Will Miss Universe Paulina Vega be the next hot Latino Hollywood star?

Paulina Vega won the 2014 Miss Universe competition and with this win a 'love affair' has begun between her, fans and some television and film entertainment insiders who quietly believe that she will be a hot Hollywood commodity at the conclusion of her reign because of her gorgeous looks, outgoing personality and connection with Latino fans.

Since her win she has been a topic of conversation at the water cooler with fans and there is belief that she could become a star as an actress. There was not much discussion about her as an actress and potential entertainment personality until a picture of her was uploaded to her social media Instagram page which showed not in a swimsuit but in relaxed clothing have fun and looking very sexy.

 

In the picture she is wearing black jeans, a white t-shirt tied at the waist to expose her fit stomach, black sunglasses and heels and she looks 'rush-hour traffic-stopping' gorgeous (Instagram - February 22). The pose she provided was one of a confident, sexy woman who some entertainment insiders could imagine walking across the camera and leaving fans so transfixed that even after she is off the camera fans would still be thinking about her.

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How Mexicans Became Hollywood's Best Directors

Source by IOAN GRILLO, GLOBALPOST

To the rolls of jazz drums and flying camera shots, Michael Keaton race-walks through crowded New York City in his tight underpants in a bizarrely hilarious scene of the dark comedy "Birdman."

It's a risky experimental combo. But Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu pulled it off on such a scale it propelled his movie to nine nominations for this Sunday's Oscars, including wins for the big enchiladas of best director and best movie.

The success of "Birdman" means Mexicans winning best director for two years running. In 2014, Alfonso Cuaron won for "Gravity," his groundbreaking sci-film film that featured Sandra Bullock floating around a junkyard of orbiting satellites and made a whopping $716 million at the box office.

This story originally appeared at GlobalPost.

Oscar Isaac: "We Latin American actors don't just know how to play villains"

By Anna Buj

Oscar Isaac continues to break away from Hollywood stereotypes of the Latino actor and, following the success of "Inside Llewyn Davis" by the Coen brothers, is again a critics' favorite with "A Most Violent Year," a tense drama in which he teams up with former classmate Jessica Chastain.

"We Latin American actors don't just know how to play gangbangers and villains. I've had the luck to play characters from all over the world, and that for me is very important," the Guatemalan-born Isaac said in an interview with Efe.

"A Most Violent Year" finds Isaac at the height of his career, since he will also appear in "X-Men:
"Apocalypse," the last of the "Star Wars" saga, and in the science fiction thriller "Ex Machina."

Though "A Most Violent Year" debuts this Friday in U.S. commercial theaters, the film has already earned him the Best Actor award from the National Board of Review (tied with Michael Keaton for "Birdman") and a nomination for the Gotham Independent Film Awards.

"I want to help Latin American actors see themselves as real actors, that we're really very good. It's hard but it's possible," the actor said, adding that his Latino origins are present in every part he plays.

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[Video] Cast of ‘Jane the Virgin’ wants to change Hollywood

Source by Dan Gray

Gina Rodriguez may be on the brink of stardom thanks to the new CW show  “Jane the Virgin.” The Latino actress wants to change Hollywood.

The Puerto Rican actress says Hollywood too often casts Latino actors in the roles of maids or landscapers.  With her role in Jane, she is hoping to be a positive role model for the Latino community and young girls. The predominantly Latino cast believes the show will resonate beyond the Latino community. Watch the video here.

Hollywood and the 1,000 faces of the Hispanic market

Source by EFE

The Hispanic market is still a mystery for Hollywood and the film industry, eager to benefit from Latinos' growing purchasing power, continues to struggle to understand what is a diverse population.

Research by the Motion Pictures Association of America confirms a trend the studios know well: Hispanics like to go to the movies with their families, and they like it a lot. So much that, adjusting for their demographic presence, they are the most loyal moviegoers.

Hispanics, who are about 17 percent of the population, last year made up 32 percent of the audience for Hollywood movies in the United States. Whites, who are 63 percent of the population, accounted for 43 percent. Read more.

Hollywood director Alfredo De Villa to develop documentary on Hector E. Sanchez

Source by PR NewsChannel

Hector E. Sanchez, Executive Director of LCLAA (Labor Council for Latin American and the Chair of NHLA (National Hispanic Leadership Agenda) is still fresh from receiving the 2014 Spirit of Democracy Community Empowerment & Social Justice Leadership Award from the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and from mobilizing Latino voters to fight against anti-immigration efforts in Arizona a few days later.

This week comes more news for Hector E. Sanchez: Hollywood and famed filmmaker Alfredo DeVilla says he’s looking at doing a documentary on Sanchez, who plays a central role in national Latino leadership.

“I have had the good fortune of being a proud Mexican immigrant who through hard work, determination and luck I have been blessed to live the American dream.” Alfredo DeVilla said. “Through the prism of cinema I have tried to tell the stories of those from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and elsewhere who have come to America to live the dream and Hector Sanchez is someone who fights for us, every day.”  Read more.

Weekend Movies 2014: Why 'Fury' Won Box Office; 'The Book of Life', 'Birdman' Surprise

Source by Francisco Salazar

Latin Americans excelled at the box office this weekend, with "Fury" winning the overall marketplace and "The Book of Life" over performing.

"Fury," the Brad Pitt release, made an estimated $23.5 million in 3,173 theaters. The Sony film, also starring Michael Pena, Logan Lerman and Shia LeBeouf, obtained good reviews and received a strong marketing campaign.

The film was budgeted at $68 million and became the fourth R-rated release to top the box office. It also became Pitt's 11th-highest opener and director David Ayer's best opening ever. Serious dramas continue to excel at the box office and, with strong word-of-mouth and awards buzz, "Fury" is likely to end its run north of $100 million.

In second place, Ben Affleck's "Gone Girl" continued to soar making another $17.8 million. To this date, the feature has grossed $107 million and is on track to become director David Fincher's highest grosser ever. Great reviews and awards buzz will definitely allow the thriller to continue its strong run and the movie could potentially end with up to $150 million.

In third place, "The Book of Life" debuted to $17 million, which was on par with "The Boxtrolls." The animated feature was targeted at a Latin American audience and also had many Mexican themes, as well as Latin American actors. The film also appealed to children and was a released a month after "The Boxtrolls."

With no noticeable new animated films in the market, this helped obtain buzz. It also helped that the movie has to do with Halloween, which only two weeks away, and that reviews were strong. With no new animated films coming out in the next few weeks, this film could possibly end its run with up to $75 million. Read MORE.

VIDEO:Catherine Zeta-Jones To Play Colombian Black Widow

Source by Jen Yamato

Catherine Zeta-Jones, nominated for a Golden Globe for her turn as the ruthless wife of a drug lord in 2000’s Traffic, has landed an even juicier role in the true story crime biopic The Godmother. In a new film directed by Norwegian helmer Eva Sørhaug (90 Minutes, Cold Lunch) Zeta-Jones will play real life kingpin Griselda Blanco, the first and only woman to rise to the higher echelons of Colombia’s Medellin drug cartel.

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Watch this VIDEO

Hispanic Actors React to Lack of Diversity, Opportunities in Hollywood Movie Roles

By Scharon Harding

In early August, the University of Southern California revealed that Hispanics are highly underrepresented in top Hollywood movies. Now, actors from the Hispanic community are reacting.
The six-year-long study, "Race/Ethnicity in 600 Popular Films: Examining On Screen Portrayals and Behind the Camera Diversity," examined over 25,000 characters in all of the top-grossing films from 2007-2013. The study found that Hispanics played a mere 4.9 percent of the characters studied, despite the group representing 16.3 of the U.S. population (according to the U.S. Census Bureau) and 25 percent of movie ticket sales.

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Lights, Camera, Struggle? Hollywood Latinos Speak Out

By Raul A. Reyes

Lights, camera, struggle? A recent study from the University of Southern California made headlines after concluding Latinos continue to be the most underrepresented group in Hollywood films. The report only confirms what Latino actors, producers, and advocates already know: It is tough to make it in Hollywood, but it is even tougher for Hispanics.

The study by the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism found that diversity on-screen lags far behind that of the U.S. population. Researchers looked at films over a six-year period and found that Latino characters accounted for only 4.9 percent of all speaking roles. In contrast, Hispanics are 17.1 percent of the population, yet are 25 percent of the moviegoing public.

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Roberto Orci talks Latino underrepresentation in Hollywood

BY RAY MONELL

Roberto Orci has thrived as a screenwriter and executive producer in Hollywood, but he hasn't let his achievements obscure the degree to which Latinos are underrepresented in television and film.

His way of responding, in part? Try "Matador," the edgy new espionage thriller on "Machete" director Robert Rodriguez's El Rey network, starring Gabriel Luna as Tony Bravo, a DEA agent who gets recruited by the CIA to pose as a professional soccer player by day while serving as a spy by night.

"The Latin community is about to explode in media," Orci, 41, says of the new channel, which airs "Matador" on Tuesdays at 9 p.m.

"It's no accident that (Rodriguez) and I got together. I've been in the industry 10, 15 years. He's been in it longer. It took us that long to even meet. It took us that long to even pitch each other something. 

Why is that? "I think it's because I'm going through the studio system learning my thing, trying not to raise hell, trying to (earn) my stripes, and he's doing his thing," adds the Mexico City-born scribe, who co-wrote the screenplays for "Transformers" (2007), "Star Trek Into Darkness" (2013) and "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" (2014).

"And it takes a minute for it to occur to all of us to get together and raise hell. Finally, it's all coming to the surface, and the frustration is justified and real."

Already picked up for another 13-episode season, "Matador" features many familiar Latino faces, from Alfred Molina to Elizabeth Peña and Julio Oscar Mechoso.

What's unfamiliar about the show, much like the channel it's on, is that the presence of Latinos behind the scenes won't be as rare a sight as it is in the rest of the industry.

"The Latino Media Gap" - a recent study tracking the state of Latinos in American media - found that when it came to the top ten TV shows from 2010 to 2013, Latinos accounted for just 1% of producers, 2% of writers, 4% percent of directors - and none of the show creators.

During the same period, 2% of directors, 2% of producers and 6% of the writers involved in top-10 movies were Latino, despite the demographic comprising 17% of the U.S. population.

"I've gone to this producers conference, for example, for years where I've talked about the Latino market," says Orci, who'll helm the next "Star Trek" film for his feature directorial debut.

"If someone tries to talk to you as a Latino and they bull---- you, that's where they get in trouble. It has to be authentic, and so, whether or not you speak Spanish or English, if they're gonna try to come at you culturally, they better understand the culture a little bit.

"They think that if they just (present) … some kind of immigrant story, or Spanglish story, that we're gonna go for it. That's not the case."

Orci is fully aware of one of the caveats with having the reins of a TV show - one perfectly summed up by a maxim made famous the Spider-Man saga: "With great power comes great responsibility."

"(The network) is giving you total freedom, and if anything goes wrong, it's all on you," he says.

"There's a bit of pressure; we have to make a good show. But the fact that we're talking about this is a small victory. We can celebrate some progress having been made in increasing diversity in media, but we can't stand still."

Hollywood to Latinas: Shut Up and Get Naked

BY SAMANTHA LEAL 

Thanks, Hollywood. For as many strides as Latinos (and specifically, Latinas) are making on the screen, it seems like not much has changed. A new study has shown that less than 5 percent of actors in top Hollywood films are Hispanic, while Latinas are more likely than any other group of women to appear partially or fully naked on screen. 

Yes, it seems the "sexy" Latina stereotype is alive and well: Latinas represent 37.5 percent of all female nudity (partial or full) on-screen. White women account for 31.9 percent of full or partial nudity, while black women come in at 23.5 percent. And Latinos? They don't fare much better either: they are more likely to be seen in "tight, alluring or revealing" clothing (16.5 percent) than any other group. 

“Hispanics and Latinos are one of the fastest-growing groups in the U.S.,” said Marc Choueiti, one of the authors of the study. “If popular films were the only way to gauge diversity, viewers would be completely unaware of this. Individuals from this group are almost invisible on screen.”

Actress Alma Martinez, most recently seen on FX's The Bridge, told KPCC that the "hot Latina stereotype" has been seen since silent films and continues to this day.

"You’re looking at Lupe Vélez, Carmen Miranda, Salma Hayek," Martinez said. "They’re sexualized Latina women. And they have an accent." But don't mistake her for saying these women don't have talent: "They're excellent," Martinez said. "It’s [the roles] Hollywood gives them.”

Moreover, speaking parts for minorities is, in a word, abysmal. Only about 5 percent of all speaking roles in top movies were Hispanic. In 2010, just 1.5 percent of speaking parts were given to any racial minority. Seriously?

“In reality, we saw no meaningful difference in the representation of characters from underrepresented backgrounds across the six years we studied," said Stacy Smith. Smith is an author and director of the study.

Latinos make up 16.3 percent of the U.S. population and buy 25 percent of all tickets at the box office, yet we are still one of the most underrepresented demographics when it comes to on-screen time and speaking roles. 

Despite what it seems Hollywood wants us to do (be quiet and get naked), we'll keep raising our voice to this issue until it changes. And we'll do so with our clothes on. 

What do you think of these findings? Are you surprised at all? Share in the comments.

Antonio Banderas Proud Of Hispanics' Triumph In Hollywood

Published by FOX NEWS LATINO

Spanish actor Antonio Banderas said here that he is proud to be a part of the generation of Hispanic artists who managed to open the doors of Hollywood and consolidate themselves in the movie mecca. 

Banderas, who was in Bogota to present his new ladies' fragrance, "Her Golden Secret," recalled at a press conference his early years in movies and gave details about his most recent film project," The 33," about the Chilean miners who were trapped in a collapsed mine for 70 days in 2010.

The 53-year-old actor said that one of the first things he was told when he arrived in the United States was that if he stayed in Hollywood "I was going to be a villain all my life" in terms of the roles that came his way, since "blacks and Hispanics" are (or were) the bad guys in film.

The interesting thing, Banderas added, was that when he starred in the 1998 film "The Mask of Zorro," the bad guy was blond and "had blue eyes."

Hispanics who have made a career in movies or in any other professional sphere in the United States "have struggled a lot, have come from countries in conflict, where many difficulties have occurred" with the aim of having their children go to college, Banderas said.

The children of those pioneers "currently are in positions of power (and that) had to be reflected in Hollywood," he added.

Latinos Becoming A Stronger Force In Hollywood – But Leading Roles Still Scarce

by Lucia Suarez

The past year was a strong one for Latinos in Hollywood.

The Mexican-American comedy, “Instructions Not Included,” killed it in the box office – it was the highest-grossing, Spanish-language film in the United States ever.

More than 20 television shows in the major networks had at least one Latino actor in their casts. Alfonso Cuarón became the first Mexican to win the best director award at the Academy Awards.

Some could call it a standout year for Hispanics. But for many, it’s not enough.

Despite making strong strides in the past few years, they say, Latinos are still among the most underrepresented ethnic and cultural group in the entertainment world.

Mary Beltran, associate professor of Radio-Television-Film at the University of Texas, Austin, said while many shows have touted more diversity in their casts, it is still rare to see a Latino actor or actress in an ensemble cast or a Hispanic take the lead role.

“It’s a very dismal situation,” she told Fox News Latino. “It seems like there is continuing confusion in the part of TV executives that Latinos are only watching Spanish-language television, which is not true.”

Beltran called it a “devaluing of Latinos” by Hollywood decision makers, whose perception of Latinos seems to not include a robust middle class that watches TV shows and goes to movie theaters in growing, and record-breaking, numbers.

“They think that Latinos are not leading modern lives,” she said.

The Latino community in the United States roughly represents about 17 percent of the country’s population – it’s the country’s largest growing minority group.

According to recent numbers released by the Movie Picture Association of America (MPAA), last year’s box office brought in roughly $10.9 billion in ticket sales. Latinos represented about 25 percent of that sum.

“Hollywood creates and produces extraordinary stories; you create truly extraordinary theater experiences,” said MPAA Chairman Chris Dobb while addressing CinemaCon 2014 on March 25. “Together, we’ve adapted to shifts in audience demographics such as the growing numbers of Hispanics flocking to U.S. and Canadian theaters.”

The majority of the money went to big-budget films like “Iron Man 3,” “Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” and “Gravity” – not movies with any sort of Latino themes.

The MPAA numbers, experts say, should be an indication to major studios that if they want to grow their audience, they must invest in the Latino community and their stories, as well.

“There are a lot of us. We multiply,” said comedian Jesenia, who along with Jenni Ruiza is tackling the issue through their comedy and social media.

Ruiza said that stepping up the presence of Latinos in movies and TV shows doesn’t mean just putting Hispanics in stereotypical roles like the housekeeper, gardener, drug dealer or the trophy wife.

“It would be nice to see more than white-black TV (and movies),” said Jesenia to Fox News Latino. “We want to see brown, yellow, rice and beans.”

The New York-based comedians said it’s not just Tinsel Town that has to listen, but the major television networks and writers like at NBC’s comedy skit show “Saturday Night Live,” where in 39 seasons there have only been two Latino comedians and zero female Latinas in the cast.

“It was an issue that we thought we needed to discuss,” Ruiza said. “Latinos on TV are very stereotypical – they have very specific jobs and are very cookie cutter…. That’s not all that Latinos do.”

“There is no (real) us, unless you turn on Spanish-language TV,” Jesenia said. “I think ‘Ugly Betty’ was the only show that depicted us in normal lives.”

The comedic duo have taken to YouTube and social media to try to get people’s attention – specifically SNL’s frontrunner Lorne Michaels – and realize that for there to be a true depiction of society there needs to be more Latinos in front and behind of the camera.

“Yes, we can play ourselves – if you give us a chance,” Ruiza said. “You need to be able to relate. [Right now] I wouldn’t be able to relate.”

Beltran agrees, saying that not having Latinos in casts – whether TV or film – it’s a way of saying that Latinos are not important in society.

Beltran said while the situation is still “dismal,” things are moving in a positive direction - as last year’s successes can attest - but they are still few and far between.

There are new low budget “Spanglish” shows popping up online and niche networks like El Rey or NuvoTV showcasing positive Latino-heavy shows and movies. Now, Hollywood needs to listen.

“I hope they are successful,” Beltran said.

Hispanic moviegoers had major impact on 2013 box office

By Todd Cunningham, The Wrap

Hispanic moviegoers played a huge part in the record 2013 U.S. box office, according to figures released Tuesday by the MPAA.

Despite representing roughly 17 percent of the U.S. population, Hispanics bought up 25 percent of the movie tickets sold in the U.S. last year. They number of Hispanics who are frequent moviegoers - those who go to the movies more than once a month - continues to grow and represents 32 percent of that group.

Motion Picture Association of America Chairman Chris Dodd detailed the strong Hispanic representation in his state of the industry report delivered Tuesday at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

Despite purchasing fewer tickets in 2013 compared to 2012, Hispanics remained more likely than any other ethnic group to go to movies, according to the report. African-Americans and "others" purchased more tickets in 2013 than in 2012.

The share of tickets sold to Caucasians has been trending downward since 2009. The share of tickets sold to African-Americans increased for the first time since 2009, while the share of tickets sold to Hispanics declined slightly from 2012.

Lionsgate's comedy"Instructions Not Included" was a big factor. The Eugenio Derbez comedy became the highest-grossing foreign-language film ever in the U.S. with more than $44 million domestically last year despite never playing in more than 1,000 theaters.

And Universal made a point of targeting the Hispanic audience with "Fast & Furious 6" as well, and that paid major dividends. Hispanics made up 32 percent of the hot car blockbuster's opening weekend audience, while white moviegoers accounted for 29 percent, and it went on take in $238 million at the domestic box office.

Pitbull THR April 2014 Cover: Cuban Singer Aspires To Be 'A Billion-Dollar Company by 35'

By Oscar Lopez

Pitbull has been steadily rising in the ranks of the country's music stars and he is now without a doubt one of the biggest Latinos in the world. With nine top 10 singles, including 2011's "Give Me Everything" and 2013's "Timber," which both reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and have sold 8.5 million downloads in the U.S., Pitbull is a force to be reckoned with. The Cuban-American singer is set to grace the cover of The Hollywood Reporter's April edition.

The Cuban-American sensation talks to The Hollywood Reporter about his genre-bending style. Initially classified as "too Latin for hip-hop, too hip-hop for Latin," Pitbull has proven that marrying both genres is actually a recipe for success. "I fell in love with hip-hop because to me it was therapy," he says. "I could listen to [someone] and go, 'This is happening in his neighborhood, too?' It became my way of getting things off my chest without having to do it physically."

The 47-year-old Pitbull also reveals that he sees himself as a savy and ambitious businessman. “I’ll be sitting in marketing meetings where they’re going, ‘Well, this is our multicultural budget,’ and ‘We’ll make this a multicultural campaign,’ and I say, ‘Great!’ knowing that they see me in the context of the Latin boom. ‘Oh, he’s the next Latin this or Latin that. ...’ But in my mind, I know this is the general market. I touch everybody at the end of the day.”
Pitbull's ambition stretches far and wide. “Do I think it’s realistic to be a billion-dollar company by [age] 35?" He asks. "Absolutely.” The Latino star also plans to someday return to perform in his native country. “To make history in Havana and be able to perform maybe in front of a million, 2 million people, I’m hoping for that within the next five years,” he says excitedly. “I can picture it in my mind.”

Alfonso Cuaron: 1st Latino Best Director Oscar winner

Film Director, Alfonso Cuaron is now on top of the Hollywood film world. This past Sunday evening, Cuaron became the first Latino filmmaker to win the Oscar at the 86th Academy Awards for the sci-fi film, Gravity. The prestigious award was also up for grabs by fellow nominees David O. Russell, Alexander Payne, Steve McQueen and Martin Scorsese.

We can expect more Latino filmmakers like Alfonso Cuaron leading us to success in Hollywood.

By Angelo Bolanos

View Alfonso Cuaron's Oscar's speech.
Courtesy of The Telegraph.co.uk

Havana Film Festival New York (HFFNY) APRIL 3-11, 2014

If you missed last's year Havana Film Festival New York. Dont' miss this year's 15th anniversary.

The Havana Film Festival New York (HFFNY) is an internationally recognized film festival celebrating Latin American cinema. In its 15th anniversary, HFFNY features more than 40 films from the most exciting cinematic talent from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Venezuela and the United States

Why VIN DIESEL should be an honorary Latino?

He looks like a Latino brother from the boogie down Bronx, NY. The big apple is a melting pot and New York City is Vin Diesel's birthplace. So let's come to a conclusion, let's take a look at Vin Diesel's DNA and go over 10 reason why he can be consider a Latino.

 

Do you think Vin Diesel should be an honorary Latino?