Latino Pride Shines at ALMA Awards

In a lively display of achievement and support, Latinos from all walks of the entertainment industry dazzled on the red carpet at last night's ALMA Awards at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

As expected, co-host Eva Longoria outshone George López in a beautiful mermaid strapless dress with an exaggerated tail.  Starlets like Jessica Alba, Marcia Cross, Eva La Rue, Naya Rivera and Demi Lovato added to the night's glamour in floor length gowns.

Power couples Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith, Mario López and Courtney Laine Mazza and Maria Canals-Barrera and David Barrera flirted across the carpet alongside Benjamin Bratt, Sophia Milos, David Zayas and Tristan Wilds.

Despite the festive mood, the event, held on the eve of September 11th, spurred stars to recognize the bravery of first responders.  Actor/director Edward James Olmos, commented  "We must try to help all the people who are sick because they went first to try to help when the buildings collapsed. That is my big understanding of what ten years of remembering is all about."

While the night catered to the glitz and glam of entertainment, red carpet chatter turned political as producer, director and screenplay writer Gregory Nava, who received the evening's Outstanding Career Achievement Award for directing, commented on domestic immigration policy.  "The immigration situation has gotten much worse since 9-11. The attack against the undocumented is now an attack against all Latinos," said Nava, "This is an attack on all our culture. We have to know that this is what is happening and we have to fight against this because it is an injustice."

Nava, known for "El Norte" and "Selena," revealed that he finished the script to "Garden of Eden" which will examine our current immigration issues.

Danny Trejo, whose suit jacket was lined with embroidered daggers, rejoiced about what the evening meant to him. "I love being Latino in Los Angeles," said Trejo, "Right now is the time for Latinos. We have moved quite forward in the entertainment industry with people like Robert Rodríguez, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodríguez that have really pushed us in the main stream. We are movie stars, for lack of a better word, but we are out there with all of them and I thank God for that."  

The ALMA Awards, which featured performances from Pitbull and Gloria Estefan, will air on Friday, September 16 from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. EDT on NBC. The Alma Awards are given to Latino entertainers by the NCLR or National Council of La Raza who "promote positive portrayals of Latinos" in the entertainment industry.

If you can't wait a week to catch the show, here are the winners:

Favorite Movie
"A Better Life"

Favorite Movie Actor
Antonio Banderas
"You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger"

Favorite Movie Actress - Drama/Adventure
Jessica Alba
"Machete"

Favorite Movie Actress - Comedy/Musical
Alexa Vega
"From Prada to Nada"

Favorite TV Series
"Desperate Housewives"

Favorite TV Actor - Leading Role
Adam Rodriguez
"CSI: Miami"

Favorite TV Actress - Leading Role in a Drama
Cote de Pablo
"NCIS"

Favorite TV Actress - Leading Role in a Comedy
Demi Lovato
"Sonny With a Chance"

Favorite TV Actress - Supporting Role
Maria Canals-Barrera
"Wizards of Waverly Place"

Favorite TV Actor - Supporting Role
Rico Rodriguez
"Modern Family"


Favorite TV Reality, Variety, or
Comedy Personality or Act
George Lopez
"Lopez Tonight"

Favorite Male Music Artist
Pitbull

Favorite Female Music Artist
Naya Rivera

Outstanding Career Achievement- Documentarian
Raymond Telles

Outstanding Career Achievement -Writer
Cynthia Cidre

Outstanding Career Achievement -Director
Gregory Nava

Special Achievement
The Harvest

The 2011 PepsiCo ALMA
Adelante Award
AltaMed Health Services Corporation

Source Cindy Vanega

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Posted in 2011 ALMA Awards , ALMA Awards , antonio banderas , David Zayas , Demi Lovato , Eva Longoria , Jessic Alba , Marcia Cross , Melanie Griffith

Eva Longoria on the End of 'Desperate Housewives': "Television is All About the Next, New, Best Thing"

It looks like the ladies of Wisteria Lane may have reached the end of their road. We're sad to say that it looks as though ABC will announce this weekend at the Television Critics Association's press tour that the 8th season (currently in production) will be the last for long-running Desperate Housewives. Castmembers are being told about the end of the series, and Deadline.com is reporting that Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, and Eva Longoria are surprised and saddened to hear the news. It's only natural for the cast to be shocked, especially since series creator Marc Cherry expected the show to run through nine seasons, it was the most-watched comedy series internationally in 2010, and ABC's third-highest revenue earning show.

We caught up with our favorite wife, Eva Longoria (aka Gabrielle Solis), at the recent National Council of La Raza conference and chatted to her about the show, Latinos on TV and the consistent Emmy snubs of Latina actresses.

Despite an acclaimed season, you were once again snubbed for an Emmy nod and there are just two Latino nominated—Sofia Vergara and Edgar Ramirez. What’s it going to take for Latinos to get more Emmy love?

I don’t know how else to say it, but they’re about ratings. So if a Latino or Latina lead is not on a hit show that is critically acclaimed, there are many obstacles for an actor of whatever color to be nominated. I think the biggest lesson for viewers and Latina’s readers is that if you’re not watching the shows, then you cannot complain that we’re not getting nominated. There was a reason that The George Lopez Show got cancelled: It didn’t have ratings and now it’s doing so well in syndication. And yet we have over 50 million Latinos in the United States that should have been watching The George Lopez Show. It’s the same with Latino films like Home For the Holidays, with John Leguizamo. It did not do well in theaters because Latinos did not go out and support it. Yet 30 percent of the audience of Pirates of the Caribbean was Latino. So if people want to see more diversity reflected in television and film, you have to support it.

Your breakthrough in Desperate Housewives was a big moment for Latinos on television. How would you characterize the state of diversity on television since then?

It has gotten better, but we take one step forward, two steps back. We have a character like mine and Lauren Velez’s [police Lt. Laguerta on Dexter]—these bright, smart women. Gabrielle was the richest person on the block. She doesn’t speak with an accent. Lauren Velez is a police chief who is doing amazing work. And then you have Sofia Vergara, who is the stereotypical Latina [Gloria on Modern Family] and she does it beautifully. It’s important that there those roles, because they all exist in our community. It’s a balance. So I think we’re slowly inching toward progress.



There has been talk that the upcoming season of Desperate Housewives may be its last. True?

Well, we’ve just started filming our new season; it’s exciting to be back. But beyond that, we don’t know because it’s all about ratings. Television is all about the next new best thing. But I’m going to be with this job as long as it will go.


Source Mariela Rosario

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Posted in ABC's third-highest revenue earning show , Desperate Housewives , Eva Longoria , Felicity Huffman , Latino films , Marcia Cross , Teri Hatcher , Top best 2011 Desperate Housewives