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.”

Gloria Calderón Kellett Teams Up with Natasha Rothwell for the HBO Max Film “We Were There, Too”

Posted on June 22, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Gloria Calderón Kellett is There…

The 45-year-old Latina television writer/producer, the co-creator and showrunner of Pop TV’s One Day at a Time has joined forces with Natasha Rothwell for We Were There, Too, a coming of age feature for HBO Max.

Rothwell, a writer and star on HBO’s Insecure, co-wrote the screenplay with Calderón Kellett.

They’ll produce the project with Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter.

The film is a classic 80’s coming of age story set in John Hughes’ Chicago, but in this story the Brat Pack is in the background, and for the first time the focus is on the Brown kids, the LGBTQ kids, the Black kids, the real outsiders, because they were there, too.

Calderón Kellett currently serves as co-creator, co-showrunner, executive producer, director and actress on the critically acclaimed One Day At A Time, the reimagining of the classic 1970s sitcom from Norman Lear that moved from Netflix to Pop TV this season. She recently began a major overall deal with Amazon Studios.

Jesse & Joy Release Star-Studded “Love (Es Nuestro Idioma)” Music Video in Support of LGBTI+ Community

Posted on June 15, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Jesse & Joy are spreading the love with some all-star assistance…

The Mexican Latin Grammy-winning brother and sister duo has released the official music video for “Love (Es Nuestro Idioma)” and it features appearances by nearly 200 people from around the world, including artists like Thalía, Juanes and more.

The music video speaks out against violence toward the LGBTI+ community and raises awareness about conversion therapies that to this day take place in Mexico and other parts of the world.

“Our music will always be there to remind you that you are beautiful just as you are,” the Mexican previously said about the song, included in their recently-released album Aire. “It’s called ‘Love’ and talks about love being the universal language, the language that all of us should speak.”

Toward the end of the video, the message is loud and clear: “A sexual orientation is nothing something that should be cured. Conversion therapies are acts of torture and violation of privacy.”

Featuring cameos by Latin artists like Mon Laferte, Natalia Jiménez, Ángela Aguilar, Alejandro Sanz, Laura Pausini, Kany García, Ana Bárbara, Tommy Torres, Sofía Reyes, Luis Fonsi, among others, the video was directed by Kacho López and Joy.

The release coincides with the landmark ruling officially protecting LGBTQ people from workplace discrimination issued by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Profits from the video will be donated to the YAAJ MEXICO Foundation to help the organization continue their social work in Mexico and for their work supporting sexual violence young victims.

Mj Rodriguez to Take Part in GLAAD’s “Together in Pride: You are Not Alone” Live Stream Event

Posted on April 26, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Mj Rodriguezis bringing the pride to sheltering in place…

GLAAD will host the live stream event “Together in Pride: You are Not Alone” in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the 29-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress and Pose star among the celebrities taking part.

The event will be available on GLAAD’s YouTube channel and Facebook Liveon April 26 at 8:00 pm ET.

“Together In Pride” will raise funds for LGBTQ community centers impacted by the coronavirus.

In addition to Rodriguez, the event will include appearances by Billy Eichner, Matt Bomer, Adam Lambert, Lilly Singh, Bebe Rexha, Dan Levy, Wilson Cruz, Gigi Gorgeous, Nats Getty, Michelle Visage, Javier Muñoz, Sean Hayes, Sharon Stone,Tatiana Maslany, with more guests being announced soon.

The event will include performances by Kesha and Melissa Etheridge.

Actor and producer Erich Bergen is working alongside GLAAD to bring the event to the masses.See More

“At a time when some LGBTQ people could be isolating in homes that are not affirming, GLAAD is bringing together the biggest LGBTQ stars and allies to send messages of love, support and acceptance,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “So many LGBTQ people, especially our youth, depend on support from local community centers around the country, and during this time of financial distress, we must come together as a community to ensure that all LGBTQ organizations can continue their life-saving work.”

“Together in Pride: You are Not Alone” will also raise critical funds for CenterLink, a coalition of more than 250 LGBTQ community centers from 45 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, as well as Canada, China, Mexico, and Australia.

CenterLink strengthens, supports, and connects LGBTQ community centers, which serve over 2 million people each year. Participating community centers will also share the livestream on their social platforms.

“LGBTQ centers are the heart of the community, and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic these centers have continued to provide vital connectivity and services, pivoting to virtual programming, modifying in-person services when possible, and ensuring that their communities have resources and support when they need it the most,” said Denise Spivak, Interim CEO of CenterLink.

In March, GLAAD joined over 100 LGBTQ organizations in an open letter calling on U.S. public health officials and media to address the heightened vulnerability of LGBTQ people to COVID-19. Amongst other factors, the LGBTQ community experiences higher rates of cancer, HIV, and tobacco use — all which factor into higher susceptibility to negative outcomes from COVID-19. Additionally, LGBTQ people continue to experience discrimination and unwelcoming attitudes in medical settings, and as a result, many are reluctant to seek medical care. On Wednesday, Centerlink released a letter signed by over 160 LGBTQ community centers to House and Senate leaders, urging them to include nonprofits who serve the LGBTQ population in future relief packages.

Hulu to Stream Michael Cimino’s LGBTQ-Themed Series “Love, Victor”

Posted on February 26, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cimino’s Love is headed to Hulu…

Love, Victor, starring the half-Puerto Rican actor, is moving from Disney+ to the Disney-controlled Hulu streaming service. It will debut in June, during LGBTQ Pride month.

The half-hour comedy, inspired by the acclaimed film Love, Simon, has been re-titled Love, Victor after its protagonist.

The series, from This Is Us executive producers/co-showrunners Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, who wrote the film, and 20th Century Fox Television, just wrapped production on its 10-episode first season.

Hulu appears bullish on the show and has already commissioned a writers’ room to start exploring stories for a possible second season.

Hailed for its LGBTQ inclusivity, the 2018 Love, Simon,based on Becky Albertalli’s young adult novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, is a coming-of-age film about Simon, a closeted gay teen growing up in the suburbs of Atlanta.

The series centers on Victor (Cimino), a new student at Creekwood High School, the high school featured in the movie, on his own journey of self-discovery, facing challenges at home, adjusting to a new city, and struggling with his sexual orientation.

Love, Victor’s move from Disney+ to Hulu mirrors a similar relocation from Disney+ to Hulu of another series based on a movie, High Fidelity, headlined by Zoë Kravitz.

Both involve realistic portrayal of issues faced by young adults that may not be appropriate for families to watch with their young kids, something that has become imperative for a Disney+ program.

Love, Victordepicts alcohol use, parents’ marital issues and sexual exploration. At Hulu, it will join several other comedic series with drama elements about teens in high school, including fellow Hulu originals PEN15 and Looking For Alaskaand Freeform’s Grown-ish,which streams on Hulu.

Matthew Lopez to Receive the Human Rights Campaign’s HRC Equality Award

Posted on January 28, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Matthew Lopez is being honored for his inspiring work…

The Puerto Rican Broadway playwright and screenwriter will be feted by the Human Rights Campaign, receiving this year’s HRC Equality Award.

HRC, the nation’s largest LGBTQcivil rights organization, will present Lopez with his award at the 19th Annual HRC Greater New York Gala on Saturday, February 1.

“Matthew Lopez’s sweeping, groundbreaking play The Inheritance tells the important story of LGBTQ life in the 21st century, while paying homage to our rich, diverse history,” said HRC president Alphonso David. “For telling this story so powerfully, and for his contributions to the LGBTQ community, it is a true honor for HRC to present Matthew Lopez with the Equality Award.”

The Inheritance, currently playing at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, reimagines E.M. Forster’s Howards Endas the story of a group of gay men in 21st Century Manhattan.

The 2020 HRC Greater New York Gala is set for Saturday, February 1, at the Marriott Marquisin Manhattan.

Freeform to Premiere Karamo Brown’s TV Movie “The Thing About Harry” in February

Posted on January 6, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Karamo Brown is hittin’ the road this Valentine’s Day…

Freeform will premiere its road-trip rom-com The Thing About Harry, starring the 39-year-old part-Cuban American Queer Eye host and actor,will be a post-Valentine’s Day offering.

The television movie starring Brown, Jake Borelli, Niko Terho, Britt Baronand Peter Paigeis set to premiere at 8:00 pm on Saturday, February 15, on the Disney-owned cable outlet.

Borelli portrays Sam, a handsome, funny, neurotic, intelligent young gay man who combines a scathing wit with an overly idealistic worldview. Sam came out when he was still in high school, something that took a lot of courage in his small Missouri town, but was bullied constantly. Terho plays Harry, an emotionally uncomplicated, promiscuous player who has always left a string of broken hearts in his wake. Under the surface, Harry actually yearns for love, family and stability, but the thought of commitment still terrifies him.

Brown plays Paul, an exceedingly well put-together yet overbearing and pretentious gay man.

“As young gay men in the ’90s, whenever a rom-com opened, we would watch the leading lady fall in love and imagine what it would be like if the boy was saying all those things to another boy. We’ve always wanted to make a movie — an unabashedly romantic comedy — that queer boys wouldn’t have to translate. It’s rewarding to take the genre to a new, all-inclusive level.”

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.

Karamo Brown to Star in Freeform’s Valentine’s Day Road Trip Movie “The Thing About Harry”

Posted on November 12, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

There’s a new Thing in Karamo Brown’s future…

The 39-year-old part-Cuban American reality television personality, actor and activist is set to appear in the Freeform’s Valentine’s Day-themed road-trip movie The Thing About Harry.

Jake Borelli and newcomer Niko Terho lead the cast, with Brown, Britt Baron and the film’s director Peter Paige also starring in the romantic comedy.

Production on the movie underway in Chicago for a February premiere.

Borelli will play Sam, a handsome, funny, neurotic, intelligent young gay man who combines a scathing wit with an overly idealistic worldview. Sam came out when he was still in high school, something that took a lot of courage in his small Missouri town, but was bullied constantly. Terho will portray Harry, an emotionally uncomplicated, promiscuous player who has always left a string of broken hearts in his wake. Under the surface, Harry actually yearns for love, family and stability, but the thought of commitment still terrifies him.

Karamo will play Paul, an exceedingly well put-together yet overbearing and pretentious gay man.

“It’s been an honor to partner with Freeform in making great television with LGBTQ+characters as leads,” The Thing About Harry executive producers Paige, Greg Gugliottaand F.J. Dennyin a statement. “True equality can only be achieved when you see yourself reflected in the movies, music and stories that paint our culture. “As young gay men in the ’90s, whenever a rom-com opened, we would watch the leading lady fall in love and imagine what it would be like if the boy was saying all those things to another boy. We’ve always wanted to make a movie — an unabashedly romantic comedy — that queer boys wouldn’t have to translate. It’s rewarding to take the genre to a new, all-inclusive level.”

Brown, who appeared in 2004’s MTV reality show The Real World: Philadelphia, currently appears as the culture expert on the Emmy-winning Netflix series Queer Eye.

Rodrigo Bellott’s “Tu Me Manques” to Close This Year’s NewFest

Posted on September 18, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Rodrigo Bellott is closing the show…

The 41-year-old Bolivian filmmaker’s award-winning Tu Me Manques will close this year’s NewFest, the New York LGBTQ film festival.

This year’s festival runs October 23-29 at SVA Theatre, Cinépolis Chelsea, and The LGBT Community Center in New York.

Tu Me Manques is an adaptation of Bellott’s own 2015 play which explores a trio of men and their struggle to reconcile their identity and heritage. Following his son Gabriel’s death, Jorge travels from conservative Bolivia to New York City to confront Gabriel’s boyfriend Sebastian. While the two battle over Jorge’s inability to accept his son, Sebastian channels his grief into a bold new play in honor of his lost love, in which Gabriel’s inner turmoil is transformed into an eye-popping gay fantasia. The film won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Screenplay at Outfest this year and is Bolivia’s selection for Best International Feature Filmat the 2019 Academy Awards.

Mike Doyle’s rom-com Sell By will be the opening-night film for the 31st edition of the festival. In addition, Martha Stephens’ To the Stars will serve as the centerpiece.

“As we were reminded during this year’s World Pride and 50th anniversary of Stonewall, New York City is and always has been the epicenter of queer life and queer liberation,” said NewFest executive director David Hatkoff. “We are thrilled to bookend New York’s 31st annual LGBTQ Film Festival, our biggest and boldest yet, with two magnificent films set in our vibrant, diverse, international city.”

The complete festival lineup will be announced on September 19.

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