HBO Max Acquires Leticia Dolera’s Spanish-Language Original “Perfect Life,” Plans to Co-Produce Second Season

Leticia Dolera’s perfect life is getting more attention…

HBO Max has acquired the 39-year-old actress, writer and director’s Spanish-language original Perfect Life (Vida Perfecta) and has committed to co-producing a second season alongside Telefónica’s local streamer Moviestar+.

Leticia Dolera

The WarnerMedia streamer will debut Perfect Life on January 21, following the lives of Maria, Cristina, and Esther, who are in search of their place in the world as they navigate the humiliations and celebrations that come with being a thirty-something millennial.

The series was created by Dolera, who stars as Maria. It was produced by Movistar+ along with Corte y Confeccion de Peliculas in association with Beta Film, which handles international sales. Season 2 has just wrapped in Spain.

Crowned Best Series at the Canneseries Festival, the story centers on Maria, Cristina, and Esther as they realize that the plans they had made for themselves haven’t really gotten them the long-promised happiness they yearned for. Together, they will find unexpected alternatives.

The series also stars Celia Freijeiro and Aixa Villagran.

Perfect Life will feature on the new International Genre page on HBO Max.

 

Messi: The Highest-Ranking Latino on Forbes’ World’s Highest-Paid Athletes List

Lionel Messi is rolling in the deep dough…

The 27-year-old Argentine soccer star is the highest-ranking Latino on Forbes magazine’s 2015 list of the World’s Highest-Paid Athletes with $73.8 million in salary/winnings and endorsements.

Lionel Messi

Last year, FC Barcelona awarded their record four-time Ballon d’Or, FIFA’s Player of the Year, winner with a $9 million a year raise in his seventh contract since 2005 to bring his take home pay to $50 million a year through 2018.

Messi now holds the records for all-time all-game goals for Barcelona, most goals in La Liga competitions, most goals scored in a calendar year and most hat tricks scored.

Messi’s superhuman talent is why sponsor Samsung cast him as superhero Iron Man in their ad to promote the Avengers film. It’s also why his main sponsor Adidas launched a Messi icon line of shoes and apparel, which has exceeded company sales expectations, including in the U.S. In all, he earned $22 million in endorsements.

But Messi isn’t the only Latino athlete to make the list.

Fernando Alonso ranks No. 17 on Forbes’ world’s highest-paid athletes roster with combined earnings of $35.5 million.

The 33-year-old Spanish Formula One driver and a two-time World Champion secured another massive payday when he negotiated a return to McLaren-Honda, where he raced during the 2007 season. The two-year deal is worth more than $30 million annually.

Alonso finished second in the F1 standings in 2012 and 2013, but dropped to sixth last year in his final year with Ferrari. Alonso failed to secure a single point in the first five races of the 2015 F1 season. Alonso partnered with UAE sport investment firm Novo last year to establish a professional cycling team in the future.

Next on the list, Rafael Nadal, who comes in at No. 22 with earnings of $32.5 million.

The 29-year-old Spanish tennis star, who has struggled with injuries after a colossal 2013 season, saw his prize money drop by $10 million to $4.5 million in the latest 12 months.

He was the No. 1 player in the world as recently as June 2014, but sits at No. 10 a year later. He even lost at the French Open in the semifinals after winning 66 of his previous 67 matches and nine titles at Roland Garros.

Nadal did sign two new endorsements deals, with Tommy Hilfiger and Spanish communications giant Telefonica. Kia Motors also renewed its contract with Nadal in May for five years through 2020. They first partnered in 2004.

Nadal’s $73 million in career prize money ranks third all-time behind Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

Other Latino athletes making the Top 30 on Forbes’ list are soccer phenom Neymar at No. 23, NBA star Carmelo Anthony at No. 25 and World Cup standout and Google god James Rodriguez at No. 27.

Here’s a look at the Latino athletes who made this year’s list:

No. 4 Lionel Messi, Soccer, Argentine, $73.8 Million
No. 17 Fernando Alonso, Racing, Spanish, $35.5 Million
No. 22 Rafael Nadal, Tennis, Spanish, #32.5 Million
No. 23 Neymar, Soccer, Brazilian, $31 Million
No. 25 Carmelo Anthony, Basketball, Half-Puerto Rican, $30.5 Million
No. 27 James Rodriguez, Soccer, Colombian, $29 Million
No. 30 Robinson Cano, Baseball, Dominican, $27.6 Million
No. 38 Radamel Falcao, Soccer, Colombian, $25.9 Million
No. 38 Albert Pujols, Baseball, Dominican, $25.9 Million
No. 43 Miguel Cabrera, Baseball, Venezuelan, $25.1 Million
No. 45 Sergio Aguero, Soccer, Argentine, $24.9 Million
No. 60 Felix Hernandez, Baseball, Venezuelan, $22.9 Million
No. 67 Tony Romo, Football, Mexican American, $22 Million
No. 69 Adrian Gonzalez, Baseball, Mexican American, $21.5 Million
No. 73 Luis Suarez, Soccer, Uruguayan, $21 Million
No. 79 Cesc Fabregas, Soccer, Spanish, $20.3 Million
No. 79 Hanley Ramirez, Baseball, Dominican, $20.3 Million
No. 87 David Ortiz, Baseball, Dominican, $19.7 Million

Click here for the complete list.

Slim’s America Movil Planning to Buy Majority Stake in Europe’s Royal KPN

Carlos Slim is looking to expand his empire to Europe…

The 73-year-old Mexican telecommunications mogul, the world’s richest billionaire, has announced that he’s made an official offer to takeover Dutch mobile phone giant Royal KPN, in an attempt to expand his telecom empire into Europe.

Carlos Slim

Slim’s America Movil, headquartered in Mexico City, said in a statement that it plans to buy a majority stake in KPN for 2.40 euros per share.

It already owns 30 percent of the company.

America Movil has not signaled its support for KPN’s recent decision to sell its German unit, the E-Plus mobile network, to Spain’s Telefonica. Slim reportedly believes the 5-billion-euro (6.6-billion-dollar) asking price is too low.

America Movil, the leading wireless provider in Latin America, is Slim’s most lucrative business. In addition to KPN, the company also owns a 23 per cent stake in Telekom Austria.

It’s the latest new venture for Slim, who recently invested $40 million in the music-identifying app Shazam.