United States
Ricky Martin Joins Simon Cowell, Saban Brands and a Latin TV channel will be part of “La Banda”
By GalaTView Staff
Photos Agency
-International music superstar, Ricky Martin, has been named executive producer and the first judge to be revealed for Univision Network’s highly anticipated music-based reality entertainment competition “La Banda,” set to premiere in September 2015. Ricky Martin, together with the entire “La Banda” team, will focus on finding the ultimate Latino boyband through the largest talent search in U.S Hispanic TV history. The music-based, reality-competition show “La Banda” was developed by an important TV Communications (UCI), Simon Cowell’s SYCO Entertainment and Haim Saban’s Saban Brands and co-produced with FremantleMedia Latin America. The news was revealed live by Ricky Martin on the pre-show special ahead of “Premio Lo Nuestro,” the longest running Latin music awards show in the U.S.
“I know Ricky and he is as excited and passionate as me about the show and I know he’s going to do an amazing job.”
Ricky Martin, winner of multiple GRAMMY and LATIN GRAMMY awards, among others, is undoubtedly the most influential Latin music artist worldwide. He began his career at age twelve with one of the most successful groups in the Latin music scene and since then, his strong discipline, passion for music and undeniable charisma have made of his musical trajectory one of the most admired of a generation. Recognized as “an international icon and global ambassador to Latin music” by Billboard and honored by the Latin Recording Academy as “Person of the Year,” Ricky has sold over 85 million albums worldwide and has an impressive 95 platinum-certified records.
Ricky Martin’s highly-anticipated tenth studio album, A Quien Quiera Escuchar, was released on February 10th, debuting at No. 1 on US and Puerto Rico album charts. Available in all distribution formats and in two versions – original and deluxe – A Quien Quiera Escuchar is perhaps the most personal and intimate recording that the singer, philanthropist, author, actor and entrepreneur has released. The first two singles, “Adiós” y “Disparo Al Corazón,” have reached the top of national and international charts.
“I am very excited to be a part of this innovative program, together with Simon Cowell,” said Ricky Martin. “Our community needs musical projects in order to cultivate its talents; which is why I feel it’s the perfect moment for a show like ‘La Banda.’ There is so much talent to be discovered and I’m sure we’ll find the next musical phenomenon with the help of not only the judges but also the fans.”
“We are on a search for a world class band and we needed a world class judge and that’s why I’m thrilled to announce Ricky Martin as our first judge on La Banda,” said Simon Cowell. “I know Ricky and he is as excited and passionate as me about the show and I know he’s going to do an amazing job.”
With a new take on the singing competition show format, “La Banda” will search the U.S. and Latin America to put together the ultimate Latino boyband. Representing all Hispanic cultures, contestants will compete for their place in “La Banda” and for a coveted recording contract with Sony Music Latin, label home to the most prolific Latin music artists, along with executive producer Simon Cowell’s SYCO Music, the recording label for the world’s biggest selling boyband, One Direction.
To submit information, interested participants can enter LaBandaoficial.com and upload pictures, videos or music files. By registering online, selected contestants will receive a “golden ticket” which will allow them to participate in a private audition with the production team. The online casting will be followed by casting events across the United States and Puerto Rico in the spring of 2015. The talent search is open to boys 14 and older residing in the United States and Puerto Rico. The winning band will be managed by Ricky Martin.
National Geographic Channel’s KILLING JESUS Charts the Intense Political, Social and Historical Conflicts That Led to the Execution of One of History’s Most Well-Known Figures
By GTVW
Photos Agency
It’s a story nearly the whole world knows, with more than 2.2 billion people around the globe following the teachings and principles of Jesus of Nazareth. But the intimate historical details of his life and the political collusions that led to his brutal demise bring intriguing context to the familiar story. This spring, National Geographic Channel’s KILLING JESUS, produced by Scott Free Productions and based on the New York Times best-selling book by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard, dives deep inside the historical story of how Jesus’ message and preachings led to his persecution and execution by a group of conspirators who saw him as a threat to their power.
KILLING JESUS, a three-hour television event, will premiere on Palm Sunday, March 29, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on National Geographic Channel in the United States, globally in 171 countries in 45 languages and in Spanish on Nat Geo Mundo. The film is the third collaboration between NGC, Scott Free and Bill O’Reilly, whose first two projects together, Emmy-nominated Killing Kennedy and Killing Lincoln, are respectively the two most-watched programs in the network’s history.
Combining epic cinematography with intimate storytelling, KILLING JESUS was shot entirely in the Moroccan desert with a crew of 250 and more than 4,500 extras. The 93 speaking roles are brought to life by an incredibly diverse cast, with actors representing Lebanon, Morocco, Czech Republic, Ireland, Great Britain, Israel, Canada, Syria, Australia and the United States. The massive production, unlike anything undertaken by National Geographic Channel before, puts familiar Biblical characters under a new lens to give them layers of meaning rarely explored before.
Leading the cast are Kelsey Grammer (“Partners,” “Boss”) as King Herod the Great, the unrelenting and ambitious Roman-appointed King of Judea, who notoriously ordered the murder of all baby boys in Bethlehem, and Stephen Moyer (“True Blood”) as Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who ordered Jesus’ crucifixion.
Haaz Sleiman (“The Visitor”) portrays the title character Jesus, with Rufus Sewell (“Hercules”) as Caiaphas, high priest of Jerusalem and conspirator in Jesus’s death; Emmanuelle Chriqui (“Entourage”) as Herodia, ex-wife of Herod II and wife of his brother Antipas, who manipulated her husband into having John the Baptist beheaded; Eoin Macken (“The Night Shift”) as Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea; John Rhys Davies (“Indiana Jones”) as Annas, a high priest in Jerusalem who first questioned Jesus and his teachings; Abhin Galeya as John the Baptist, who was considered a prophet and arrested and killed by Antipas; and Stephanie Leonidas (“Defiance”) as Salome, daughter of Herod II and Herodias, whose dancing led to the demise of John the Baptist.
Rounding out the cast is Aneurin Barnard (“The White Queen”) as James, one of Jesus’ 12 apostles; Vernon Dobtcheff (“Before Sunset”) as Isaiah, the prophet whom King Herod claimed came to him in a dream and prophesied his death; Tamsin Egerton (“The Look of Love”) as Claudia, the wife of Pontius Pilate; John Lynch (“Sliding Doors”) as Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the high court in Israel, who was sympathetic to Jesus; Joe Doyle (“Reign”) as Judas, the apostle who eventually betrayed Jesus; Alexis Rodney (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) as Simon (Peter), the apostle who was Jesus’ closest confidant; and Chris Ryman (“28 Weeks Later”) as Malchus, a servant to Caiaphas.
With a script from Academy and Emmy Award-winning screenwriter Walon Green (“The Wild Bunch”), and directed by BAFTA Award-winner Chris Menaul (“The Passion of Ayn Rand,” “Fatherland”), KILLING JESUS brings a rich perspective to Jesus’ story that will intrigue believers and nonbelievers alike.
KILLING JESUS begins in the era of Jesus’ birth, with King Herod the Great ruling Judea, but feeling uneasy about potential threats to his power. This uneasiness leads Herod to order the murder of all boys under age 2, but a young Jesus and his family have already escaped. Moving 26 years into the future, we follow Jesus as he starts to develop and spread his message and begins to amass a following of devout believers. At the same time, new political players, including Herod’s son Antipas and Roman-appointed ruler Pontius Pilate, find themselves troubled by the growing influence of Jesus, while leaders in the Jewish Temple, Caiaphas and Annas, question his teachings and methods.
Through collusion, conspiracy and influence, Jesus is eventually arrested, in part due to the betrayal of one of his disciples, and crucified. He is buried in an unguarded tomb, and when mourners return several days later to anoint his body, the body is missing.
To this day, the body of Jesus of Nazareth has never been found.
KILLING JESUS is produced by Scott Free Productions. For Scott Free, Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker and Mary Lisio are executive producers along with Bill O’Reilly and Teri Weinberg. For National Geographic Channel, executive producers are Charlie Parsons and Heather Moran. Tim Pastore is NGC president of original programming and production.
Debbie Allen, So You Think You Can Dance and Janssen Pharmaceuticals Create the T2 Dance Crew to Get People with Type 2 Diabetes Moving
By GalaTView Staff
Photo: Courtesy
Emmy®-award winning actress and choreographer Debbie Allen, dancers from the hit televised dance competition So You Think You Can Dance, and an important pharmaceutical company have teamed up to launch a national education and wellness program, the T2 Dance Crew, to encourage people with type 2 diabetes to increase physical activity as an important part of managing their condition.
Debbie Allen and So You Think You Can Dance fan favorites Fik-Shun and Janette Manrara share their inspirational stories and lead an instructional dance video series in simplified Hip-Hop and Latin dance styles. The T2 Dance Crew also will host a series of local events.
Diabetes is a growing epidemic in the United States, affecting more than 26 million people. Racial and ethnic minorities have a higher burden of diabetes, worse diabetes control and are more likely to experience complications of the disease, which can be compounded by obesity and a lack of exercise.
The T2 Dance Crew can reach millions with these important and useful messages to motivate people to work with their healthcare provider and start taking small steps to better manage their diabetes.
