Producer and CEO of 3Pas Studios, Ben Odell, is our guest this week. He shares the fascinating story behind his critically acclaimed new film 'Radical,' starring Eugenio Derbez. The film centers on a gifted but disadvantaged group of students in Mexico whose lives are transformed by an unconventional new teacher. Hear how the film was received diff…

'How the Gringo Stole Christmas' is one of only a handful of Latino-centered holiday films ever made. This week, its director, Venezuelan-American Angel Gracia, joins the show to discuss this pressing question: Why are Latino holiday movies so rare? Plus, we discuss his rich three-decade journey in filmmaking, the challenges of authentically castin…

Legendary music producer Gustavo Santaolalla has crafted the soundtrack to Rock En Español, producing career-defining albums for Café Tacvba, Molotov, Juanes, and many more. He is one of only three composers to win consecutive Academy Awards for Best Original Score for Brokeback Mountain and Babel. In our wide-ranging conversation, Gustavo shares h…

This week, renowned Colombian band Monsieur Periné joins the show to discuss their latest release, 'Bolero Apocaliptico'. We interview them about the evolution of their musical style, how they challenge traditional love narratives, and the influence of Afro-Colombian roots on their work. The conversation also navigates thought-provoking issues, suc…

In this week's episode, we welcome singer Julio Iglesias Jr. who celebrated his 50th birthday with a new big band album titled "Under The Covers" out now, his first musical project in 15 years. He also opens up about his father Julio Sr. and superstar brother Enrique and how he defines himself in terms of race, culture, and identity. Interview with…

Our first guest of 2023 is Xochitl Gonzalez, the multi-talented Puerto Rican-Mexican American writer of the New York Times best-seller "Olga Dies Dreaming" and staff writer for The Atlantic Magazine. She's here to discuss with me her latest thought-provoking article, "The New Case for Social Climbing," and its impact on people of color, particularl…

In this interview with Marta Tellado, the CEO of Consumer Reports, we discuss how she became one of the few Latina CEOs in the country, how her Cuban heritage shaped her democratic ideals, and how her new book, ‘Buyer Aware: Harnessing Our Consumer Power for a Safe, Fair, and Transparent Marketplace,’ acts as a guide for consumers to reclaim their …

Ximena and I discuss her most recent album Amor Adolecente and how her hit ballad 'Una Vez Más' came to be. We also discuss the significance her sophomore English-language album had on her artistic growth, the pressures for Latin artists to succumb to the Reggaeton momentum, why it’s hard for Latina artists to find global acceptance, and we discuss…

In this week’s episode, I talk to Simón Mejía, the founder and band leader of the Grammy-winning Colombian group ‘Bomba Estéreo’. We discuss his latest solo film and music project EL DUENDE, inspired by the Afro-indigenous music of Colombia’s jungles, as well as, what he thinks of Colombia’s newly elected president Gustavo Petro, and how the Bad Bu…

In this week’s episode, we welcome Manuel Abud, the CEO of the Latin Recording Academy for a chat about this year’s Latin Grammys. We discuss an array of topics including thoughts of taking the Latin Grammys back to CBS and mainstream validation, his vision of taking the show internationally to different countries, competition from other Spanish-la…

This week I interview my good friend Benjamin Odell, who is the CEO of 3Pas Studios, the production company he and his friend Eugenio Derbez formed together. Their latest project is the remake of the French film ‘The Valet’ which premieres on HULU May 20th. In this conversation, Ben and I talk about his unique life and cultural upbringing, as well …

Dominican actor Manny Perez, perhaps best known for his films 'Washington Heights,' 'El Cantante,' 'Bella' and the hit action film ‘La Soga,’ is now doing his directorial debut with the sequel - 'La Soga Salvation'. We discuss what it takes to write, direct and produce his own movie, what the future of Dominican cinema looks like, and his opinion o…

In our first episode, we welcome actress Justina Machado. You know her from the Emmy Award-winning comedy reboot of “One Day at a Time” from legendary producer Norman Lear and several other tv shows and films. Our conversation covered several interesting subjects such as Latino representation in the animation industry, why Hispanic animated films s…

Gloria Calderon Kellett's 'With Love' is the best Latinx television I have seen. It combines all the American TV characteristics we grew up with, but with a US Latino family at the center. Think of ‘When Harry Met Sally,’ ‘Love Actually,’ 'The Holiday,' but with Latinos. It's all the shows that make us cozy up to a warm fire, a snug blanket, and ho…

This week I welcome Colombian photographer Josefina Santos who as of late has been photographing some of the biggest names in music, tv, and film, such as Olivia Rodrigo, MJ Rodriguez from ‘Pose’ and indie director Jim Jarmusch to name a few, plus has photographed covers for The New Yorker, The New York Times, Teen Vogue and more. Josefina and I di…

On a new episode of Highly Relevant, I talk to director/producer Lissette Feliciano about her new indie film 'Women Is Losers'. The film which premiered at 2021's SXSW Festival, has gotten good reviews for it's female empowerment story and her use of multicultural characters. She tells me how lies about Latinos in the media has become the driving f…

In this rebroadcast of our interview with director Robert Rodriguez from February 27, 2019, we discuss his new film at that time 'Alita: Battle Angel,' how one of the main goals of his TV network 'El Rey' was to find and hire more Latino filmmakers, and if it is the responsibility of a Latino directors to create Latino stars. Highly Relevant Playli…

Adriana Barraza is one of five Latinas to have ever been nominated for an Academy Award in acting. She is now starring in the new Blumhouse horror film 'Bingo Hell' on Amazon Prime Video, perfectly timed for Halloween. In this new interview, Adriana and I discuss being the first Latina actress in her 60s to lead a film. It was also directed and co-…

Actress/producer Aubrey Plaza has become a cult indie film queen since her big break as April Ludgate on NBC’s “Parks And Recreation”. Since then she’s done popular films such as Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, and the Child’s Play reboot. She’s now coming off of a dramedy with Michael Caine called Best Sellers, is cu…

Known for being one of the biggest comedians in Mexico, Eugenio Derbez made a splash in the indie film scene with his bilingual movie ‘Instructions Not Included,’ which became the highest-grossing Spanish-language film and the fourth highest-grossing foreign film of all time in the United States. He followed that up with ‘How to Be a Latin Lover,’ …

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! I am kicking off a retrospective series for Hispanic Heritage Month where I revisit with you my favorite interviews of the last five years. We start it off with the star of In The Heights and Transformers 7, actor/singer Anthony Ramos. In this interview I did with him on October 5th, 2018, Ramos is coming off of a co-…

My guest this week is Camila Legaspi, the Chief Content Officer of Latina Media Ventures, the company which owns Latina Magazine. She joins me this week for an in-depth discussion on the relaunch of Latina.com. We discuss why the brand took a hiatus, why it decided to return, and what role will it play for this new generation of Latinas. Can the br…

In this episode, director Rodrigo Reyes discusses his new film '499,' a documentary about how Spanish colonialism has traumatized the people of Mexico today. He and I will talk about how he got his movie funded and what inspired him to make this film. And I also talk to Stanford Professor Tomás Jiménez about the latest Census numbers and what they …

Dominican-born Emilio Sosa, the new Chair of the American Theatre Wing, is the first Latino to chair the prestigious organization. He is a Tony-nominated costume designer whose Broadway career includes, ON YOUR FEET!, MOTOWN: The Musical, and his Tony nomination for Gershwin’s PORGY AND BESS. We discuss his humble beginnings as a young Dominican li…

I talk to Uruguayan filmmaker Maximiliano Contenti whose new horror film THE LAST MATINEE is in theaters right now. We discuss the 90’s inspiration behind the film as well as tackle colorism in Uruguayan and Argentine cinema. How does it relate to American cinema today? Plus, how do his generations’ filmmakers feel about the Hollywood industry toda…

It's no secret Asian talent and creators are in high demand in Hollywood right now. Teresa Hsiao, creator and showrunner of 'Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens,' realizes how much interest there is for her and her friends right now. Latinos are starting to see glimmers, but for us, it's not the same. We're struggling in Hollywood, the numbers back it up…

In this week's episode, I invite a few friends to recommend what they've enjoyed reading, watching, or listening to as of late. Maybe it'll help you choose your next mental escape. Gonzalo Peña - InnoLatino Podcast Agustina Gamero Roman Rojas - Tremenda Vaina Podcast Juan Doe - http://www.juandoe.com Highly Relevant Playlist Conexión Total - Bomba …

In this episode, we discuss Camilo's new 'Kesi Remix' with Canadian pop star Shawn Mendes who sings in Spanish for the very first time. Entertainment reporter Lucas Villa from wearemitu.com joins me to find out how Latino Mr. Mendes wants to be since he's also dating Cuban megastar, Camila Cabello. I also recommend 3 quality films you might have kn…

Joining me today are the podcast hosts of Pero Let Me Tell Yo, DJ and Ish, two Cuban-Americans based in Miami who give me their perspective of the protests in Cuba and what it all means for the future of Cuba and Cuban-Americans in Miami. Highly Relevant Playlist Cabala - Xiomara Fortuna Cortar - Raquel Sofía (feat. Los Macorinos) Tú - Okills, Meli…

Newsletters have become a very popular way of consuming news. The first newsletter I ever read was Brian Stelter's from CNN. The first Latinx newsletter I remember subscribing to was Elisabeth Rosario's 'The Latinx Collective' which I interviewed her about it almost 3 years ago. Back in March, the news website Axios partnered with Telemundo to crea…

Christian Herrera and producer 2Deep, co-founders of LA's Gasolina Records, join me today to discuss American Reggaeton, a new musical movement by US-born Latino reggaeton artists who want to break into the Latin-American market. How did they build their record label, why are American Latino reggaetoneros being iced out by the fans and industry? Ho…

In this week’s episode, Cuban-American writer-director Carlos V. Gutierrez discusses his first feature-length film - LOCKED IN. We discuss what it took him to get his first Hollywood movie made, if directors and writers are responsible for improving the image of Latino-created characters on film, and what we have to do to convince studio executives…

My guest today is actor Juan Pablo Raba who co-stars in Liam Neeson’s border thriller The Marksman out on streaming now. He plays Mauricio, a Mexican cartel soldier out to retrieve his missing prize. We tackle Hollywood’s fixation with border stories and why Juan Pablo believes border stories need to continue to be told. We also debate The Marksman…

Los Rivera Destino are a young Puerto Rican band who are driving a new wave of modern boleros in Latin music. They’ve already collaborated with the likes of Bad Bunny and Pedro Capó. We discuss why they believe boleros are having a renaissance, the story behind how they collaborated with Bad Bunny, and whether they are pro or nay for Statehood in P…

My guest this week is actor/singer Christian Chavez, former member of the musical phenomenon RBD. Christian has a new Telemundo super-series out now called “LA SUERTE DE LOLI” where he plays Matías, a clever and openly gay assistant who is having problems in his marriage. We discuss identity, language, fame, depression and if there is a RBD super-s…

This week my guests are Cuban Poet Richard Blanco and Puerto Rican band Buscabulla. Richard Blanco was the first Latino, immigrant and openly gay poet to be chosen to read at a Presidential inauguration. He recited 'One Today' at Barack Obama's 2013 Inauguration. We spoke on the role poetry should play in our country right now. Puerto Rican duo 'Bu…

Colombian actress Vanessa Rubio, who stars as Carmen Díaz in the hit Netflix show ‘Cobra Kai,' joins the show to discuss what it’s like to be on a hit mainstream show, what her first reaction to hearing she was officially cast in ‘Cobra Kai’ was like, what she thinks of more interracial relationships like she has with Johnny Lawrence, and why she b…

Camilo Lara is the brainchild of ‘Mexican Institute of Sound,’ one of the most innovative musical bands in Latin music. Why he doesn't play the Grammy's is beyond us. We discuss the meaning behind his new single - 'My America Is Not Your America' - why racism exists in Mexico, how he collaborated with Pixar’s Oscar winning-film ‘Coco’ and how pop c…

Happy Thanksgiving! Our guest today is actress and producer Aubrey Plaza who has a new psychological thriller called BLACK BEAR out December 4th. We did a deep dive on her Puerto-Rican heritage, if she identifies as a Latina, does she speak Spanish and if she wants to make latinx films. Also she explains why breaking Latina stereotypes is a priorit…

With the 2020 election right around the corner, political reporter Rafael Bernal from TheHill.com, helps me breakdown if the Latino vote is a myth or if it will elect the next President of the United States. We also tackle the question that has been on minds of many as of late… should Alexandra-Ocasio Cortés run for President in 2024? The Highly Re…

This week we welcome actor Maximiliano Hernández (The Avengers) where we covered a lot of interesting topics ranging from why there is no Latinx superheroes at Marvel or DC to racism and image representation. Plus, why he considers Peacock's 'Mr. Mercedes' the most fun he's had on a TV show and the question he asked Benicio del Toro on set about th…

The 21st Latin Grammy Nominations were announced this week and music journalist, Isabela Raygoza, joins the show to help me deconstruct what the plethora of Reggaeton nominations means to music fans and the music industry. Will white and Black artists continue to collaborate with Spanish-language artists? Plus, Isabela weighs in on who will win and…

Mexican-American comedian Felipe Esparza did something special this year. He is the first comedian to record two separate performances – one in English and one in Spanish - of his new comedy specials 'Bad Decisions' and 'Malas Decisiones' for Netflix, marking this moment a first for Latinx comedians and Netflix as well. Esparza joins Jack on this e…

This week actress Genesis Rodriguez drops by the podcast to discuss her new survival thriller Centigrade out on demand right now. Genesis and Jack have a raw conversation on the unhealthy experience she had filming the movie, she describes how she put her body through extreme torture using a diet where she lost 14lbs. in 20 days that left her physi…

Honduran-American television host Rocsi Díaz joins Jack Rico on the return of the "Highly Relevant Podcast" to discuss her brand new co-hosting show "Cannonball" from the USA Network. She also shares with Jack what she believes are the components she has used to become a national television host on BET, Entertainment Tonight, E! and now the USA Net…

Dominican-American director Jessy Terrero discusses with Jack his Netflix project - "Nicky Jam: El Ganador". He also gives his views about creativity under quarantine, the aesthetic of low tech vs. high-tech productions, his thoughts on virtual directing, why Hollywood still hasn't embraced the reggaeton phenomenon like Latinx youth has and the sti…

Jaime Camil joins the podcast to discuss his new bilingual movie “Pildoras De Mi Novio” out in theaters now. We got a chance to discuss the growing trend of bilingual and bicultural movies, his thoughts on why Jane The Virgin was successful with white audiences, and if we reached a turning point in Hollywood viewing Hispanic actors as legitimate st…

On this first episode of 2020, we talk to Jencarlos Canela, arguably one of the most beloved singer/actors in the Hispanic market on his new Netflix Latinx sitcom “The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia”. We get into a deep conversation on why he feels comfortable with white showrunners telling him how to play a Hispanic, how he’s handled being to…

This is the last podcast of 2019. We will be back in 2020 with more episodes and also will be launching a new podcast as well. We will be announcing details very soon on all of Jack's social media platforms. On this episode, we discuss the Camila Cabello (1:58) racial debacle with culture critic Mike Sargent over some insensitive comments she said …

Actor William Levy has a new film out called 'En Abrazos de un Asesino' (8:02) which he co-wrote, produced and stars in. It’s like James Bond meets John Wick, but in Mexico. In our interview, Levy got raw and direct about how the Latino market and Hollywood once told him he was never going to succeed because of his Cuban accent and how he didn't lo…