Highly Relevant Podcast with Jack Rico

Actor Adrian Martinez and actress Allison Strong shown in headshots for podcast feature.

By Jack Rico

2018/04/20 at 5:55pm

Podcast

PODCAST: Adrian Martinez Talks ‘I Feel Pretty’ and Perseverance, Allison Strong Talks Netflix’s ‘The Week Of’ and Being Bilingual

04.20.2018 | By Jack Rico |

*Updated March 2026*

**Adrian Martinez** and **Allison Strong** join the show today to chat about going at it in Hollywood as **Latinx actors**. Adrian is in Amy Schumer’s controversial film *I Feel Pretty*, out in theaters now. We talked about why the movie’s premise has angered some women, if he thinks “beauty” is a fact or an opinion, and his #1 advice for any Latinx actor wanting to break into the business. Read More

Michelle Veintimilla as Firefly in a dark Gotham night close-up

Michelle Veintimilla portraying Firefly in Gotham season 2

By Jack Rico

2018/04/15 at 2:17pm

Podcast

Gotham’s Michelle Veintimilla on Firefly And Why She Isn’t A Fan of Telenovelas

04.15.2018 | By Jack Rico |

*Updated March 2026*

Ecuadorian-American actress and singer Michelle Veintimilla joins us on this episode to discuss her role as the villainess **Firefly** on FOX’s Gotham series. Listen to our interview with Michelle on the Highly Relevant Podcast after the jump to find out why she isn’t a fan of telenovelas.

Man in suit with text asking who is next Univision CEO

Promotional image for podcast discussing the next Univision CEO candidate.

By Jack Rico

2018/04/07 at 9:44am

Latinos In Hollywood Podcast

PODCAST: NALIP’s Ben Lopez On Next Univision CEO, Latinos Breaking Into Hollywood, U.S Hispanic Stories

04.7.2018 | By Jack Rico |

On episode 71 of Highly Relevant, Ben Lopez, Executive Director of NALIP joins us to discuss the rock-bottom depths Hispanic actors have reached in Hollywood. What is the African-American community doing differently than the Hispanic community? Also, Randy Falco, the CEO of Univision, recently announced he’s retiring early. What type of person should replace him? Is it time for a U.S. born Hispanic to run it and should it be a woman? Should they look into doing English-language programming? And we also chat about how NALIP’s whole mission is to help Hispanic creatives break into Hollywood.

Demi Lovato smiling, Miguel singing with microphone on stage

Demi Lovato smiles while Miguel performs on stage, 2013.

By Jack Rico

2018/03/25 at 10:29am

Podcast

US Latino Pop Stars Singing In Spanish: A Business Move or A Cultural Rediscovery?

03.25.2018 | By Jack Rico |

Updated March 2026

You’ve heard them – Miguel, Demi Lovato, Becky G, Jennifer Lopez – all US Latino pop stars who randomly decided to sing in Spanish. Why? What were the reasons behind it? Is it a money-grabbing business move or is it a genuine rediscovery of their cultural roots? Music journalist Isabela Raygoza and I explore whether Latino music listeners buy into their strategy to reach them in their language or if it stinks of commerce. In this podcast episode, we discuss if US Latino pop stars singing in Spanish are being disingenuous about their love of their roots or if they are for real.

By Jack Rico

2018/03/15 at 7:14pm

Podcast

Why Do We Like Horror Movies? Director Johannes Roberts Explains

03.15.2018 | By Jack Rico |

This week on the Highly Relevant podcast, we ask the question: why do we like horror movies? Director Johannes Roberts from the new sequel The Strangers: Prey At Night joins the show to discuss why he feels horror movies are such a thrill for moviegoers and why his new movie is different than many others. Halloween is just around the corner so listen after the jump.

By Jack Rico

2018/02/19 at 12:51pm

Podcast

PODCAST: “Black Panther”: Race, Colonialism, Afrofuturism, and Oscar 2019

02.19.2018 | By Jack Rico |

“Black Panther” is out and already has broken records and movie myths. On this episode, we talk to three African-American guests: Soraya Nadia McDonald, a culture critic for ESPN’s The Undefeated, Mike Sargent, filmmaker and pioneering Afrofuturist, and Wilson Morales, EIC of Blackfilm.com, about the film’s significance, the social commentary on race and politics that lies beneath the whole film, and its chances at Oscar gold come 2019. Read More

By SBC Staff

2018/02/02 at 3:14pm

Podcast

PODCAST: Natalia Lafourcade discusses Coco’s “Remember Me”, R&B star Miguel, “Musas Vol. 2”

02.2.2018 | By SBC Staff |

Natalia Lafourcade, 33, is a highly acclaimed Mexican singer/songwriter who was recently nominated for Best Latin Pop Album at the 60th Annual Grammys for her album, Musas Vol.1 (Un homenaje al folclore Latinoamericano en manos de Los Macorinos), and is also the singer for the Oscar nominated song “Remember Me” from Pixar’s hit film “Coco”. Read More

By Jack Rico

2018/01/12 at 8:42pm

Podcast

PODCAST: “Coco’s” Director Lee Unkrich Hints At More Pixar Multicultural Films, Oscar Talk with Clayton Davis, 2018’s Most Anticipated TV & Movies

01.12.2018 | By Jack Rico |

We’re starting 2018 off on the right foot with perhaps the most influential people in animation with Pixar’s COCO director Lee Unkrich and producer Darla K. Anderson who join us straight from their Golden Globe win and the first Golden Globe award for a Latino-themed animated film. We discuss why it took so long for Pixar to make a Latino film and if its financial and award acclaim will spawn off more multicultural animated films. Read More

Luke Skywalker in Jedi robes standing outdoors on rocky cliff

Luke Skywalker, portrayed by Mark Hamill, in Star Wars: The Last Jedi

By Jack Rico

2017/12/12 at 9:47pm

Podcast

PODCAST: Star Wars: The Last Jedi Review

12.12.2017 | By Jack Rico |

Two tremendous stories are the talk of the nation this week. First is our Star Wars: The Last Jedi review. We talk to Adam Garcia (3:45), producer for Yahoo! Entertainment who lives and breathes Star Wars. Then we’ll get to our movie segment FIRST REACTION where we give you our first reaction to the movie, inside the theater with the credits rolling, with film critic Mike Sargent (17:00) from WBAI radio and seen on FOX News. Read More

By Jack Rico

2017/11/22 at 8:57am

Podcast

PODCAST: ‘Coco’ Director Adrian Molina On Celebrating Latino Culture, Guillermo Arriaga On Writing A Good Story, Aimee Garcia Discusses FOX’s ‘Lucifer’ S3

11.22.2017 | By Jack Rico |

Happy Thanksgiving! In this episode, we chat with Adrian Molina (2:34), he is the first Latino director of Pixar and the co-director of Pixar’s new movie Coco which is currently in theaters right now. We discuss why Coco is not a Mexican film for Mexicans and why it really is a film for everyone. Read More