Natalie Chaidez and Eva Longoria are joining forces for a multi-generational story about a Mexican-American family. Deadline reports that “Chicano” is in development at ABC.
Penned by Chaidez, the series follows the triumphs and tragedies of the Sandovals, a family that immigrates to Los Angeles “in pursuit of the American Dream,” all the way from 1920 through present. “Chicano,” which is inspired by Richard Vasquez’s 1970 book of the same name, explores “the question of what it means to be American.”
Chaidez and “Desperate Housewives” alumna Longoria are among the project’s exec producers. Longoria and Ben Spector’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment is under a deal at 20th Century Fox Studios Television, the studio behind the project.
“’Chicano’ is just the first of many projects that we expect from Eva and Ben as we look to ramp up our slate of Latinx programming. As part of our studio family, they are valuable partners in helping us expand our commitment to compelling stories for underrepresented communities,” said Karey Burke, president, ABC Entertainment. She emphasized the network’s excitement about bringing “this Mexican-American family’s story to life and [cultivating] the next generation of Latinx storytelling.”
Chaidez serves as showrunner on “Queen of the South,” a USA Network crime drama that’s been renewed for a fifth season. “12 Monkeys,” “Hunters,” and “The Sarah Connor Chronicles” are among her other credits.
Check out a video of Chaidez discussing the power of Latinx representation and her experiences as a woman in writers’ rooms below. “Progress has been made since I’ve started my job, definitely, but there’s still a long way to go,” she says.
