by Antonio Mejías-Rentas
SaMario Moreno ‘Cantinflas’. (photo courtesy of Jorge Palmieri)<strong
CANTINFLAS WHO? A TV movie about Mexico’s best known comic actor is in the works at NBC now that one of the network’s top executives ascertained the late actor’s inmense popularity.
Alejandro Gómez Monteverde, who had an unexpected hit with last year’s independent feature Bella, will write and direct Cantinflas. The film will tell the life of Mario (Cantinflas) Moreno, a key figure of Mexico’s golden era of filmmaking who died in 1993.. He is recognized as one of the best Spanish-language comedians in history.
The film will be produced by Jay Weisleder who, according to Variety, had a hard time convincing NBC co-chairman Ben Silverman of Moreno’s enduring recognition. According to the trade publication, Weisleder told Silverman to ask any Latino about Cantinflas. “The moment he did that, he called me from a restaurant and said ‘I got 10 people following me. Everybody knows who he is. We gotta do this.’”
Cantinflas starred in tiemposdozens of Spanish-language films that air regularly on U.S. television. He also worked in two Hollywood films, Around the World in 80 Days and Pepe, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Monteverde will co-write the script with José Portillo. Monteverdeand Weisleder secured the rights with the late actor’s son, MarioMoreno Ivanova, who will serve as an associate producer on the project. Silverman will be an executive producer.
Silverman is the founder and former owner of Reveille, one of the production companies behind ABC’s successful comedy Ugly Betty. It is based on a Colombian telenovela as is Sin tetas no hay paraíso, another title he is adapting for NBC. No cast or airdate has been set for Cantinflas.
In other TV news: Food Network personality Rachael Ray is producing a new Latino food show for the network to star cook book author Daisy Martínez.
Six episodes have been produced of Viva Daisy!, which premiered this month on the cable web.
Martínez, of Puerto Rican heritage, already hosts Daisy Cooks on PBS. Her show is the second on Latino cooking on the network, which also airs Simply Delicioso with Colombian host Ingrid Hoffman.
NO GOLDEN MOMENT: Neither of three Latino nominees was a winner at the year’s first major entertainment awards show. Spanish actors Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem were nominated in Golden Globe acting categories for Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which was named best comedy film at the ceremony held Jan. 11 in Beverly Hills.
The third nominee was actress América Ferrera, a previous winner for her starring role in Ugly Betty. Hispanic Link.
