Selena Quintanilla-Inspired TV Series In the Works at ABC
The legacy of the late Latina music superstar Selena Quintanilla lives on. ABC sets a pilot commitment inspired by her life and career for a potential musical family drama series.
The still-untitled show will involve Selena's father and sister, Abraham Quintanilla Jr. and Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga, as producers. ABC tapped "Scandal" writer Miguel Nolla for the scripts. Justin Bieber's manager Scooter Braun will serve as executive producer and Campanario Entertainment will also oversee the show.
The series will focus on a character named Alex Guerra. She is a famous pop star who is saddled with a crisis. She is forced to return home to her estranged family in Texas, where family secrets soon unravel.
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Alex's music and career will take points from Selena's legacy. The story per se, however, will be fictional and won't be biographical.
"This project gives us all an opportunity to showcase a successful, aspirational Latino family in a way that is not currently represented on television," Campanario Entertainment president Jaime Davila said. "Sergio, Rico and I are looking forward to creating with the team an original music-driven drama with authentic characters as multifaceted as our own families."
Selena rose to fame in the 1990s and became the Queen of Tejano music. The president of her fan club, however, ended her career when Yolanda Saldivar shot the 23-year-old pop star.
Following her death, Selena's popularity grew when her songs, "Dreaming of You" and "I Could Fall In Love" became international hits. Jennifer Lopez played the superstar in the 1997 movie "Selena" that also featured Edward James Olmos, Jon Seda, Jackie Guerra and Constance Marie.
Selena remains an inspiration for Latina women decades after her death. In recent years, her family gave permission for fashion brands like Forever 21 and MAC to use her image in T-shirts and makeup products.
In 2017, Selena received her star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Casting announcements for the drama series will soon be underway. ABC has not eyed a premiere date pending pilot production.
