Now En Español follows the trials and travails of five Latina actresses in Los Angeles who dub “Desperate Housewives” for Spanish language audiences in the US. These dynamic women struggle to pursue their Hollywood careers while balancing the responsibilities of making rent and raising children – surviving but with their dreams always out of reach. As they confront an industry that offers few balanced or compelling roles, their elusive success reveals the persistent inequities of Latino representation in American media. Now En Español is an entertaining portrait of five gutsy Latinas as they follow their dreams against all odds.
NOW EN ESPAÑOL
CAST
MARCELA BORDES
Originally from Mexico City and from a family of artists, including her cousin, actress Diana Bracho, and uncle, Cesar Bordes, a dancer and former director of the Teatro de Bellas Artes, Marcela started her career as a dancer, model, and singer in a rock band, soon adding actress to the list. She has worked with such notables as Veronica Castro, El Loco Valdez, Chabelo, and Enrique Cuenca “El Polivoz.” In the US, she has acted in films, soap operas, such as “Te Amara En Silencio,” and the daily tv show “Uno nunca sabe,” as well as performed as the Spanish voice of Barbie, Minnie Mouse, countless anime characters and for tv and movies. She has also worked as a dubbing director, casting director, and has had her own business coaching and teaching VO and dubbing. Marcela is also a trained massage therapist and hypnotherapist.
Marcela is the Spanish voice of Edie Britt on Desperate Housewives.
IVETTE GONZALEZ
Born in DF, Mexico, in a family of actors, musicians, dancers and singers, Ivette grew up among sets and cameras, greatly influenced by her grandfather Adalberto Martinez “Resortes.” She began her career at 10 years of age, working on a television program in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Years later, she began her theater career in Oliver Twist, with more than 600 showings in her role as Nancy. From there, she began to work on live shows, telenovelas, comedies and movies. She moved to the US in 1992 and quickly started work in Spanish language television as a host, reporter and comedian. At the same time, she entered the world of dubbing, since then participating in more than a thousand programs, such as Tom & Jerry, The Little Mermaid, Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, and The Bold & The Beautiful. In1995, she crossed over to American television and movies, with roles in programs such as Taken, Borderland, In The Flesh, The Mentalist, and 90210.
Ivette is the Spanish voice of Gabrielle Solis on Desperate Housewives.
MARABINA JAIMES
If a road doesn't already exist where she needs to go, Marabina Jaimes will pave her own. An Emmy winner and Imagen award nominated host and actress, Marabina is of Mexirican descent, half Mexican, half Puerto Rican. Marabina won an Emmy Award for hosting the hit PBS show Storytime!, and has done over 300 commercials in English and Spanish for Payless Shoes, Ikea, and Wells Fargo among others. She has been either seen or heard on Law & Order, Beverly Hills 90210, Fixing Paco, Melrose Place, CSI Miami, The Good Wife, Weeds, and Dexter. Her movie credits include Machete, Crazy Heart, Wall Street, and Beverly Hills Chihuahua. She starred in the Latin-centric animated series Santo Bugito on CBS. She hosted and co-produced “Let’s Talk,” an Internet based Latina-led talk show; she is also a vocalist and lyricist.
Marabina is the Spanish voice of Mary Alice Young, the narrator of
Desperate Housewives.
GABRIELA DEL CARMEN LOPETEGUI
In Montevideo, Uruguay, Gabriela worked professionally as a dancer and was one of the first women invited to perform in Carnival. She also starred in the hit television show Horacio y Gabriela, becoming a well-known star throughout the country. She is a huge fan of Woody Allen and while still living in Uruguay, Gabriela had visions of moving to Allen’s New York. Instead she found herself in Los Angeles, where she has lived for more than 15 years. In the US, Gabriela started performing as a stand-up and improv comedian and doing dubbing work. She dubbed Dr. Bailey on Grey’s Anatomy, Callie on CSI Miami, and Salma Hayek on Ugly Betty. Gabriela also has directed numerous dubbing and voiceover sessions, worked as a language coach, taught voiceover through AFI, and is an avid salsa dancer.
Gabriela is the Spanish voice of Lynette Scavo on Desperate Housewives.
NATASHA PEREZ
Natasha is the youngest of the “desperate” ladies. She's a quirky, witty, sweet and confident woman from a family of artists and advertising legends in Venezuela. She uses what she learned from them to focus on acting... and singing... and improv comedy... and traveling. Her interests are diverse and her talents are far ranging. Winner of the Best Supporting Actress Award on the WMIFF for her musical role against Steven Bauer, she played with Channing Tatum on a famous skit for the Jimmy Kimmel Show. Natasha has been a spiritual girl in Shyamalan's Lady in the Water, a gangster on The District, a patient on ER; she sings and plays guitar around the world and has written songs for Entourage, Jonny Zero and several Latin American movies. She has dubbed Kate on Lost, Violet on Private Practice, and in her free time…- What’s that? she says…she writes, surfs and plays volleyball.
Natasha is the Spanish voice of Susan Meyer on Desperate Housewives.
CREW
ANDREA MELLER, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER
Andrea is a Chilean-American, LA based filmmaker originally from New York. Prior to Now En Español, she co-directed Emmy-nominated Hard Road Home (Independent Lens/PBS) and also directed 156 Rivington (Sundance Channel). Her films have screened at SXSW, Tribeca, SilverDocs, and NY International Latino Film Festival, among others, and by community groups internationally. Her shorter work has screened at the New York Times, Netherlands Architecture Biennale, Museum of the City of NY, Storefront for Art and Architecture, and she has worked for National Geographic, MTV, TLC, Food, WE and Style. Her projects have received support from PBS' Latino Public Broadcasting, California Humanities, Pacific Pioneer, and the National Association of Latino Arts & Culture. Andrea is a consultant for the Sundance Institute Latino Fellowship and a fellow of the Film Independent Documentary Lab and the PBS/CPB and NALIP Latino Producers Academies and received her BA at Swarthmore College.
ONDINE RAREY, EDITOR
Ondine is an editor and documentary filmmaker. Her documentary Fools and Heroes was nominated for the German equivalent of an Emmy, aired Stateside on PBS, and was an official selection at the Mill Valley Film Festival. Editing credits range from My Child: Mothers of War -- a documentary feature that took top festival honors at Cinequest and LA Femme Film Festival -- to television shows such as Keeping Up With the Kardashians and Big Ideas for a Small Planet. Ondine's recent foray into fiction filmmaking, A Portrait of Female Desperation, has been recognized with six festival awards. Ondine received a BFA in Documentary and Journalism from the Munich University for Television and Film.
CAMARA KAMBON, COMPOSER
In 1995, just 23 years old, Camara took home an Emmy for the music he composed for the HBO film, Sonny Liston: The Mysterious Life and Death of a Champion. It was the beginning for Camara, who has lent his musical touch to an array of films, tv shows and recording artists, such as Any Given Sunday, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea’s Family Reunion. He has shared the stage or studio with performers ranging from Dizzy Gillespie to Dr. Dre, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra to Mary J. Blige and Eminem. He has received two more Emmy nominations for HBO films and earned 3 Grammy nominations for co-writing the Blige no. 1 hit Family Affair and for his keyboard work on Nelly Furtado’s Whoa, Nelly! and Eve’s Scorpion.
FULL CREDITS
Starring:
MARCELA BORDES
IVETTE GONZALEZ
MARABINA JAIMES
GABRIELA LOPETEGUI
NATASHA PEREZ
Directed, Written, and Produced by ANDREA MELLER
Written and Edited by ONDINE RAREY
Music by CAMARA KAMBON
Narration by MARABINA JAIMES
Consulting Producer AARON WOOLF
Camera CHARLIE GRUET, ANDREA MELLER
Sound Recordist CALEB MOSE
Additional Editing TOVA GOODMAN
Additional Camera AARON WOOLF, EMILY TOPPER
Post Production Consultant KRISTIN LESKO
Post Production Associate MINA SON
Field Associate Producers TALLEAH BRIDGES MCMAHON, LESLIE KANG
Gaffer PJ GAYNARD
Production Assistants JULIA EMBRY, FRANK PAULINO
Location MARY PRICKETT
Also Featuring:
MARIO CARDILLO
KIKEY CASTILLO
JASPER REY CLEMENT
ROCIO GALLEGOS
BEL HERNANDEZ
MARIA LANE
RAFAEL LOPEZ
DYANA ORTELLI
IRMA GABRIELA PEREZ
SAL RODRIGUEZ
BRISA SUAREZ
ANDRE SUAREZ
TERRI WAGENER
ROZ WOLF
Key Advisors and Contributors:
ACTIVE VOICE
CATHERINE BENAMOU
PATRICIA BOERO
LAURIE COYLE
AKIVA GOLDSMAN
ANA GRINTA
CHON NORIEGA
LUPE ONTIVEROS
MICHELLE SALCEDO
ELLEN SCHNEIDER
PEPE VARGAS
RUBEN VELOSO
Assistant Editor DENA BETANCOURT
Post Production Assistants JAMES CAMPBELL, JOSEFINE BORMANN, BRIAN FORD,ILIANA GUEVARA,DALIA NARVAEZ,ROBIN PAEZ,VIRGINIA THOMASI
Title Graphics BEN SAKAI
Narration Recording Engineers CHRIS ALLEN,MARIO CARDILLO
Narration Recorded at CCI DIGITAL
Post Production Sound BRAD DUJMOVIC
Online Editor BILL RUSSELL
HD Up-Conversion MATT RADECKI DIFFERENT BY DESIGN
Legal Counsel CHRIS PEREZ, DONALDSON & CALLIF & ASSOCIATES
With the participation of:
JORGE ALTAMIRANO
LORENA ALVARADO
ANDREW ARNOLD
AZ LOS ANGELES
BLANCA VALDEZ CASTING
KARLA BRUK
MISHA BRUK
SUSANA CASARES
KAT CASTANEDA
KARINA CASTILLO
SAUL ESCOBAR
DENISE HEFTI LEFEBRE
CHARLES KERPER
ANGELIQUE LETTICH
ROCIO LOYA
JOE MATTIS
VALERIA MALDINI
BRYAN MORAN
REKO MORENO
RAQUEL RAMIREZ
ROBERT RENDEROS
DAVID SAMS
TONO STUDIOS
MIGUEL TORRES
GONZALO UGARTECHE
JAIME ZAPATA
Special Thanks:
CHASE ALEXANDER
KATE AMEND
DOUG BLUSH
FABIENNE BONGARD-MOSE
NIKKI BORRELLI
CHRISTIAN BRUNO
SONNY CALDERON
PAUL CARTWRIGHT
JULIA COLE
SARAH COLE
LIBBY CUENIN
SAM CULLMAN
CAMILLE DIETERLE
JEFFREY DINSMORE
RENE DURAN
KATHRYN GALAN
SUZANNE GOLDISH
DIEGO GONZALEZ
ANDREW GRACE
AMY HALPIN
APRIL HAYES
LISA HEPNER
HELEN HERNANDEZ
KATHY HUANG
BRENDAN HUGHES
ALICE JOHNSON BOHER
ROBERT KAYVON
ERIC KISSACK
SELINA LEWIS DAVIDSON
JOHN LIGHTFOOT
EMERSON MACHTUS
LORENA MANRIQUEZ
KATIA MAGUIRE
OCTAVIO MARIN
BILL MCCOMBER
DANIEL MELLER
JOSE MELLER
PATRICIA MELLER
JIM MENDIOLA
SHAUN MILLER
GUY MOSSMAN
MONIKA NAVARRO
MELISSA PAMER
MARISA PEARL
SARA PELLEGRINI
FAITH RADLE
ELI RAREY
AMANI ROLAND
SALLY RUBIN
JOE SAUNDERS
MIKE TORRES
JUDITH VECCHIONE
NATALIJA VEKIC
FRANCISCO VELASQUEZ
JOSH WELSH
TREVA WURMFELD
MUSIC
"Mambo No. 8"
by Perez Prado
(c) Peer International Corporation
o/b/o Editorial Mexicana de Musica Internacional (EMMI)
Performed by Pérez Prado Y Su Orquesta
Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment US Latin LLC
By arrangement with Sony Music Licensing
“Sad City”
Written by Bradley Dujmovik & Alisha Fraher
Performed by La La La Birdtime
“Happy Birthday To You”
Written by Mildred Hill and Patty Hill
Published by Summy-Birchard Company (ASCAP) c/o Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
“Tico Tico No Fubá”
Written by Zequinha de Abreu
© Irmãos Vitale S.A., administered in the US by Peer International Corporation
Performed by Pérez Prado Y Su Orquesta
Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment US Latin LLC
By arrangement with Sony Music Licensing
"Maria Bonita"
Written by Agustina Lara (c) Peer International Corporation o/b/o Promotora Hispano Americana de Musica (PHAM)
Performed by Pérez Prado Y Su Orquesta
Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment US Latin LLC
By arrangement with Sony Music Licensing
"Mambo Jambo (Que Rico El Mambo)"
Written by Perez Prado (c) Peer International Corporation o/b/o Editorial Mexicana de Musica Internacional (EMMI)
Performed by Pérez Prado
Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment US Latin LLC
By arrangement with Sony Music Licensing
"Mambo No. 5"
Written by Perez Prado (c) Peer International Corporation o/b/o Editorial Mexicana de Musica Internacional (EMMI)
Performed by Perez Prado
Courtesy of Timeless Entertainment Corp.
This project was developed and made with the support of
CPB/PBS PRODUCERS ACADEMY
FILM INDEPENDENT
INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY ASSOCIATION
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LATINO INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS’ LATINO PRODUCERS ACADEMY
Funding provided by
CAL HUMANITIES
NALAC FUND FOR THE ARTS: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LATINO ARTS AND CULTURE, THE FORD FOUNDATION AND SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
PACIFIC PIONEER FUND
A CO-PRODUCTION OF MIGRATORY PATTERNS AND LATINO PUBLIC BROADCASTING (LPB) WITH MAJOR FUNDING PROVIDED BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING
FOR VOCES:
SANDIE VIQUEZ PEDLOW
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
LUIS ORTIZ
SERIES PRODUCER