Lopez’s Nuyorican Prods. Signs First Look Deal with Universal

Jennifer Lopez could start bringing more scripted and reality projects to life real soon…

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican singer/actress’ production company, Nuyorican Prods., has entered into a first look production deal with Universal Television to develop new scripted and reality projects.

Jennifer Lopez

As part of the deal, Priscilla Porianda, who joined Nuyorican Prods. last year, has been named Head of Development.

“I am thrilled to have Nuyorican partner with NBC Universal and I am happy to announce Priscilla Porianda as our Head of Development,” Lopez said. “She will work closely with Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Benny Medina and I in expanding our brand into scripted and unscripted television. Our goal at Nuyorican has always been to create edgy, timely and relevant programming.”

The company has breakout new ABC Family drama The Fosters, about a lesbian couple raising children, which was recently renewed for a second season.

Porianda serves as a co-producer on The Fosters as well as Nuyorican’s upcoming feature with Universal/Blumhouse Boy Next Door, which stars Lopez and Ryan Guzman.

“We are so lucky to have someone as smart and creative as Priscilla to work with us as our partner and friend,” Goldsmith-Thomas said. Porianda will split her time between New York and Los Angeles to “try to access the great talent pools on both coasts.”

Prior to joining Nuyorican, Porianda worked at Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci’s K/O Paper Products. Simon Fields, who previously served as Nuyorican president, is no longer with the company.

In addition to The Fosters, Nuyorican has reality series South Beach Tow,  entering a third season on TruTV.

Santos’ “Happyland” Gets Series Order at MTV

Bianca Santos has discovered a Happyland at MTV

The network has added Happyland, which stars the Cuban and Brazilian American actress and Zulay Henao, to its original programming roster.

Bianca Santos

The theme park comedy Happyland has been picked up to series, receiving an order for eight episodes.

From Daddy’s Girls Ben Epstein, Happyland is hailed as a soapy teen comedy that explores the underbelly of one of the country’s most popular theme parks and the people who work there.

The project centers on Lucy, a cynical teen whose mother makes a living as a fairy tale princess, and explores the realities of growing up and falling in love while living in a make-believe world.

Along with Santos, who portrays Lucy, and her onscreen princess mother Henao, the series also stars Shane Harper, Katherine McNamara, Cameron Moulene, Brandy Smith and Ryan Rottman.

The comedy joins Awkward on the schedule as the network continues its push into original scripted programming.

The series order comes as little surprise… MTV programming president Susanne Daniels told The Hollywood Reporter this summer after the comedy was ordered to pilot that she was looking to add one or two more comedies to the network’s lineup.

Santos is best known for her role as Lexi on ABC Family’s family drama series The Fosters.

Santos to Star in MTV’s Comedy Pilot “Happyland”

Bianca Santos has found her happy place…

The Latina actress has been cast as the lead in MTV’s comedy pilot Happyland, alongside Colombian American actress Zulay Henao, Shane Harper, Katherine McNamara and Cameron Moulene.

Bianca Santos

Happyland is a hailed as a soapy teen comedy exploring the underbelly of one of the country’s most popular theme parks and the people who work there.

Santos is best known for portraying Lexi Rivera – Cierra Ramirez’s best friend and Jake T. Austin’s love interest –on ABC Family’s Jennifer Lopez-executive-produced drama series The Fosters, which has been renewed for a second season.

Happyland, which was written by Ben Epstein, will be directed by Lee Toland Krieger.

Santos will portray Lucy, a cynical teen working as a greeter at the park where her single mother (portrayed by Henao) has played a fairytale princess for 15 years, and explores the realities of growing up and falling in love while living in a make-believe world.

Henao, who will continue on OWN’s Love Thy Neighbor as a recurring, will appear opposite William Levy in the upcoming feature film Single Mom’s Club.

Lopez ThisClose to Finalizing Deal to Return to “American Idol”

Jennifer Lopez is reportedly thisclose to returning to American Idol

The 44-year-old Puerto Rican singer/actress has reached an agreement on the major deal points to return to the judges’ panel on Fox’s hit reality singing competition, according to Deadline.com.

Jennifer Lopez

An official announcement on the “Live It Up” singer’s return to the show for the upcoming thirteenth season is expected in the next week or two.

J.Lo will join returning judge Keith Urban and host Ryan Seacrest. The third Idol judging seat is still open, with will.i.am reportedly high on the Idol producers’ wish list.

The details of Lopez’s new deal haven’t been released, but Deadline.com reports that her paycheck could be around $15 million, what she most recently earned on the show in Season 11.

Lopez, who left Idol in May 2012, is on stronger footing now than she was when she first joined the show in 2010. As an executive producer, she has a hit series in ABC Family‘s The Fosters, which just received a back order, and she is also a partner in NUVOtv, a channel for Latinos.

Austin’s “The Fosters” Gets a Back-Order Pickup from ABC Family

It looks like Jake T. Austin will stay in the (ABC) family for a little longer…

ABC Family has given a back-order pickup to the 18-year-old part-Puerto Rican, Argentine and Spanish actor’s freshmen series The Fosters, which is executive produced by Jennifer Lopez.

The Fosters

The orders are said to be in line with ABC’s traditional full-season pickups (20 episodes) and back orders (10 episodes). The show will return with new episodes in January 2014.

“ABC Family has always been a home for groundbreaking storytelling with iconic characters and families and we’re thrilled to have The Fosters and Twisted join our line-up as breakout summer hits,” said ABC Family president Michael Riley

The Fosters starring Teri Polo and Sherri Saum (1.2 million in 12-34, 1.1 million in females 12-34) is one of cable’s top new cable series in people 12-34 and females 12-34.

The Fosters‘ original 10-episode summer run ends Aug. 5; an additional ten episodes will be produced, with the episodes airing in January 2014.

The series follows the lives of the Foster family, a lesbian couple who are raising their mix of biological an adopted children.

Lopez to Serve as Chief Creative Officer at NUVOtv

She’s already launched a successful production company and is executive-producing the new ABC Family drama The Fosters, so it should come as little surprise that Jennifer Lopez has landed a key role at NUVOtv.

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican singer/actress has been appointed the chief creative officer of NUVOtv.

Jennifer Lopez

Las fall, Lopez was named a creative partner with the English-language Latino network, but her role has been solidified while the magazine prepared for the re-launch of NUVOtv programming in July.

In an interview before the announcement, Lopez said about two years ago she was approached by NUVOtv to serve “probably more as the face of the network. But once we sat down and I started expressing my point of view about the programming and the network, it grew into something bigger.”

Lopez said that, with the support of her own production company, she will be involved in marketing, branding and program development.

“A network that reflects the modern Latino experience, but in English, must have the quality that everybody has,” she said.

Lopez will also be the subject of a 90-minute biographical special, the network said. Among new series announced will be Gotta Dance, a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of professional dancers accompanying Lopez on a world concert tour.

When asked if her on-camera presence would likely to extend beyond those programs, she said yes – “if we find a great show that I would star in anyway. But I always want to do what’s right for the network as opposed to using it as a vehicle for myself. That’s not the point.”

Looking ahead to the July 18 debut of the NUVOtv programming slate, she said, “We’ve given it enough of a facelift to launch, but we know we have work ahead of us.”

Other series announced include Rodney’s Joy, a reality show about Grammy Award-winning producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins as he takes on a new client – his wife, Joy Enriquez – as well as Mario Lopez: One on One, an interview show.

NUVOtv is available in 32 million homes.

ABC Family Orders the Mexican Telenovela Remake of “Chasing Life”

Lifetime’s Devious Maids isn’t the only new U.S. television program based on a Mexican series…

ABC Family has given a  series order to the drama Chasing Life, which  was originally called Terminales, for an early 2014 launch.

Terminales

Chasing Life, which received a 13-episode order, according to Deadline.com, joins new ABC Family drama series The Fosters and Twisted, meaning all three of the network’s pilots from the most recent cycle are going to series.

Chasing Life is an adaptation of the successful Televisa Spanish-language series Terminales. The pilot was produced by Lionsgate in association with Televisa.

Chasing Life stars Italia Ricci as April, an ambitious young newspaper reporter who tries to balance her career aspirations with her family — her widowed mom Sara (Mary Page Keller), rebellious little sister Brenna (Haley Ramm), and her grandmother. Just as things start to look up at work, home and on the romance front with co-worker Dominic (Richard Brancatisano), April gets the devastating news from an estranged uncle that she has cancer.

The Mexican version, which premiered in September 2008, stars Ana Claudia Talancón, Alfonso Herrera, Andrés Almeida, Isela Vega, Opi Domínguez and Danny Perea.

Austin & Ramirez Appear in Latest “The Fosters” Family Photo

It’s all in the family for Jake T. Austin and Cierra Ramirez

Following a photo captured in the kitchen, 18-year-old Latino actor and 18-year-old Latina actress appear in the latest “official” family portrait for ABC Family’s brand new drama The Fosters, which will premiere on the network on Monday, June 3. And, the Wizards of Waverly Place and The Secret Life of the American Teenager alums also get plenty of screen time in the show’s new trailer.

The Fosters

Executive produced by Jennifer Lopez, the one-hour drama centers on a multi-ethnic mix of foster and biological kids being raised by two lesbian moms.

Starring as the show’s moms are Meet the Parents Teri Polo and Rescue Mes Sherri Saum.

Along with Austin as Jesus and Ramirez as Mariana, the series includes David Lambert (Disney XD‘s Aaron Stone) as Brandon, Polo as Stef, Saum as Lena, and Australian television actress Maia Mitchell as Callie.

In addition the show will feature newcomer Bianca Soto in a recurring role as Ramirez’s character’s good friend.

Austin Lending His Voice to 3D Animated Film “Khumba”

Jake T. Austin is about to get animated again…

The 18-year-old Latino actor of Puerto Rican, Argentine and Spanish descent, who served as the voice of Diego on the animated educational series Dora the Explorer and it’s spin-off Go, Diego, Go!, has joined the cast of Khumba.

Jake T. Austin

The South Africa-based 3D animated feature centers on a plucky half-striped zebra blamed for a drought by his superstitious herd who meets a wacky group of characters as he goes on a journey to earn his full stripes.

In addition to Austin, who will be starring opposite Cierra Ramirez in ABC Family’s new drama series The Fosters this summer,  the voice cast includes Laurence Fishburne, Liam Neeson, AnnaSophia Robb, Loretta Devine and Richard E. Grant.

Raffaella Delle Donne and Anthony Silverston wrote the story in consultation with Lion King co-writer Jonathan Roberts.

Silverston directed the film, which is in post-production. Khumba should be released in the U.S. later this year.

Santos Lands Recurring Role on ABC Family’s “The Fosters”

Bianca Santos is joining the (ABC) Family

The Latina newcomer has joined the cast of ABC Family‘s The Fosters as a recurring player.

Bianca Santos

From executive producer Jennifer Lopez, the family drama follows two moms and their multi-ethnic family.

The Fosters is a big break for Santos, who will recur in the key role of Lexi, the best friend to fraternal twin Mariana Foster (Cierra Ramirez).

Production began on Friday in Burbank, with pilot director Tim Busfield helming.

Teri Polo, Sherri Saum, Jake T. Austin, Hayden Byerly, David Lambert, Maia Mitchell and Danny Nucci star in The Fosters.

Benny Medina, Joanna Johnson, Blaine Goldsmith Thomas, Elaine Goldsmith Thomas and Greg Gugliotta serve as executive producers along with Lopez on the Nuyorican Productions/Prodco series.

The Fosters will debut at 9:00 pm on June 3 on ABC Family.