and Prouder”

Posted on September 15, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is preparing for a moment of Proud…

Disney+ has locked in a stacked cast of guest stars and new recurring talent for The Proud Family revival Louder and Prouder, including the 46-year-old Mexican American actress/producer, in commemoration of the original animated series’ 20th anniversary.

In addition to Longoria, best known for her starring role on Desperate Housewives, the guest-starring voice cast will feature A-listers from the worlds of music, film, TV and sports including Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Chance the Rapper, Normani, Leslie Odom Jr., Tiffany Haddish, Lena Waithe, Anthony Anderson, Gabrielle Union, Debbie Allen, James Pickens Jr., Courtney B. Vance, Jane Lynch, Marsai Martin, Jaden Smith, Glynn Turman, Lamorne Morris, Brenda Song, Tina Knowles, Holly Robinson Peete, Al Roker, Bretman Rock, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez and Dominique Dawes, among others.

The series is set to launch on Disney+ in 2022

New recurring stars announced include Asante Blackk as Penny’s boyfriend, Kareem; rapper Artist “A Boogie” Dubose as Maya’s gamer brother, Francis “KG” Leibowitz-Jenkins; Raquel Lee Bolleau, who will reprise her role as Nubia Gross; and Marcus T. Paulk, who reprises his role as Penny’s classmate, Myron.

Airing on Disney Channel between 2001 and 2005, The Proud Family followed the misadventures of teenager Penny Proud (Kyla Pratt) and her numerous eccentric family members.

Louder and Prouder is currently in production at Disney Television Animation and will pick up the story of its central character, as it catches up with her parents Oscar (Tommy Davidson) and Trudy (Paula Jai Parker), her twin siblings BeBe and CeCe, her grandmother Suga Mama (JoMarie Payton) and dog Puff, and members of her loyal crew including Dijonay Jones (Karen Malina White), LaCienega Boulevardez (Alisa Reyes) and Zoey Howzer (Soleil Moon Frye), among others.

Other original cast members reprising their roles, as previously announced, are Cedric the Entertainer, Carlos Mencia, Maria Canals-Barrera and Alvaro Gutierrez. Additional recurring cast members new to the world of The Proud Family include Keke Palmer, Billy Porter, Zachary Quinto, and EJ Johnson.

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder is executive produced by Bruce W. Smith and Ralph Farquhar, who served in the same capacity on the original series.

All seasons of The Proud Family are currently available for streaming on Disney+. Disney+ has release a 20th anniversary featurette, in which Louder and Prouder stars reflect on their draw to the original series.

Bad Bunny: The Top Latinx Winner at the Billboard Music Awards

Posted on May 24, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Bad Bunny is celebrating a memorable night…

The 27-year-old Puerto Rican superstar took home four awards at Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards, the most of any Latinx artist.

Bad Bunny collected the awards Top Latin Artist, Top Latin Male Artist, Top Latin Song (“Dákiti“) and Top Latin Album (YHLQMDLG).

Bad Bunny, who performed “Te Deseo Lo Mejor” after accepting his Top Latin Artist award, presented by Lena Waithe, holds the record for the most top 40 hits on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart with 104. He also holds the record for the most hits in total on that chart: 111. His chart-topping YHLQMDLG won him his first Grammy on March 14, when it was named Best Latin Pop or Urban Album.

In the Top Latin Artist category at the BBMAs, Bad Bunny was up against Anuel AA, J Balvin, Maluma and Ozuna.

“I share this [award] with all of my colleagues nominated who are doing big things for the genre,” he said in Spanish during his speech.

El Conejo Malo wasn’t the only one representing Latin music at the BBMAs. Colombian hitmaker Karol G also took center stage performing “Bichota” and “El Makinon” after being announced winner of the Top Latin Female Artist award, beating out Becky G and Rosalía.

Karol G, whose most recent album KG0516 debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart, becoming her first No. 1 on that list, has amassed 25 hits on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, including three No. 1s. She has had 10 No. 1s on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart.

She performed a medley of her hits “Bichota” and “El Makinon,” both from her latest album KG0516. She also flaunted her “next level” dance moves that she rehearsed “very hard” for, as she told Billboard’s Leila Cobo.

“I’m happy and I’m nervous,” she said ahead of her big night. “A lot of power…with this performance, I want to express that I feel like a woman and a business girl. I feel so happy and grateful for everything that’s happening in my career and my life, and to have the opportunity to inspire girls all over the world.”

Finally, representing the Regional Mexican realm, Eslabon Armado took home the Top Latin Duo/Group award. The teenage trio was up against Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga and Los Dos Carnales in that category.

Known for their sierreño ballads, Eslabon Armado – comprised of brothers Pedro (lead vocalist) and Brian Tovar (bass and bajoloche), along with friend Gabriel Hidalgo (harmony and background vocals) – scored three consecutive chart-topping albums in 2020: Tu Veneno Mortal, Vibras de Noche and Corta Venas.

“Always grateful to God, our parents, our label and our fans,” Eslabon Armado posted on their social media after they won the award. “This award is for all of you.”

Hosted by Nick Jonas, the ceremony also honored P!nk as the Icon, Drake as the artist of the decade and Trae Tha Truth as the Change Maker.

Here’s the full list of winners:

Top Artist: The Weeknd
Top New Artist: Pop Smoke
Top Male Artist: The Weeknd
Top Female Artist: Taylor Swift
Top Duo/Group: BTS
Top Billboard 200 Artist: Taylor Swift
Top Hot 100 Artist: The Weeknd
Top Streaming Songs Artist: Drake
Top Song Sales Artist: BTS
Top Radio Songs Artist: The Weeknd
Top Social Artist (Fan Voted): BTS
Top R&B Artist: The Weeknd
Top R&B Male Artist: The Weeknd
Top R&B Female Artist: Doja Cat
Top Rap Artist: Pop Smoke
Top Rap Male Artist: Pop Smoke
Top Rap Female Artist: Megan Thee Stallion
Top Country Artist: Morgan Wallen
Top Country Male Artist: Morgan Wallen
Top Country Female Artist: Gabby Barrett
Top Country Duo/Group: Florida Georgia Line
Top Rock Artist: Machine Gun Kelly
Top Latin Artist: Bad Bunny
Top Latin Male Artist: Bad Bunny
Top Latin Female Artist: Karol G
Top Latin Duo/Group: Eslabón Armado
Top Dance/Electronic Artist: Lady Gaga
Top Christian Artist: Elevation Worship
Top Gospel Artist: Kanye West
Top Billboard 200 Album: Pop Smoke, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon
Top R&B Album: The Weeknd, After Hours
Top Rap Album: Pop Smoke, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon
Top Country Album: Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album
Top Rock Album: Machine Gun Kelly, Tickets to My Downfall
Top Latin Album: Bad Bunny, YHLQMDLG
Top Dance/Electronic Album: Lady Gaga, Chromatica
Top Christian Album: Carrie Underwood, My Gift
Top Gospel Album: Maverick City Music, Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1
Top Hot 100 Song: The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights”
Top Streaming Song: DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch, “ROCKSTAR”
Top Selling Song: BTS, “Dynamite”
Top Radio Song: The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights”
Top Collaboration (Fan Voted): Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth, “I Hope”
Top R&B Song: The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights”
Top Rap Song: DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch, “ROCKSTAR”
Top Country Song: Gabby Barrett, “I Hope”
Top Rock Song: AJR, “Bang!”
Top Latin Song: Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez, “Dákiti”
Top Dance/Electronic Song: SAINt JHN, “Roses (Imanbek Remix)”
Top Christian Song: Elevation Worship ft. Brandon Lake, “Graves Into Gardens”
Top Gospel Song: Kanye West ft. Travis Scott, “Wash Us In The Blood”

Roku Acquires Quibi’s Programming, Including Nicole Richie’s “Nikki Fre$h” Series

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Nicole Richie is freshening up Roku…

Roku has acquired the exclusive global distribution rights to the portfolio of Quibi’s programs, including the 39-year-old part-Mexican American actress & television personality’s series Nikki Fre$h.

In its biggest original programming foray to date, Roku’s acquisition covers most of the recently shuttered mobile-only streaming venture’s library, while some daily news shows aren’t part of the package.

A key draw for Roku is the talent, a roster including Richie, Idris Elba, Kevin Hart, Liam Hemsworth, Anna Kendrick, Chrissy Teigen and Lena Waithe.

The lineup includes titles like Most Dangerous Game, Dummy, Murder House Flip and the Reno 911 reboot, starring Carlos Alazraqui.

Financial terms weren’t disclosed, though the valuation is said to be less than $100 million, according to insiders. Roku shares rose 5% to $398.60 on the news. At one point early in the trading day, they reached $402.81, an all-time high.

The programming will be available for free starting later this year. Shows will have advertising, as they did on the $5-a-month Quibi service, and they’ll be housed on the Roku Channel. The hub for free and premium streaming channels, including 150-plus free live, linear offerings, has become a mainstay of the company’s strategy since Roku launched it in 2017. By the fourth quarter of 2020, it was being viewed by households representing an estimated 61.8 million people, the company said, double its reach at the end of 2019.

“The most creative and imaginative minds in Hollywood created groundbreaking content for Quibi that exceeded our expectations,” said Quibi Founder Jeffrey Katzenberg. “We are thrilled that these stories, from the surreal to the sublime, have found a new home on The Roku Channel.”

MJ Rodriguez to Take Part in This Year’s Virtual GLAAD Media Awards Ceremony

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

MJ Rodriguez is GLAAD…

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican actress/singer and her fellow Pose castmates and producers will take part in this year’s virtual GLAAD Media Awards ceremony.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the awards show will stream on GLAAD’s Facebook and YouTube accounts on Thursday, July 30 at 8:00 pm ET and will air on Logo on Monday, August 3 at 8:00 pm ET.

In addition to Rodriguez and her Pose castmates and producers, the awards show will include appearances by Dolly Parton, Dwayne Wade & Gabrielle Union, Lil Nas X, Cara Delevingne, Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Lena Waithe, Jonica T. Gibbs, Dan Levy, Rachel Maddow, Ryan O’Connell, trans model and advocate Geena Rocero, Angelica Ross, Brain Michael Smith, Peppermint, Olivia Wilde, Raquel Willis,WWE superstar Sonya Deville and comedian Benito Skinner.

The ceremony will feature a special performance from the Grammy-nominated duo Chloe x Halle.

Comedians Fortune Feimster and Gina Yashere will serve as co-hosts of the show.

Honoring film, TV and media for its fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues, the GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies were originally supposed to take place in New York on March 19 and in Los Angeles on April 16.

The ceremonies were cancelled due to the pandemic, but GLAAD shifted plans and strived ahead in order to give shine to the LGBTQ-centric film, TV and media.

Earlier this year, GLAAD announced over 175 nominees in 30 categories who are being recognized for their work in queer media.

“Among this year’s nominees are a wide range of stories and narratives about LGBTQ people of different races, ethnicities, genders, religions, and other identities that demonstrate the power of inclusion and diversity in fostering positive cultural change,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “As this year’s Media Awards go virtual, we hope to send a powerful message to LGBTQ people that in the midst of this culturally and politically divisive time, our visibility and voices have never been more important.”

Bad Bunny to Take Part in LeBron James’ “Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020” Special

Posted on May 8, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Bad Bunnyis celebrating the Class of 2020…

The LeBron James Family Foundation announced that it’s paying tribute to the class of 2020 with a one-hour multimedia event called Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020, with the 26-year-old Puerto Rican reggaeton and Latin trap singer joining the roster of participating artists.

James’ virtual graduation party for this year’s graduation class, who’s seen their school year cancelled because of the coronavirus, will take place on Saturday, May 16 at 8:00 pm ET simultaneously on NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox— as well as on the streaming platforms Complex Networks, Facebook app, Instagram, People TV, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.

In addition to Bad Bunny, the lineup includes Kane Brown, Lana Condor, David Dobrik, Dolan Twins, Karol G, Liza Koshy, Maren Morris, National Teacher of the Year Rodney Robinson, Olivia Wilde, Zendaya, Charli D’Amelio, Dixie D’Amelio, Chika, YBN Cordae, Loren Gray, H.E.R., the Jonas Brothers, Brandan Bmike Odums, Ben Platt, Henry Platt, Jonah Platt, Megan Rapinoe, Yara Shahidi, Lena Waithe, Pharrell Williams, Malala Yousafzaiand many more.

Working with the XQ Instituteand The Entertainment Industry Foundation, the show will allow the companies to honor the more than three million high school seniors who’ll miss out on the annual rite of passage due to the national shutdown caused by the COVID-19pandemic.

“We learned early on in our work with students and families in Akron that education is so much more than academics,” said James in a statement.

“It’s about a shared experience, a journey we’re all on together—students, parents, educators, community members, and everyone around them. With that not being possible right now, we’ve been working to find ways to help families get through this really difficult time. These students have worked incredibly hard for this and there’s no way we can let that go unrecognized. While this won’t be the graduation experience they were supposed to get, we hope we can still give them something special because they deserve it.”

The commercial-free show will be curated by high school students and educators from across the country, with support from the American Federation of Teachers, highlighted by a collection of commencement addresses, celebrity performances and inspirational vignettes.

Students, educators, and families are encouraged to submit their videos and photos online for consideration to be included in the telecast using #GraduateTogether. Artist JR is also inviting seniors to share their portraits for a national virtual yearbook celebrating the entire Class of 2020.

Local TV stations will feature custom breakaways to celebrate the achievements of high school students in their communities.

Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020will be broadcast commercial-free on May 16 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC.

HBO to Premiere Season 3 of Rodrigo Santoro’s “Westworld” in March

Posted on January 12, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Rodrigo Santorois heading West(world) this March…

HBO has set Sunday, March 15 at 9:00 pm for the release of the eight-episode third season of its Emmy-winning drama series Westworld, starring the 44-year-old Brazilian actor.

In addition to Santoro, who portrays Hector Escaton, the returning cast includes

Evan Rachel Woodas Dolores, Thandie Newtonas Maeve, Ed Harris as the Man in Black, Jeffrey Wrightas Bernard, Tessa Thompsonas Charlotte, Luke Hemsworthas Stubbs and Simon Quartermanas Lee Sizemore.

New cast members this season include Aaron Paul, Vincent Cassel,Lena Waithe, Scott Mescudi, Marshawn Lynch, John Gallagher Jr., and Michael and Tommy Flanagan.

Created for television by Jonathan Nolanand Lisa Joy, and based on the film written by Michael Crichton, Westworld is a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the birth of a new form of life on Earth.

The theme for the new season is “New World” and at Comic-Con in July, Nolan said one of the inspirations for the new season was Blade Runner, though he noted he wanted to do it differently.

Nolan said they went out in the world to find some beautiful places to shoot to capture the show’s future. “Dystopia can look pretty beautiful in the world. Just because the world is corrupt inside, doesn’t mean it can’t be smothered over and pretty. We wanted to find a version of dystopia that we hadn’t seen before,” Nolan said at Comic-Con.

The first two seasons of Westworld received a combined 42 Emmy nominations. The second season’s 20 noms resulted in three wins, including: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Newton, Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic) and Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series.

Wilson Cruz to Executive Produce Apple’s New LGBTQ-Themed Docuseries “Visible: Out On Television”

Posted on December 18, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Wilson Cruzis bringing out the visible…

The 45-year-old Puerto Rican actor and gay rights activist will executive produce Apple’s new docuseries Visible: Out On Television to its growing slate of original series on Apple TV+.

The five-part television event shines a spotlight on how the LGBTQ movement shaped television and comes from Emmy-nominated filmmakers Ryan White and Jessica Hargrave.

Visible: Out on Televisioninvestigates the importance of television as a medium that has shaped the American conscience, and how the LGBTQ movement influenced what we watch on TV.

Each hour-long episode will explore themes like invisibility, homophobia, the evolution of the LGBTQ character, and coming out in the television industry.

The docuseries includes archival footage as well as interviews with key players from the movement and the screen.

Visible will feature Janet Mock, Margaret Cho, Asia Kate Dillon, Neil Patrick Harris and Lena Waithe as narrators. It will also include never-before-seen interviews with Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah Winfrey, Anderson Cooper, Billy Porter, Rachel Maddow, Don Lemon, Sara Ramirez, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, among others in the community.

In addition to Cruz, the docuseries will be executive produced by Wanda Sykes.

Visible: Out On Television willdebut on February 14, 2020, exclusively on Apple TV+.

Cruz is known for playing Rickie Vasquez on My So-Called Life, and Angel in the Broadway tour production of Rent. His other credits include Star Trek: Discovery, Noah’s Arc, and Party of Five.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: Lena Waithe