Los Americans
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Los Americans'' is an eight-part series that focuses on a multi-generational, middle-income Latino family living in Los Angeles. The show was written and directed by Dennis Leoni and released in 2011.


Plot

The Valenzuela family live in Los Angeles in a multi-generational household. Lee and his mother Lucia differ on how to deal with the problems that arise including alcoholism, teenage rebellion and immigration difficulties. The Valenzuela family is totally assimilated in U.S. American culture, and that's the way the patriarch, Leandro Valenzuela, or “Lee” as Leandro prefers to be called, likes it. He's moved on from speaking Spanish and the ways of the old country. As he proudly says, “We’re not Mexicans. Mexicans live in Mexico. We’re Americans.” Lee is right in that he and his family will face many of the problems and challenges all Americans face, that all human beings face – unemployment, homelessness, alcoholism, teenage pregnancy, abortion, immigration, childhood obesity and others. But Lee will also face another problem in that he has forgotten his native language and moved away from his culture, ultimately losing part of who he is and where he comes from, and he will learn that maybe this is not such a good thing. Welcome to a story about real Americans... Los Americans.


Episodes


Cast

*Esai Manuel Morales, Jr. (born October 1, 1962) is an American actor. He played Bob Valenzuela in the 1987
biopic A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or group of people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudrama films and histo ...
'' La Bamba''. He also appeared in the
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
drama '' American Family'' and in the
Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
series '' Resurrection Blvd.'' He is best known for his roles as Lt. Tony Rodriguez on ''
NYPD Blue ''NYPD Blue'' is an American police procedural television series set in New York City, exploring the struggles of the fictional 15th Precinct detective squad in Manhattan. Each episode typically intertwines several plots involving an ensemble ca ...
,''
Joseph Adama ''Caprica'' is an American science fiction drama television series, which is a prequel spin-off (media), spin-off of the 2004–2009 series ''Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series), Battlestar Galactica''. ''Caprica'' is set 58 years before the ma ...
in the
science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
television series ''
Caprica ''Caprica'' is a 2010 American science fiction drama television series, which is a prequel spin-off of the 2004–2009 series ''Battlestar Galactica''. ''Caprica'' is set 58 years before the main series, and shows how humanity first created the ...
,'' and Camino del Rio in the
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
original series ''
Ozark The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, as well as a small area in the southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cov ...
''. He played Lee Valenzuela in Los Americans- The Truth Hurts (2011) ... Lee Valenzuela - Happy Birthday (2011) ... Lee - Going to Mexico (2011) ... Lee Valenzuela - The Legacy ... Lee - Secrets ... Lee Valenzuela - Lead Us Not Unto Temptation ... Lee Valenzuela - Fish and House Guests ... Lee Valenzuela - Family Heirloom ... Lee *
Lupe Ontiveros Guadalupe Ontiveros (; September 17, 1942 – July 26, 2012) was an American actress best known for portraying Rosalita in '' The Goonies'', and Yolanda Saldívar in the film ''Selena''. She acted in numerous films and television shows. Ontive ...
was an American actress best known for portraying Yolanda Saldívar in the film ''
Selena Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (; April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995) was an American singer-songwriter. Known as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Tejano Music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most cel ...
''. She acted in numerous films and television shows, often playing a maid or, near the end of her career, an all-knowing grandmother. She was nominated for an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
for her work on ''
Desperate Housewives ''Desperate Housewives'' is an American mystery comedy-drama television series created by Marc Cherry, and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. It aired for eight seasons on ABC from October 3, 2004, until May 13, 2012, for a tota ...
'' and received critical acclaim for her role in ''
Chuck & Buck ''Chuck & Buck'' is a 2000 American black comedy drama film directed by Miguel Arteta and produced by Matthew Greenfield. It was written by and starred Mike White in the leading role. Arteta, Greenfield, and White met and first collaborated at ...
'', for which she won the
National Board of Review The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered the first major harbinger of the film awards season that ...
award for Best Supporting Actress, and was also nominated for an
Independent Spirit Award The Independent Spirit Awards, originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards, and later as the Film Independent Spirit Awards, are awards presented annually in Santa Monica, California, to independent filmmakers. Founded in ...
. as Lucia Valenzuela : - The Truth Hurts (2011) ... Lucia Valenzuela- Happy Birthday (2011) ... Lucia - Going to Mexico (2011) ... Lucia Valenzuela - The Legacy ... Lucia - Secrets ... Lucia Valenzuela - Lead Us Not Unto Temptation ... Lucia Valenzuela - Fish and House Guests ... Lucia Valenzuela - Family Heirloom ... Lucia *
JC Gonzalez Juan Camilo Gonzalez (born March 8, 1990) is a Colombian actor and singer-songwriter. His career began in 2009, when he participated in television commercials and advertisements in Texas. Gonzalez was also a candidate on ''Making Menudo'', an MTV ...
, Juan Camilo Gonzalez, known professionally as JC Gonzalez, is a Colombian actor and singer-songwriter. His career began in 2009, when he participated in television commercials and advertisements in
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
. Gonzalez was also a candidate on Making Menudo, an
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
reality show for which they selected twenty-five bilingual male singers. Gonzalez has also made appearances in film and television, such as '' Parks and Recreation'', '' Blue (web series) and'' Los Americans as Paul Valenzuela : - The Truth Hurts (2011) ... Paul Valenzuela- Happy Birthday (2011) ... Paul - Going to Mexico (2011) ... Paul Valenzuela - The Legacy ... Paul - Secrets ... Paul Valenzuela - Lead Us Not Unto Temptation ... Paul Valenzuela - Fish and House Guests ... Paul Valenzuela - Family Heirloom ... Paul *
Raymond Cruz Raymond Cruz (born September 10, 1964) is an American actor, best known for his starring role as Detective Julio Sanchez in the series ''The Closer'' and its spinoff '' Major Crimes'', as well as his recurring role as drug lord Tuco Salamanca i ...
is an American actor, best known for his starring role as Detective Julio Sanchez in the series ''
The Closer ''The Closer'' is an American police procedural television series starring Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Los Angeles Police Department Chief of police#United States, deputy chief. A CIA-trained interrogator originally from Atlanta, G ...
'' and his recurring role as the
drug lord A drug lord, drug baron, kingpin, or lord of drugs is a type of crime boss in charge of a drug trafficking network, organization, or enterprise. Crime barons may be difficult to bring to justice: usually, they do not possess illegal goods. Ra ...
Tuco Salamanca ''Breaking Bad (franchise), Breaking Bad'' is a crime drama franchise created by American filmmaker Vince Gilligan. It started with the television series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–13), and is followed by a prequel/sequel series, ''Better Call Sau ...
in the crime drama ''
Breaking Bad ''Breaking Bad'' is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan for AMC (TV channel), AMC. Set and filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series follows Walter White (Breaking Bad), Walter White (Bryan Cran ...
'' and its spin-off ''
Better Call Saul ''Better Call Saul'' is an American legal crime drama television series created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould for AMC. Part of the ''Breaking Bad'' franchise, it is a spin-off of Gilligan's previous series, ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–201 ...
''. He also starred on the series '' Major Crimes'', a spinoff of ''The Closer'', reprising the role of Sanchez Beside his role in Los Americans as Memo: - The Truth Hurts (2011) ... Memo - Happy Birthday (2011) ... Memo - Going to Mexico (2011) ... Memo - The Legacy ... Memo - Lead Us Not Unto Temptation ... Memo - Fish and House Guests ... Memo - Family Heirloom ... Memo *
Tony Plana José Antonio Plana (born April 19, 1952) is a Cuban-American actor and director. He is known for playing Betty Suarez's father, Ignacio Suarez, on the ABC television show ''Ugly Betty'' and for voicing Manuel "Manny" Calavera in the video ga ...
(born April 19, 1952), better known as Tony Plana, is a
Cuban American Cuban Americans ( or ) are Americans who immigrated from or are descended from immigrants from Cuba. As of 2023, Cuban Americans were the fourth largest Hispanic and Latino American group in the United States after Mexican Americans, Stateside ...
actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
and
director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...
. He is known for playing
Betty Suarez Beatriz U. Suarez is the protagonist of the American comedy-drama series ''Ugly Betty''. She is portrayed by America Ferrera, who won a 2007 Golden Globe Award and 2007 Screen Actors Guild Award for her portrayal of the character, as well as ...
's father,
Ignacio Suarez This article lists the characters featured in the American ABC comedy-drama series ''Ugly Betty''. Overview Main characters Betty Suarez Betty Suarez, played by America Ferrera, is the main protagonist. Aims to run her own magazine in the f ...
, on the
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
television show ''
Ugly Betty ''Ugly Betty'' is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from September 28, 2006, to April 14, 2010. It is based on the Colombian telenovela ''Yo soy Betty, la fea' ...
'' and also for voicing Manuel "Manny" Calavera in the video game ''
Grim Fandango ''Grim Fandango'' is a 1998 adventure game directed by Tim Schafer and developed and published by LucasArts for Microsoft Windows. It is the first adventure game by LucasArts to use 3D computer graphics overlaid on pre-rendered static backgro ...
''. and in Los Americans as Max : - Happy Birthday (2011) ... Max - The Legacy ... Max - Lead Us Not Unto Temptation ... Max * Yvonne DeLaRosa is an American actress, best known for her role on the Imagen award-winning series ''Los Americans'', Yvonne has appeared in films such as '' Helter Skelter'', '' Mystery Woman: Snapshot'', and ''
The Sorrow The Sorrow was an Austrian metal band from Vorarlberg Vorarlberg ( ; ; , , or ) is the westernmost States of Austria, state () of Austria. It has the second-smallest geographical area after Vienna and, although it also has the second-smalle ...
'', in addition to landing roles on TV shows, including ''
How I Met Your Mother ''How I Met Your Mother'' (often abbreviated as ''HIMYM'') is an American sitcom created by Craig Thomas (screenwriter), Craig Thomas and Carter Bays for CBS. The series, which aired from September 19, 2005, to March 31, 2014, follows main char ...
'', ''
NCIS (TV series) ''NCIS'' is an American Military fiction, military police procedural television series and the first installment within the NCIS (franchise), ''NCIS'' media franchise. The series revolves around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval ...
'', ''
Weeds A weed is an unwanted plant of any species. Weed or weeds may also refer to: Places * Weed, Arkansas, an unincorporated community in the United States * Weed, California, a city in the United States * Weed, Kentucky, an unincorporated communit ...
'', and ''
The King of Queens ''The King of Queens'' is an American television sitcom that ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007, with a total of 207 half-hour episodes spanning nine seasons. The series was created by Michael J. Weithorn and David Litt, who al ...
''. She has been heralded as 'The face of the new wave of Latino talent' by ''
Jimmy Smits Jimmy L. Smits (born July 9, 1955) is an American actor. He is best known for playing attorney Victor Sifuentes on the legal drama ''L.A. Law'', NYPD Detective Bobby Simone on the police drama ''NYPD Blue'', and Matt Santos on the political dr ...
''. She is also a serial entrepreneur of two successive
cannabis dispensaries Cannabis dispensaries in the United States or marijuana dispensaries are a type of cannabis retail outlet, local government-regulated physical location, typically inside a retail storefront or office building, in which a person can purchase can ...
, and in Los Americans as Alma Valenzuela: - The Truth Hurts (2011) ... Alma Valenzuela- Happy Birthday (2011) ... Alma - Going to Mexico (2011) ... Alma Valenzuela - The Legacy ... Alma - Secrets ... Alma Valenzuela - Lead Us Not Unto Temptation ... Alma Valenzuela - Fish and House Guests ... Alma Valenzuela - Family Heirloom ... Alma * Ana Villafañe is an American actress and singer from
Miami, Florida Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
, best known for her portrayal of pop icon
Gloria Estefan Gloria María Milagrosa Estefan (; ; born September 1, 1957) is an American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is an eight-time Grammy Awards, Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has been named one of t ...
in the Broadway musical '' On Your Feet!, also in Los Americans'' as Jennifer Valenzuela: - The Truth Hurts (2011) ... Jennifer Valenzuela- Happy Birthday (2011) ... Jennifer - Going to Mexico (2011) ... Jennifer Valenzuela - The Legacy ... Jennifer - Secrets ... Jennifer Valenzuela - Lead Us Not Unto Temptation ... Jennifer Valenzuela - Family Heirloom ... Jennifer *Written and Directed by Dennis E.Leoni


Awards and recognition

* ''The Imagen Foundation'' - Best Drama Web Series, 2012 * ''Indie Series Awards'' Nominated, ISA - Best supporting Actress - Drama, 2012
Lupe Ontiveros Guadalupe Ontiveros (; September 17, 1942 – July 26, 2012) was an American actress best known for portraying Rosalita in '' The Goonies'', and Yolanda Saldívar in the film ''Selena''. She acted in numerous films and television shows. Ontive ...
* ''Indie Series Awards'' Nominated, ISA - Best supporting Actor - Drama, 2012
Raymond Cruz Raymond Cruz (born September 10, 1964) is an American actor, best known for his starring role as Detective Julio Sanchez in the series ''The Closer'' and its spinoff '' Major Crimes'', as well as his recurring role as drug lord Tuco Salamanca i ...
Alan Greenlee, Vice President of Programs, One Economy stated "this series is an engaging drama that will help millions of riders take action to improve their lives and make informed decisions."


References

{{Reflist 2011 American television series debuts 2010s American drama television series American English-language television shows Television shows filmed in Los Angeles Hispanic and Latino American television