America Ferrera to Host Univision-Pivot Documentary

Emmy Award and Golden Globe award-winning actress America Ferrera may be best-known for her role on ABC’s comedy-filled telenovela Ugly Betty.

She’ll now also be known as the host of a new series of documentary films co-produced by Univision’s news department and Pivot, the millennial-targeted television network from Participant Media.

The series, Panorámica, is comprised of eight original documentary films co-produced or acquired by Univision News and Pivot. Specifically, Ferrera will introduce the documentaries, providing context for films that aim to explore issues of special interest to both network’s audiences.

Among the titles is Cesar’s Last Fast, which aired on the Univision and Pivot networks in May 2014. The second title, Marmato, aired on the UniMás network and was simulcast on Pivot on Aug. 23. The networks did not disclose forthcoming entries in the series; all upcoming documentaries will air in Spanish on Univision or UniMás, and will be simulcast in English or air with English subtitles on Pivot.

“We are delighted to have America hosting the Panorámica series,” Isaac Lee, president of Univision News and CEO of Fusion, said. “Apart from being a distinguished actress, she has become an admired role model for young Latinos across the U.S. through her enormously successful career in Hollywood, which includes a major role in the recently released biopic Cesar Chavez. We know that she will connect with our viewers and create the perfect lead-in for the outstanding films that will follow her introduction.”

Pivot president Evan Shapiro added: “America has a proven passion for films that unearth the root of social and eco-political issues in the Latino community. We are very excited to have her on board as the host of Panorámica and to lend her voice to these fascinating films that dive into the issues that are top of mind for young Latinos.”