Longoria to Produce Interracial Comedy Project for ABC

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is proving to be the hardest working Latina television producer…

The 40-year-old Mexican American actress/producer’s production company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment has set a half-hour project at ABC with veteran comedy writer Bobby Bowman.

The untitled interracial family comedy centers on an ambitious and meticulous Latino chef who runs a cafe with his unpredictable white father-in-law.

Bowman will executive produce the project alongside UnbeliEVAble’s Longoria and Ben Spector.

Universal Television Studios, where the company is based, is the studio.

This marks the return to ABC for the former Desperate Housewives star Longoria and Family Tools creator Bowman.

Last year, ABC and ABC Studios developed a half-hour comedy as a starring vehicle for Longoria before she committed to NBC’s Hot & Bothered, formerly called Telenovela. That series, which UnbeliEVAble produces with Universal Television, debuts in midseason.

In addition to Hot & Bothered, UnbeliEVAble has Bonita & Mechelle in development at NBC, as well as projects at HBO Films and NBC International.

Longoria Producing Comedy Project “Bonita & Mechelle” for NBC

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is expanding her presence at the Peacock Network…

The 40-year-old Mexican American actress, producer, director, activist and businesswoman has partnered with Will Packer – known for producing movies featuring African American characters –for Bonita & Mechelle, a multi-camera comedy for NBC.

The project centers on two women, one Hispanic and one African American. The women find themselves living together while conquering the ups and downs of single life and parenting.

Written by Kriss Turner Towner, Bonita & Mechelle hails from Will Packer Prods. and Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment.

Universal Television, where both companies are under deals, is the studio. Towner executive produces with Packer and UnbeliEVAble’s Longoria and Ben Spector.

Longoria is producing two series with Latino protagonists, Devious Maids, which was just renewed for a fourth season, and NBC’s upcoming Hot & Bothered, in which she stars.

In addition to Bonita & Mechelle, UnbeliEVAble Entertainment has a comedy penned by Hot and Bothered writer-producer Rob Sudduth set at NBC, as well as projects in development at HBO Films and NBC International.

ABC Buys “Splitting the Difference” from Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment

Posted on October 10, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is splitting with ABC…

Splitting The Difference, a comedy created by filmmaker Kat Coiro, has sold to ABC with penalty.

It hails from the 39-year-old Mexican American actress’ UnbeliEVAble Entertainment and Universal Television, where the company is under a first-look deal.

The project is based on Tré Miller-Rodriguez’s memoir Splitting the Difference, which chronicles her life in New York as a 34-year-old widow who reunites with the daughter she gave up for adoption at 18.

The ABC show, written by Coiro, centers on a buttoned-down 17-year-old who reunites with her recently widowed 36-year-old biological mom and they become the heart of a patchwork family bound by more than blood.

Coiro and UnbeliEVAble’s Longoria and Ben Spector will executive produce.

This is the fifth sale for UnbeliEVAble this development season.

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

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

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.

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

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

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.

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”

Posted on September 20, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

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.

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.

Longoria Expands Her Behind-the-Scenes Television Series Roster

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria’s portfolio of behind-the-scenes television projects is expanding…

The 38-year-old Mexican American actress and former Desperate Housewives star’s production company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment has set up two more projects – a comedy at NBC and drama at Lifetime.

The NBC project stars rising comedian Erik Rivera and is based on his life and standup comedy routine.

Peter Murrieta, a comedy veteran, will write the script and executive produce the project with Scott Ellis, who is set to direct, and UnbeliEVAble’s Longoria and Ben Spector. The project stems from a deal UnbeliEVAble made with Rivera earlier this year to develop a vehicle based on his comedy.

The setup is reminiscent of ABC’s The George Lopez Show, which also started with a well-known actress, Sandra Bullock, championing a Latino comedian on the rise, Lopez, and partnering him with an established sitcom showrunner, Bruce Helford, for a comedy project starring Lopez and based on his standup. .

The Lifetime drama, titled Blackout, is a small town soap written by Elle Triedman (Revenge). It centers on a woman whose failed career leads her to return home after 10 years to the small blue collar town run by her estranged siblings. She tries to make amends with her family and her past but the murder of a teenage girl forces her to face her own demons.

Blackout expands Longoria’s relationship with Lifetime where she serves as an executive producer on the soapy drama Devious Maids.

Longoria Partnering with the CW for a Legal Drama Project

Posted on September 28, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is set to bring some legal aid to the CW…

The 38-year-old Mexican American actress/producer and former Desperate Housewives star is teaming up with the network to create a legal drama project that will feature the CW’s signature soapy elements.

Written by Nikita co-executive producer Albert Kim, the untitled drama centers on a woman imprisoned for a double murder she didn’t commit who earns her law degree while behind bars, then wins her freedom and joins the high-powered law firm that she believes is at the center of the conspiracy that framed her.

Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment will produce the project with Warner Bros. Television.

This marks UnbeliEVAble’s third sale this season. The company also has Trust, an hourlong soap based on the popular Colombian telenovela Pura Sangre, and a comedy inspired by sex therapist Laura Berman, both at NBC.

Longoria is currently serving as an executive producer on Lifetime’s Devious Maids, which was recently renewed for a second season.

Longoria Inks First-Look Deal with Universal Television

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria apparently has Universal appeal…

The 37-year-old Mexican American actress’ UnbeliEVAble Entertainment has signed a first-look development deal with Universal Television.

As part of the non-writing, executive producer agreement the Desperate Housewives’ star serving as executive producer on projects through her production company.

“Having Eva Longoria on our team is a huge advantage for our Alternative program development as we have pleasantly discovered in implementing her ideas for Ready for Love, which is shaping up as a terrific and upbeat series,” said Paul Telegdy, president, alternative and late night programming, NBC Entertainment. “She is passionate, fully engaged and has keen instincts for putting together a winning formula for her shows that always bear her imprint.”

UnbeliEVAble is already the production company behind NBC’s upcoming dating series Ready for Love, which is being touted as a revolutionary new relationship show

In addition, Longoria is an executive producer on Lifetime‘s upcoming soap Devious Maids, starring Roselyn Sanchez, which reteams her with her Desperate Housewives boss, the show’s creator Marc Cherry.

The Golden Globe-nominated, Screen Actors Guild Award-winning and ALMA Award-winning actress, producer, businesswoman and philanthropist is best known for her starring role as Gabrielle Solis on Desperate Housewives.

Longoria “Ready for Love” on NBC…

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Eva Longoria is ready, ready, ready for love… or at least to help others find it!

The 37-year-old Mexican-American actress and Desperate Housewives star is executive producing NBC’s Ready for Love, which the network has greenlighted for a launch next winter.

Hosted by Giuliana and Bill Rancic, the series—from Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment—will feature three successful and handsome men, handpicked by Longoria, who are committed to finding the right woman. They’ll try to accomplish that feat with the help of three matchmakers.

Prospective female candidates can apply using a new Facebook app, which also will be used to showcase the bachelors, with Facebook employed extensively during the entire run of the series.

“The show’s innovative format that uses online profiles and proven matchmakers will provide a better chance for our suitors to realize connections that will last long beyond the season finale,” NBC’s head of alternative programming Paul Telegdy said.

The three successful, family-oriented men looking for mates are Ben Patton, an international financier from Dallas; Tim Lopez, a member of the popular music group Plain White T’s from Santa Barbara, Calif., and Ernesto Arguello, an entrepreneur with a social vision from Miami. The three matchmakers will each select their team of 12 girls, four per guy. Once selected, each matchmaker team will live in a different house where they will receive personalized advice and mentoring. At the end of each week everyone will convene on stage in front of a live audience to watch the dates and get feedback from the matchmakers. The women who fail to make a connection with the men will be sent home.

In the finale, the three men will choose their final three women, who together, must decide if they’ll get engaged, married, or simply live happily ever after.

In recent months, Longoria has been stepping up her producing efforts post-Desperate Housewives, including joining ABC’s Devious Maids pilot as an executive producer.

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