Jenna Ortega’s “Wednesday” Notches 5.9 Billion Minutes Viewed in Debut Week

Jenna Ortega’s latest project is drawing heavy traffic…

The 20-year-old Mexican and Puerto Rican actress’ series Wednesday landed at the top of Nielsen’s U.S. streaming charts in its first week on Netflix with a massive 5.9B minutes viewed.

Jenna Ortega, WednesdayThat’s the second highest weekly viewing total for a streaming title since the beginning of 2020 — just behind Stranger Things (which generated over 7B minutes viewed in the week following the release of Season 4 Volume 1).

The impressive numbers for Wednesday almost make it easy to look past the four other titles that hit over 1B minutes viewed the week of November 21 to November 27.

Dead to Me came in at No. 2 on the chart with 1.46B viewing minutes. The Crown and 1899 tied for third place with 1.1B minutes viewed. The film Slumberland also notched 1B viewing minutes. Netflix also took home the subsequent two spots on the chart with Manifest and NCIS.

Here’s the full Top 10, with streaming service, title, number of episodes (“1″=feature film) and minutes of viewing:

Jenna Ortega, Wednesday, Nielsen

Wilmer Valderrama to Appear in CBS’ “NCIS” and “NCIS: Hawai’i” Crossover Episodes

Wilmer Valderrama is heading to Hawaii…

The 42-year-old Venezuelan and Colombian American actor will take part in a NCIS and NCIS: Hawai’i crossover event.

Wilmer Valderrama, CBS, NCIS, NCIS: HawaiiThe two CBS series will kick off their respective new seasons with the crossover event beginning at 9:00 pm ET/PT on September 19.

Across two hours, the hunt for a dangerous suspect unveils a complex network and a larger sinister plan that will take the D.C. team to Hawai’i in a race to thwart the next large-scale attack.

It begins with the Season 20 premiere of NCIS at 9:00 PM. The “A Family Matter” episode picks up following the cliffhanger season 19 finale, with Special Agent Alden Parker (Gary Cole) still on the run with his ex-wife Vivian (Terri Polo) and the team investigating who from his past might have a personal vendetta against him in hopes of clearing Parker’s name. Enlisting the help of NCIS: Hawai’i’s Special Agent Jane Tennant (Vanessa Lachey) and computer specialist Ernie Malick (Jason Antoon), who are in town meeting with director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) in preparation for a global military exercise, the group tracks down their prime suspect, The Raven.

The crossover event concludes with the Season 2 premiere of NCIS: Hawai’i, which follows at 10:00 pm. In the “Prisoners’ Dilemma” episode, Tennant’s team, along with NCIS agents Nick Torres (Valderrama) and Jessica Knight (Katrina Law), track The Raven’s whereabouts to the island of Oahu and learn about his plans to attack RIMPAC (The Rim of the Pacific Exercises), the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise. NCIS stars Gary Cole, Brian Dietzen and Diona Reasonover also guest star in the episode.

The episodes will air on CBS and stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

Wilmer Valderrama Open to Reprising Role of Fez in Netflix’s “That ’90s Show”

Wilmer Valderrama may be reprising his star-making role…

The 42-year-old Venezuelan and Colombian American actor hasn’t completely ruled out reprising his character, the fan-favorite Fez, on That ’90s Show, if time permits.

Wilmer Valderrama Valderrama is having a jam-packed year between starring in the CBS crime procedural NCIS and preparing for the titular role on the ABC reboot of Zorro, but he he’s hoping to squeeze in a return to Point Place, Wisconsin.

“I’m a little busy now, but I support them so much. I’m rooting for them. I wish them nothing but the best,” Valderrama said in a TV Line interview.

“If the timing is right, I’d never say no,” suggesting his return to the Netflix That 70’s Show spinoff is possible.

Valderrama played Fez on the eight-season run of That ’70s Show from 1998 to 2006. In the Fox sitcom, Fez – which stands for Foreign Exchange Student – quickly became a favorite among audiences for his flirtatious antics and ambiguous ethnicity.

Earlier, casting of several lead characters on the upcoming Netflix’s That ’70s Show spinoff, That ’90s Show.

Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp have been set to anchor the follow-up show as their original roles, Red and Kitty Foreman.

The spinoff will be led by Callie Haverda, who plays Leia Forman, daughter of Eric (Topher Grace) and Donna (Laura Prepon) from the original series.

Ashley Aufderhaide, Mace Coronel, Maxwell Acee Donovan, Reyn Doi and Sam Morelos round out the cast as new teen characters opposite fellow series regulars Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp.

Other original That ’70s Show cast members, including Grace, Prepon, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, are in negotiations to recur in the 10-episode spinoff.

That ’90s Show is set in 1995 back in Point Place, Wisconsin where Leia Forman (Haverda), daughter of Eric and Donna, is visiting her grandparents for the summer. Leia ends up bonding with the new generation of town kids under the watchful eye of Kitty (Rupp) and the stern gaze of Red (Smith). Sex, drugs and rock ’n roll never dies, it just changes clothes.

NCIS Star Wilmer Valderrama to Appear on NCIS: Hawaii as Part of Special Crossover Event

Wilmer Valderrama is Hawaii bound…

The 41-year-old Colombian/Venezuelan American actor and his NCIS co-star Katrina Law will be visiting Vanessa Lachey and the rest of the NCIS: Hawai’i cast as part of a crossover special event airing via CBS on March 28.

Wilmer Valderrama“I am headed off to Hawaii to shoot a crossover event,” Valderrama says in an Instagram video released on Monday. Added Law, “I’ve also got something to tell you: I’m coming to Hawaii, too.”

Details regarding what fans can expect from the special that’ll see agents Nicholas Torres (Valderrama) and Jessica Knight (Law) come face to face with Lachey’s Jane Tennant are being kept under wraps by CBS. Whatever the plans, viewers can certainly expect an action-packed episode, according to Law.

“It’s going to be good being back on the island solving crimes,” she said mischievously.

The actress formerly starred in the CBS drama Hawaii Five-O as Quinn Liu during the show’s 10th season.

Both NCIS and NCIS: Hawai’i return with new episodes tonight, at 9:00 pm and 10 pm, respectively.

Wilmer Valderrama to Headline & Executive Produce Disney’s “Zorro” TV Series

Wilmer Valderrama is zee man…

The 41-year-old Colombian/Venezuelan American actor is developing a television series based on the Disney western Zorro for Disney Branded Television.

Wilmer ValderramaValderrama will executive produce and star as Don Diego de la Vega and his alter ego, the titular masked horseman.

The project is executive produced by former Disney Branded Entertainment president and Chief Creative Officer Gary Marsh under the multiyear production deal for his banner at Disney General Entertainment, and John Gertz of Zorro Productions, Inc.

“We’re reimagining this Disney classic as a compelling period piece, set in Pueblo de Los Angeles, but told in a very modern telenovela style — with richly drawn contemporary characters and relationships set against the action, drama, suspense, and humor of the original, iconic Zorro,” said Ayo Davis, President of Disney Branded Television. “Wilmer shares our commitment to reflect the interesting and rich diversity of the human experience and we look forward to delivering a culturally relevant and entertaining story with definitional characters that will connect with our viewers for generations to come.”

Valderrama said he is excited to add to the legacy of the masked avenger while representing the Latino community, especially the younger generation that will grow up feeling represented as he did.

“Growing up, Zorro was the one character that made me, as a Latino, feel like I could be a hero. As an adult and a storyteller, I have a responsibility for the stories that I help bring to life,” he said. “To partner with Gary and Disney to bring Zorro back into the family after 60 years and be a part of the legacy for other children to know they too can be the heroes of their own stories is a dream come true.”

Most recently, Valderrama voiced the character, Agustin, in Disney’s Encanto, and continues to portray NCIS Special Agent Nicholas Torres in CBS’ NCIS.

Wilmer Valderrama Teams Up with Rafael Agustín & Marvin Lemus to Develop Drama/Satire Series “Hipster Death Rattle”

Wilmer Valderrama is rattle to roll…

The 41-year-old Colombian/Venezuelan American actor and NCIS co-star is teaming up with Rafael Agustín and Marvin Lemus to develop Hipster Death Rattle, a drama/satire with comedic elements for The CW.

Wilmer ValderramaThe one-hour series from CBS Studios—based on the novel of the same name by Richie Narvaez—is set in a historically Latino neighborhood that’s falling victim to aggressive gentrification.

According to the show’s logline, “Someone is killing the ‘woke’ yet pretentious new hipsters. But who? And worse – do the locals even care? The victims were just hiking up rent anyway!’”Hipster Death RattleBoth Agustín and Lemus will executive produce alongside Valderrama and Kaitlin Saltzman for WV Entertainment, and Corinne Brinkerhoff and Tiffany Grant for Green Ribbon. Agustín will also write, and Lemus is set to direct.

Agustín serves as CEO of the Latino Film Institute, overseeing the Youth Cinema Project, their project-based learning educational film program, and the annual Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival.

He was a writer on the CW’s Jane the Virgin and a Sundance fellow for his TV family comedy, Illegal, based on his life as a formerly undocumented American.

Agustín is currently writing his comedic undocumented memoir, Illegally Yours, for Grand Central Publishing.

Lemus is an award-winning screenwriter, director, and producer. He co-created and directed Netflix’s Gentefied, which released its second season in November. He also served as co-showrunner on Season 2.

John Gabriel Rodriguez Upped to Series Regular on Fox’s “Fantasy Island” Reboot

There’s more fantasy time in John Gabriel Rodriguez’s future…

The Latino actor, who recurred as Javier on Fantasy Island in season 1, has been promoted to series regular for the upcoming second season of Fox’s contemporary version of the classic drama series.

John Gabriel Rodriguez,Starring Roselyn Sanchez and Kiara BarnesFantasy Island takes place at a luxury resort, where literally any fantasy requested by guests is fulfilled, although they rarely turn out as expected. Delving into the “what if” questions — both big and small — that keep us awake at night, each episode will tell emotional, provocative stories about people who arrive with dreams and desires.

Rugged, handsome and charismatic, Javier (Rodriquez) is Fantasy Island’s head of transport – a pilot, mechanic and jack of all trades. While the island provides Javier refuge, as with everything else it offers, it may come at the price of a reckoning.

The series stars Sanchez as Elena Roarke, a descendant of the iconic Mr. Roarke, who set aside her own ambitions, and the love of her life, to uphold her family’s legacy.

Barnes plays Ruby Akuda, a young woman with an old soul who arrived on Fantasy Island with a terminal illness and was given a new lease on life as Roarke’s right hand.

Fantasy Island hails from Sony Pictures Television, Gemstone Studios and Fox Entertainment.

In addition to Fantasy Island, Rodriquez has done guest starring/recurring stints on NCIS, Young and Hungry, The Fosters and Rosewood and was a series regular in the NBC pilot Miranda’s Rights.

John Gabriel Rodriquez to Appear in Fox’s “Fantasy Island” Series Reboot

John Gabriel Rodriquez is livin’ a sweet, sweet fantasy

The Latino actor has been cast in a recurring role on Fantasy Island, Fox’s contemporary version of the classic drama series that has a straight-to-series order to air this summer.

The project hails from writer-producers Liz Craft and Sarah Fain, as well as Sony Pictures Television and its Gemstone Studios label, which co-produce with Fox Entertainment.

The reboot is keeping the semi-anthological format of the original Fantasy Island with three main characters, one played by Rodriquez, who live/work on the island and new guests arriving in every episode.

The original series, created by Gene Levitt and executive produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg, starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant Tattoo as they grant guests so-called “fantasies” on the island for a price.

The new Fantasy Island will be run by Elena Roarke, a direct descendant of Mr. Roarke.

Rodriquez will play the rugged, handsome and charismatic Javier, Fantasy Island’s head of transport — a pilot, mechanic and jack of all trades. While the island provides Javier refuge, as with everything else it offers, it may come at the price of a reckoning.

There is no direct version of the Tattoo character in the reboot.

The Fantasy Island reimagining, written and executive produced by Craft and Fain, delves into the “what if” questions that keep us awake at night. Each episode will tell emotional, provocative stories about people who walk in with a desire but end up reborn to themselves through the magical realism of Fantasy Island.

Rodriquez, who has done guest starring/recurring stints on NCIS, Young and Hungry, The Fosters and Rosewood, was a series regular in the NBC pilot Miranda’s Rights.

Wilmer Valderrama Renews First-Look Deal with CBS Television Studios

Wilmer Valderrama still has the (first) look…

The 40-year-old Colombian/Venezuelan American actor and NCIS co-star has renewed his first-look deal with CBS Television Studios, the studio behind the popular CBS drama series.

Wilmer Valderrama 

Valderrama stars as Special Agent Nick Torres on NCIS, which was just renewed for an 18th season. He has been on the show since Season 14, with the first-look producing pact running parallel to his acting deal for the show.

Under the first-look agreement, Valderrama has developed several series projects for CBS Television Studios through his WV Entertainment banner, including Hipster Death Rattle, a dark comedy based on the book by Richie Narvaez, with writer Rafael Agustin and Corinne Brinkerhoff; as well as the previously announced, The Turners, a half-hour single-camera autobiographical family doctors comedy from writer Naomi Ekperigin at ABC with Two Shakes Entertainment co-producing; and Patriots From the Barrio, a WWII drama about a Mexican-American unit, based on the book by Dave Gutierrez, from writer John Covarrubias.

Valderrama previously created and produced the MTV series Yo Momma, also serving as the host for all three seasons, in addition to producing other MTV series like Punk’dBlowin’ Up and Trippin’.

On the film side, Valderrama most recently was featured in Blast Beat, a coming of age drama that premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. He voiced the first Latino Prince Charming in the 2018 animated feature film Charming. Valderrama also voiced the main character of Disney’s popular animated children’s show Handy Manny, which introduced preschoolers to Spanish. 

Gina Gallego to Star in Showtime’s Drama Pilot “The President is Missing”

Gina Gallegois feeling presidential

The 64-year-old Mexican American actress has been cast as a series regular opposite David Oyelowo in The President is MissingShowtime’s drama series adaptation of the novel by President Bill Clinton and James Patterson.

Gina Gallego

Hailing from Christopher McQuarrieand Anthony Peckham, The President is Missing centers on a powerless and politically aimless vice president (Oyelowo) who unexpectedly becomes president halfway into his administration’s first term, despite his every wish to the contrary. He walks right into a secret, world-threatening crisis, both inside and outside the White House. Attacked by friends and enemies alike, with scandal and conspiracy swirling around him, he is confronted with a terrible choice: keep his head down, toe the party line and survive, or act on his stubborn, late-developing conscience and take a stand.

Gallego will play Mrs. Aceves, Martin’s executive assistant, a position of influence. She is sweet but also an extremely patient adversary.

The project is based on the book by Clinton and Patterson, which was the No. 1 novel of 2018 and has sold more than 2.3 million copies in North America alone.

Peckham is writing the adaptation.

Gallego’s television credits include Shooter, Crazy Ex-GirlfriendNCISThe MiddleShameless and Grey’s Anatomy,among others. 

Her film work includes Erin BrockovichBeverly Hills ChihuahuaAnger Management and Mr. Deeds