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Leguizamo Does America: With John Leguizamo, Gina Torres, Michael Peña, Robert Rodriguez. In "Leguizamo Does America," John Leguizamo travels across the country to bring viewers inside America's thriving Latino communities - all with his characteristic edge, energy, and wit.
- (113)
- 2023-04-16
- Documentary
- John Leguizamo, Gina Torres, Michael Peña
- Overview
- 'A show for all kinds of audiences'
John Leguizamo offers up a simple inspiration for his latest series.
“I wanted to do a show where people watch this and say, ‘I wanna be Latino!’ or ‘Damn, too bad I’m not Latino!’”
Leguizamo, the acclaimed actor, comedian, producer and activist, takes viewers on a journey as the host of “Leguizamo Does America,” a six-part docuseries premiering Sunday on MSNBC and streaming on Peacock. Produced by NBC News Studios, each episode focuses on a different city — Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C. — and its unique Latino heritage, as Leguizamo explores its culture, people and monuments and its food and restaurants. One episode focuses on Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory.
Leguizamo takes viewers from sound stages in Hollywood to a salsa festival in New York’s Spanish Harlem and a sacred Indigenous ceremony in Puerto Rico — all while exploring Latino contributions to American life.
“Latinx history is American history,” Leguizamo says in one of the episodes, noting that Latinos have played critical roles, from the Revolutionary War to the birth of hip-hop.
“Leguizamo Does America” can be viewed as part of the emerging trend of celebrity travel shows, such as “Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico” (CNN) and “Down to Earth with Zac Efron” (Netflix). Leguizamo’s show covers a lot of ground, from the origins of New York’s famous bodegas, or corner shops, to the resident Latina conductor at the Los Angeles Opera. It features appearances by well-known actors like George Lopez, Gina Torres, Diane Guerrero and Michael Peña — who takes Leguizamo to his family's famed domino-playing gatherings in Chicago — as well as notable figures like Broadway director/choreographer Sergio Trujillo, Voto Latino’s María Teresa Kumar and fashion designer Raul Lopez.
Ben DeJesus, the show’s director, said the series “was one of the life-changing experiences of my career,” adding: “This is something we feel is worth celebrating: our Latino culture and the richness of our food, our music and our activism. It’s a lot of Latin themes and people, but this is really a show for all kinds of audiences.”
In addition to the content, DeJesus, 46, is especially proud that the “Leguizamo” production team included many Latinos. “John actually mentioned to us that, in his 30-some years in the business, he had never seen so many Latin names on a call sheet,” DeJesus said. “It was intentional — and important to us to bring in as many Latino crew members and staff as possible and to provide opportunities for them to contribute their talents.”
For executive producer Carolina Saavedra, one of the show's highlights was a visit to Washington, D.C.’s Gala Hispanic Theater. “Seeing the kids in the theater program there really touched me,” she said. “As an immigrant child, it brought back the experience of coming to this country, feeling alienated and initially being looked down upon because we don’t speak the language. Seeing that the kids at the Gala Theater have a safe space to express their pain, to express themselves, reminded me of the beauty and the value of this organization.”Saavedra described working on “Leguizamo Does America” as “the most meaningful job of my career.”
“I’ve always wanted to tell stories about real people, stories that would move people and start conversation, stories about class, race and gender,” she said. “All of these things are my passion, and with this show, I was able to do that.”
“I wanted to make sure that this was an entertaining show, an ingratiating show for any community that watches it, but also one that is specific to our Latino experience, which includes joy as well as hardship,” she added.
Leguizamo hopes the series inspires a new generation of Latino scholars and artists.
Apr 16, 2023 · April 16, 2023 4:09pm. John Leguizamo in 'Leguizamo Does America' Courtesy of NBCUniversal. John Leguizamo really, really loves Latin history. “I’m a history addict. I’m an idiot savant in ...
- Abbey White
Apr 20, 2023 · “Leguizamo Does America” is part travelogue, part history lesson and part reality-show doc, packaged as fast-paced 60-minute episodes featuring Leguizamo’s biting, irreverent humor and good ...
- jessica.gelt@latimes.com
- Staff Writer
Apr 12, 2023 · Actor & comedian John Leguizamo gives us a first look at his new MSNBC series ‘Leguizamo Does America’ where he travels across the country to bring viewers i...
- 7 min
- 9.1K
- MSNBC
Jun 27, 2023 · Before Leguizamo Does America, it was his 2018 Tony-nominated one-man Broadway show, Latin History for Morons, where he highlighted some of Latin history’s many unsung heroes, which cemented Leguizamo as a powerful social commentator seeking to dissect, chronicle and celebrate the Latino experience.
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Jun 27, 2023 · MSNBC Films, NBC News Studios. “Leguizamo Does America” has been renewed for a second season at MSNBC. The docuseries follows John Leguizamo in a travelogue format as he explores and ...
