Filming for the ViX Original has started in Bogotá and will stae Annie Gonzalez.
ViX, the leading Spanish-language streaming service in the world, Mucho Mas Media and De Line Pictures announced the start of production of Jenni (working title), an authorized biopic about the life and journey of the late superstar Jenni Rivera. Actress, singer, and dancer Annie Gonzalez (Flamin’ Hot, Gentefied) will star as Jenni Rivera. Filming for the ViX Original has started in Bogotá, Colombia and will be completed in Los Angeles, California.
“My siblings and I are very excited for this biopic. We know our mother’s story will impact generations to come. It has been an uphill battle, but we are happy to see one of our mom’s dreams come to fruition,” stated Jacqie Rivera, daughter of Jenni Rivera and CEO of Jenni Rivera Enterprises. “Although we still haven’t been able to get used to seeing someone portray our mother, we have faith Annie will do a great job.”
Jenni, the true story of the iconic Mexican American singer/songwriter, actress, producer and women’s rights activist Jenni Rivera is set to premiere exclusively via ViX and in select movie theaters in the United States and Mexico later this year.
“ViX is thrilled to be the official home and distributor of this powerful story about Jenni Rivera. Our commitment to this project is paramount and, along with a fantastic production team and director, we know we will have a film that will captivate our audiences,” stated Augusto Rovegno, senior vice president, content ViX at TelevisaUnivision.
The authorized biopic will showcase Jenni, the Mexican American who became one of the most famous female regional Mexican artists on the charts, starting her career in her hometown of Long Beach, California, her meteoric rise in the music industry, and through the last days before her tragic and unexpected death. Jenni will also show the struggles that she endured in her personal life and how she became the artist fans all know and love today, and how she persevered and found strength from within. This story of resilience and bravery shows the building blocks of what made Jenni Rivera who she was and the remarkable legacy she left behind.
The cast is headlined by Annie Gonzalez (Flamin’ Hot, Gentefied), who will play Jenni Rivera, the late Diva de la Banda. Gonzalez can also be seen starring in Eva Longoria’s feature film directorial debut, Searchlight’s Flamin’ Hot, releasing via Hulu in June 2023. Gonzalez is represented by Innovative Artists and Silver Lining Entertainment.
“I am beyond honored to portray the essence of this phenomenal survivor that is Jenni Rivera who despite adversity at every turn was never a victim and showed her daughters, her family, and her audience what grace, forgiveness, and true authenticity is, liberating us all,” expressed Annie Gonzalez on portraying the icon, Jenni Rivera. “Jenni’s messages of feminism, civil rights, and nonconformity within her music was well before her time and made space for all of us to feel empowered. With the support of the Rivera family, I cannot wait to help tell the beautiful story and the impactful legacy of what Jenni means to me personally and what it will mean to women and Latinas everywhere.”
“As a rising young Latina star with the essence of Jenni in her soul, Annie is a fantastic choice to portray Jenni Rivera, and we look forward to starting production in early 2023,” producers Javier Chapa, Donald De Line, and Phillip Braun collectively shared.
Manuel Uriza (Narcos: Mexico, Gentefied, Rambo: Last Blood), will be playing the infamous Pedro Rivera, Jenni’s father and Regional Mexican entrepreneur. Other talent joining the cast of the film include Cinthya Carmona(East Los High, Rush Hour, Greenhouse Academy) as Chiquis Rivera, singer, TV personality and the oldest daughter of Jenni, Jero Medina (Narcos: Mexico, Somos, An Unknown Enemy) and Miguel Angel Garcia (The Long Game, Promised Land) were casted to characterize Trino Marín, Jenni’s first husband and father of her three oldest children, at later and earlier stages in his life, respectively, Gabriela Reynoso (Si Nos Dejan, Corazón Guerrero) will be portraying Jenni’s mother Rosa Saavedra, J.R. Villarreal (Ultra Violet, BlackScorpion) will play Juan Cinco Lopez, Jenni’s late second husband and newcomer Tatiana Juarez will be portraying the young Jenni Rivera.
Gigi Saul Guerrero (Culture Shock, Bingo Hell) directs from a screenplay by Shane McKenzie (Bingo Hell, La Quinceañera). Javier Chapa and Phillip Braun of Mucho Mas Media will produce with Donald De Line of De Line Pictures. Jenni Rivera Enterprises is executive producing the film alongside Annie Gonzalez, Simon Wise, Bruce Barshop, Vincent Cordero, and Kristopher Wynne.
Born in Long Beach, California, Jenni Rivera was an extraordinary talent who encouraged and inspired her fans worldwide through her music and philanthropic endeavors, including being a spokesperson for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She was open about her life and the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated world of music and entertainment, along with her own personal experiences dealing with domestic and sexual violence.
As a multiple award-winning artist including multiple Billboard Music Awards, 22 Billboard Latin Music Awards, 18 Lo Nuestro Awards and four Latin Grammy nominations Rivera is not only known as one of the best-selling Regional Mexican artists of all time, but also for her role in disrupting cultural precedent by crossing into Banda, a male-dominated music genre and eventually into pop music, where her presence posthumously continues to shine. Rivera died in a plane crash in 2012.
