Showing posts with label Hollywood Heights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hollywood Heights. Show all posts

Saturday, February 11, 2023

'Hollywood Heights' Star Cody Longo Passes Away Aged 34

Cody Longo, an actor with roles in Hollywood Heights and Days of Our Lives, has sadly died. He was 34.


According to TMZ, which was first to report the news, Longo's body was found Wednesday in bed at a home in Austin, Texas. A family member also tells the outlet that Longo's wife, Stephanie, was at work at a local dance studio but called the police and asked them to go check on him when she got "an uneasy feeling" and couldn't reach him.

Police ultimately rushed over to the home and kicked down the door when Longo wouldn't answer the door. TMZ reports cops found Longo dead in bed. The cause of death is not known. The family member went on to tell the outlet that Longo struggled with alcohol abuse for years, and the family believes he relapsed, and alcoholism is likely the cause of death.

According to his IMDB page, Longo is an American actor and musician who studied psychology and film at UCLA. That same bio says he was "a singer/songwriter who broke into the Billboard Top 100 charts in 2014 with his track 'She Said.'"

In 2012, he appeared in 78 episodes of the Nickelodeon family drama series Hollywood Heights playing rock star heartthrob Eddie Duran. In 2011, he appeared in eight episodes of Days of Our Lives. Some of his other TV credits include Brothers & Sisters and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Longo leaves behind a wife and three young children, all under 8.

Stephanie told TMZ he was really working hard on himself to fight for his kids.

"He was an amazing father and the best husband," she told the outlet. "Our whole world is shattered."

R.I.P. Cody Longo.

Original source: Entertainment Tonight.

Friday, May 13, 2016

Nickelodeon UK To Premiere "Hollywood Heights" On Friday 27th May 2016

Nickelodeon UK & Ireland have announced the exciting news in a new trailer that Nickelodeon UK & Ireland/HD will start to premiere and show the popular family drama series Hollywood Heights from Friday 27th May 2016!

Nick UK & Eire/HD will premiere each brand-new episode of Hollywood Heights every Friday at 9:00pm, and will encore each all-new episode Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 9:00pm.


A popstar crush. A secret talent. Romance and deceit. Fame and heartbreak. Success and secrets. Welcome to Hollywood Heights, where they put the DRAMA in family drama!

When Loren (Brittany Underwood), a smart, shy and independent school senior who has ambitions of being a songwriter, secretly sends her song lyrics to her celebrity crush, rock superstar Eddie Duran (Cody Longo). Loren's wildest dreams come true when she not only wins a songwriting competition sponsored by Eddie, but strikes up a friendship with her idol! When Loren gets thrown into the spotlight suddenly and meets her musical idol, nothing will ever be the same for anyone. Eddie sees beyond Loren's potential as a songwriter and gives her a first break as a singer, and when the truth about his less-than-faithful girlfriend Chloe (Melissa Ordway) is revealed, Eddie and Loren's friendship blossoms. However, the obstacles that come with life and fame become instantly apparent, but it's the strong bond between friends and family that help them all through.


Pictured: (standing, l-–r) Melissa (Ashley Holliday), Nora (Jama Williamson), Eddie (Cody Longo, on ledge), Chloe (Melissa Ordway), Kelly (Yara Martinez), Adam (Nick Krause) (sitting, l-r) Max (Carlos Ponce), Loren (Brittany Underwood), Tyler (Justin Wilczyniski), Traci (Shannon Kane), Jake (Brandon Bell)

Hollywood Heights stars:

Brittany Underwood as Loren Tate, an 18-year-old straight-A student with dreams of being a singer-songwriter. She is intelligent and hardworking, but struggles to decide between following her dreams or going to college. Everything changes when she wins Eddie Duran's songwriting contest.

Cody Longo as Eddie Duran, a 22-year-old rockstar who is often caught between the music and the business, but still holds onto traces of his youthful spark. He was engaged to model Chloe Carter, but he broke it off due to her constant lying. His mother, Katy Duran, was killed in a hit-and-run car accident.

Melissa Ordway as Chloe Carter, Eddie Duran's ex-fiancé, a model from Fresno (real name Cynthia Kowalski) who schemes to marry Eddie and get the "rockstar" lifestyle that she's always dreamed of. Eddie breaks things off when he discovers her affair with Tyler Rorke; she is determined to get Eddie back and tear down Loren Tate.

Justin Wilczynski as Tyler Rorke, an arrogant actor who's pompous attitude has gotten him kicked off every acting job he has ever landed. His unsuccessful career has left him bitter and jealous of Eddie Duran's growing fame, and wanting to upset the rockstar's seemingly perfect life.

Ashley Holliday as Melissa Sanders, Loren's ever-positive and fearless best friend and Adam's girlfriend. Although Melissa has had issues with her mother and brother for most of her life, she and her father get along well. Her mother is constantly comparing her to her brother.

Jama Williamson as Nora Tate, Loren's Mom and #1 fan. She helps guide her daughter through the struggles of high school and a budding music career. As a single mom, Nora tries to stay as close to her daughter's life as possible, without smothering her creativity and spirit. Even while dealing with her own complicated career and love life, Loren is her first priority. She has a secret love life with Max Duran.

Carlos Ponce as Max Duran, Eddie's rocker dad who struggles to move on after his wife Katy's tragic and untimely death. Most of the time he and Eddie have a great relationship, even when he doesn't see eye-to-eye with the management surrounding his son. He opened a new nightclub, hoping it could be a new beginning for himself, leaving the fandom and fame to Eddie. Nora brings out the best in him and he enjoys her company.

Nick Krause as Adam, Loren and Melissa's indie-rocker friend. As well as being a great support system for Loren and her rapidly growing fame, he is Melissa's devoted and thoughtful boyfriend who loves her with all his heart.

Daphne Ashbrook as Jackie Kowalski, Chloe's Mother who is brought to L.A by Tyler to supposedly help Chloe, but she may just be a pawn in Tyler's game.

Brandon Bell as Jake Madsen, Eddie's type-A manager and friend who has overseen his career from the very beginning. His life tends to revolve around all things Eddie and the entertainment business, which leaves him little time to spend with his wife, Traci. He continuously battles to find a balance between the Hollywood lifestyle and his family life.

Shannon Kane as Traci Madsen, a successful graphic designer and Jake's soon to be ex-wife. She constantly needs to keep her husband's Hollywood lifestyle in check, and remind him that his personal life matters too. It's sometimes a struggle to keep his focus at home, especially when his attentions become even more divided by other interests especially since her father ended up in the hospital after a heart attack. She suspects Kelly and Jake did something while she was gone.

Grayson McCouch as Don Masters, a good-looking, successful surgeon, who also happens to be the father of Loren's high school nemesis, Adriana. He owns the private clinic where Nora and Ellie work together. He tends to mix business with pleasure.

Hunter King as Adriana Masters, a girl who is considered the popular and mean girl in school, who stops at nothing to make Loren's life miserable. She dates Melissa's brother, Phil, who helps take her mind off her issues with her father, Don. She believes that Eddie's song writing contest was rigged, and thinks that Loren does not deserve any of the fame and attention she has been receiving from both Eddie and the press after winning the competition. She also has a plan to work with Chloe to take down Loren forever. She is pregnant and wants to keep the baby.

Robert Adamson as Phil Sanders, a boy who has no problem breaking rules to make things go his way. His sister, Melissa, sees right through his troublemaking, but his mother sees him as the perfect model of a child. His constant law-breaking lands him in trouble with his boss, Colorado, as well as the L.A. Police. He is dating Adriana, got her pregnant and is now engaged to her.

Yara Martinez as Kelly, a girl who travels from New York to visit her best friend Traci, but develops an interest in the music business when she arrives. After demonstrating to Jake, who becomes her new boss, that she has talent in managing young stars, she goes about taking Loren's career into her own hands.

Brian Letscher as Gus Sanders, the head of the Sanders household. As the father to Melissa and Phil, he's got his hands full trying to keep the peace between everyone, while also hanging on to a secret that could disrupt his already tense home life.

Meredith Salenger as Lisa Sanders, Melissa and Phil's Mother who often spoils her trouble-making son, while keeping close tabs on her daughter. Keeping a harmonious home life proves to be difficult – especially when a part of her past threatens to come back to haunt them all.

Merrin Dungey as Ellie Moss, Nora's colleague at the clinic where she works. She's pleasant and funny when things are going well for her, but can become high strung and needy when she feels threatened or used.

Hollywood Heights is loosely based on the Mexican telenovela Alcanzar una estrella (To Reach a Star), executive produced by six-time Emmy Award-winner Jill Farren-Phelps, and is co-executive produced by Hisham Abed and Josh Griffith, who also served as head writer. The series is a co-production between Sony Pictures Television and Televisa, the Mexican production company which owns the rights to the original telenovela, and airs on Nick at Nite and TeenNick in the USA.

Additional sources: Digiguide, IMDb, Wikipedia, Galen Hooks, TeenNick.com (via Archive.org).
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Thursday, March 14, 2013

Universal CityWalk Announces Nickelodeon Stars Leon Thomas III And Cody Longo To Perform At "Music Spotlight Series" At "5 Towers" During Spring Break 2013

Universal CityWalk, Southern California's dynamic entertainment, dining and shopping destination that reflects the area's rich cultural diversity, has announced in the following Press Release, from PRNewswire, that Nickelodeon Stars Leon Thomas III, who portrayed Andre Harris in the popular original Nickelodeon comedy series "Victorious", and Cody Longo, who stars as Eddie Duran on the Nick at Nite / TeenNick show "Hollywood Heights", will be performing at the open air concert destination this Spring Break as Universal CityWalk hosts the return of its popular "Music Spotlight Series" at "5 Towers," which features an engaging mix of accomplished CityWalk Street Performers and talented emerging artists performing in a series of free concerts every Friday and Saturday night from March 22 to April 20, 2013!

Nickelodeon celebrity Leon Thomas III will headline at "5 Towers" on Saturday 30th March 2013, alongside IM5, a boy band backed by "American Idol" creator, Simon Fuller, and Cody Longo of Teen Nick and Nick at Nite's "Hollywood Heights" will perform hits from his EP "Take You Home" along with pop vocalist Jackson Harris on Saturday 20th April 2013!:
L.A.'s Accomplished Street Performers and Talented Emerging Artists Take Center Stage at '5 Towers' as Universal CityWalk Kicks Off Its Free Spring 'Music Spotlight Series' on Weekends, March 22 to April 20, 2013

All-Star Line-Up Includes 'American Idol' Season 9 Winner, Lee DeWyze, Nickelodeon's 'Victorious' Star Leon Thomas III and Teen Nick's Cody Longo

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., March 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal CityWalk® sets the stage for Spring Break as the open air concert destination hosts the return of its popular "Music Spotlight Series" at "5 Towers," featuring an engaging mix of accomplished CityWalk Street Performers and talented emerging artists performing in a series of free concerts every Friday and Saturday night from March 22 to April 20, 2013.

(Download Image - Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130313/LA76531)

The series gears up on Friday evenings with concerts from Universal CityWalk's prolific Street Performers – a selective group of eclectic artists performing regularly at the outdoor entertainment destination. Featuring a talented array of pop vocalists, acoustic guitar singers and percussionists, CityWalk's coveted Street Performer program provides an intriguing platform for today's emerging artists to showcase their diverse skills to an audience of visitors from around the world.

On the heels of her live television performance on NBC's "TODAY" show, rising pop star and veteran CityWalk Street Performer Chelsea Williams will kick off the series on March 22. Performing with acoustic guitar in hand, Chelsea Williams has persevered in Tinseltown earning her stripes when she opened for Grammy® award winner Dwight Yoakam , appeared in Maroon 5's "Daylight" music video and sold over 100,000 copies of her self-produced CD.

The spring "Music Spotlight Series" will continue to resonate with a bevy of gifted Street Performers including the melodic sounds of 19 year-old Megan Arial on March 29, acoustic guitar singer Eddie Gomez on April 5, soulful singer Katie Boeck on April 12 and talented singer/songwriter Shani on April 19.

The Saturday line-up will shine the spotlight on emerging artists and break out stars hot off the sets of popular TV shows. From Nickelodeon's "Victorious," multi-talented Leon Thomas III will headline at "5 Towers" on March 30 alongside IM5, a boy band backed by "American Idol" creator, Simon Fuller .

Other spring "Music Spotlight Series" rising stars will include pop rock trio Artist vs Poets featuring Joe Kirkland from "The Voice" performing on March 23; "American Idol" season nine winner Lee DeWyze , whose smooth sounds effortlessly blends pop, rock and folk, will be joined by singer, bassist and guitarist Keaton Simons on April 6. Pop crooner Thomas Fiss will perform live on April 13 and April 20, Cody Longo of Teen Nick and Nick at Nite's "Hollywood Heights" will perform hits from his EP "Take You Home" along with pop vocalist Jackson Harris . Performances on both nights begin at 7:00 p.m.

More information on the Spring "Music Spotlight Series" including a full performance schedule is available at www.CityWalkHollywood.com. Regular updates can also be found on CityWalk's Twitter @CityWalkLA, Facebook-Universal CityWalk Hollywood and on CityWalk's Instagram @CityWalkLA.

Universal CityWalk is Southern California's dynamic entertainment, dining and shopping destination that reflects the area's rich cultural diversity. The iconic open-air leisure and nightlife complex provides "Always Unexpected" entertainment options and has served as a prototype for similar destinations. Universal CityWalk includes the dynamic high-tech concert venue, "5 Towers," provides L.A.'s best movie-going experience at the AMC Universal CityWalk cinemas and offers such unique venues as the "Jon Lovitz Comedy Club," the "Infusion Lounge," iFly indoor skydiving and mechanical bull-riding at "Saddle Ranch Chop House."

Universal Studios Hollywood, The Entertainment Capital of L.A., includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour; the CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex, the AMC Universal CityWalk cinemas, the "5 Towers" state-of-the-art outdoor concert venue, and the Gibson Amphitheatre concert and special event arena. World-class rides and attractions include the intense, award-winning ride, "King Kong 360 3-D" on the famed behind-the-scenes Studio Tour, "The Simpsons RideTM," "Revenge of the MummySM—The Ride" indoor roller coaster and "Jurassic Park® —The Ride," as well as the critically acclaimed, award-winning mega-attraction, "Transformers™: The Ride—3D."

SOURCE Universal CityWalk

RELATED LINKS
http://www.CityWalkHollywood.com.

Monday, July 02, 2012

Televisa Announces Plans To Set Up LA Hub

From C21Media:
Televisa sets up LA hub

Mexican broadcast and production giant Televisa is set to open a Los Angeles production hub to bring Latin American telenovelas into the US, according to a report.

Televisa USA will launch this week as Televisa's largest move yet into the English-language market, the Financial Times reported yesterday.

The broadcaster is one of the world’s leading Spanish-language producers with global format hits such as Ugly Betty, which has been remade in territories such as the US and China.

Paul Presburger will lead Televisa USA while continuing as CEO of Televisa-Lionsgate joint venture Pantelion Films. Former HBO VP of drama series Michael Garcia (Six Feet Under, The Wire) will be chief creative officer.

The prodco will have “multiple broadcast network deals” from the outset, including the Lionsgate JV to create content for the US market; and will seek to adapt its popular Latin novelas into English-language titles.

Among these is Devious Maids, the ABC Studios-coproduced drama from Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry that was recently picked up by cablenet Lifetime. It is also onboard Hollywood Heights, Nickelodeon's remake of Televisa format Alcanzar una Estrella.

Televisa secured a US$1.2bn agreement with US Hispanic network Univision 19 months ago, giving Televisa a 5% equity stake in the firm and extending their production and distribution agreement until 2025.

However, Televisa USA is separate to this, according to Televisa executives cited by the FT report.

In May, Televisa partnered with Spanish producer Globomedia to create a JV prodco targeting the Spanish market. This was born out of Televisa's investment in Imagina Media Audiovisual.

Televisa couldn’t be reached for comment this morning due to time differences.

Jesse Whittock
02-07-2012
©C21Media

GENRES: Drama, Format

SHOWS: Alcanzar Una Estrella, Devious Maids, Hollywood Heights

PEOPLE: Michael Garcia, Paul Presburger

COMPANIES: ABC Studios, HBO, Imagina Media Audiovisual, Lionsgate, Pantelion Films, Televisa, Televisa USA, Univision

SECTIONS: C21Drama, Formats Lab

COUNTRIES: Mexico, Spain, US

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

North American Television Networks Are Eager To Adapt Spanish-Language Telenovelas; Nickelodeon USA Premieres New Nighttime Soap Opera "Hollywood Heights"

From the Los Angeles Times via Lexington Herald Leader:
Networks are eager to adapt Spanish-language telenovelas

LOS ANGELES - Night after night, in households from Puebla to Pico Rivera, tens of millions of loyal viewers tune in to their Spanish-language telenovelas, gasping at the seductions and betrayals on tear-jerkers like "Abismo de Pasion" ("Abyss Of Passion").

Now network executives, desperate to capitalize on the addictive powers of the prime-time soap operas, are copying the formula with English-language versions, starring marquee names. In some cases, they're even borrowing the five-nights-a-week format.

On Monday, the Nickelodeon cable channel premiered its new nighttime soap, "Hollywood Heights," a remake of an overly dramatic Mexican telenovela about a songwriter who falls in love with a rock star. Soap veteran James Franco, star of the film "127 Hours," has a featured role.

Lifetime may pick up "Devious Maids," a sudsy series about four Latina housekeepers in Beverly Hills, produced by "Desperate Housewives" creator Marc Cherry and co-starring daytime soap star Susan Lucci.

Both projects originated from Mexican media giant Grupo Televisa, which this spring opened a small studio in Santa Monica, Calif., to dip into its vast library of telenovelas to adapt for English-language networks.

They're chasing a big prize. There are more than 50 million Latinos in the U.S. - the fastest-growing demographic group in the country - with more than $1 trillion in buying power. Latinos make up more than 25 percent of the under-35 set that is so appealing to TV advertisers.

More than half are comfortable speaking English and already are watching the major networks. And TV viewers of all cultures already are binge-viewing multiple episodes at once. The soap-like series "Desperate Housewives," "Gossip Girls" and the "Dallas" reboot were all audience hits. These and other factors suggest the timing is good for a soapy five-nights-a-week serial.

The telenovelas are only one network initiative to reach Latino viewers. This summer, News Corp. plans to roll out MundoFox, a new Spanish-language broadcast network, in collaboration with RCN Television Group, a Colombian media company. The venture will draw from RCN's ample chest of popular telenovelas.

Even "Modern Family," America's top-rated comedy, has winked at telenovela themes. Its final episode last month depicted two characters trying to adopt a baby in the border town of Calexico, where they were thwarted by a telenovela trifecta: a meddling priest, a mysterious cowboy and a controlling grandmother.

"The (characters) were going to a border town, and we said why don't we play it like a telenovela?" said the show's co-creator, Steven Levitan. "We needed a way to make a serious and downer scene funny. What else has ridiculous plot turns and overwrought actors that are far too good-looking? It turned out rather good."

On a spring afternoon near Glendale, Calif., camera operators maneuvered around the old "All My Children" sound stages off San Fernando Road. Several wore vests emblazoned with logos from another canceled ABC soap, "One Life to Live," but now they were working on "Hollywood Heights."

"Heights" is based on the hugely successful "Alcanzar Una Estrella" ("Reach for a Star"), which made its debut in Mexico in 1990 and spawned sequels, including one the following year featuring singer Ricky Martin. Co-produced by Sony Pictures Television, the show contains classic telenovela elements: betrayal, shock, longing gazes, steely-eyed glares and slamming doors - lots of slamming doors.

Nickelodeon will run the show in true telenovela fashion, with a new episode scheduled every weeknight from now through September.

"It will be like reading a summer book at the beach," said Marjorie Cohn, Nickelodeon's president of original programming and development. "Every day it's a continuation of the story. It will end up feeling like a prime-time soap."

The pursuit of telenovelas comes as traditional soaps are being scrubbed out. From a high of nearly 20 daily series, only four remain: NBC's "Days of Our Lives," CBS' "The Young and the Restless" and "The Bold and the Beautiful," and ABC's "General Hospital."

Now, a former "General Hospital" executive producer is running "Hollywood Heights," and the show's head writer also came up through the daytime-drama ranks.

How hot are telenovelas? Even "General Hospital" graduate James Franco will appear as part of a "Hollywood Heights" subplot.

The difference between the daytime soaps and their nighttime telenovela counterparts, the producers say, is that the canceled English-language serials appealed largely to older female viewers. The Spanish-language versions, however, draw multiple generations.

"These shows have been very successful in attracting families, particularly in the Latino community," Nickelodeon's Cohn said. "They have juicy stories and larger-than-life characters."

Televisa, an $11-billion enterprise that owns television networks, soccer teams and magazines, is the world's largest producer of telenovelas that already score with viewers in the U.S.

Network executives hope the English-language versions share other traits with their Spanish-language antecedents. According to a recent Rentrak study of TV viewer engagement, the Televisa-produced show on Univision, "La Que No Podia Amar" ("The One Who Couldn't Love"), held more of its viewers from beginning to end than any other show on the air, surpassing the most popular shows on television, including CBS' "NCIS," "60 Minutes" and "The Mentalist." Third on the Rentrak list was Televisa's other Univision hit, "Abismo de Pasion."

This isn't the first time U.S. programmers have flirted with telenovelas. Six years ago, ABC scored by turning a wildly popular Colombian telenovela into "Ugly Betty," a dramedy about a clumsy heroine.

But "Ugly Betty" ran once a week. The last time an American company tried a true telenovela, the results were catastrophic. Fox's MyNetwork TV flopped badly in 2006 with a series of cheaply produced programs for English-speaking audiences, including "Fashion House," which starred Bo Derek.

The network lost an estimated $50 million on its telenovela try. "The networks are under pressure to try new things and take some bigger risks," said Danielle Gonzales, managing director of the Chicago-based multicultural ad agency Tapestry.

"Networks have tried scripted shows, reality shows, and here is this different format: a novella with a beginning, middle and end."

With more than two-thirds of U.S. Latinos having Mexican heritage, network executives are particularly interested in the soaps produced there.

Until recently, Televisa showed little interest in reaching English-speaking audiences. Then, a little more than a year ago, producers and network executives - including a delegation from Nickelodeon - began traveling to Mexico City, seeking permission to adapt their telenovelas into English-language shows, which led to the opening of the Santa Monica studio.

Televisa's stated "Latin feel with American appeal" goal - shared by its U.S.-based co-producers - is to extend the reach beyond Latino viewers. That translates into more diverse casts. Only a handful of actors on "Hollywood Heights" are Latino.

"Everyone is trying to target the Latino market, but we are trying to do something a bit broader here," said Paul Presburger, managing director of Televisa USA.

"Latinos want to watch universal stories with Hollywood stars, often Latin stars, going through experiences that everybody goes through."

After all, U.S.-born Latinos are more likely to watch English-language television. About 70 percent of such first-generation Latinos watch English-language channels. That number exceeds 90 percent for second-generation U.S.-born Latinos, according to according to a Pew Hispanic Center study.

Carlos Ponce, a telenovela star in Mexico, now plays the father of rock star Eddie Duran on Nickelodeon's "Hollywood Heights."

"I compare this to 'The Cosby Show,'" Ponce said last month before filming a scene. "That wasn't a show about an African-American family, it was a show about a family that happened to be African American. In this case, it's the same thing. We're second- and third-generation (Latinos), which is what this country is built of right now."