The Mexican American writer, director and producer has signed with Verve.
Rodriguez’s feature directorial debut, the television movieLet’s Get Merried for VH1 and MTV, followed a hard-partying, down-on-her-luck holiday-hater who decided to get married at a Christmas-themed adventure park to a man she hadn’t yet met, netting her an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Directing.
She’s currently a co-producer on Netflix’s comedy series Freeridge, and previously staffed on Disney’s Gabby Duran & The Unsittables, also directing an episode of that series before staffing on HBO’s Betty. She also directed the short film Shoot, which was produced by and starred Insecure’s Jay Ellis.
The Bay Area native is a graduate of USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program who got her start working at Funny or Die, producing and directing original content for the platform including the viral hit, How To Become Legally Recognized As A F*ckboi. During her time at that company in 2018, she participated in the Sundance New Voices Lab, then being recognized as a Sundance Institute Latinx Fellow for 2019.
Rodriguez was also a part of the 2019 Viacom ViewFinder Director Program, and Refinery 29’s Shatterbox initiative. She continues to be represented by Writ Large.
The 26-year-old Puerto Rican drag queen, whose real name is Enrique Ortolaza Resto, will compete to become America’s Next Drag Superstar for season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Entering the Werk-Room and also vying for the $100,000 cash prize this upcoming season are 14 queens hailing from all over the country and beyond. While the roster of newcomers will feature some queens coming from notable drag families, Season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race will also tout a couple of firsts – including the series’ first straight contestant and first queen from Michigan.
But Alyssa Hunter is not the only Latina drag queen competing this season…
Jorgeous, the 21-year-old Tex-Mex queen from Nashville, will also compete this season.
VH1 will premiere the next installment of RuPaul’s Emmy-winning competition program on Friday, January 7 at 8:00 pm ET/PT.
RuPaul’s Drag Race, fresh off a successful Emmys season, is produced by World of Wonder productions, with RuPaul serving as host. Post-show RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untuckedwill premiere immediately following the flagship series’ return at 9:30 pm ET/PT on VH1.
Untucked gives viewers a behind the scenes look at the backstage drama as the queens await their fate and see who will need to lip-sync for their life to avoid the week’s elimination.
The huntress is on the prowl! As one of the most celebrated pageant queens from Puerto Rico, Alyssa knows her way around a runway and delivers stunning looks wherever she goes. She’s here to prove that not only can she give a fierce lewk, she also has the performance chops to bring back the crown to her hometown.
Angeria Paris VanMicheals (Atlanta, GA) | Instagram/TikTok/Twitter: @angeriavm
This southern belle from ATL will light up any room with her charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent. An old school pageant queen, “Angie” is here to serve fierce fashion and face with a country charm that you can’t help but fall in love with.
Don’t let her laid back Seattle grunge vibe fool you, this fiercely competitive queen is all about femme fatale glamour. With her razor-sharp wit and an impressive arsenal of drag talents, Bosco will stop at nothing to bring the crown back to Seattle.
Daya Betty (Springfield, MO) | Instagram/TikTok: @dayabetty, Twitter: @daya_betty417
You Betty be ready! Hailing from the House of Methyd, this edgy six foot four goddess is serving 80’s inspired rockstar realness. Daya’s known for crafting incredible looks out of any material she can get her hands on and will do whatever it takes to claw her way to the top and claim that crown.
Deja Skye (Fresno,CA) | Instagram/Twitter: @dejaskye, TikTok: @dejaskye101
This pastel princess prides herself on embracing all her curves and swerves. Deja is known for her bold, colorful drag aesthetic and design skills. She’s a sweetheart, but she has killer lip sync skills, so watch out for her!
Jasmine Kennedie (New York City, NY) | Instagram/TikTok/Twitter: @jasminekennedie
The ditzy doll of New York City has arrived! She is known as a high energy dancing queen who brings polished drag and the gift of gab. Her personality may be bubbly and fun, but she is drop dead serious about slaying the competition.
Hello-tis, it’s Jorgeous! This spicy Latina dancing diva started drag at the age of 16 and never looked back. A fierce performer who was born to do drag, Jorgeous is looking to dance the house down boots all the way to the top.
June Jambalaya (Los Angeles, CA) | Instagram/TikTok/Twitter: @junejambalaya
This jambalaya is heating up! Bringing Black Girl Magic to the stage, June is known for her fierce
dance moves and is ready to show off her kicks and splits and put a fork in the rest of the competition.
This bodacious queen is all about beauty, hair and body-ody-ody. From the legendary House of Colby,
Kerri is a bold diva who tells it like it is, while always looking flawless. She came to slay the game in true Colby style!
The bakery is open and Kornbread is being served! This LA queen is a performance powerhouse with a
deliciously sassy personality. She will leave you gooped, gagged and gandered and will want a taste of what she’s cooking!
Lady Camden (Sacramento, CA) | Instagram/TikTok/Twitter: @ladycamden
Three cheers for America’s little spice girl! Born in the UK but now living in Sacramento, this professional ballet dancer turned drag queen is ready to take the world by storm serving class and sass and living the pop princess fantasy she always dreamed of.
Maddy Morphosis (Fayetteville,AR) | Instagram/TikTok/Twitter: @maddymorphosis
This small-town camp and comedy queen is ready for her big stage debut. As the first heterosexual queen on Drag Race, Maddy’s quirky performances set her apart from the pack and she’s here to prove she can perform with the best of them.
Orion Story (Grand Rapids, MI) | Instagram/Tiktok: @theorionstory
Orion is a retro sex kitten with a campy edge. As the first queen to represent Michigan, this midwestern beauty brings a smoldering Lana Del Rey energy to her drag and is eager to share her unique drag stylings with the world.
A quirky little pill, this queen digs deep to deliver a wicked sense of humor and a darkly eccentric drag style. She is season 11 winner Yvie Oddly’s drag sister, so expect the unexpected from Willow Pill.
VH1 is launching its Naughty or Nice strand at the end of November through December with several made-for-television movies, including Let’s Get Merried starring the 31-year-old part-Puerto Rican, Dominican and Mexican American actress.
Executive produced by Eva Longoria, Adriana Martinez Barronand Ben Spector, the film was written by Sasha Perl-Raver and directed by Veronica Rodriguez.
Let’s Get Merried, which launches on December 13, centers around a bachelorette weekend at a Christmas-themed adventure park that gets all kinds of holly jolly when a hard-partying, down-on-her-luck, holiday-hater decides to get married. That day. To a man she has yet to meet.
In addition to Prada, the film also stars Xosha Roquemore, Tahj Mowry, Nicolette Pearse, Nicole Power and Savannah Basley.
Prada’s previous credits include Starz’s Vida and Fear the Walking Dead: Passage.
Krysta Rodriguez is readyin’ for a Bitchin’ holiday season…
The 37-year-old Latina actress/singer and Broadway star will star in VH1’s new holiday movie The Bitch Who Stole Christmas.
Launching on December 2, the film is described as “the draggiest Christmas movie ever made.”
It follows a workaholic big-city fashion journalist is sent to a Christmas-obsessed small town to dig up a story when she finds herself in the middle of cut-throat housewives, a high-stakes “Winter Ball” competition, and a sinister plot that could destroy Christmas.
Written by Connor Wright and Christina Friel and directed by Don Scardino, it stars RuPaul, Rodriguez, Andy Ridings, Michelle Visage, Ginger Minj, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Peppermint, Jan Sport, Jaymes Mansfield, Latrice Royale, Gottmik, Morgan McMichaels, Porkchop, Carson Kressley, Ross Mathews, Chad Michaels, Heidi N Closet, Kelly Mantle, Kimora Blac, Laganja Estranja, Manila Luzon, Mayhem Miller, Pandora Boxx, Raven, Rock M. Sakura, Kylie Sonique Love, Kim Petras, Charo and Anna Maria Horsford.
Produced by World of Wonder and MTV Entertainment Studios, it is exec produced by Randy Barbato, Fenton Bailey, Tom Campbell, Don Scardino, Nina L. Diaz, Meghan Hooper, Josh Van Houdt, Samantha Schles, Marcia Lansdown and Janee Dabney.
Get a bucket and a mop for Cardi B, after she cleans up at the BET Awards…
The 28-year-old half-Dominican American picked up two awards at the awards show on Sunday night, including the night’s top prize.
Cardi B won Video of the Year for her music video for her chart-topping single “WAP” with Megan Thee Stallion.
She and Megan Thee Stallion also took home the Best Collaboration award for “WAP.”
Hosted by Taraji P. Henson, the ceremony aired in front of a live, fully vaccinated crowd and aired on BET, BET Her, Logo, MTV, MTV2, TV Land and VH1.
Bruno Mars picked up two BET Awards, bringing his career total to six.
The 35-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer/songwriter won the Best Group Award for being part of the duo Silk Sonic.
Mars also won the Video Director of the Year award for the brilliantly slick video for Silk Sonic’s debut single “Leave the Door Open,” which he co-directed alongside Florent Dechard.
The annual awards celebrate the year in Black music, TV, film, sports and social impact and this edition touted the “year of the Black woman,” with Queen Latifah receiving the Lifetime Achievement BET Award. There was also a tribute to rapper DMX, who died in April at age 50.
Here’s the full list of winners:
Album of the Year
“After Hours” – The Weeknd
“Blame It On Baby” – DaBaby
“Good News” – Megan Thee Stallion “Heaux Tales” – Jazmine Sullivan
“King’s Disease” – Nas
“Ungodly Hour” – Chloe X Halle
Best Collaboration
Cardi B Ft. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
DaBaby Ft. Roddy Ricch – “Rockstar”
DJ Khaled Ft. Drake – “Popstar”
Jack Harlow Ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez & Lil Wayne – “What’s Poppin” (Remix)
Megan Thee Stallion Ft. DaBaby – “Cry Baby”
Pop Smoke Ft. Lil Baby & DaBaby – “For The Night”
6lack
Anderson .Paak Chris Brown
Giveon
Tank
The Weeknd
Best New Artist
Coi Leray
Flo Milli Giveon
Jack Harlow
Latto
Pooh Shiesty
Best Group
21 Savage & Metro Boomin
Chloe X Halle
Chris Brown & Young Thug
City Girls
Migos Silk Sonic
Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Cardi B
Coi Leray
Doja Cat Megan Thee Stallion
Latto
Saweetie
Best Male Hip Hop Artist
DaBaby
Drake
J. Cole
Jack Harlow Lil Baby
Pop Smoke
Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel / Inspirational Award
Bebe Winans – “In Jesus Name”
Cece Winans – “Never Lost”
H.E.R. – “Hold Us Together” Kirk Franklin – “Strong God”
Marvin Sapp – “Thank You For It All”
Tamela Mann – “Touch From You”
BET Her Award
Alicia Keys Ft. Khalid – “So Done”
Brandy Ft. Chance The Rapper – “Baby Mama”
Bri Steves – “Anti Queen”
Chloe X Halle – “Baby Girl”
Ciara Ft. Ester Dean – “Rooted” SZA – “Good Days”
Best International Act
Aya Nakamura (France) Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Emicida (Brazil)
Headie One (Uk)
Wizkid (Nigeria)
Young T & Bugsey (Uk)
Youssoupha (France)
Viewer’s Choice Award
Cardi B Ft. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
Chris Brown & Young Thug – “Go Crazy”
DaBaby Ft. Roddy Ricch – “Rockstar”
DJ Khaled Ft. Drake – “Popstar”
Drake Ft. Lil Durk – “Laugh Now Cry Later”
Lil Baby – “The Bigger Picture” Megan Thee Stallion Ft. Beyoncé – “Savage” (Remix)
Silk Sonic – “Leave The Door Open”
Video of the Year
Cardi B – “Up” Cardi B Ft. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
Chloe X Halle – “Do It”
Chris Brown & Young Thug – “Go Crazy”
Drake Ft. Lil Durk – “Laugh Now Cry Later”
Silk Sonic – “Leave The Door Open”
Video Director of the Year
Benny Boom Bruno Mars And Florent Déchard
Cole Bennett
Colin Tilley
Dave Meyers
Hype Williams
Best Movie
“Coming 2 America” “Judas And The Black Messiah”
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
“One Night In Miami”
“Soul”
“The United States Vs. Billie Holiday”
Best Actress
Andra Day, “The United States vs Billie Holiday”
Angela Bassett
Issa Rae
Jurnee Smollett
Viola Davis
Zendaya
Best Actor
Aldis Hodge Chadwick Boseman
Damson Idris
Daniel Kaluuya
Eddie Murphy
Lakeith Stanfield
Youngstars Award
Alex R. Hibbert
Ethan Hutchison
Lonnie Chavis Marsai Martin
Michael Epps
Storm Reid
Sportswoman of the Year Award
A’ja Wilson
Candace Parker
Claressa Shields Naomi Osaka
Serena Williams
Skylar Diggins-Smith
Sportsman of the Year Award
Kyrie Irving LeBron James
Patrick Mahomes
Russell Westbrook
Russell Wilson
Stephen Curry
The 33-year-old part-Spanish American R&B singer, who is part Japanese, will perform on a television special produced by The Asian American Foundation, the newly formed organization launched to improve AAPI advocacy.
Entitled “See Us Unite for Change — The Asian American Foundation in Service of the AAPI Community,” the special will air on May 21 on a number of channels, including MTV, BET, VH1 and Comedy Central, as well as Facebook Watch.
Other performers include Sting and Saweetie.
TAAF’s launch comes as anti-AAPI hate and violence persist at alarming rates. Actor Ken Jeong will host the special, which will include appearances by Daniel Dae Kim and Lisa Ling and “will feature testimonials from leading Asian American public figures, as well as individuals working to enact change on the ground,” organizers said.
The TV special coincides with TAAF’s See Us Unite campaign, which launched Thursday and is designed to expand support for the AAPI community. The Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, The Henry Luce Foundation and the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation have partnered with TAAF for the campaign, and funds raised will benefit several grassroot-led efforts, including Stop AAPI Hate and Asian Americans Advancing Justice.
Aiko is one of R&B’s top stars and has achieved multi-platinum status with songs like “Sativa,” “While We’re Young” and “The Worst.”
The entertainment network’s television docuseries True Hollywood Story will officially return on Monday, March 15, starting with an in-depth look at the 28-year-old half-Dominican American Grammy-winning rapper.
The first episode will track how the “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” rapper built herself from the ground up, including interviews with television producer Mona Scott-Young (VH1‘s Love & Hip Hop), “Bodak Yellow” music video director Picture Perfectand fellow New York rapper Maino.
The rest of the second season’s episodes will focus on the tragic deaths of Selena and Christina Grimmieat the hands of those obsessed with them (“Death of Innocence” will air March 29); the sisterhood bond that withstands the celebrity spotlight between Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, Britney and Jamie Lynn Spears, and Miley and Noah Cyrus (“Star Sisters” will air on April 10); trail-blazing billionaires like Jay-Z(“Billionaires: Fierce, Fearless & Filthy Rich” will premiere this summer); and Hollywood’s most talked-about and mysterious cases including Whitney Houston‘s death (“Hollywood Mysteries” will premiere in the fall).
Selena’s husband Chris Perez and Grimmie’s brother Marcus will share intimate stories during the “Death of Innocence” special.
Season two of E! True Hollywood Story will debut on Monday, March 15 at 10:00 pm ET.
The Puerto Rican and Cuban American actress is set to appear in a multi-episode arc on ABC’s The Rookie.
Guaty will play Sandra De la Cruz, a businesswoman with nefarious connections who has been the target of a murder attempt.
Her character will be introduced in the Sunday, January 17 episode titled “La Fiera.”
Created by Alexi Hawley, The Rookie stars Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, the oldest rookie at the Los Angeles Police Department.
The series, which also stars Mekia Cox, Alyssa Diaz, Richard T. Jones, Titus Makin, Melissa O’Neil and Eric Winter, is produced by Entertainment One (eOne) and ABC Signature.
Guaty is known for her starring role on VH1’s dramedy series Daytime Divas, where she played Nina, an award-winning journalist and one of the five co-hosts on the popular talk show, “The Lunch Hour.”
She can most recently be seen guest starring on The Good Doctor, as well as in Netflix film Nappily Ever After, directed by Haiffaa Al Mansour, and A Futile and Stupid Gesture, a biopic on Doug Kennedy, the man who started National Lampoon, where Guaty plays his wife.
The 39-year-old Puerto Rican television personality, actress and entrepreneur has teamed up with Issa Rae for Juju.
Anthony and Rae will executive produce the upcoming horror comedy for Universal Pictures, according to Deadline.com.
The project will be based on an original concept by Angelica Nwandu, founder of Instagram-based info hub The Shade Room and a Sundance fellow, who will write the script.
Juju will be the studio feature directorial debut for Thembi Banks, a Sundance alum who has been a director on Rae’sInsecure and Frankie Shaw’s SMILF.
Anthony to prominence as an MTV VJ on Total Request Live. She hosted several VH1 reality television reunion shows, including Flavor of Love and I Love New York.
Her acting credits include You Got Served, Think Like a Man and Starz’s Power series.
The 49-year-old half-Mexican American Spanish-born actor/producer and his wife Kelly Ripa have signed a deal with Lifetime to produce two new movies for the network’s Ripped from the Headlines slate via their Milojo Productions banner.
Consuelos, Ripa and Albert Bianchini will serve as executive producers for the untitled projects, which are set to debut in 2021..
“Kelly and Mark have been important voices in popular culture for the past twenty years and we are so incredibly pleased to have them become a part of the Lifetime family,” said Paul Buccieri, Group President, A+E Networks. “We look forward to seeing their creative vision brought to life through these projects.”
The network’s 2020 Ripped from the Headlines slate has been a ratings boon for Lifetime. Stolen By My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story, Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer, Poisoned Love: The Stacey Castor Story, Neighbor in the Window, andYou Can’t Take My Daughter reached more than 25 million total viewers, from January – April on Lifetime & LMN1, according to Nielsen Live+7.
“I am beyond thrilled to welcome Kelly and Mark and their company into the Lifetime family. We feel like Kelly and Mark have our same sensibilities and instincts for good storytelling,” said Tanya Lopez, EVP of Movies, Limited Series & Original Movie Acquisitions, Lifetime & LMN. “We know our ripped from the headlines slate will be energized by their enthusiasm and we all look forward to bringing these timely stories to their fans.”
Milojo Productions, which has developed and produced for networks including Bravo, Logo, VH1, E!,CMT, HGTV, WeTV, TLC and Discovery, has produced the Emmy-nominated documentary The Streak for ESPN, and critically acclaimed documentary Off The Rezfor TLC, both which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. The company has been involved in such projects as Masters of Reception, Homemade Millionaire, Dirty Soap, Cheer, Secret Guide To Fabulous, My Diet Is Better Than Yours, Secret Guide to Summer, Fire Island, and the New Now Next Voteelection specials with Wanda Sykes.
Milojo is currently in production onFamily Reboot, a docuseries for Disney+ and Exhumed, a true-crime series for Oxygen.
“As longtime true crime fans, there is nothing more thrilling than tuning into a Lifetime original movie,” Kelly and Mark added. “We are so excited to be working with Paul, Tanya, and their incredibly talented team to bring these Ripped from the Headlines stories to the screen.”
Rodriguez’s feature directorial debut, the television movie Let’s Get Merried for VH1 and MTV, followed a hard-partying, down-on-her-luck holiday-hater who decided to get married at a Christmas-themed adventure park to a man she hadn’t yet met, netting her an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Directing.
