Longoria to Star in NBC Comedy “Telenovela”

Eva Longoria is heading back to the spotlight on the small screen…

NBC has given a 13-episode order to the 39-year-old Mexican American actress’ single-camera comedy Telenovela. 

Eva Longoria

It will mark Longoria’s first series starring role since Desperate Housewives.

Telenovela, set behind the scenes of a Spanish language telenovela, was guaranteed a 13-episode order if Longoria committed to star in the project and a pilot order if she didn’t.

Additionally, since Telenovela is set behind the scenes of a telenovela, NBC has had discussions with sister network Telemundo about doing 4-5-minute segments in Spanish that would be used to promote the NBC series to Spanish-speaking audiences.

Despite the straight-to-series 13-episode order, Telenovela will do a pilot.

NBC was one of two networks pursuing Longoria in a big way this development season. At ABC, there was a comedy from ABC Studios. It was fast-tracked as a script that will go to pilot with a 13-episode penalty for Longoria attached if she commits to star.

Longoria had been developing Telenovela through her Universal Television-based UnbeliEVAble at NBC for some time.

Written/executive produced by Cougar Town co-executive producers Chrissy Pietrosh and Jessica Goldstein, based on an idea by Longoria, it stars Longoria as the willful but popular diva Ana Maria, star of Latin America’s most beloved telenovela who strives to stay on top in a world where the drama on-camera is nothing compared to the drama off-camera.

Since the end of Desperate Housewives, Longoria had been focused on producing through her UnbeliEVAble banner.  She executive produces Lifetime’s Devious Maids and her company has sold nine projects this development season, including medical drama Critical at NBC and Texas political/family drama Pair of Aces at ABC.

Longoria to Executive Produce NBC’s Musical Comedy “Tuned” with Zachary Levi

Eva Longoria has tuned in to her next behind-the-lens project…

The 39-year-old Mexican American actress and former Desperate Housewives star, who could soon star in her own television sitcom, is set to executive produce Tuned with Chuck star Zachary Levi, who would also star in new series project.

Eva Longoria

It work mark Levi’s return to NBC since starring on its spy action-comedy.

Tuned, a half-hour single-camera comedy, would showcase Levi’s musical skills, which he displayed in his voice work as the male lead in Disney’s Tangled, opposite Mandy Moore.

Written by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont (Made Of Honor), Tuned is described as a musical half-hour about an ambitious New Yorker whose life is upended by sudden musical hallucinations. While these vivid hallucinations threaten to completely derail his enviable life, he’ll eventually realize that they might lead him on a more fulfilling journey.

Tuned hails from Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment and Universal Television, where the company is under a first-look deal.

It’s Longoria’s latest project as an executive producer to be revealed, following the announcement of her politically themed Latino family drama Pair of Aces for ABC. She’s also an EP on Lifetime’s Devious Maids.

Longoria Being Eyed for Starring Roles on Two Television Projects

Eva Longoria is ready to return to television…

The 39-year-old Mexican American actress, who became a household name as one of the stars of ABC’s hit dramedy Desperate Housewives, is looking to make her television comeback as the star of a half-hour, single-camera comedy series.

Eva Longoria

Two years after Desperate Housewives ended its eight-season run, Longoria has two projects in the works that could see her back on the small screen.

She’s been wooed by NBC for a project called Telenovela and for an untitled comedy at ABC. Originally, the script she was to choose would end up being the project going go to pilot.

But NBC stepped up in a big way, according to Deadline.com.

Telenovela, from Cougar Town co-executive producers Chrissy Pietrosh and Jessica Goldstein and Universal Television, will get a 13-episode order if Longoria commits to star and a pilot order if she doesn’t. The project is expected to hire a casting director shortly.

The project is set behind the scenes of a telenovela, and NBC is in discussions with sister network Telemundo to make episodes of the fictional telenovela that would air on the Spanish-language network.

NBC, which helped her launch her production company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, which is based at Universal Television, already has several projects with her as a producer.

Meanwhile, Longoria is already an established player behind the scenes. In addition to serving as executive producer of Lifetime’s Devious Maids, she’s also set to executive produce the politically themed Latino family drama Pair of Aces.

Longoria to Executive Produce Politically Themed Latino Family Drama “Pair of Aces”

Eva Longoria is bringing Texas politics to the small screen…

The 39-year-old Mexican American actress, who hails from the Lone Star State, is set to executive produce the Latino family drama Pair of Aces.

Eva Longoria

Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment and Conde Nast Entertainment will bring to life the project, which has landed at ABC with penalty.

The project is loosely inspired by a 2003 Vogue article that profiled Democratic rising-star twins Julián Castro, mayor of San Antonio, and Joaquin, then-newly elected U.S. congressman.

Created and written by Meredith Lavender and Marcie Ulin (ABC’s Nashville), Pair Of Aces, described as an operatic family drama, revolves around brothers Chris and Alex Reyes, Latino golden boys who are both best friends and rivals. They are rising stars in Texas politics whose destiny is engineered by their manipulative mother Maria. She is determined to turn the Reyes family into the most powerful dynasty modern politics has ever seen.

The drama explores the American dream and the lies, blackmail and manipulation it takes to rise to the top of power in Texas — and perhaps someday D.C.

Universal Television, where UnbeliEVAable Entertainment has a first-look deal, is producing, with UnveliEVAble’s Longoria and Ben Spector executive producing alongside Conde Nast’s Dawn Ostroff and Gina Marcheschi.