Star Making Roles at Hispanicize

STAR MAKING ROLES was a Wednesday panel that included Steven Bauer (Scarface), Gina Rodriguez (Filly Brown), and Tim McNeal (VP ABC Talent Development & Diversity).

GINA RODRIGUEZ

If you haven't quite heard of Gina Rodriguez you will very, very soon. She was Sundance's official "It Girl" at this years prestigious annual Film Festival, where her movie "Filly Brown" premiered. 

Rodriguez reminds me of a younger Michelle Rodriguez. A young starlet with edge, beauty and talent. In "Filly Brown" the actress, who started her entertainment career as a Salsa dancer will also show off her rapping skills as the role required her to belt out some tunes. 

Hey, I'm with Manny Ribera from "Scarface" !!

STEVEN BAUER

Steven Bauer who shot to fame for his star making role in "Scarface" alongside Al Pacino, shared the story of how he started his career. He landed in Miami in the 70's as part of the Cuban exile community and his real name is Esteban Ernesto Echevarría Samson, but his father encouraged him to change his name so people could pronounce it. "Bauer", Steven said at the panel had a nice ring to it. The self-proclaimed bad boy has also been seen in hits like "Primal Fear", "Traffic" and "Breaking Bad".

Lady in White Moderator and CEO of Latin Heat Bel Hernandez 

TIM MCNEAL
His title, pretty much says it all: Vice President of Talent Development and Diversity at ABC, 'nuff said. His job is basically to seek out diverse talent, reel them in, and have them sign development deals with ABC/Disney. Gina Rodriguez currently has such deal at ABC, and trust me it's well deserved.

Hearing all of their stories was very inspiring, because whether you want to be an actress, agent, or lawyer, or pediatrician-the message was the same: GO FOR IT! Follow your heart, follow your passion, don't give up- and create your own "Star Making Role" whatever that may mean for you!

Check out the tout video of them giving it shout out below. (must be viewed on a computer)

Kiki Melendez brings Latino Hollywood to Miami...

Kiki Melendez on her Big Premiere Night.

Latino Hollywood Comes to Miami for Inaugural National Latino Film Showcase of Hispanicize 2012. Opening the showcase was comedian Kiki Melendez's new film "The Journey of a Female Comic-La Trayectoria De Una Comediante" .




I really admire Kiki. I met her almost 15 years ago when I was producing a promotional sales video for L.A.'s now defunct "Groove Radio", where she was one of the hosts.

Kiki Hug

Ever since I met her, she's always been non-stop. Producing comedy shows like "Hot Tamales Live" featuring Eva Longoria. Hosting her own show "Kiki desde Hollywood" where she interviewed the likes of Aaron Spelling and asked him where were all the Latinos in Melrose Place? And nurturing new talent for  future projects like Cuban comedian Conrado Bonco (keep your eye out for him!).

She's a go-getter, she has what Latinos call "cojones", what Jewish may call "chutzpah" and what gringos call "balls." She knows what she wants, but doesn't expect anything to be handed to her on a silver platter.
These are the things we can see in her Docucomedy  "The Journey of a Female Comic-La Trayectoria De Una Comediante"  (which she also directed and produced). We also see the small town in the Dominican Republic where she is originally from, and learn to appreciate her journey to Hollywood.

The life of a Latina female entertainer in America does not come with any guarantees or any easy paths. In Kiki Melendez' story, she has gone through plenty of disappointments, rejections and heartbreaks, Featured Cast:  Maria Conchita Alonzo, Marc Anthony, John Travolta, Esai Morales, Lupe Ontiveros, Nadine Velasquez, Jacob Vargas.

Kiki is a trailblazer that hasn't gotten enough credit from Hollywood but she's a force of nature that the glitzy town can't ignore for long.

(check out her 15 second video below moments after the Premiere of her movie)

Actors Workshop from Novelas to Film!

The first panel I assisted at Hispanicize was "Actors Workshop from Novelas to Film". For those of you who don't know what a "Novela" is, its the Latin version of a Soap Opera. Its what mainstream media often uses to mock us in funny skits on shows like SNL, The Soup, or recently the Will Ferrell Comedy "Casa de Mi Padre".

Yes Novelas are over the top, yes they're admittedly cheesy with their damsel in distress meets heroic leading man riding in to save her on a horse. But they reflect the passion, color and romanticism of our culture.
Its what our abuelitas, and mothers were brought up watching and by association, most 2nd generation Latinos.

Did you know that Oscar Nominated Salma Hayek started her career in Mexican Telenovelas? Ditto for Oscar Nominee Demian Bichir! So, acting in Novelas is a good platform for new talent exercising they're acting muscles.

Speakers at this workshop included Mexican telenovela actors that have made or are making the transition from Telenovelas to Films, such as Celines Torribio, Sonya Smith and Gabriel Porras.

One of the most common things they hear at auditions by casting directors: "you're not Latin enough", "you're accent is to thick", "you don't look Latin", "do you speak English?".

These words may be discouraging to them, but most actors have the drive that can smash down any nay-sayyers. Imagine if Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz and Sofia Vergara had "listened" to these types of criticism's early in their career? Modern Family would be anything but.

So, jes guatch out Hollywood... we are noth going a ninguna parte!

Watch 15 sec. tout interview with Talent Manager Paulo Andres on the state of Latinos in Hollywood:
(if you can't watch video you must log on to a computer to watch)

ROAMING....MIAMI !!! say Hello to my little Hispanicize adventure

Miami is the furthest point from my hometown, the city I love the city I roam: Los Angeles. But this week I will be "roaming" the gateway to Latin America for the third annual HISPANICIZE  2012: the Annual Event for Latino Trendsetters and Newsmakers.

This year they launch theHISPANICIZE NATIONAL LATINO FILM SHOWCASE National Latino Film showcase which will feature film screenings, entertainment panel discussions, celebrity appearances (including Andy Garcia, Steven Bauer, Yul Vazquez), and black carpet events. It culminates with the mega mansion screening of the cult film Scarface on Friday April 13th (no bad luck here, as long as Al Pacino doesn't show up with an uzzi).

The event itself has been nicknamed the Latino SXSW because it is a congretation of innovators, trendsetters, brands ($$), bloggers (uuhm... hi! how often do YOU read naiberoamsla ?), and filmmakers.

Emilio Estefan, Cesar Milan, Maria Elena Salinas and Nely Galan will be receiving the Latinovator award.

Don't mean to be a "tease" but  keep'on readin my blog throughout the week because I will be posting daily updates and interviews from the JW Marriot Marquis Hotel in beautiful balmy Miami...