Telemundo Kicks Off Production on ‘Silvana Sin Lana’

After two stints on Hispanic-themed English-language shows, superstar Latin entertainer Carlos Ponce is readying his return to primetime telenovelas en Español.

Production has ramped up for the Miami-set Silvana Sin Lana, a romantic comedy slated to air on Telemundo later this year.

The telenovela tells the story of Silvana “Chivis” (Maritza Rodriguez of El Señor de los Cielos), a wealthy woman who loses everything and is forced to move to a working-class neighborhood. There, she meets Manuel (Ponce), a fishmonger with a strong dislike for the upper class. The two will need to do the impossible in order to resist their mutual attraction, which goes against their beliefs and the world they grew up in.

Ponce, a native of Santurce, Puerto Rico, has enjoyed a Hollywood career that includes roles as lead smuggler “Marcel” in the animated feature Rio. He’s also most recently portrayed “Diego” in NBC’s behind-the-scenes parody series Telenovela, and was the co-protagonist in the now-cancelled ABC sitcom Cristela, which aired from 2014-2015.

Appearing alongside Ponce and Rodriguez is Adriana Barraza, who portrayed the mother of Gael Garcia Bernal’s character in the Oscar-nominated 1999 film Amores Perros. This time around, Barraza plays Trinidad ‘Trini’ Altamirano de Rivapalacios, Chivis’s mother.