LOS ANGELES, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Finalists for the 2004 Imagen Awards were announced today by the Imagen Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1985 to encourage and recognize the positive portrayal of Latinos in all media, and to increase Latino representation at all levels of the entertainment industry.
Imagen Foundation Founder and President Helen Hernandez was joined by Latina actress Jacqueline Obradors of "NYPD Blue" at the official unveiling of selected individuals, movies and television programs at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in North Hollywood.
Obradors, who portrays Detective Rita Ortiz in ABC's Emmy winning drama series, recently she starred opposite Vin Diesel in A MAN APART and appeared in the independent film, TORTILLA SOUP. She was also featured in SIX DAYS, SEVEN NIGHTS with Harrison Ford and in DEUCE BIGELOW, MALE GIGOLO with Rob Schneider. Her most recent project, NINE LIVES, is an action thriller starring Wesley Snipes.
Winners will be revealed at Imagen's awards gala on August 26 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.
The Imagen Foundation received a record number of entries this year and will be presenting Imagen awards in 28 categories. Hernandez said the Foundation decided to expand its categories in order to provide more opportunity and recognition for the wealth of creative and acting talent that has emerged from the Latino community since the program's inception.
The Imagen Awards are held with the support of such companies as Wells Fargo, Lincoln Mercury, ABC Inc., Fox Television Station Group, and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and its president Todd Leavitt. Additional information regarding the Imagen Foundation and its awards program can be accessed on its web site: http://www.imagen.org/, or by calling (800) 311-3177.
2004 IMAGEN AWARDS FINALISTS Best Primetime Drama Series -- in Television * NYPD Blue -- Steven Bochco Productions -- ABC * Strong Medicine -- Lifetime Television -- Lifetime Television for Women * American Family -- Arenas Entertainment -- PBS Best Primetime Comedy Series -- in Television * George Lopez Show -- Warner Bros. Television -- ABC * Scrubs -- Touchstone Television -- NBC Best Mini-Series or Movie for Television * And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself -- HBO * Undefeated -- Home Box Office Best Television Documentary * In the Shadow of Laci Peterson -- Host Elizabeth Vargas, ABC News * The Kidnapping of Ingrid Betancourt -- HBO * Every Child is Born a Poet -- When in Doubt Productions -- Jonathan Robinson, Producer-Director * The Miracles from Mexico, KTTV/KCOP Best Supporting Actor in a Television Drama * Freddy Rodriguez -- Six Feet Under -- HBO * Danny Pino -- Cold Case -- G.E.F. Entertainment Inc. * Eddy Martin -- The Maldonado Miracle -- Arenas Entertainment * Esai Morales -- American Family -- PBS Best Supporting Actress in a Television Drama * Adrienne Ballon -- The Cheetah Girls -- The Disney Channel * Tia Texada -- Third Watch -- NBC * Jacqueline Obradors -- NYPD Blue -- ABC * Sonia Braga -- American Family -- PBS Best Supporting Actress in a Television Comedy * Diana Maria Riva -- Luis -- Fox Broadcasting * Judy Reyes -- My Moment of Un-Truth * Belita Moreno "Benny" -- The George Lopez Show -- Warner Brothers TV -- ABC Best Actor in a Television Comedy * George Lopez -- George Lopez Comedy Special: Why You Crying? Best Actor in a Television Drama * Antonio Banderas -- And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself -- HBO * Hector Elizondo -- Century City * A Martinez -- Killer Instinct * John Leguizamo -- Undefeated -- HBO * Edward James Olmos -- Battlestar Gallactica -- the Sci Fi Channel Best Actress in Television Comedy * Constance Marie -- George Lopez Show -- ABC Best Actress in Television Drama * Lisa Vidal -- The Division -- Lifetime Television * Rosa Blasi -- Strong Medicine -- Lifetime Television * Constance Marie -- American Family -- PBS Best Daytime Drama * Passions Best Movie of Television * And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself -- HBO * Undefeated -- HBO Best Variety Special * Queer Eye for the Straight Guy -- Bravo * LATV Live! -- LATV * La Vida -- Henry Guerrero, Producer -- WFAA-TV The finalists for Best Children's Animated Programming are: * Chalk Zone -- MTV Networks * Dora the Explorer -- Executive Producer: Chris Gifford -- Nickelodeon * Mucha Lucha! -- Executive Producer: Sander Schwartz; Alfred Gimeno, Joel Kuwahara, Michael Ryan, Producers -- WB Television Best Children's Non-Animated Programming * The Brothers Garcia -- Executive Producer: Jeff Valdez; Debra Spidell, Producer -- Nickelodeon * The Cheetah Girls -- The Disney Channel Best National Informational Programming * La Conexion -- Perfect Image Film & Video Productions * Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel -- Home Box Office * Urban Latino TV -- Renzo Devia, Producer -- Urban Latino TV Best Local Informational Programming * The Cris Franco Show -- Cris Franco Entertainment * The Mendez Case -- KCBS/KCAL * Vista L.A. -- Producer: Velia La Garda -- KABC Best On-Air Advertising * Verizon -- "Jogger" -- La Agencia de Orci & Associates * Scarpbook -- ZGS Communications, Inc. * SiTV -- SiTV Networks * Conexion Perez -- Aguilar/Gerard Agency Best Live Theatrical Production * Cesar and Ruben * Rick Najera's LATINOLOGUES, an S.A.N, Presentation * Abuelo's Legacy -- The Jude Shaw Theater Company * Culture Clash -- Arenas Entertainment Best Short or Student Film * Anima -- Writer-Director Erika Grediaga -- AFI * The Ticket -- Writer-Director David Fuller * An Assignment -- Writer-Director John A. Rangel Best Supporting Actor in Film * Alfred Molina -- Identity -- Sony Pictures Entertainment * Cristian De La Fuente -- Basic -- Sony Pictures Entertainment * Ruben Blades -- Once Upon a Time in Mexico -- Sony Pictures Entertainment Best Supporting Actress in Film * Michelle Rodriguez -- S.W.A.T. -- Sony Pictures Entertainment * Eva Mendes -- Once Upon a Time in America -- Sony Pictures Entertainment * Jocelyn Sanchez -- Basic -- Sony Pictures Entertainment * Salma Hayek -- Once Upon a Time in Mexico -- Sony Pictures Entertainment For Best Picture (Drama or Comedy) in Film, the finalists are: * Valentin -- Miramax * Once Upon a Time in Mexico -- Robert Rodriguez, Director -- Sony Pictures Entertainment Best Actor in a Film * Jesus Nebut -- No Turning Back -- Zokalo Entertainment * Antonio Banderas -- Once Upon a Time in Mexico -- Sony Pictures Entertainment Best Actress in Film * Cameron Diaz -- Charlie's Angels Full Throttle -- Sony Pictures Entertainment Best Director * Guillermo Del Toro -- Hellboy -- Sony Pictures Entertainment * Robert Rodriguez -- Once Upon a Time in Mexico -- Sony Pictures Entertainment Best Documentary in Film * Discovering Dominga -- Patricia Flynn, Producer -- Jaguar House Films * Farmingsville - Camino Bluffs Productions
Special Award to Fox Broadcasting in recognition of their efforts to portray the Latin community in a positive, balanced manner. Imagen Foundation
Web site: http://www.imagen.org/
