Gordita Chronicles: Finding the American Dream
A new HBO Max sitcom, Gordita Chronicles, explores a Latino immigrant family trying to find the American Dream. The tv show follows the Castelli family’s move from the Dominican Republic to Florida in the 1980s. And it’s seen through the eyes of 12-year-old Cucu Castelli. More than a coming-of-age story, Gordita Chronicles is a reality check comparing an immigrant’s dreams of America with the realities of American life.
The semi-autobiographical series from creator and executive producer Claudia Forestieri and executive producers Eva Longoria and Zoe Saldaña cover topics such as:
- struggles with English
- American customs like Halloween
- dating and beauty standards
In explaining why she created the series, Forestieri said:
“I wanted to tell a story about all the immigrants that I grew up around in Miami that loved this country and were just trying to improve the nation, and then make better lives for themselves.”
The producers were proud to create a show with many Latinos in front of and behind the cameras. Saldaña explains,
“We always worked towards having the accurate representation of the Dominican American experience. We always felt like, ‘Okay, we’re working towards that, but we recognize that we’re probably light years away from it.’ It’s a hopeful situation, so when Claudia’s project came along and it was about her life and we got to know her and to know that HBO Max was involved, it was the opportunity that we were dreaming of. To be able to amplify the American-Dominican family.”
Longoria also directed some of season 1’s episodes:
“There’s a huge white space in Latinx representation across the board, but specifically comedies, and specifically family comedies. I thought: ‘Absolutely, the world needs this show. Sign me up.’”
Are You Ready to Find Your American Dream?
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