Eva Longoria & Cris Abrego Launch Hyphenate Media; Backed By Banijay, UnbeliEVAble Entertainment Folded Into New Group
16.10.2023 - 15:11
/ deadline.com
Eva Longoria and Cris Abrego, two of the most high-profile Latinos in Hollywood, have joined forces.
The pair have launched Hyphenate Media Group, a new Banijay-backed venture that will develop and produce its own slate as well as invest in creator-led companies.
The company, which has been in the works for months, was announced during a keynote with the duo, who have been friends for years, at Mipcom.
Abrego will serve as the CEO of the company, and Longoria will serve as its Chief Creative Officer.
As part of its launch, Hyphenate has acquired the full slate of Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, which has been behind series such as NBC’s Telenovela, ABC’s Grand Hotel, and CNN’s Searching for Mexico.
As such, Hyphenate will take on Apple TV+’s Land of Women, a six-part series starring and exec produced by the Desperate Housewives star that will launch in 2024.
The company will develop and produce both scripted and unscripted series and both of them will produce for the business with all television projects directed by Longoria also coming under the new banner, which is set to firm up its leadership team later this year.
Abrego, who founded Below Deck producer 51 Minds Entertainment in 2003, will remain Chairman of Americas for Banijay and he also serves as Chair of the Television Academy Foundation and a member of the Executive Committee for the Television Academy.
The move marks Banijay’s first investment into the scripted space in the U.S.
Speaking at Mipcom this afternoon, Abrego spotlighted the decision-making behind launching a diverse content company, as he quoted research that found 50% of American under-18s are not white.
“Supporting creatives in their vision is what we will do,” he added. “The train has